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San Francisco Chronicle
25 minutes ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
British and Irish Lions lose their Australia tour warmup to Argentina
DUBLIN (AP) — First, the good news for the British and Irish Lions: They didn't appear to suffer any tour-ending injuries against Argentina on Friday. The bad news: They lost to Argentina 28-24 in the warmup to their nine-game tour of Australia. The result, humbling for now, will be regarded as a minor setback, maybe even an inspiration, if the Lions go on and win the three-test series against the Wallabies. The Lions led the Pumas for only 12 minutes in the entire match and had two prime attacking chances in the last four minutes. But their lineout maul was stopped in its tracks, then a Lions penalty in front of the posts was overturned due to a neck roll by Tadhg Beirne. 'We weren't as consistent as we would have liked to be. We only showed glimmers of what we can do,' Lions captain Maro Itoje told broadcaster Sky Sports. 'When we were on it, we looked good, we just need to do it more consistently. Argentina showed us where we are lacking. I am happy we had a hard-fought game. We live and learn. This is only match one.' Despite a training camp in Portugal that was meant to help cement combinations, and nine English starters, the Lions still looked less cohesive and determined than Argentina, which was missing a dozen front-liners and had only two proper training runs. The Pumas beat the Lions for the first time in a history between them that goes back to 1910. They also warmed up the 2005 Lions in Cardiff, and suffered heartbreak when Jonny Wilkinson landed a penalty in the 87th minute for a 25-25 draw. No draw this time. The Pumas were ruthless with their chances, and matched the Lions with three tries. Two tries from inside their own 22 were the game's highlights. The Lions enjoyed majority possession, had the better scrum, and gave away only five penalties but they forced too many passes and the Pumas defense was outstanding. 'You can't win a test with that error rate,' Lions coach Andy Farrell said. "We lost enough balls in that game for a full tour, throwing balls that weren't on. They were hungrier than us with the ball on the ground. 'There was good and bad throughout. We were just a little bit off, I take responsibility for that. I hope we are better off for that.' The Lions were nowhere near their test side. Few players from last weekend's finals of the English Premiership and United Rugby Championship were involved, and only six of the 16 Irish players. But the Pumas were understrength, too, for a match outside the test window. Argentina scored the first points, a Tomas Albornoz penalty, and the first try, finished by wing Ignacio Mendy from an Albornoz miss-out pass to fullback Santiago Carreras in a gap. Meanwhile, the Lions had two tries in the first quarter ruled out for knock-ons but Bundee Aki finally got their first touchdown when he busted through three defenders. The second quarter was all Argentina. Albornoz kicked two more penalties and converted his own injury-time try for 21-10. The Lions didn't protect ruck ball in the Argentina 22 and Rodrigo Isgro and Carreras set Albornoz away in an 80-meter counterattack. The Lions rubbed out the deficit thanks to the forwards. A penalty try from a lineout maul also sent Pumas prop Mayco Vivas to the sin-bin, and the Lions used the man advantage to give Beirne a converted try. But moments later, an Isgro aerial catch started a sweeping counterattack involving Albornoz, No. 8 Joaquin Oviedo, debut starter Justo Piccardo and Matias Moroni that was finished by a swan dive from Santiago Cordero. Even with 22 minutes left, the Lions could not find a reply. ___
Hindustan Times
27 minutes ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Rugby-Argentina send Lions down under with 28-24 warm-up defeat
