Irish

Ireland and Leinster tight-head prop Tom Clarkson will join the British and Irish Lions squad to provide additional front row cover before the first Test against Australia on Saturday.

The 25-year-old was given his Ireland debut by Andy Farrell, the Lions head coach, in November and has gone on to win eight caps.

England hooker Jamie George was called up by the Lions on Saturday, with Luke Cowan-Dickie a doubt for the first Test in Brisbane after suffering a suspected concussion in Saturday’s big win against the AUNZ Invitational XV.

Ireland’s leading tight-head props Tadhg Furlong and Finlay Bealham are already in Australia, with Clarkson linking up after starting Ireland’s 106-7 win over Portugal on Saturday to bring the Irish contingent in the squad up to 18 players.

Clarkson has benefited from Furlong’s injury troubles this season at both club and international level.

His Leinster and Ireland team-mate Jamie Osborne, who is comfortable at centre and full-back, has arrived in Brisbane after being called up earlier in the week as training cover for Blair Kinghorn.

The 23-year-old utility back was due to start against Portugal but was pulled out of the game after being called up by the Lions.

Centre Garry Ringrose is out of the British and Irish Lions’ first Test against Australia next Saturday, while hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie is a major doubt, says head coach Andy Farrell.

Ringrose, 30, was in strong contention to start the first Test in Brisbane but suffered a concussion in the Lions’ victory over ACT Brumbies on Wednesday.

Farrell confirmed the Ireland centre, who scored and was a standout performer against the Brumbies, would be available for the midweek game against First Nations and Pasifika XV on 22 July, before the second Test in Melbourne on 26 July.

Scotland’s Huw Jones delivered another impressive performance on Saturday in an eight-try win against the AUNZ Invitational XV and now looks certain to start the opening Test at outside centre.

The 31-year-old has started his past two Lions games alongside Scotland and Glasgow Warriors centre partner Sione Tuipulotu, which could now be Farrell’s first-Test midfield combination.

Ireland utility back Jamie Osborne was called up to the Lions squad on Thursday as “training cover” for Scotland full-back Kinghorn and is comfortable playing at centre or full-back.

“Garry had a delayed reaction. He had headaches for a day and it carried on for the next day so he went through concussion protocols and failed those,” Farrell said.

“Unfortunately for him and for us he’s [out for] 12 days, so that puts him out of the first Test and back in for the midweek game before the second Test.

“You don’t mess around with these things and it is unfortunate for him and everyone else. He’s in good spirits anyway, so we crack on.”

Taking a longer view all those figures are significantly higher than they were in preceding decades.

Opta’s analysis of Rugby World Cup tournaments, external shows an average ball-in-play time of less than 32 minutes in 2003, and just over 28 minutes at the inaugural 1987 edition.

Phil Dowson, Pollock’s director of rugby at Northampton, was a back row himself, with a 16-year top-flight career and seven England caps to his name before he moved into coaching.

He cites former Wallabies David Pocock and Phil Waugh, England’s Neil Back and ex-Harlequins flanker Will Skinner as back rows of yesteryear who excelled despite lacking the heft.

“All those were athletic, maybe not as much as Henry Pollock, but they would have created a ton of turnovers and covered a lot of ground,” he told BBC Sport.

“But perhaps we are in a cycle at the moment with the increased amount of ball in play – I think naturally that will drop the weights of people because you can’t keep moving if you are a big unit.

“I think that is key to the athleticism and weight of some of the guys.

“There have been loads of horror stories about players being repeatedly told to bulk up and then either got injured or couldn’t move around as they wish or lost that key attacking threat.

“We are conscious of that and finding that balance between power and speed is incredibly important.”

Lions head coach Farrell, who has picked Pollock, Morgan and Earl as the back row for their final pre-Test series warm-up game, has his own balance to strike.

Australia have their own fast-forward fetcher in the excellent Fraser McReight. Yet Will Skelton (135kg, 21st 4 lb) and Rob Valetini (117kg, 18st 6lb) also loom as heavyweight Wallaby forward options.

Does Farrell add ballast to his back row by including Ollie Chessum, more usually a second row, to counter their direct threat?

Or does he go for a warp-speed selection that runs the legs off the Wallabies and prioritises a breakdown battle the Lions have struggled to master so far?

Spoil a tactic or follow a trend? His choice will be fascinating.

Maro Itoje returns to captain the British and Irish Lions against the Brumbies in Canberra on Wednesday as Andy Farrell’s Test team appears to take shape.

With the possible exception of one or two slots, this very much looks like the starting line-up to face the Wallabies in the first Test in Brisbane on 19 July.

