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Andy Murray is in the semi?finals of the French Open for the fourth year in a row, exploding the Ken Boyer Authentic Jersey myth, surely, that clay is his weakest surface. He is now consistent on all surfaces – certainly in big tournaments – and has a fighting chance of finally adding the title to those he has won at Flushing Meadows and Wimbledon. However, the world No1 – who arrived in Paris in ordinary form and unable to train properly because of a lingering cold – was briefly in danger of following the defending champion, Novak Djokovic, out of the tournament before defeating Kei Nishikori in a four?set match that he began poorly and finished in style on Court Philippe Chatrier on a warm, still Wednesday afternoon. Murray, who lost against Djokovic in the Roland Garros final last year, won 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-0), 6-1 in 2hr 39min to book a place in the semi-finals on Friday against Stan Wawrinka, who breezed past Marin Cilic in 1hr 40min. Murray said courtside: “I needed to put a little bit more pace on my shots. He was dictating all the points in the first set. Once I got a better rhythm, I was able to keep him away from the baseline and that made a big difference.” Of his semi-final opponent, Murray said: “Stan has played fantastic this tournament. I don’t think he’s dropped a set. I had to play one of my best matches on clay to beat him last year.” Novak Djokovic crashes http://www.officialcardinalsbaseball.com/authentic-16-kolten-wong-jersey.html out of French Open to Dominic Thiem Read more Nishikori broke twice in the first half?hour, serving out the set without bother, and Murray needed to regroup quickly in perfect conditions once the wind dropped. At the US Open last year, it was Nishikori who came from 1-2 down to beat Murray in the quarter-finals but, after his uneven win against Fernando Verdasco in the third round, it was still a surprise to see him start so fast here. The match, predictably, was not without incident. The chair umpire, Carlos Ramos, gave Murray a time violation in the first set and he dropped serve, descending thereafter into a rolling rant that lasted all the way to the fourth set. At deuce and 1-1 on Murray’s serve in the second set, Ramos interrupted him during his ball toss for a second time violation, penalising him the point, but this time the Scot was motivated to hold – not before letting the umpire know what he thought: “I’ve been on Tour so long and I’ve never seen that. Why did you do it when I was throwing the ball up?” The umpire replied: “Every single point, you are over the time.” It was the spark that Murray needed – and Nishikori suffered. He handed him two break points with a dreadful smash and Murray was up 3-1. Within minutes, he had to save two break points – the second given up with his Lance Lynn Youth Jersey fourth double fault – to hold and went on to level at a set apiece. Murray was coasting, a break up in the third set, when he dropped serve and Nishikori held to love. They worked their way to the tie-break – probably one of the worst shootouts either of them has played. Andy Murray beats Kei Nishikori in four sets, Thiem beats Djokovic at French Open – as it happened Rolling report: Andy Murray set up a semi-final with Stan Wawrinka after a gritty 2-6, 6-1, 7-6, 6-1 win, Dominic Thiem will play Rafael Nadal after destroying Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep fought back from the brink to reach the last four Read more They swapped breaks again at the start of the fourth, and a worryingly familiar pattern reinstated itself. Coming into this tournament, Murray has handed back the break to his opponents 18 out of 80 times this year. Last year, he held on to his break 255 of 302 times (84%), similar to his strike rate in 2015. That Murray managed to forge on to the finish line without blemish probably surprised him as much as everyone else. Earlier, the erratic and tempestuous world No4, Simona Halep, who wondered before the tournament if she would even play because of a twisted ankle, defeated the fifth seed Elina Svitolina, 3-6, 7-6, 6-0, having come back from a set and 5-1 down. In the semi?finals, she plays the second seed Karolina Pliskova, who defeated the home favourite, Caroline Garcia, 7-6, 6-4. Pliskova will become the first player from the Czech http://www.officialathleticshop.com/authentic-33-jose-canseco-jersey.html Republic to be ranked No1 in the world if she reaches the final
Icelandic band Sigur Rós have promised to make their upcoming show at the Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne “the most inclusive night ever” in a show of support for Australian marriage equality. Former tennis champion Margaret Court made headlines in May after a pledge to boycott Qantas over their support of same-sex marriage. In an interview with a Christian radio station, she said transgenderism was the work of the devil and compared a global plot to promote equal sexual rights to Hitler. Margaret Court: astounding champion who found God and lost the respect of a nation Read more Another former tennis champion, Martina Navratilova, has penned an open letter describing Court as a “a racist and a homophobe”, and calling on Tennis Australia to rename the arena. While Malcolm Turnbull has defended the arena’s name, more than 10,000 people have signed a Change.org petition to rename it after Indigenous tennis champion Evonne Goolagong. As the Sigur Rós prepared to play the concert in Melbourne on 27 July, the band said in a statement: “Our fans and friends have made us aware of recent http://www.authenticsandiegopadres.com/Ozzie-Smith-Jersey