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Lions 2025
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Paul10 View Drop Down
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Points: 955 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Paul10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jun 2025 at 11:21
Originally posted by cheshire exile cheshire exile wrote:

Originally posted by tigerburnie tigerburnie wrote:

Looks like 20% of the Lions are not British or Irish, does it matter? I dunno.

6 of the squad for tomorrow’s match, but not 20% of the whole squad?

I want it to not matter but the residency ones sometimes don't sit right.

But if someone makes a life in a new country then why shouldn't they represent that country.


Edited by Paul10 - 19 Jun 2025 at 11:22
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fatbear View Drop Down
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Points: 3085 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fatbear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jun 2025 at 20:26
Gosh, the NZ ref tonight has been abysmal so far, thank god for TMO !

Would be better with an average Champ official.................
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fatbear View Drop Down
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Points: 3085 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fatbear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jun 2025 at 20:30
Originally posted by fatbear fatbear wrote:

Gosh, the NZ ref tonight has been abysmal so far, thank god for TMO !

Would be better with an average Champ official.................


And then he makes a great decision to overrule the TMO, oh well !
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cheshire exile View Drop Down
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Points: 2650 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheshire exile Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jun 2025 at 21:09
Originally posted by fatbear fatbear wrote:

Gosh, the NZ ref tonight has been abysmal so far, thank god for TMO !

Would be better with an average Champ official.................

Smart move to pick a Southern Hemisphere ref; it’s a different mindset and philosophy there and the Lions need to adjust sharpish. Andy Farrell will understand this more than most.
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Paul10 View Drop Down
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Points: 955 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Paul10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jun 2025 at 22:02
Originally posted by cheshire exile cheshire exile wrote:

Originally posted by fatbear fatbear wrote:

Gosh, the NZ ref tonight has been abysmal so far, thank god for TMO !

Would be better with an average Champ official.................

Smart move to pick a Southern Hemisphere ref; it’s a different mindset and philosophy there and the Lions need to adjust sharpish. Andy Farrell will understand this more than most.

I think it's this ref and the 2 ARs are doing the test matches.


Argentina definitely deserved winners.
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Camquin View Drop Down
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Points: 12078 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Camquin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jun 2025 at 22:15
England are going to get mullered.

Argentina have made a credible statement that they should be in the Lions rotation. 
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Points: 9 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GJ 3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2025 at 09:23
I think England wont be so disjointed as the Lions last night.
I would also like to think the players will be a lot hungrier and keen to impress than some on show in Red.  
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Donnyknightfan View Drop Down
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Points: 692 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Donnyknightfan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2025 at 10:30
Originally posted by Camquin Camquin wrote:

England are going to get mullered.

Argentina have made a credible statement that they should be in the Lions rotation. 




I think England will lose but we won’t get mullered. Even if it’s a few different names starting, we’ll have people who will be highly motivated to make an impression on the coaches and force their way into the starting team. It’s always exciting to see some of the younger players coming through show what they are about. On your second point, 100% agree. Argentina are just brilliant to watch. Their attacking play and running lines are out of the top drawer. The Lions being 15 point favourites at the bookies was ridiculous. 
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Rabbie Burns View Drop Down
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Points: 3427 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rabbie Burns Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2025 at 12:34
I do believe Argentina had a few from France missing. I think last night proved Marcu Smith is not a full back. Picked two powerhouse centres and hardly gave them the ball. Line out was a shambles for a lot of the time
So many Christians not enough Lions
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Se7en View Drop Down
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Points: 699 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Se7en Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2025 at 13:20
Agreed, Marcus Smith has never been a full back, especially at top international level. A fit Blair Kinghorn should have that shirt for the Lions. Smith should be a bench player to come on for Russell at 10, although Fin Smith may be better in that role too. Dare I say it M Smith might be a little overrated at international level.

England won't be 'mullered', that's nonsense. They might not win, but it'll do them no harm having the experience of playing against a top Argentinian side away from home, good luck to them. As an aside, George Ford has been quietly closing in on 100 England caps, its gone under the radar but a great achievement over a 10+ year international career.


Edited by Se7en - 21 Jun 2025 at 13:21
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Steve@Mose View Drop Down
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Points: 3092 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Steve@Mose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Jun 2025 at 17:30
Gibson-Park and Keenan injury concerns for Lions

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Ireland pair Jamison Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan are injury concerns for the British and Irish Lions before their first game in Australia against the Western Force on Saturday.

The tourists arrived in Perth after a 20-hour journey from Dublin via Doha, Qatar, with head coach Andy Farrell revealing lingering issues with scrum-half Gibson-Park (glute) and full-back Keenan (calf), who both missed Leinster's victory in the United Rugby Championship (URC) final.