Blair Kinghorn makes his first start in his favourite position at full-back with Tommy Freeman and James Lowe on the wings.

It was always likely Garry Ringrose and Bundee Aki would form the Lions midfield since their direct rivals, Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu, both started against the Waratahs on Saturday.

The Ireland centres now look like they are in the box-seat for the first Test. Finn Russell and Jamison Gibson-Park were the greatest of all certainties at half-back.

Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong get the nod in the front row.

Furlong is a totemic Lion but he has not been at his devastating best on tour so far.

Itoje and the Ireland enforcer Joe McCarthy are the locks, with Ollie Chessum’s power and lineout prowess getting him the blindside flanker jersey.

Tom Curry, like Furlong not at maximum impact so far on this tour, is trusted on the openside flank ahead of Josh van der Flier, who is on the bench, which means Jac Morgan does not make the 23.

Jack Conan is the only specialist number eight in the squad and starts against the Brumbies, with Henry Pollock – a late withdrawal against the Waratahs – named on the bench.

Channel 4 has added a gripping three-part drama to its roster of shows, which first aired on the BBC in 2018 and was created by the creator of Happy Valley

Happy Valley fans have been urged to watch ‘brilliant’ three-part drama that has recently been added to Channel 4’s line-up of Programmes.

Channel 4 has recently added a captivating three-part drama to its line-up of programmes. The series, titled Come Home, is the brainchild of Danny Brocklehurst, known for his work on Fool Me Once and Brassic.

Described as a “touching and intriguing” drama, it explores the aftermath when a mother abruptly leaves her family. Originally broadcasted on the BBC in 2018, the series is produced by the creators of Happy Valley.

Set and filmed in Northern Ireland, the plot revolves around Greg, a father of three, who is left stunned when his wife of 19 years decides to abandon her family.

The official synopsis reads: “Greg and Marie have been married for nineteen years, when, seemingly out of the blue, Marie walks out on him and her three children – the last taboo of parenting.

“This touching and intriguing drama will take audiences on a roller-coaster of ever-changing emotions and allegiances. Multiple time-frames, viewpoints and flashbacks tell Greg and Marie’s story and force viewers to confront their own truths. How can two people that loved each other become so opposed?

“Can a child learn to forgive their mother for leaving them? And why would Marie make such a shocking and significant decision to change their lives and divide their loyalties forever?”

In an interview with the BBC, creator Danny gave viewers a taste of what they could expect from the show, stating: “The first episode is told from the perspective of Greg (Christopher Eccleston) and the kids, nine months after Marie (Paula Malcomson) has walked out. They are trying to find a way to cope, but a new woman in Greg’s life brings problems rising to the surface.”

“The second instalment of the series spotlights Marie, while the third episode delves into themes of fierce protection and divided loyalties,” he added.

Christopher Eccleston, known for his roles in Doctor Who and True Detective, stars as Greg, with Paula Malcomson of Ray Donovan and Mayor of Kingstown fame portraying Marie.

The couple’s three offspring are portrayed by Anthony Boyle, seen in Shardlake and Say Nothing, as Liam; Lola Petticrew, known from Say Nothing and Bloodlands, as Laura; and Darcey McNeeley of Derry Girls as Molly.

The show has been met with acclaim upon its debut, with viewers describing it as “brilliant” and “gripping”. Social media users have praised the series, with one stating: “#ComeHome was brilliant.

“Christopher Eccleston is an amazing actor; whole cast were brilliant. Intriguing stuff,” and another commenting: “What brilliant short series, great acting & storyline.”

Come Home is available to stream on Channel 4.

Like last weekend in Perth, the Lions toiled in the early exchanges, the Reds setting about them with a vengeance, the outstanding centre Hunter Paisami leading the charge.

The Lions grew into the game and completely bossed from late in the first half, but they had their issues before the floodgates opened.

The tourists were wasteful, failing to find their range and dropping ball left, right and centre.

There was the old chestnut of a botched restart reception; there were forced passes and hesitant defence. It wasn’t great. They knocked on eight times to the Reds’ one in the opening 40 minutes, some of them with the hosts struggling to hold them out.

First blood went to the Reds, a bust through the Lions midfield by Paisami giving them field position, some heavy carries taking them deeper still. When the line beckoned, Toomaga-Allen lunged and scored.

Harry McLaughlin-Phillips banged over the extras and the Suncorp rocked to the sound of Reds on the march.

The Lions responded when Daly put Freeman over and Russell tied it up with the conversion, but it was not a cue for the Lions to take control.