comments by Margaret Court regarding her opposition to Qantas’s support of same-sex marriage in Australia, and her wider views on race and sexuality. “We know Margaret Court’s opinions are not shared by the majority of Australians. We want to add our voice to the call for marriage equality in Australia – right here on Margaret Court Arena itself. Australia should be a country that celebrates positivity and inclusion, as well as achievement on the sporting field.” The band said they would be selling a special T-shirt during their Australian tour, with all proceeds going to the advocacy group Australian Marriage Equality. “Let’s make 27 July Margaret Court Arena’s most inclusive night ever and call for every Australian to have the same dignity and respect right here on centre court,” they said. In Iceland, same-sex marriage has been legal since 2010, when it was unanimously voted in by a parliament led by the world’s first openly gay prime minister, Jóhanna Sigureardóttir – who was one of the first Icelanders to be married under the lawBoris Becker, who split with Novak Djokovic Randy Jones Womens Jersey in December, says the Serb urgently needs another full-time coach to replace Andre Agassi, who was not in his box on Wednesday when Dominic Thiem knocked him out of the quarter finals of the French Open after beating him 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, 6-0 in front of a stunned audience. The defending champion, who appeared to give up in the third set, admitted: “I’m not close to my best, and I know that.” But he refused to blame Agassi, who returned to the United States on Friday after watching only three of his matches. The former world No1 has not added to his 12 slams since winning here for the first time in 2016. Novak Djokovic crashes out of French Open to Dominic Thiem Read more “Novak certainly has to make a clean cut,” said Becker, who helped guide Djokovic to six majors in three years, on Eurosport. “He started to work with Agassi, a new super-coach. However Agassi missed the second week when Djokovic needed him there the most. He has to find a new Tour coach. It is said that there were conversations with some coaches who will support him, but this has to happen fast and not during Wimbledon, because Djokovic has to take advantage of the next three or four weeks to come back.” Djokovic insisted: “Don’t put Andre in the midst of this. The final set, that’s all me. We’re gonna try to get together in Wimbledon, but that’s all for now. His http://www.authenticmilwaukeebrewers.com/Matt-Garza-Jersey influence and impact on my game, it’s gonna take time. It’s not something that comes out in the first week. We have spent seven days together. We just got to know each other. We will see where it takes us. There have been a lot of changes with the team and so forth. I’m so excited to work with Andre and the new team.” Thiem took just one game off Djokovic in Rome two weeks ago. The 23-year-old Austrian said after the best win of his career that it was, “understandable” that Djokovic appeared to be suffering “mentally” at the end of this match. “The key for [my] first victory against him [after five straight losses] was to win this close first set, and then have a good start to the second setThiem plays Rafael Nadal for the fourth time in a month on Friday. The nine-time champion earlier went through on a retirement win over Pablo Carreno Busta. Advertisement Djokovic said of the world No7 who bamboozled him over two-and-a-quarter hours on Court Suzanne Lenglen with slice and power: “Thiem is one of the up-and-coming rising stars. He’s very hungry to beat you and to get his hands on a grand slam trophy. He’s got a really good chance. It was not there for me today, especially in the second part of the match. I was unable to hit the ball well, hit too many unforced errors. He was getting better and better and more confident as the match progressed. He deserved to win. He was definitely the better player on the court today. “I love this sport. I’m motivated as any other player on the Tour. Even though I have played for many years, I still want to do well. The least I can do is give my all whenever I’m holding a racket in my hand. But sometimes circumstances are such that you are not able to perform as well as you want. “I always Neftali Feliz Womens Jersey expect a lot from myself, but it’s a fact that I’m not playing close to my best, and I know that. All the top players have been through [it]. I guess you’ve got to go through it, try to learn your lessons and figure out a way how to get out of it stronger. It’s a big challenge, but I’m up for it.” Asked if he would take a break to refresh his mind and body, he added: “I was planning to play only Wimbledon. I might play a lead-up event; I might not. I have responsibility to the game itself, towards others. It’s not an easy decision to make
