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'Where it stands at this moment...': Andy Farrell addresses rumours he will join Lions next month
Ireland boss Andy Farrell has given an update on where things stand regarding him and a possible trip to South Africa next month to join up with the Lions ahead of their three-game Test series versus the Springboks which starts on July 24 in Cape Town.
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The defence coach on the 2013 and 2017 tours to Australia and New Zealand has been touted as a mid-tour arrival once his commitments with Ireland’s summer series is over. Ireland host Japan on July 3 and the USA on July 10 in Dublin, matches that Farrell has announced a 37-strong squad for that will be skippered by Lions omission James Ryan.
Farrell has been strongly tipped to be chosen as one of Gatland’s assistants for the tour in South Africa. However, when it came to the mid-April announcement of the coaching staff, it emerged that Farrell has declared himself unavailable.
At that time, Ireland were on course to embark on a July tour to Fiji. However, that trip was cancelled on April 30 following a virus outbreak in the Pacific Islands and it left Ireland needing to make alternative arrangements.
With the plan now for just two home games in Dublin, it has generated speculation that Farrell could potentially arrive on the Lions prior to their midweek July 14 match in Cape Town versus South Africa A, ten days prior to the first Test game against the Springboks.
Brilliant to see them getting down to business in Jersey 🙌#LionsRugby
https://t.co/WUxoWeK4o5— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 15, 2021
Gatland is on record since April that an extra spot is available in his backroom staff to be filled in whichever way he feels and while there was apparently a lukewarm reaction from the Lions in recent weeks following the rebooting of speculation that Farrell could tour, the man himself delivered on update on the situation during his post-Ireland squad announcement.
“I have spoken to Warren a couple of times,” admitted Farrell when asked by Irish media whether him joining up with the Lions was potentially a runner. “I’m more than happy obviously to help out because it is an unbelievable honour to be asked or to be involved in the Lions. I’m sure we are all looking forward to watching the series.
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“Where it stands at this moment in time is that Warren has left a spot open and he wants to see how the workload goes in the first week or so of the camps and if he needs help in and around all that then I am happy to help but the experience that they have got there within the coaching staff is top class, the experience that they have got in the management group is top class as well so I am sure they will be fine.”
Farrell excluded seasoned names such as Johnny Sexton, a Lions tourist in 2013 and 2017, Cian Healy, a Lions pick in 2013, and Keith Earls, the youngest Lions in the 2009 trip, from his Ireland squad, explaining they would benefit more from a longer pre-season given that Ireland are facing a 2021/22 season that will culminate in a tour of New Zealand.
However, their Ireland omission doesn’t rule them out of possible call-ups from the Lions if needed. “Definitely not,” said Farrell when quizzed whether non-selection for Ireland makes them off-limits for the Lions.
“Warren is certainly aware of all this and Keith is certainly in that bracket as well because he was playing some outstanding rugby as well during the Six Nations so I am sure he is on the radar as well. Look, these lads are aware of the situation. They will be training in the background and keeping themselves fit and Warren knows exactly what they are about.”
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"I'm not a great rugby player but my pathway, being a physio, is you handle what you have to handle. It doesn't help that you sulk over things"
– It's been a baptism of fire for Jacques Nienaber… and a ball has yet to be kicked#Springboks #LionsRugbyhttps://t.co/hfBWHyqP76
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 13, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
An on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
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