Rather, it was the precursor for another Reds try, sparked by Porter getting done on the floor. Paisami was involved again before Kalani Thomas’ grubber kick for Josh Flook down the left.

Van der Merwe hesitated in dealing with the bouncing ball and Flook stole in – 12-7 to the Reds.

The imperfections, and perhaps desperation, in the Lions game was clear with a couple of missed opportunities, but they eventually started to make stuff stick.

Porter drove over after a close-range tap penalty from his Leinster and Ireland front-row pal Ronan Kelleher. Russell converted.

Next, Van der Merwe finished off a terrific move in the corner with the help of Ollie Chessum and Jack Conan. Russell launched the conversion from somewhere close to Caxton Street. A pearler.

At the break, the Lions led 21-12. Could have been better, could have been worse.

It improved early in the new half when smart work from Jamison Gibson-Park drew the heat and then slipped an inside pass for Itoje to crash over.

Russell, who could have kicked them over with his eyes closed, did it again – 28-12 Lions. Getting there.

Farrell made big changes at that point, replacing his front-row and his half-backs.

Not many fireworks from the Russell-Gibson-Park axis but more than enough to get excited about.

The rest is a sea of red. Morgan, doing his mightiest to make a statement, which he did, went over from an Alex Mitchell pass. The Lions were now playing with an intensity that the Reds could not deal with.

Freeman got a second, with Morgan heavily involved at the start of that play, then Jones gathered a daft chip ahead from Tim Ryan and ran more than half the length of pitch to score.

A final try came in the last breath, Ringrose scampering over to bring up the half-century.

It was a pleasing night’s work for the Lions, but the sight of Daly in pain in the aftermath was a troubling one.

Like last weekend with Tomos Williams, the Lions are sweating on a medical call.

In a stadium that has in its day danced to the tune of many different teams from many different sports – the Kangaroos and the Jillaroos, the Reds and the Roar, the Matildas, the Broncos and the Dolphins – it’s the Lions that will fill the place on Wednesday in Brisbane.

Formerly the site of a burial ground and then Lang Park sports stadium, named after a particularly fiery Presbyterian minister from Greenock in Renfrewshire, the Suncorp stands on some interesting terrain in the inner city.

When people say there’s an elephant in the room in this place they’re literally talking about an elephant. Carley, a circus animal, was a beloved performer on this land in the 1950s, so much so that they buried her here after the poor thing performed her last trick for the entertainment of the masses.

The Queensland Reds – coached by Les Kiss who for six years was an assistant with Ireland and for another three was the director of rugby with Ulster – will be looking to do a different kind of burial.

Much of the preamble to the Lions’ second game on Australian soil has, unsurprisingly, centred around the half-back partnership of Scotland’s Finn Russell and Ireland’s Jamison Gibson-Park, two players that serve as a constant reminder that rugby, though a playground for big beasts, can still be artistic and beautiful.

Their combination is one that will have people shifting forward in their seats with quickening pulses. Rugby is forever in danger of eating itself with its inexorable march towards grunt and aggression, but these two remind you of why you might have fallen in love with rugby in the first place.

Not many have ever had their rugby heart stolen by a one-dimensional big banger. But Russell and Gibson-Park and their potential to thrill? That’s different.

They’ve never played together, but Wednesday is the night it happens and if it’s all right then we’re going to be seeing a whole lot more of it in the Saturdays to come.

They’re very different people – Russell gregarious and charismatic, Gibson-Park quiet and laidback – but they’re one and the same when it comes to how the game should be played: fast and furious, off the cuff and adventurous.

Scrum-halves are supposed to be loud and bossy, but Gibson-Park isn’t either of those things. His Lions and Ireland coach Andy Farrell calls him horizontal, such is his unflappable personality.

His speed of thought is electrifying, his accuracy when firing passes that are so on the money that they can eliminate two and three defenders in an instant is unerring.

His quick taps bamboozle defences, his support lines mess with their heads, his ability to scan a field and know in an instant where the space is is a large part of the reason why Ireland have been so consistent over so many years. He’s a totem of that team – tiny but towering at the same time.

It’s said that there is only one Antoine Dupont, but that’s not really true. There’s one and three-quarters and the three-quarters is Gibson-Park. At his best, he’s very much in the same conversation as the great Frenchman.

And now we get to see him play with Russell, the great conductor at 10, a figure of growing authority on the back of a confidence-boosting and trophy-laden season with Bath.

The double threat is what Lions’ fans have wanted to see. Normally a coach wouldn’t necessarily play his first-choice 10 on Saturday and Wednesday, but Farrell is making an exception in Brisbane because he, as much as anybody else, is mustard keen to see how these two will gel. Why wait? Just crack on.