Things like this are not supposed to happen. In just her eighth grand slam event, the unseeded, fearless Jelena Ostapenko produced a stunning fightback to win the French Open title here. Her 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Simona Halep, the http://www.officialwinnipegjets.com/Adidas-Dale-Hawerchuk-Jersey pre-tournament favourite, who would have been world No1 had she won the title, made her the first unseeded woman to win here in the open era. At 20, she is the youngest woman to win here since Iva Majoli of Croatia in 1997, the first Latvian to win a grand slam singles title and the first person to win their first tour title at a grand slam since the Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten lifted the first of his three titles here in 1997, something he achieved on the day Ostapenko was born. French Open: Ostapenko stuns Halep with remarkable fightback to win title – as it happened Jelena Ostapenko won her first ever title after beating world No4 Simona Halep 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 after Halep had charged into a first-set lead at Roland Garros Read more Halep will wonder how she failed to clinch victory, having led by a set and 3-0 and having three break-point chances in a long fourth game of the second set that would have put her two breaks up. The Romanian also led 3-1 in the third set but, in truth, nothing about Saturday’s final was in her hands against Ostapenko, whose outrageous ball-striking sent the ball flying past her outstretched racket time and time again as her hopes of a first grand slam title were dashed in the dirt. It was a stunning victory for a woman who went into the French Open as the world No47, a 100-1 shot and not even spoken about as a contender. The junior Wimbledon champion three years ago, Ostapenko had never even been beyond the third round of a grand slam until this fortnight but the way she played here suggests that she will be here for many years to come. It was also fitting, on a sultry day at Roland Garros, that she should finish it off with yet another backhand return down the line, one of 54 clean winners she struck in the final. “I still cannot believe I am the Roland Garros champion and I’m only 20,” said Drew Stafford Womens Jersey Ostapenko, who showed no nerves and never deviated from her simple, devastating gameplan of attack, attack, attack. “I know Simona is a great player and she was playing great but I kept trying, stayed aggressive and I’m very happy things turned around for me. I have no words,” she added. Advertisement In the absence of Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka, all missing for a variety of reasons, this year’s French Open had been considered one of the most open of all time. Halep, most people’s favourite after winning in Madrid and reaching the final in Rome, was expected to be able to tame Ostapenko and when she withstood an early barrage of groundstrokes from the Latvian to take the first set, the 25-year-old was on track. Knowing Ostapenko was capable of reeling off winners seemingly at will, Halep was well aware she needed to stay patient, accept when she was outhit and wait for the mistakes, while taking any chance she had to be aggressive. She must have hoped that Ostapenko would freeze on the big occasion but instead the Latvian looked relatively relaxed. The simplicity of her game means she does not second-guess herself, as she proved in beating players such as Sam Stosur and Caroline Wozniacki en route. She had also come from a set down three times on her way to the final and when Halep failed to take any of her three break points at 3-0 in the second set, she had hope. That translated into belief when she cracked several winners on http://www.officialwinnipegjets.com/Adidas-Dustin-Byfuglien-Jersey her way to levelling at 3-3 and when she broke for 4-3, she whipped up a crowd who were already willing her on, gasping at times at the ferocity of her flatly-struck groundstrokes. Though Halep broke back for 4-4, Ostapenko broke again and served out to force a decider. British teenager Alfie Hewett fights back to win French Open wheelchair final Read more At the start of the third, Halep saved two break points and then broke on her way to a 3-1 lead as Ostapenko’s radar went astray as she sprayed the ball long and wide, her focus dipping for a moment. However, from 3-1 down she broke back for 3-3 and then, thanks to a bit of outrageous fortune when she got a dead net cord on a backhand that had been heading way wide, the 20-year-old broke to lead 4-3. Finally in front in the match for the first time, Ostapenko might have blinked but she held serve brilliantly for 5-3. At 30-40 on the Halep serve, Ostapenko had match point and she rifled an unstoppable backhand down the line to clinch victory, leaping in the air and turning in delight in the direction of her two coaches, her mother and the former Spanish player, Anabel Medina, who had been on the edge of their courtside seats throughout. Both players struggled on second serve and though Halep may chastise herself for not attacking more, she rarely had the chance. Ostapenko defended well when she needed to and as soon as she got in position, or even sometimes when she was not, she slapped the ball at break-neck speed. Halep will be world No2 when the women’s rankings are updated on Monday and she Jack Roslovic Jersey was gracious in defeat. “All the credit for what you have done,” she said. “It’s an amazing thing. Enjoy it be happy and keep it going because you’re like a kid.” She may be a kid but the kid is a grand slam champion and if she can continue to play without a semblance of fear for as long as possible, then this may be the first of many