By Padraic Halpin HT Image DUBLIN -Argentina beat a stuttering British and Irish Lions for the first time ever on Friday with a 28-24 warm-up game victory at the Aviva Stadium that left coach Andy Farrell with plenty to do as his squad get ready to leave for Australia. While Farrell barely had enough bodies to make up a matchday squad after deciding to give the majority who played in English Premiership and URC finals last Saturday the evening off, he had hoped the others would grasp the opportunity. Few did and just as Argentina did when the sides' last met in a 25-25 draw before the 2005 tour, the Pumas had the Lions on the ropes early thanks to tries from Ignacio Mendy and Tomas Albornoz either side of a Bundee Aki effort that gave them a deserved 21-10 halftime lead. While the Lions were a different animal early in the second half and regained the lead after a penalty try and another home crowd score, this time for Tadhg Beirne, Santiago Cordero put Argentina back in front with another great team try and the error-strewn Lions could not reply again. "We talked in the week about this amazing opportunity, We wanted to come here and do a good job. It's amazing," player of the match Albornoz said in a pitchside interview. Argentina, who were also missing some key players still involved in the French Top 14 playoffs, showed they were here to play with a couple of early warning shots before a brilliant set piece try after the sides had traded early penalties. Quick ball and quick hands carved the Lions' defence open for fullback Santiago Carreras to throw a deft dummy and find Mendy, whose step inside left Duhan van der Merwe on his backside. The Lions also showed some early attacking intent and after two tries were chalked off for knock ons either side of Mendy's effort, one of the few available Irishmen Aki brought a huge cheer from the sea of red by bulldozing over on 20 minutes. But it was very scrappy for Farrell's men after that, with the rust of their early days together showing up in yet more knock ons, a misfiring lineout and missing almost twice as many tackles as their opponents by halftime. After two more Albornoz penalties edged Argentina in front, the flyhalf benefited from some more untidy Lions play, this time deep in Puma territory, to dive under the posts and into a sea of nearby Argentine replacements right on halftime. "TEETHING ISSUES" The second half started off a lot looser and the Lions were much more awake to it. The game looked like it might swing just a few minutes in when their forward pressure forced the penalty try and a yellow card for Argentina prop Mayco Vivas. Another try looked inevitable before Vivas returned as the Lions began to empty what on paper was a far more loaded bench. Beirne obliged shortly after a huge carry from Ellis Genge. But the mistakes began to creep in again and multiply as Argentina showed all they needed was a sniff, breaking from their own half before replacement Matias Moroni kicked in behind for fellow sub Cordero to beat Marcus Smith to a footrace. Some Argentine players were in tears when the final whistle sounded as they secured their first win in eight attempts, six of which were in tours of South America almost a century ago. For the Lions they have five more games in Australia and plenty more time together to set things right before the first test against the Wallabies on July 19. "There's a few teething issues," said Lions captain Maro Itoje. "We're building a team. I think we showed glimmers of what we can do. We'll learn and we'll definitely get better." This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Argentina stun Lions in Dublin tour opener
BRITISH & IRISH LIONS 24 ARGENTINA 28 The British & Irish Lions will board the plane for Australia on Saturday with more questions than answers from this historic first pre-tour appearance in Ireland. With the first Test of the summer series with the Wallabies still a month away, this defeat to Argentina on Friday night will not matter a jot if head coach Andy Farrell can find solutions to the issues which presented themselves on an otherwise glorious night at Aviva Stadium as a 51,700 sell-out crowd turned Lansdowne Road red. They delivered a party atmosphere in the evening sun as a matchday squad missing a considerable chunk of the touring party's 38-player complement played its first game together in the full glare of the spotlight. There was always going to be teething problems, even if Farrell had had his dozen Leinster players, and three English Premiership finalists available and an inconsistent lineout, difficulties in dealing with Argentina's aerial threat and other defensive lapses will be the chief concerns as the Lions prepare to face Western Force in Perth next Saturday. That said, they outscored the Pumas by three tries to two, with Bundee Aki and Tadhg Beirne giving Irish supporters plenty to cheer either side of a penalty try awarded off the back of a strong driving