They’ve had a few training sessions but no game time together. Will the lack of familiarity get in the way or will it be chemistry from minute one? Intriguing.

Having missed the Six Nations through injury, Sione Tuipulotu feels he’s now finding his best stuff again, the kind of power and influence that shot him to favourite for the Lions Test 12 jersey in the first place.

“I’m starting to get my feet back underneath me,” said the centre after playing the full 80 minutes in the convincing win over Western Force on Saturday.

“Obviously, I haven’t played Test rugby since the autumn. I still feel like I’ve got massive growth to do and I know I can start playing my best rugby in the bigger games at the end of this tour.”

There’s no doubt he is getting better with every game. There’s also no doubt that the battle for the Test midfield partnership is intense.

In Perth the partnership was Tuipulotu and Garry Ringrose, who the Scotland captain was impressed by, to put it mildly. “Jeez, mate, he’s a missile out there,” Tuipulotu said of the Irishman’s physicality.

He enjoyed being alongside Ringrose in the red of the Lions as opposed to in front of him in the blue of Scotland.

The last time Tuipulotu faced Ringrose in the international arena was at the World Cup in Paris in 2023. Ireland sprinted into a 36-0 lead before Scotland managed a couple of late consolation tries. Ringrose was exceptional on one of the darker days of Tuipulotu’s Test career.

“He backed himself to make those [defensive] reads,” said Tuipulotu of the howitzers Ringrose put in on a succession of Western Force attackers. “He left a few sore bodies out there, including himself. What a player.

“I really enjoyed playing with him. And then I also enjoyed when Shuggie [Huw Jones] came off the bench and got some valuable minutes after being out for a while.”

In all probability Jones, after his Lions debut against the Force, will get his chance to shine from the start on Wednesday when Andy Farrell’s side face the more difficult challenge of the Reds in Brisbane. The Reds, coached by incoming Wallabies boss Les Kiss, finished fifth in this season’s Super Rugby compared to the Force who struggled in ninth.

Pre-match in Perth, when the stadium announcer was calling the teams, Tuipulotu was introduced as “another former Aussie Sione Tuipulotu”, a crack at the Melbourne-born centre’s expense. Mack Hansen, James Lowe and Pierre Schoeman, the other southern hemisphere-born Lions, got similar treatment from the wiseguy with the mic.

Tuipulotu had a chuckle at the wind-up. “I knew there would be some good humour coming back home to Australia,” he said. “Look, these are all things we’ve got to take in our stride. To not announce the elephant in the room, I am from Australia. You know, I was born here. I don’t know how funny that gag is to everyone.

“But I’m loving my rugby playing for the Lions and I’m really passionate about it. Andy [Farrell] has brought the group together so well. To play under a coach like him, I can see why Ireland has been so successful in the past.”

Thousands of fans chanted ‘free Palestine’ and waved Palestinian flags as the Irish trio performed in the UK.

Irish-language rap group Kneecap has performed at the Glastonbury Festival in front of tens of thousands of fans chanting “Free Palestine”, defying United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer who said he did not think it was “appropriate” for the band to appear.

The group’s Liam O’Hanna on Saturday also gave a “shout-out” to Palestine Action Group, which UK Interior Minister Yvette Cooper announced last week would become a banned group under the Terrorism Act of 2000.

“The prime minister of your country, not mine, said he didn’t want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer,” said O’Hanna, who appeared on stage wearing his trademark Palestinian keffiyeh in front of the capacity crowd, including many people waving Palestinian flags.

“This situation can be quite stressful but it’s minimal compared to what the Palestinian people are [facing],” O’Hanna, who performs under the name Mo Chara, added, referring to the backlash the band has faced for its outspoken support of Palestinians in Gaza.

He is facing charges under the British Terrorism Act of supporting a proscribed organisation for allegedly waving a flag of Lebanon’s Hezbollah armed group at a concert in London in November last year.

O’Hanna has said he picked up a flag that was thrown onto the stage without knowing what it represented.

The rapper is on unconditional bail before a further court hearing in August.

“Glastonbury, I’m a free man!” he shouted as the trio took to the stage at Glastonbury’s West Holts field, which holds about 30,000 people.

The trio also thanked festival organisers Michael and Emily Eavis for resisting pressure to cancel their appearance, including from Starmer.

Several Kneecap concerts have been cancelled since the band’s performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California in April, where they accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians, enabled by the United States government.

At least 56,412 Palestinians have been killed and 133,054 wounded in Israel’s war on Gaza, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

Ireland’s people and government have been some of the most outspoken critics of the war, as well as Israel’s deliberate starvation of Gaza’s population, which many people see as having parallels to the English occupation of Ireland.