Alfie Hewett became the first British winner of the men’s wheelchair singles title at the French http://www.sandiegochargersauthorizedstore.com/denzel-perryman-jersey-elite Open with a dramatic victory over the defending champion, Gustavo Fernández. The 19-year-old from Norwich lost the first eight games and saved two match points in the second-set tie-break before going on to win 0-6, 7-6 (11-9), 6-2. “I played him a week and a half ago in another final and I was 6-0, 3-0 down, and when it went 6-0, 2-0 this time I was thinking: ‘Oh no, here we go again,’” Hewett said. “But I remembered coming back that time so I knew I could come back. When it got to that tie-break, it was very up and down, he had I don’t know how many match points, I had set points. The Recap: sign up for the best of the Guardian's sport coverage Read more “Mentally that was a big positive for me to just keep in there and hold out. I felt good after I won that second set. I knew I needed to get off to a good start in the third and when that happened I just grew in confidence.” Hewett showed his nerves in the first set, making far too many errors as his Argentinian opponent clinched the set in 17 minutes. The British player, ranked seventh, finally got on the board in the third game of the second set and it was nip and tuck after he fought back from 3-1 to make it 3-3. The tie-break proved to be the decisive moment, with Fernández, who beat Scotland’s Gordon Reid in last year’s final, unable to take either of his two chances. Hewett carried his momentum into the third set to add his first grand slam singles title to double Paralympic silver from Rio last summer and a Wimbledon doubles title. There were a few tears but no great outpouring of emotion from Hewett who had a doubles final to come after with Reid. The British pair went on to lose against France’s Stéphane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer 6-4 6-3. Celebrations on Saturday night will be limited to a pizza before he heads home to see his parents, brother and sister, who were following from the UK. “I can’t imagine what they were feeling in that second set tie-break,” said Hewett. “I’ve always believed I can beat anyone on my day. Clay Authentic Derek Watt Womens Jersey is one of my favourite surfaces. Norwich only has about three clay courts but there’s something about it I love. “I had a good feeling about this week. This time last year I was outside the top 10, hadn’t really won anything. A year on I’ve got two silver medals, Wimbledon doubles champion and now singles grand slam at Roland Garros. I can’t believe it It was not perfect but, as Rafael Nadal trounced Dominic Thiem for the loss of seven games on Friday night to reach his 10th French Open final, there was definitely an element of master against pupil as the man who would be clay-court king was crushed by the man who has worn the crown for more than a decade. Thiem had given notice that he might be ready when he beat the defending champion, Novak Djokovic, in the previous round but beating Nadal in his back garden was a mountain too far and the Spaniard romped to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 victory to reach the final without losing a set. It was not just that. His total of 29 games dropped is the fewest he has ever achieved at Roland Garros and the fewest anyone has managed since Bjorn Borg conceded only 27 on his way to the final in 1978. On that occasion Borg went on to overwhelm Guillermo Vilas for the loss of only five more and, though Stan Wawrinka, who outlasted Andy Murray in five gruelling sets in the opening semi-final, is likely to put up far more resistance, the bad news for the Swiss is that Nadal is fresh and eager to complete La Decima with a record 10th French Open crown. Rafael Nadal and Stan Wawrinka reach French Open final – as it happened Game-by-game report: Stan Wawrinka roared back to win a five-set classic against Andy Murray and will play Rafael Nadal in the final after the Spaniard http://www.sandiegochargersauthorizedstore.com/dexter-mccluster-jersey-elite destroyed Dominic Thiem Read more “It’s true I have been having a great tournament,” said Nadal, who went on to praise the 23-year-old Thiem, who was given a warm round of applause, despite one or two whistles as he faded in the third set. “But Stan is playing unbelievable so it’s going to be a very tough match. I saw him hitting the ball so hard, so I am going to have to play my best match.” The really bad news for Wawrinka is that Nadal did not even play at his best, mostly because he did not have to. Thiem began well by breaking Nadal in the first game as the Spaniard threw in some uncharacteristic errors but for the most part he struggled to find the balance between attack and control. On the occasions when he did have chances, as he did twice in the first set, in the third and fifth games when he had 15-40 on the Nadal serve, the nine-times champion served smartly, away from the Thiem backhand, and forced the Austrian into errors. Thiem’s coach, Gunter Bresnik, had told anyone willing to listen here that he felt the Austrian was maybe a year away from winning his first major, mostly because to do so here he would need to have beaten Djokovic, Nadal and then, at the time he was speaking, either Wawrinka or Murray. Even though he was appearing in the semi-finals for a second straight year, there had to be a good chance he would suffer from an emotional let-down after beating Djokovic and so it proved as he was unable to produce the stunning level of tennis that had accounted for the Serb. Having broken for 3-1, Nadal held the advantage through the rest of the first set. Nadal hit a beautiful topspin lob, a shot he rarely uses, to begin the second set and, despite dropping the ball short more often than in his previous matches, he always seemed to have another gear. Breaking for 2-1, he was efficient behind his serve for the rest of the set as he moved ahead by two sets to love. Andy Murray knocked out of French Open by Stan Wawrinka in semi-final Read more Nadal has lost from two sets up only twice in his career and certainly not on Authentic Dexter McCoil Womens Jersey clay, so Thiem’s only hope seemed likely to be a bit of complacency. But with time running out fast, thanks to the length of the Murray-Wawrinka match, the 31-year-old was in no mood to let up. Another forehand long – one of 34 unforced errors in all by the Austrian – handed Nadal the break in the first game of the third and a forehand winner gave him a second break for 3-0. The French crowd, who can be hyper-critical when they think someone is not competitive, even when they are trying as hard as Thiem was, got on his back as he crumbled to 5-0 with another service break and, though he had 0-30 in the sixth game, Nadal closed him out to complete another routine victory. Three years after the most recent of his French Open wins Nadal is back in the final again and, even though Wawrinka has won all three of his previous grand slam finals, it will be a brave person who bets against Nadal making it 10 on Sunday