Scotland centre Huw Jones has recovered from an Achilles issue though and is available for the opening game of the tour at Optus Stadium.

"We'll see how they pull up in midweek," Farrell said of Gibson-Park and Keenan.

"Huw Jones is good, he's been training. He trained fully with us last week so he's up and running."

The Lions are likely to field a side including players from Leinster, Bath and Leicester, despite players from those clubs joining up with the squad late after their respective URC and The League once known as the Premiership iership finals.

Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe was pictured with ice on his foot during the Lions' disappointing 28-24 defeat by Argentina at Aviva Stadium on Friday, but Farrell confirmed there were no fresh injury concerns.

"We're here to build for what's going to be a fantastic Test series. We want to play some good rugby along the way," he added.

"We'll find out more about each other as we keep on going. Of course we'll analyse what went on against Argentina and why, but that's all part of the journey - to understand where we need to go next.

"It's great to be here, this is what it's all about. We're here for a good time. Hopefully we can start this part of the tour off really well on Saturday."
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Points: 3092 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Steve@Mose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 5 hours 41 minutes ago at 08:55
Sheehan captains Lions against Force in Australia

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British and Irish Lions: Daly, Hansen, Ringrose, Tuipulotu, Lowe, Russell, Williams; Schoeman, Sheehan, Furlong, Cummings, McCarthy, Beirne, Van der Flier, Pollock

Replacements: Kelleher, Porter, Stuart, Chessum, Conan, Mitchell, Jones, M Smith
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Points: 3092 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Steve@Mose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 3 hours 50 minutes ago at 10:46
Kurtley Beale to lead First Nations & Pasifika XV against Lions in Melbourne

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Former Wallabies playmaker Kurtley Beale has been selected to lead the First Nations & Pasifika XV, which will debut against the British & Irish Lions in Melbourne in a new fixture hoped to become a rugby union tradition.

Beale, a Darug man with Kamilaroi ancestry, is set to take the field alongside Rob Leota of Samoan and New Zealand descent, Fiji-born Reds backrower Seru Uru, Waratahs flanker Charlie Gamble, who has Tongan background, and Brumbies winger Andy Muirhead, a proud Barunggam man.

These are the first five players selected to wear a jersey designed by Wiradjuri man and Wallabies winger Dylan Pietsch, and given licence to entertain at Marvel Stadium next month.

Beale, 36, who was part of the Wallabies side for the 2013 Lions tour, has returned from an achilles injury for the Western Force this year, but will not play in his club’s match against the Lions on Saturday due to a hamstring complaint, and has just four weeks to recover before the First Nations & Pasifika XV clash.

Tongan-born former Wallaby Toutai Kefu is coaching the team and said Beale’s injury was “slight” and he expected him to play. Now coaching in Japan, Kefu will be joined on the coaching panel by Wallabies legends Sekope Kepu and Glen Ella, as well former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga, whose parents are Samoan.

Kefu said his players are looking forward to the chance to honour their communities and heritage as part of the Lions tour.

“We’re all brothers that originated from the Pacific Ocean,” he said. “The sea is what connects all of us, and we’ve had this great opportunity, not only to play together, but to represent Pasifika players and First Nations players that have played here in Australia in the past.”

While Fiji is a world force in sevens, the national teams of Samoa and Tonga – which Kefu coached for six years – are yet to have the same impact on international rugby union as they have in rugby league, where Samoa reached the 2021 World Cup final and Tonga has beaten New Zealand twice in the past decade.

Kefu said there were ways to help Pacific nations without threatening the integrity of the international game, and believes eligibility rules should be relaxed to assist countries outside the top tier.

“Obviously, there’s a whole [lot of] other details involved, but I think it’s going to make the game better,” he said.

The invitational side was conceived following the demise of the Melbourne Rebels, which were due to play the Lions in Melbourne as part of the tour contract with Rugby Australia and the Victorian government.

Muirhead said he was looking forward to sharing understanding of culture with his teammates in preparation for the match.

“We’re all very passionate about culture, there’s obviously some similarities between all of us, and I think the great thing about rugby is that you get to connect anyway,” he said.

He said more effort was needed to assist young Indigenous players break through into the professional ranks, but this event – similar to the annual NRL Indigenous All-Stars match – was a great chance to platform elite First Nations talent.

“Having a game like this where young boys and girls see, not only Indigenous but Pasifika players come together, might motivate them,” he said.
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Points: 9 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GJ 3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 2 hours 57 minutes ago at 11:39
Pleased to see Daly at 15.... a proper full back...although like most, I suspect a fit Kinghorn is likely to start the tests.... (Is Daly the classic bench player that can cover you 3 positions rather than a M Smith)
Pollock at 8!  As a Saints fan, I really rate the bloke, but as the Euro Final showed, he is not an 8.
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