The BBC, which broadcasts dozens of Glastonbury performances, did not show Kneecap’s set live, but said it planned to make it available online later.

The broadcaster said it would not be re-airing the live performance of British rap punk duo Bob Vylan who appeared on stage before Kneecap and led chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “Death, death to the IDF [Israeli army]”.

A BBC spokesperson said the comments were “deeply offensive”, and that they would not be available to rewatch on BBC iPlayer.

The BBC also reported that UK Culture Minister Lisa Nandy spoke to the BBC director general, Tim Davie, seeking an “urgent explanation” after the chants were aired live.

According to the BBC, Avon and Somerset Police also said that they would be reviewing footage of both Kneecap and Bob Vylan’s sets to “determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation”.

The bands were among about 4,000 performers across 120 stages to appear at this year’s festival, which also featured headliners including Neil Young, Charli XCX, Rod Stewart, Busta Rhymes, Olivia Rodrigo and Doechii, as well as a surprise appearance by Britpop band Pulp.

PILTON, England — Irish-language rap group Kneecap gave an impassioned performance for tens of thousands of fans on Saturday at the Glastonbury Festival despite criticism by British politicians and a terrorism charge against one of the trio.

Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, has been charged under the Terrorism Act with supporting a proscribed organization for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London in November. The rapper, who was charged under the anglicized version of his name, Liam O’Hanna, is on unconditional bail before a further court hearing in August.

“Glastonbury, I’m a free man!” O hAnnaidh shouted as Kneecap took the stage at Glastonbury’s West Holts field, which holds about 30,000 people. Dozens of Palestinian flags flew in the capacity crowd as the show opened with an audio montage of news clips referring to the band’s critics and legal woes.

Between high-energy numbers that had fans forming a large mosh pit, the band members led the audience in chants of “Free Palestine” and “Free Mo Chara.” They also aimed an expletive-laden chant at U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has said he didn’t think it was “appropriate” for Kneecap to play Glastonbury.

The trio thanked festival organizers Michael and Emily Eavis for resisting pressure to cancel Kneecap’s gig and gave a shout-out to Palestine Action, a protest group that the British government plans to ban under terrorism laws after its members vandalized planes on a Royal Air Force base.

The Belfast trio is known for anarchic energy, satirical lyrics and use of symbolism associated with the Irish republican movement, which seeks to unite Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K., with the Republic of Ireland.

More than 3,600 people were killed during three decades of violence in Northern Ireland involving Irish republican militants, pro-British Loyalist militias and the U.K. security forces. Kneecap takes its name from a brutal punishment — shooting in the leg — that was dealt out by paramilitary groups to informers and drug dealers.

The group has faced criticism for lyrics laden with expletives and drug references, and for political statements, especially since videos emerged allegedly showing the band shouting, “up Hamas, up Hezbollah,” and calling on people to kill lawmakers.

Members of the group say they don’t support Hezbollah or Hamas, nor condone violence, and O hAnnaidh says he picked up a flag that was thrown onto the stage without knowing what it represented. Kneecap has accused critics of trying to silence the band because of its support for the Palestinian cause throughout the war in the Gaza Strip.

A performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April — where the band accused Israel, with U.S. support, of committing genocide against the Palestinians — sparked calls for the group members’ U.S. visas to be revoked.

Several Kneecap gigs have since been canceled as a result of the controversy.

The BBC, which airs many hours of Glastonbury performances, didn’t show Kneecap’s set live, but said it would “look to make an on-demand version of Kneecap’s performance available on our digital platforms” afterward.

About 200,000 ticket holders have gathered at Worthy Farm in southwest England for Britain’s most prestigious summer music festival, which features almost 4,000 performers on 120 stages. Headline acts performing over three days ending Sunday include Neil Young, Charli XCX, Rod Stewart, Busta Rhymes, Olivia Rodrigo and Doechii.

Glastonbury highlights Friday included a performance from U.K. rockers the 1975, an unannounced set by New Zealand singer Lorde, a raucous reception for Alanis Morissette and an emotional return for Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi, two years after he took a break from touring to adjust to the effect of the neurological condition Tourette syndrome.

Dixon writes for the Associated Press.

The Australia-born winger is in from the start on Saturday against the Force, a team containing three of his old mates from the ACT Brumbies, including his old house-mate Bayley Kuenzle, who starts on the bench for the hosts in Perth.

Much is made of Hansen’s relaxed attitude but he reveals another side of himself. Does he get nervous? Will he be fretful before running out at Optus Stadium on Saturday?