After San Juan there should be no need to talk up Santa Fe. Argentina and England put on one of the more exhilarating matches of modern times, a try-laden festival of dynamic rugby that twisted this way and that right up to the last, when Denny Solomona’s brilliant solo score tilted the balance one final time in favour of England. It was an extraordinary exhibition of skill and nerve by an England side shorn of 30 players. Ten new caps were blooded, the most by England since 1956. By any rational measure they ought to be well satisfied, the second Test next weekend no more than a bonus opportunity to play a bit more rugby before a well-earned rest at the end of a long season. But Eddie Jones does not do satisfied. Already he has defied his put-upon youngsters to seize this last opportunity if they want to stand a chance of making the 2019 World Cup. Denny Solomona’s late try secures thrilling win for England over Argentina Read more “This next Test is really important for these players,” he said. “They have to understand they may get only one game to have the opportunity to show they are good enough to be in contention for the next World Cup. You can always get those X-factor players who suddenly come through. We have seen a few now who previously we didn’t have on the radar. You always want that to happen. But, generally speaking I would think 80% of the [World Cup] squad will come from the next 45-man squad [announced in August].” When Jones speaks of X-factor he might as well be holding up a portrait of Solomona, whose debut here was just about as wild and unpredictable as he could have dreamt it Dustin Byfuglien Womens Jersey would be and, as such, a neat microcosm of the match. He came on in the 50th minute and within three minutes had missed three tackles, conceding two tries in the process. England’s six-point lead had transformed itself into an eight-point deficit – and Solomona must have been wondering what he was doing in this strange land, this strange sport. “I think he was just so nervous,” Jones said. “The big occasion got to him. But the great thing is he bounced back. He had one opportunity to carry the ball and it was a fantastic carry.” In the 79th minute England finally worked the ball to him – and then he remembered spectacularly what he was all about, smashing through, stepping around and streaking away from a variety of hapless defenders for the winning try. “It’s unreal,” he said. “I think that is the best and worst debut I have had in my life! It is definitely different, a lot more intense than I thought. I can’t remember the build-up to the try. I just remember putting the ball down and being overwhelmed with joy and pride. I made a couple of mistakes but hopefully redeemed myself.” As with Solomona, so with England. The error count in the first half in particular was high – from both teams – but Argentina, with a good deal more experience, even if they http://www.officialwinnipegjets.com/Adidas-Jack-Roslovic-Jersey are without a host of world-class talent themselves, looked as if they might administer the kind of lesson no one enjoys having to endure. In the Pumas’ case the absentees are voluntary, their policy of selecting only home-based players as strict as that of the All Blacks, but they retained enough quality to dominate England at the set piece. And their reputation for running rugby is well earned, with Martin Landajo, Nicolás Sánchez and Matias Moroni dazzling at times. They fielded a new cap of their own, Emiliano Boffelli, a strapping winger who scored the game’s first try. The names are worth remembering. They are in England’s World Cup pool and will be lethal. England risk losing Denny Solomona until 2019 unless he gets Six Nations call Read more But they made mistakes, too, and England punished them as ruthlessly as Argentina did theirs. Mark Wilson had a fantastic debut on one flank and will not surrender his shirt lightly with Chris Robshaw back in contention this week. On the other Tom Curry, 19 this Thursday, gave promise of a long career, mixing the fearless with the dextrous. Surpassing them all, though, was George Ford, who had his best game in an England shirt, pulling Amos Youth Jersey the Pumas’ defence into all manner of uncomfortable positions and racking up 25 points. “He’s a young stand-off,” Jones said. “He’s 24, still learning his trade and I thought it was certainly a good performance. He kept in the game and kept in control and gave the team what we needed. He definitely kicked well.” Advertisement The show moves on to Santa Fe, via Buenos Aires where England are basing themselves. Robshaw has recovered from his ankle injury but more new caps can be expected as Jones extends those precious opportunities to outsiders to convince him. He is building England an enviable stock of resources for now and the future but as ever prizes above all else the life force of recurring victory. “We know Argentina are going to respond. It’s always the case when