maul, while the Maro Itoje-led forward pack produced a dominant scrum that promises a strong attacking platform Down Under. Indeed there were elements of the Lions play which fitted the occasion as the IRFU marked its 150th anniversary in style. The Pumas had not read the script, however. Despite those encouraging signs for Farrell, including some smart handling along the line in attack, Argentina took a 21-10 lead into the half-time break. Fly-half Tomas Albornoz was the star of the show with a try on the cusp of half time which he converted himself to add to his three penalties. The Benetton star had opened the scoring from off the tee on five minutes when the Lions strayed offside in front of their posts as the Pumas swarmed forward. Yet they were momentarily behind their own tryline as the Lions struck through their lineout maul, hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie's try ruled out having lost the ball forward over the line. Fin Smith got the Lions back on level terms with a penalty on 10 minutes but Argentina's tactical kicking was causing problems and putting their hosts on the back foot paid dividends two minutes later as they moved the ball left, isolating full-back Marcus Smith in a two-on-one as wing Ignacio Mendy profited. Albornoz missed the conversion from wide out but the Pumas were 8-3 up. The first scrum of the game came soon after and the Lions flexed their muscles, winning a penalty at the first engagement and then earning another in front of the posts as Argentina scrambled to hold out some fluid attacking movement with ball in hand. From there, the Lions worked an overlap out wide on the right, Fin Smith finding outside centre Bundee Aki with wing Tommy Freeman outside him. Aki faked a pass to the edge, swiveled around and the Ireland star bulldozed through three defenders to score the 2025 Lions' first try on 19 minutes, Fin Smith adding the conversion. The Lions failed to capitalise, their lineout starting to creak and handling errors undoing much of their positive attacking shape. Instead, Albornoz struck at the other end, kicking two more penalties and then finishing a swift counter attack after some confusion at the back of a Lions ruck inside the Argentine 22. Again, Marcus Smith was exposed in a two-on-one, the Pumas fly-half then cutting inside to score behind the posts and then ending the opening period with a conversion in front of the posts to give his side an 11-point interval lead. If the Lions had lost their way in the second quarter, they were right back on track after half-time, their forward pack gaining the upper hand through their lineout maul to eke a penalty try on 46 minutes as Argentina prop Mayco Vivas was yellow carded for collapsing. It got better again for the Lions when Tadhg Beirne got his 2025 tally up and running, crashing onto a pass to score from short range, with Fin Smith's conversion pushing his side back in front at 24-21. Back came the Pumas yet again, profiting once more from the aerial route to advance upfield. Albornoz fended off replacement Henry Pollock and Matias Moroni kicked ahead along the ground, fellow benchwarmer Santiago Cordero beating Marcus Smith in a foot race to the ball for the try, the fly-half's conversion making it 28-24 to Argentina. Tadhg Furlong's introduction off the bench following a season riddled with calf issues was a bonus but the tighthead prop did not finish the game, removed for a Head Injury Assessment as the Lions tried to rescue victory. It did not happen and when the full-time whistle blew the celebrations belonged to the Pumas and their own piece of history. BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: M Smith; T Freeman, S Tuipulotu, B Aki (E Daly, 59), D van der Merwe (M Hansen, 59); F Smith, A Mitchell (T Williams, 49); E Genge (P Schoeman, 59), L Cowan-Dickie (R Kelleher, 49); F Bealham (T Furlong, 59; Bealham, 80 - HIA); M Itoje – captain(S Cummings, 72), T Beirne; T Curry, J Morgan (H Pollock, 49), B Earl. ARGENTINA: S Carreras; R Isgró, L Cinti (M Moroni, 55; J Moro for Moroni, 61– HIA), J Piccardo, I Mendy (S Cordero, 45 - HIA); T Albornoz, G García (S Benitez Cruz, 70); M Vivas (B Wenger, 67), J Montoya – captain (B Bernasconi, 80), J Sclavi (F Coria Marchetti, 47); F Molina (S Grondona, 59), P Rubiolo; P Matera, JM Gonzalez, J Oviedo (B Bernasconi, 48-56 FR sin bin sub; J Moro, 66 - HIA). Yellow card: M Vivas 46-56 Referee: James Doleman (New Zealand).
