The latest rugby news stories from the Lions tour and the rest of the world
These are your morning headlines on the day of the first Lions Test against Australia – Saturday, July 19.
Scotland help Wales
Scotland have done Wales a favour after bouncing back from defeat to Fiji to beat Samoa on Friday night. The 41-12 victory means Wales will head into the autumn internationals still placed 12th in the World Rugby rankings.
That position will be crucial in ensuring Wales are placed in the top two seeding groups for the Rugby World Cup draw, which takes place at the end of the November internationals. A Samoa victory, a week after Fiji turned over the Scots, would have seen them leapfrog Wales, leaving them in 13th ahead of tricky autumn fixtures against the likes of New Zealand and South Africa.
If Wales drop out of the top 12 before December they will face a potential Rugby World Cup group of death in 2027.
Townsend praised his Scotland players for showing their “true identity” after they won. Seven different Scotland players scored tries as the tourists won 41-12 at Eden Park in Auckland.
Scotland opened their tour with victory over the Maori All Blacks in New Zealand but were on the end of an ill-disciplined 29-14 defeat by Fiji in Suva last weekend.
That result was a major blow for Scotland’s aspirations of breaking into the top seeds ahead of the World Cup draw, but Townsend’s side reacted in the best way possible to finish the season on a high.
“It was hugely important,” Townsend said. “You rise to a challenge and you show your true identity when you’ve got that challenge of backing up a defeat and the players showed that.
“The way they came together during the week with just a six-day turnaround and one training session, they were really aligned and focused on delivering a better performance and they did that.”
Sexton says he’s changed his perception of Russell
Lions coach Johnny Sexton says he’s changed his perception of the tourists’ fly-half Finn Russell – having previously been critical of the Scottish playmaker.
Russell, who starts the first Test against Australia in Brisbane today, was famously described as “flashy” and a “media darling” in Sexton’s autobiography, but the former Ireland fly-half says he has been won over by his former rival since working with him in his capacity as Lions kicking coach.
“Finn’s still flash! He’d hate it if I said he isn’t,” Sexton said.
“But in the last couple of years he’s come into his own as a 10 and he’s been able to manage a team because ultimately that’s his main job. And then his brilliance will come out once he’s into the game.
“He’s probably been our best defender in the backline on this tour so far. You always knew that was in there because he’s a feisty guy.
“Physically he doesn’t look that big, but he’s fronted up big time on this tour and made a lot of impact tackles. We’ll need him to do that against Australia because they’ll be coming down his channel.
“I’m sure (Australia coach) Joe Schmidt will have a plan for him because he’ll know how integral he is to our team and I’m sure he’ll be doing everything to cut him off.”
He added: “Finn has been relaxed as always, you wouldn’t know it’s the week of a Test. You can see the work he does, though,” Sexton said.
“You have a perception of him from the outside and I would have had the same, in terms of he is a relaxed guy and just takes things in his stride. But he does a lot of work behind the scenes.
“In the last couple of years he’s really matured as a player. Bath getting to finals, winning trophies – you can’t do that if you’re just that kind of mercurial 10.
“You’ve seen that now this year. He’s got his team over the line and he’s won a few trophies and he’s carried that form into here.”
Kolisi backs uncapped Scarlets star
World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi has backed uncapped Scarlets hooker Marnus van der Merwe to shine on his Springboks debut against Georgia today.
The 28-year-old hooker, who has enjoyed a standout first season in Llanelli, will win his first cap for South Africa in Nelspruit as part of a totally uncapped front-row alongside props Boan Venter and Neethling Fouché.
Kolisi, who made his own debut at the same ground back in 2013, was bullish about the new-look front-row.
“I’m very proud of the guys earning their first Test caps, and as a group, we feel there is enough experience in the team for them to know we have their backs,” said the two-time World Cup winner.
“They’ve been training against the likes of Ox [Nche], Wilco [Louw], and Malcolm [Marx], among others, and the players around them have played Test rugby before. Over and above that, a scrum is not only about the front row – it involves everyone in the pack doing their bit, and everyone in the team knows what they have to do.”
O’Driscoll expecting ‘fireworks’
Lions and Ireland legend Brian O’Driscoll says there could be “fireworks” from the half-back pairing of Jamison Gibson-Park and Finn Russell on Saturday.
The Irish-Scottish axis at nine and 10 is set to bring some real excitement to the first Test encounter in Brisbane today, with the pairing have already gelled so far Down Under.
Andy Farrell caused a stir with his back-row selections earlier this week, something which O’Driscoll acknowledged was a tough choice, but sees the scrum-half and fly-half picks as ones that will set pulses racing.
“There are always one or two calls where you go, ‘it could have gone there’. The number seven jersey, I think any of the three guys that have been wearing it on tour could have been picked – Tom Curry has gotten the chance,” the Irish centre told Sky Sports.
“At half-back, Gibson-Park and Finn Russell look like they have fireworks ready to let off.
“The other thing was maybe the Scottish centre pairing. People were wondering who they were going to go with. They’ve gone with units, so it’s understandable, but there will be changes in Tests two and three.
“But it’s a first-up opportunity for this 23 and good luck to them.”