one side win and one side lose. The side who lose go back over every detail of how they lost. They come up with a game plan and perform it energetically. We have got to treat this like a loss and make sure we have the same intent to improve from the last game.” No, Santa Fe should not require a further raising of the stakes but it is going to get one anyway. Argentina Tuculet; Moroni, Orlando, De la Fuente, Boffelli (Moyano 62); Sánchez (Hernández 62), Landajo (Bertranou 69); Noguera Paz (Garcia Botta 70), Creevy (capt; Montoya 48), Pieretto, Alemanno, Lavanini (Petti 48), Matera, Ortega Desio, Leguizamon (Senatore 58). Tries Boffelli, Lavanini, De lahttp://www.greenbaypackersauthorizedstore.com/davante-adams-jersey-elite Fuente, Tuculet Cons Sánchez 4 Pen Sánchez Drop goal Hernández. England Brown; Yarde (Solomona 50), Slade, Lozowski (Francis 55), May; Ford, Care (Maunder 78); Genge (Mullan 55), Hartley (capt), Williams (Collier 62), Launchbury, Ewels (Isiekwe 78), Wilson, T Curry (Armand 71), Hughes. Tries Yarde, May, Ford, Solomona Cons Ford 3 Pens Ford
An injury to fly-half Joey Carbery, who had two kicks charged down for tries, interrupted a win for Ireland in a Test that showed the gap that still exists between the haves and have-nots of rugby. Denny Solomona’s late try secures http://www.atlantafalconsauthorizedstore.com/brooks-reed-jersey-elite thrilling win for England over Argentina Read more In truth, the USA have more than they once did: John Mitchell’s Eagles were well drilled and well lead by two overseas pros: Sale fly-half AJ MacGinty and New Zealander Tony Lamborn on the openside flank. Still, a lack of time together and semi-pros in key positions fed into familiar problems: a scrum that struggled, a defensive line that ran ragged a little too soon. Joe Schmidt’s Ireland, with two Lions starting and another on the bench, made holes and ran through them all game. “Joey just sprained his ankle a bit,” said Schmidt. “We thought it pertinent to get him off. We don’t know what the story is yet. It hasn’t swelled too much but it was a bit tender. We’ll see how it settles and get a scan either here or once we arrive in Tokyo.” Mitchell, a former All Blacks head coach, will leave the Eagles at the end of their summer series, which continues against Georgia next week and in a two-legged World Cup qualifier with Canada. “We were outclassed today,” he said. “We’re disappointed, defensively we had some issues with our setting which cost us.” Mitchell also said he didn’t expect his first-choice scrum to “lose inches”, which contributed to Ireland “finding the front 50 very easy”. In any event, Ireland had much more strength, even though they were without 11 British and Irish Lions, currently touring New Zealand. For one thing they had Keith Earls, the Munster wing who toured South Africa with the 2009 Lions. Whatever the New Jersey equivalent of the screaming ab-dabs might be, the Americans got them when Earls was carrying the ball. His team-mates noticed and he carried it often: on his wing, off it, on the end of kicks into space. Two minutes in his marker, Martin Iosefo, rushed up, allowing space for Courtney Upshaw Jersey Tiernan O’Halloran to break a tackle and put Earls clear for a 35m run to the line. Then, when Carbery made a half-gap of his own, Earls was straight through it to send a long, flat-ish-cum-forward pass out for the other wing, Jacob Stockdale, to score. Carbery converted for 12-0 on 15 minutes. Three minutes late a missed MacGinty clearance saw O’Halloran run the ball back, a tackler slip off and Kieran Marmion put Earls in at the corner with ease. Advertisement “Earlsy usually wants to get the ball all the time,” Schmidt said, “but I think after the first 20 minutes he didn’t want it anymore, he’d run it enough.” The first US try produced a roar from a crowd above 22,000. The Newcastle Falcons lock Nick Civetta scored it, charging down a clearance from Carbery. MacGinty converted for 17-7. In prompt response, Carbery kicked a penalty to the corner and the Irish pack mauled the hooker Niall Scannell over from a throw to big Devin Toner. So go the pros. Lamborn then made a half-break but couldn’t complete the pass. From the scrum, which Ireland pressured to keep the tired No8 David Tameilau bound and busy, came the try of the game. Marmion scooted blind and released Earls once again, and though 70 metres later the full-back Ben Cima got him, and well, Earls popped a pass out of a tumble-dryer of arms and legs for Marmion to score. Carbery increased the lead to 29-7. So it stayed to the half. The first try of the second period took only three minutes, No8 Jack Conan touching down from http://www.greenbaypackersauthorizedstore.com/corey-linsley-jersey-elite a five-metre scrum drive. Carbery converted. And then there was a second charge-down of the Irish No10, this time by the Cork-born flanker John Quill. Carbery, Schmidt said with a grin, will learn from the experience. The US then had their best spell of the game, and the roar for what might’ve been a third home try shook the stands … for a few seconds or so. Alas, replacement prop Paddy Ryan – Irish-born, employed in the Premiership with Newcastle – threw forward a long pass after a fine break from the wing Mike Te’o. Iosefo’s finish was in vain. Gregor Townsend’s Scotland reign starts with 34-13 win over Italy in Singapore Read more Ryan Matyas did get over on 54 minutes for the Eagles’ third, this time patient phase play opening a half-gap. Perhaps stung, a little, Ireland brought on the Munster wing Simon Zebo, a Lion in Australia four years ago. Although the US scrambling defense was good, another Earls break