Wednesday 22 May 2013
Lions head coach Warren Gatland and his Leinster counterpart Joe Schmidt are on a collision course over Sean O'Brien's knee that could threaten his participation in the three-Test series against Australia next month.
A week ago, Rob Kearney pitched up at Lions HQ to try on the endless array of clobber – from boxers to blazers – laid on for the select few bound for Australia this summer.
THE creme de la creme of British and Irish rugby have landed in Carton House for their second week of training as a squad before setting out on the 2013 Lions tour.
NERVOUSNESS is not a trait you associate with Paul O'Connell. This is a man you can easily picture walking in a straight line through a crowded street.
While Joe Schmidt and Warren Gatland have done their best to soothe concerns about Brian O'Driscoll's fitness, the fact that the most celebrated tourist of the 21st century could not even board a plane to London for yesterday's first official Lions gathering must raise eyebrows.
Cian Healy may slip down the pecking order for the Lions over the coming weeks but insists he wouldn't have it any other way.
Leinster out-half Jonny Sexton has revealed he would have loved the opportunity to learn from Jonny Wilkinson had the Englishman been selected to tour with the Lions this summer.
JOE SCHMIDT believes Brian O'Driscoll will make a decision on his future before the Lions tour to Australia.
Warren Gatland leapt to the defence of Saracens out-half Owen Farrell, saying that he had the utmost confidence that the 21-year-old would flourish in the Lions environment over the next fortnight ahead of their departure for Australia.
Kurtley Beale's chances of playing for Australia against the Lions took another significant hit yesterday when the Melbourne Rebels said their backline star would take an indefinite leave of absence from Super Rugby and enter a private health clinic.
LEINSTER will win the Amlin Challenge Cup, but to do so they must negate the considerable influence of Sergio Parisse, according to Stuart Barnes.
It may have been the moment that confirmed Sam Warburton as captain of the Lions. It came in the first half of the match between Wales and England in Cardiff in March. England centre Brad Barritt was tackled by Wales lock Ian Evans, and the first man in was Warburton, as ever trying to steal the ball.
Hands up if you were surprised last Tuesday's announcement of the Lions squad to tour Australia next month stopped at 37 names instead of 38. And keep your hand up if you think Jonny Wilkinson will find himself Down Under not too long after his domestic commitments end with Toulon.
SEAN O'BRIEN has warned Lions captain Sam Warburton that he won't have it all his own way in the battle for the Test openside jersey.
RORY BEST'S omission from the Lions squad took the Australian coaching staff by surprise, according to Robbie Deans.
ONLY time will tell whether Warren Gatland lives to regret the big decisions he made this week, with much of the debate centring around his naming just two fly-halves, the omission of Rory Best and Matt Stevens' left-field selection.
BRIAN O'Driscoll might have been overlooked for the Lions captaincy, but the early indications are that Australia will target the Ireland centre in an effort to win the series.
My instant reaction when I heard the Lions squad to tour Australia this summer was "wow haven't we done well."
IT wasn't a huge surprise that Warren Gatland would lean towards the Welsh players who helped him win the Grand Slam 12 months ago when announcing his Lions squad.
Lions manager Andy Irvine has revealed that there had been "a very serious probability" that Warren Gatland would have selected three out-halves for the tour of Australia if Jonny Wilkinson had not turned down the offer of a place during a phone call with the head coach on Monday.
TOMMY BOWE'S delight at being selected for his second Lions tour was tempered by the news of Rory Best's omission.
IT'S every rugby parent's dream - to see their little boys grow up to become Lions.
Jamie Heaslip@jamieheaslip Dreams do come true....
I WAS picked for the Lions tours in 2001 and 2005, and I see it as the pinnacle of achievement as a player. You know that you are being picked from the best players in the four home nations – England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
In the summer of 2001, when the Lions were last in Australia, Ireland coach Warren Gatland's Test commitments extended no further than a spin to Bucharest. It was a handy trip to a city dramatically improved from the dark days of dodgy power supply, dodgier food and the altogether unhinged Nicolae Ceausescu.
The last phase of the playing process is all but over. Those players who missed the Six Nations have had their chance to come into contention with a last-minute run, a surge in added time.
The announcement of the 2009 Lions squad to tour South Africa was something of a high water mark for Irish rugby. Fresh from a Grand Slam, we found ourselves with 14 tourists in the squad, more than any other nation. For the first time in history Ireland had the lion's share of the places.
PAUL O'CONNELL and Brian O'Driscoll face disappointment in their bid to captain the Lions for a second time after bookmakers suspended betting on Wales flanker Sam Warburton getting the role.
Brian O'Driscoll won the man-of-the-match award yesterday as Leinster put Zebre to the sword, but it was the performance of fit-again Jonathan Sexton which dominated post-match discussion.
IRELAND'S Tommy Bowe has played 165 minutes of rugby since returning from the knee ligament injury sustained in December playing for Ulster.
Interview with two-time Rás winner Philip Cassidy
Brian O'Driscoll dressed for the high seas in new Lions tour advert. Credit: HSBC
The 141- kilometre stage from Nenagh to Listowel was won by Carrick-an-Suir native Sam Bennett, giving the An Post Chain Reaction Seán Kelly Team its second consecutive stage win. The yellow jersey was claimed by Marcin Bialoblocki, (UK Youth Pro Cycling) who was third across the line today after a bunch sprint.
Holloway has been to the final twice before with Blackpool and has experienced the highs of winning and the lows of losing. He has challenged his players to become Palace legends by winning this game.
James Anderson reached 300 Test wickets for England against New Zealand and Sir Ian Botham backs him to beat his record haul of 383 wickets. Sir Ian Botham was speaking at the re-launch of Unibet in the UK where its 'Unibet Summer of Sport' ad campaign featuring Sir Ian Botham and Gavin Hastings.
With Andy Murray struggling with injury, former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic says the world number two shouldn't compete in the French Open if he is not fully fit - and tips a revitalised Rafael Nadal to win the title again.Goran Ivanisevic was speaking at the re-launch of Unibet in the UK where its Unibet Summer of Sport ad campaign featuring Sir Ian Botham and Gavin Hastings.
Former British and Irish Lions captain Gavin Hastings expects to see Jonny Wilkinson in the fabled red jersey on this summer's tour to Australia. World Cup-winning former England fly-half Wilkinson has been in imperious form with European champions Toulon this season, but declined an initial approach from Lions head coach Warren Gatland citing club commitments and his weary body.
Fraser Duncan, riding for Dublin West Eurocycles, says he is delighted to lead the amateur field after the second day of the An Post Rás 2013.
Nineteen year-old Jasper De Buyst, riding for the Belgium National Team, leads the under 23's competition following Day two of The Rás.
The Stage was won by New Zealander Seán Archbold riding for Belgium An Post Chainreaction Sean Kelly.
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