“Definitely, yeah, yeah,” he says. “You know, come pre-game, I can barely eat anything. You’ve got the butterflies, you feel sick, you definitely have all that stuff, but you know, it’s the best job in the world. I’d rather have those feelings than sitting around not having them.

“Anyone that says they don’t get nervous is lying, to be honest. That’s just what comes with playing at those levels because there’s a lot at stake. It means something.”

Hansen, 27, is a curious sort. For a wing, he’s not a prolific try-scorer. He’s only once registered double-figures for a season as an elite player. He’s not tall, he’s not all that quick by modern standards, he’s not as powerful as many as you see these days. He’s far from a physical specimen.

But the sum of his parts is an outstanding package. His intelligence is the key. That’s one of the things that his Ireland and Lions coach, Andy Farrell, loves about it. His game awareness, his decision-making, his work-rate, his appreciation of space, his habit of doing the right thing at the right time.

“I guess the other guys [Duhan van der Merwe, Tommy Freeman and James Lowe] would be a bit quicker and more physical than me. That’s just not my game. I try to help out where I can, whether that’s getting my hands on the ball, being a player at the back, those sort of things.

“My main strength is my work off the ball, so that’s my focus a lot of the time. Keep working and try to get into the game wherever I can.” That’s a modest appraisal. Hansen’s ability to read a game is exceptional..

He’s interesting on the likely mindset of the Force’s players on Saturday. “When you’re coming up against a big team such as us, those guys will definitely be able to get up for that,” he says.

“They’ve only got one game and then they’re on holidays. You can rev yourself up. No, we’re not expecting anything easy. We’re not playing the Force this week with them thinking, ‘All right, boys, let’s go out here and lose by 40’

“They’re coming out thinking we can cause an upset.”

Just as the Brumbies did in June 2013. Tevita Kuridrani scored the only try and the Canberra boys won 14-12.

“I was at the Brumbies game and the Brumbies beat the Lions,” recalls Hansen, who was born and raised in Canberra and qualifies for Ireland and the Lions through his Irish mother.

“Things do happen. I remember that tour vividly – I remember the buzz around Australia, seeing these players that you never really get to see. It was just amazing, it was just cool to me. Now it’s here and I’m doing it and it feels like I’m properly living a dream.”

The memory of that Brumbies victory was a glorious one once upon a time but now he’s using it as a salutary tale, an experience to keep him on his toes. Fear of failure can be a suffocating thing, but used wisely, it can be a powerful force for good.

“I was with my dad and my brother [at the Brumbies match]. We were sitting behind the goalposts,” he says. “It was a mad thing, because you don’t expect anyone to actually do it. I’ve talked to guys about that afterwards, and they were juiced. They’d been pumped up for that game for weeks.”

Hansen believes the Force will be no different. They’ve had a lousy season but this is a chance to redeem themselves, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to turn over the Lions.

The fire the underdogs will bring must be doused by captain Dan Sheehan’s impressive-looking team – or else that Hansen line about heads being chewed off will resurface.

Down here in Australia there’s a world of awe-inspiring wonders to behold, natural and man-made totems so stunning they can make your jaw drop to the floor.

Which, in a rugby context, is a power that David Campese still possesses, in a way that’s part-Alan Partridge with a hint of David Brent.

At times, the once-great wing makes you stand back in bewilderment at some of the things that he’s prepared to commit to air or print, with a seemingly unembarrassable air.

He was at it after the Lions loss to Argentina and he’s been at it again since. Maro Itoje is “not a captain”, he thundered. Itoje is not in the squad for the Force game, but it’s a revelation that a fine leader is not actually a leader at all.

“I don’t know why you play [Marcus] Smith at full-back [against the Pumas], [Blair] Kinghorn is a far better player.” The only problem with that searing contribution is that Kinghorn is still with Toulouse, Campo.

“There’s no [Brian] O’Driscoll at 13,” he continued. Er, well spotted. Andy Farrell, he says, is playing rugby league tactics that could put him in a lot of trouble against the Wallabies. Hmm. Didn’t Farrell’s Ireland beat the Wallabies last autumn?

Campo, to be fair, is an equal opportunities assassin, turning his guns on Joe Schmidt for wanting to play “Joe Schmidt rugby.” As opposed to…

His musings are all part of a Lions show in Australia. Frankly, if he wasn’t piping up you’d be minded to check his pulse. None of what he says – or what anybody else on the outside says – matters, of course.

The only thing that counts now is performance. And if this tour is going to reach lift-off on Saturday then perform the Lions must.