put the substitute lock James Ryan over and replacement scrum-half Luke McGrath also scored as legs tired. The final try came from a high kick to Stockdale’s wing, where the undersized Te’o was predictably outjumped. Zebo collected the loose ball to score. Advertisement On a hot, sapping evening, both teams earned their applause. After five minutes of the game, though, the same fans offered a standing ovation in honor of Robert Paylor, a lock from the University of California, Berkeley who suffered a catastrophic injury in the Varsity Cup final against Arkansas State last month. Paylor is now in rehab; a GoFundMe Amos Youth Jersey campaign aims to raise $1m to aid his recovery. USA: B Cima; M Te’o, R Matyas, M Brache (W Magie, 22-35; B Campbell, 65), M Iosefo (S Davies, 50); AJ MacGinty, N Augspurger (capt); B Tarr (J Taufete’e, 40), P Malcolm (J Hilterbrand, 40), C Baumann (P Ryan, 46), N Brakeley, N Civetta (M Jensen, 46), J Quill, T Lamborn, D Tameilau (A Durutalo, 40). Tries Civetta, Quill, Matyas. Cons MacGinty 2. Ireland: T O’Halloran (D Leavy, 72); K Earls, G Ringrose, L Marshall (R Scannell, 40) J Stockdale; J Carbery (S Zebo, 50), K Marmion (L McGrath, 61); C Healy (D Kilcoyne, 50), N Scannell (D Heffernan, 50), John Ryan (A Porter, 50), Q Roux (James Ryan, 61), D Toner, R Ruddock (capt), J van der Flier, J Conan
Every successful Lions tour needs a rallying cry and “remember Christchurch” will now be the mantra of the 2017 expedition. New Zealanders, at the very least, will have to readjust their opinion of the supposed lightweights in their midst. The Lions gave easily their best performance so far, brushing aside disruptive backline injuries and local scepticism to confound those who felt they might not win another fixture on this trip. More than that, they breathed fresh life into this Lions enterprise, which would have struggled to escape a litany of gloomy provincial defeats. Their collective intensity and controlled physicality was right up where it needed to be and the victory margin could have been considerably wider. Four penalties from Owen Farrell ultimately proved sufficient in a try-less contest but it was the forwards who laid the Cam Newton Womens Jersey foundations. Against an opposing pack containing six All Blacks, there was a discernible edge lacking from the initial two matches in Whangarei and Auckland. Crusaders 3-12 British & Irish Lions: five talking points Gerard Meagher Read more Maybe it would have emerged in the Tests regardless but the Lions management now have first-hand evidence that even New Zealand’s leading provincial side, top of the Super Rugby standings and averaging 37 points per game, can have their attacking brilliance squeezed out of them. Here, broadly speaking, is surely the blueprint of how the All Blacks can be upset. Had the Lions not lost Stuart Hogg and Jonathan Davies to head injuries inside the first half-hour and not let three potential try-scoring chances slip away it might have been even more convincing. As it was Farrell and Conor Murray exerted impressive tactical control behind a pack that at last showed signs of living up to its advertised potential. George Kruis, Jamie George, Mako Vunipola, Peter O’Mahony and Sean O’Brien did not feature in everyone’s starting Test XV before the tour started, but along with Tadhg Furlong, Alun Wyn Jones and Taulupe Faletau they all enhanced their reputations in these partsIt was a cracking encounter from start to finish, with the sides fully committed and pumped up on a cold evening. Two Farrell penalties gave the Lions an early advantage and their biggest early http://www.authenticmilwaukeebrewers.com/Jonathan-Villar-Jersey concern was the stray elbow from the otherwise excellent Murray that inadvertently struck his own full-back and forced the bloodied Hogg from the field. The Lions’ backline resources were further stretched when Davies was led away for a head injury assessment at the request of medical staff. Jonathan Sexton came on at 10, Farrell switched to 12 and Watson came on at full-back, an illustration of the Lions’ range of options and the versatility that Warren Gatland has deliberately opted for. Luckily their forwards already had the bit between their teeth with the home side, not helped by a slightly slippery, dew-laden ball, initially struggling to claim restarts and losing their first three lineouts. The Lions also had some joy in the scrums against an all-international front row, aside from one backpedalling loss of control that resulted in a mass scuffle and a penalty to the Crusaders, who had won all of their 17 games this yearFor a brief moment, as Murray burst away upfield with the French referee, Mathieu Raynal, playing advantage, it seemed as if the Lions might be looking at a hefty interval advantage but an attempted pass off the floor by Jones found a lurking Crusader instead of one of his own team-mates. The visitors were slightly fortunate to concede just three points from the resultant intense http://www.authenticsandiegopadres.com/Luis-Sardinas-Jerseyperiod of pressure close to their own line. Their 9-3 half-time advantage, however, was thoroughly merited and would have been extended had Farrell been awarded a 40-metre penalty he felt had sailed over but was ruled out by the referee’s assistants. The Lions wasted another points-scoring opportunity when a poor right to left pass from Ben Te’o made life unnecessarily hard for Liam Williams outside of him. CJ Stander also spilt a glorious chance after Watson had broken clear and split the defence wide open. In the final analysis it mattered not, with a fourth Farrell penalty in the 70th minute giving New Zealanders