NZ Herald
3 hours ago
- Sport
- NZ Herald
British and Irish Lions v Argentina live updates: Lions prepare for Australia tour against Pumas
The Lions warm-up for the Australia tour by taking on the Pumas. Maro Itoje will captain the British and Irish Lions for the first time in their Australia tour warm-up match against Argentina in Dublin on Saturday. The Saracens second row leads a starting side in the non-cap international that features fellow England international Marcus Smith at fullback with the Red Rose pair of Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith the halfbacks. Ireland's Tadhg Furlong will have the chance to prove his fitness after struggling with a calf injury that ruled him out of Leinster's United Rugby Championship final victory over the Bulls. Furlong is included on a bench that also features Ireland hooker Ronan Kelleher. 'Congratulations to Maro Itoje before leading out the Lions for the first time. It's a truly special moment and one that very few players ever get to experience,' said head coach Andy Farrell. 'Maro has led the group well during our time in Portugal and then Dublin this week. This is also our first opportunity to show what the 2025 Lions are about and what we want to stand for as a team.' A strong Argentina team will be captained by hooker Julian Montoya, six days after the hooker featured in the Leicester side that lost the English Premiership final to Bath. Santiago Carreras is at fullback with Tomas Albornoz at first five-eighths, while Saracens flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez is in a back row also featuring the experienced Pablo Matera. 'We know all their players and we expect them to be playing hard,' said Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi, whose side are ranked fifth in the world. 'They miss some cohesion or maybe not because they are such top players they can click in one moment.' The 30-year-old Itoje, previously appointed as Lions captain for the upcoming three-Test tour of Australia, skippered England to second place in this year's Six Nations. The Lions, made up of leading players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, play their first Test in Australia on July 19 at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium. British and Irish Lions (15-1): Marcus Smith (ENG); Tommy Freeman (ENG), Sione Tuipulotu (SCO), Bundee Aki (IRL), Duhan van der Merwe (SCO); Fin Smith (ENG), Alex Mitchell (ENG); Ben Earl (ENG), Jac Morgan (WAL), Tom Curry (ENG); Tadhg Beirne (IRL), Maro Itoje (ENG, capt); Finlay Bealham (IRL), Luke Cowan-Dickie (ENG), Ellis Genge (ENG) Replacements: Ronan Kelleher (IRL), Pierre Schoeman (SCO), Tadhg Furlong (IRL), Scott Cummings (SCO), Henry Pollock (ENG), Tomos Williams (WAL), Elliot Daly (ENG), Mack Hansen (IRL) Coach: Andy Farrell (ENG) Argentina (15-1): Santiago Carreras; Rodrigo Isgro, Lucio Cinti, Justo Piccardo, Ignacio Mendy; Tomas Albornoz, Gonzalo Garcia; Joaquin Oviedo, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Pablo Matera; Pedro Rubiolo, Franco Molina; Joel Sclavi, Julian Montoya (capt), Mayco Vivas
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
B&I Lions nearing full fitness after good Gibson-Park news, Farrell says
The British and Irish Lions expect to have a fully fit squad in the next week or so after a positive update on scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park, coach Andy Farrell said after naming his side for Friday's warm-up against Argentina. The Lions are in relatively rude health as they prepare to fly to Australia having only lost Scotland prop Zander Fagerson to injury in the lead up. Gibson-Park was the other main concern after he missed Leinster's United Rugby Championship (URC) final victory on Saturday with a minor glute strain. Hugo Keenan also missed the final but Farrell said the Leinster fullback ran for the first time a couple of days ago and is going pretty well, while Scotland centre Huw Jones returned to full training this week. 'Good news on most of the injuries, they're all a week or so away from being fit,' Farrell said ahead of the Argentina clash at Lansdowne Road in Dublin. Four bespoke portraits for four British & Irish Lions 🦁🎨 — Sky Sports (@SkySports) June 18, 2025 'We didn't quite know until Jamison got another scan on Monday night, that was pretty positive. We're in good shape.' With half the Lions touring squad involved in the URC and English Premiership finals last Saturday, Farrell's options for Friday's warm-up at the Aviva Stadium were limited but he was nevertheless excited to try out some new combinations from the four nations. 'I did an exercise a couple of weeks ago, and I've done it about five times since, of what you think your Test side could be, and you actually can't even go there because there's such good competition, and that's how it should be,' Farrell said. 'The exciting thing about Friday night is these guys get to show the teammates sat in the stands what they're all about. Because ultimately what happens on these tours, these guys, all they're trying to do is gain the respect of one another. Impress one another.' British & Irish Lions on Twitter / X A partnership Farrell is looking forward to seeing is one he hopes will prove a 'dominant' option at centre as Ireland's Bundee Aki lines up next to Scotland's Sione Tuipulotu, who has barely played in an injury-hit season. Another physical combination sees captain Maro Itoje pack down next to Ireland's Tadhg Beirne in the second row. Tourists together in 2021, the pair have been roommates this time around and the big Munsterman has been surprised so far by one aspect of Itoje's leadership style. 'He doesn't curse,' Beirne said, noting that he struggles with such restraint as Munster skipper. 'He's been leading the team really well.' Having played many a battle in Dublin wearing the white of England, Itoje has enjoyed a novelty of his own this week while walking around the streets of the Irish capital. 'It's very nice to be so warmly received in Dublin, because that tends not to be the case,' he said.