It should be a soaring Lions win. That’s not being disrespectful to the Force, it’s being realistic. The Force finished ninth of 11 in Super Rugby this season, the lowest of the four Australian franchises.

“They’re hard to beat,” said Farrell. Not really. They won four, lost nine and drew one.

Farrell tried to talk them up, suggesting that they weren’t far away in Super Rugby and that nine losing bonus points tells you that they “don’t go away”. But they do, regularly. They actually only got four losing bonus points. They conceded 45 points in two games and more than 50 in three more.

And, against the Lions, they’re missing three of their best players. Lock Jeremy Williams, back-row Carlo Tizzano and wing Potter have not been released from Wallaby camp for this one. Kurtley Beale is out injured. Nic White, the veteran scrum-half, leads the side.

Ireland’s Dan Sheehan will captain the British and Irish Lions in their opening game on Australian soil against the Western Force on Saturday.

Sheehan is one of five players in the starting line-up who will make their Lions debut in Perth, his Leinster team-mates Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Joe McCarthy and Josh van der Flier being the others.

Four more Lions are set to make their debut off the bench – Ollie Chessum, Huw Jones, Andrew Porter and Will Stuart.

Northampton tyro Henry Pollock will make his first start having come off the bench against Argentina last Friday night.

Head coach Andy Farrell is still without Jamison Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan, both inching their way back from injury, so Elliot Daly is in at full-back and Tomos Williams is rewarded for a fine cameo against the Pumas in Dublin with a start in the nine jersey.

Finn Russell also makes his starting Lions debut having only appeared as a replacement in his one appearance against South Africa four years ago – although he did play in two of the tour games.

Farrell goes with a new midfield combination in Ringrose and Scotland’s Sione Tuipulotu, who will make successive starts.

Tuipulotu and Tadhg Beirne are the only two players selected to start against Argentina and the Force, albeit both have moved position, the Scot from outside to inside centre and the Irishman from lock to blindside flanker.

The television show Outlander, writer and artist Kahlil Gibran and Perth’s mining heritage do not often all get mentioned in the same media conference.

But Scotland prop Pierre Schoeman is not a standard interviewee.

The South Africa-born forward appears to be one of the more philosophical members of the British and Irish Lions squad that is touring Australia this summer.

The 31-year-old is one of eight players born outside the British Isles and Ireland in Andy Farrell’s party.

“If you’re good enough to play for your country and then you’re good enough to play for the Lions and you’re selected, obviously you’re going to do that,” said Schoeman, who has 42 Scotland caps after qualifying through residency.

“Scotland is home for us, my wife and myself and other players as well. You embrace that, you fully take that on.

“It’s like Outlander. You move to a different country and now that’s your house. You live there. You buy into the culture and now to represent the British and Irish Lions, you fully buy into that, you fully submerge into that.

“Nothing else matters, not your past, not the future, it’s about the now.

“Kahlil Gibran says it in one of his books quite well and that is, ‘yesterday’s gone forever, tomorrow might never come, now is the time to live’.

“That’s what you do as Lions. It’s about the now – this tour, that’s what really matters.”

Linfield will begin the defence of their Irish Premiership title against Dungannon Swifts on the opening weekend of the 2025-26 season.

The Irish League champions will host the Irish Cup winners at Windsor Park on the weekend of Saturday 9 August.

Before that, the teams will meet in the Charity Shield on 4 July, before embarking on their European adventures in the Champions League and Uefa Conference League qualifiers, prior to the start of the domestic season.

Other opening day fixtures see newly promoted Championship winners Bangor host Cliftonville on their return to the top flight, while last season’s runner-up Larne face a trip to big-spending Coleraine.

Crusaders are at home to Carrick Rangers, Glenavon entertain Ballymena United and Portadown host Glentoran in the first round of fixtures.

Highlights of the following weekend see Linfield travel to Ballymena United, Cliftonville play Coleraine and Larne against Crusaders.

A set of six matches are scheduled for the evening of Tuesday 19 August.

The first Belfast ‘Big Two’ encounter of the campaign is scheduled for Saturday 13 September at the Oval.

Ballymena United are set to face Coleraine in their first derby meeting at Warden Street on 11 October, with Crusaders at home to Cliftonville on the same day.

Portadown host Glenavon a week previous on 4 October in the opening mid-Ulster derby.

Larne have home advantage against Carrick Rangers in the east Antrim derby on 20 September.

This year’s traditional Boxing Day matches will see Linfield at home to Glentoran, Ballymena United up against Coleraine, Carrick host Larne, Cliftonville entertain Crusaders, Portadown at home to Glenavon and Dungannon come up against Bangor.

