A relentless British and Irish Lions were ferocious in attack and solid in defence to edge a dogged Australia and win a bruising first Test 27-19 in Brisbane on Saturday, with skipper Maro Itoje “delighted”.
Australia 19-27 British & Irish Lions: first Test player ratings
Joe McCarthy was a revelation alongside Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry for the Lions, while Tom Lynagh had a brave debut for the Wallabies
Tom Wright Kicked well from hand and covered the myriad Lions attacks as best he could. Not at fault in any way for the scores conceded. 6
Continue reading...Australia 19-27 British & Irish Lions: first Test – as it happened
Andy Farrell’s Lions eased to victory in the first Test, leading 24-5 before Australia rallied to make the score respectable
The crowd count us down and Finn Russell boots the test series under way.
Officials for this match:
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) & Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Television Match Official (TMO): Richard Kelly (New Zealand)
Continue reading...Captain Harry Wilson backs Wallabies to surprise British & Irish Lions in first Test
Australia’s No 8 says team will try to ‘win every moment’ on Saturday
Nick Champion de Crespigny and Tom Lynagh come into injury-depleted squad
Australia captain Harry Wilson said the Wallabies were confident of beating the British & Irish Lions in the first Test at Lang Park on Saturday despite being heavy underdogs after losing several key players to injury.
The Wallabies have won only four of their last 11 Tests and on Saturday will be without regular fly-half Noah Lolesio and their best Test player of the last two years, loose forward Rob Valetini.
Continue reading...NRL’s warning over $2m paydays; stars who could make move — Rugby’s rebel league explained
Rumours of a big-money, breakaway rugby union league called R360 stealing some of rugby league’s best talent has the game on red alert.
Injury-hit Wallabies name new-look squad to face Lions as son of a gun makes history, debutant revealed
Flanker Nick Champion de Crespigny will make his Test debut for the Wallabies against the British and Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night, but there is no room in the 23-man squad for veteran flyhalf James O’Connor.
‘We’ll shut you up’: Wallabies great’s warning after ‘cocky’ Lions claim
The British and Irish Lions have been called “cocky”, with a former Wallaby World Cup winner declaring Australia has the perfect opportunity to upstage their highly-fancied rivals.
Suaalii opens up on ‘biggest carrot’ behind code switch — and it’s greater than State of Origin
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii said Monday the prospect of facing the British and Irish Lions had inspired him to switch from rugby league last year.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii learns from Origin pain before renewing hostilities with Lions
Wallabies star plays down feud with Sione Tuipulotu
21-year-old was sent off in State of Origin debut for NSW Blues
Wallabies gun Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has avoided throwing fuel on the fire ahead of a possible spicy rematch with British and Irish Lions centre Sione Tuipulotu in Saturday’s opening Test in Brisbane
The star league recruit and the Melbourne-raised Scotland captain had to be separated in a skirmish in their first meeting at Murrayfield last November.
Continue reading...Prop James Slipper seeking redemption with the Wallabies after 2013 series-deciding loss to British and Irish Lions
Twelve years of pain and regret has stalwart prop James Slipper desperate for Wallabies redemption in the upcoming three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions.
Veteran flyhalf James O’Connor named in Wallabies squad following injury to Noah Lolesio
More than a decade after he took on the British and Irish Lions as a rising young star, veteran fly-half James O’Connor is going to get another crack after being recalled to coach Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies squad ahead of the series opener at Suncorp Stadium.
Australia 21-18 Fiji: international rugby union Test – as it happened
Wallabies survive scare from surging Fiji at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle
Out stride the two teams, side by side, accompanied by mascots. The visitors are wearing white jerseys and black shorts, the hosts are wearing their First Nations jersey, which is predominately gold, with green accents to match the green shorts.
Angus Fontaine puts it all into context for the Wallabies.
Adventurous attack. Bone-rattling defence. Mistakes punished and opportunities seized. Get in the enemy’s faces and bring the crowd into the contest from the get-go. A ragtag NSW Waratahs gave Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies a bold blueprint for how to dismantle the British & Irish Lions in the first Test on 19 July.
Continue reading...Wallabies pull off epic, last-gasp escape act in big boost ahead of Lions series
A 79th minute try from captain Harry Wilson handed the Wallabies a 21-18 victory against Fiji in front of 28,122 fans at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Sunday afternoon.
Scrappy Lions limp past undermanned Tahs in promising Wallabies signs
Scotland centre Huw Jones crossed twice as a scrappy British and Irish Lions were forced to battle hard in grinding past a second-string NSW Waratahs 21-10 on Saturday, offering the Wallabies a glimmer of hope.
Star’s 643-day Wallabies exile finally over as Aussies handed big Suaalii boost
Former captain David Porecki will wear the Wallabies jersey for the first time in 643 days on Sunday after being named to take on Fiji in Newcastle as calf injuries ruled out a couple of star Australians.