The final set of games in the regular season are set for Friday 20 March, with the post-split fixtures on 28 March, 7 April, 11 April, 18 April and 25 April.

All fixtures are subject to change, with the full list of preliminary fixtures as produced by the Northern Ireland Football League available to view here, external.

British and Irish Lions: Marcus Smith; Tommy Freeman, Sione Tuipulotu, Bundee Aki, Duhan van der Merwe; Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Finlay Bealham, Maro Itoje (capt), Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl.

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Pierre Schoeman, Tadhg Furlong, Scott Cummings, Henry Pollock, Tomos Williams, Elliot Daly, Mack Hansen.

Argentina: Santiago Carreras; Rodrigo Isgro, Lucio Cinti, Justo Piccardo, Ignacio Mendy; Tomas Albornoz, Gonzalo Garcia; Mayco Vivas, Julian Montoya (capt), Joel Sclavi, Franco Molina, Pedro Rubiolo, Pablo Matera, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Joaquin Oviedo

Replacements: Bautista Bernasconi, Boris Wenger, Francisco Coria Marchetti, Santiago Grondona, Joaquin Moro, Simon Benitez Cruz, Matias Moroni, Santiago Cordero

Sin-bin: Vivas 45

Referee: James Doleman (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) and Andrea Piardi (Italy)

TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)

Yellow card – Mayco Vivas (Argentina)

Penalty try – British & Irish Lions

“I watched the game again last week and I walked a lot of that game.

“I wasn’t actually that good, I didn’t have too many involvements – it was probably my third professional game.

“I wanted to look at what the atmosphere was like, how I was as a player then, how I have changed and improved, and just take it in as an experience because I know in a few weeks that is coming.”

Skelton, who moved to La Rochelle from Saracens in 2020, is the only overseas-based player in Australia’s squad for their warm-up Test against Fiji on 6 July.

Standing 6ft 8in tall and weighing nearly 23 stone, Skelton was asked whether his power could be a way for the Wallabies to get on top of the Lions forward pack.

“I will just try and be myself,” he added.

“They have some great players, but we have also got some weapons in this team.

“It is about trying to fulfil that as best we can come those big games.

Uefa advanced its assessment date to 1 March rather than June, but the Cas panel found that this change had been properly communicated by Uefa and that Drogheda ought to have known about it.

A majority of the panel also rejected Drogheda’s submissions on alleged unequal treatment by Uefa.

Drogheda, who are currently third in the League of Ireland Premier Division and face Shamrock Rovers on Monday night, also called the decision “unjust”.

“Rules should protect opportunity, not prevent it,” their statement added.

“Especially for community-driven clubs like ours who fight every day to punch above their weight.

“Nevertheless, we accept responsibility. And we’re sorry. But while we are saddened, we are also emboldened.

“We will not let this setback define us. Instead, we will use it as fuel. Our club has never been handed anything and we’ve earned every inch through grit, resilience, and unity. And we will continue to do so.”

Derry City, who Drogheda beat in the FAI Cup final, are unable to join Shamrock Rovers and St Patrick’s Athletic in the competition as the deadline for a Uefa licence has passed.

Drogheda’s sitaution is similar to that being experienced by Crystal Palace, who qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup in May.

It is the only time the Premier League club has qualified for European football in their 120-year history, but Uefa is set to decide whether they breached its rules on teams under one multi-club ownership structure competing in that competition.

Uefa’s final ruling will centre on American businessman John Textor, owner of Eagle Football – which holds a 43% stake in Palace.

Eagle Football also owns a 77% stake in French side Lyon, who – like Palace – have qualified for next season’s Europa League.

In recent seasons, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Manchester United have all been admitted into European competition despite initial concerns over multi-club ownership.

“We talked before about who will be the player to take them to the World Cup? I think he is the biggest trump card.”

Former Liverpool and Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann was full of praise for Caoimhin Kelleher after the Republic of Ireland’s 1-1 draw with Senegal.

Kelleher’s resolve was finally broken in the 81st minute after making three big saves to keep the African side out in Dublin.

It has been a big week for the 26-year-old, who left Liverpool to join Brentford for an initial £12.5m, which could rise to £18m with add-ons.

According to former Premier League goalkeeper Shay Given, “in the current climate he’s worth every single penny, if not more”.

“No disrespect to Brentford, but I’m surprised there wasn’t a few more bigger clubs in,” Given said on RTE Sport.

“Unless clubs have gone, ‘let’s have a look at him at Brentford. We know they are a selling club, let’s see him as a number one for a year or two’.

“At 26 years of age he’s still plenty young enough. He looks the real deal”