further food for thought with the first Test at Eden Park a fortnight away. Crusaders 3-12 Lions: tour match – as it happened Four penalties from Owen Farrell earned the Lions a morale-boosting win against the Crusaders to get their tour up and running Read more What a contest that will be if the All Blacks can be hassled and harried defensively, given scant time to think and repeatedly turned by the pinpoint kicking of Murray and Farrell. Despite having not operated in tandem in training, the Sexton-Farrell axis at 10 and 12 went reasonably well without dispelling the sense Gatland will opt for a bigger ball-carrier at inside centre. Te’o, that one stray pass apart, had another good game and the increasingly confident Watson may also have played himself into the Test 23. Among the other interesting conundrums is whether Sam Warburton, in line to return from a strained ankle against the Highlanders on Tuesday, has sufficient recent rugby in his legs to oust O’Brien. And who starts alongside Kruis, who must be a dead cert, in the second-row? Gatland still http://www.authenticbuffalosabres.com/authentic-brian-gionta-jersey has some decisions to make but at least he now knows his best XV will be genuinely competitive. A minor tremor measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale was felt in the stadium after the game; if the Lions keep improving, a major shock could yet await in the Test series. Crusaders Dagg; Tamanivalu, Goodhue, Havili, Bridge (Bateman, 66); Mo’unga (Hunt, 74), Hall (Drummond, 62); Moody (Crockett, 51), Taylor (Funnell, 51), Franks (Alaalatoa, 51), Romano (Strange, 56), Whitelock (capt), Bedwell-Curtis (Brown, 62), Todd, Taufua Pen Mo’unga British & Irish Lions Hogg (Watson, 20); North, Davies (Sexton, 29), Te’o, Williams; Farrell, Murray; Vunipola (McGrath, 62), George (Owens, 66), Furlong (Cole, 66), Jones (capt), Kruis (Itoje, 62), O’Mahony, O’Brien (Stander, 56), Faletau Pens Farrell
ne warm evening in the summer of 1971 I got home from work with a copy of the London evening paper in my hand. Look, I told my girlfriend, it says here that the Lions are arriving at Heathrow tonight. Let’s go. So we climbed into the car and drove out on the M4 to the airport. We were not Jamie Garcia Authentic Jersey alone. The arrivals hall was already packed – but with people who had arrived from the opposite direction, which meant from Wales. The singing had already begun. Cwm Rhondda, of course, and much else, while we waited. By the time the heroes had passed through the baggage hall and passport checks and started to emerge, people were standing on chairs and tables, creating an impromptu arena. Looks of astonishment crossed the players’ faces as they saw the welcome that awaited them. One after another, each newly minted legend received his massive cheer. John Dawes, the captain. Gareth Edwards, the genius. Barry John, the king. Willie John McBride, the giant. Ian McLauchlan, the mighty mouse. Gerald Davies, the uncatchable. John Taylor, the tackler. JPR Williams, author of a crucial drop goal – the only one of his career – in the final match of the Test series. And so on. All of them cheered to the rafters – with the exception of David Duckham, the dashing blond England wing, who received a few good-natured Welsh boos for having displaced John Bevan, the 20-year-old Cardiff prodigy, in the last three Tests. The Lions had beaten the All Blacks in a series for the first and, so far, the only time. They had been away for three months. Their coach returned with them, too. It was he who had persuaded McBride to change his mind about undertaking a fourth Lions tour and he who had coaxed a reluctant John – a native of the same mining village – into joining the party with the promise that he would not be subjected to an unduly rigorous training regime. It was he who bent the Lions’ rules to allow Davies to fly out and join the party three weeks late, after taking his Cambridge tripos exams. That was Carwyn James, whose achievement in New Zealand remains unequalled by http://www.officialcardinalsbaseball.com/authentic-3-jedd-gyorko-jersey.html any of his successors. At 31, and taking a chunk of unpaid time off from his day job as teacher of Welsh and head of rugby and cricket at Llandovery College, James was already a man of many facets, some of them seemingly contradictory: a lover of literature and the theatre, a deacon at his village chapel, a 40-a-day cigarette smoker fond of wine and gin, a compelling columnist (for this newspaper) and broadcaster, a solitary man yet a lover of company and stories and singing. But, most of all, a rugby visionary beyond compare. Advertisement Although a confirmed Welsh nationalist who stood in the 1970 general election as a representative of Plaid Cymru, he viewed the task of coaching the Lions as one of reconciling the characteristics of the four nations. And he did it his way, a way that persuaded the members of his squad to lay down their deep-rooted national rivalries. Lasting friendships were formed that would have seemed impossible before the party assembled to listen to an introductory speech given by a coach known to the Welsh players for his prowess as a fly-half and later coach with Llanelli, but who was a complete unknown to others. Years later he put it this way: “The very first thing I said to them was: ‘Look here, be your own man. I don’t want Irishmen to pretend to be English, or Englishmen to be Celts, or Scotsmen to be anything less than Scots. You each have an ultimate quality to give to the team and you must know that you are able to express yourself in your own special unique way, both on the field and off it.’” “I shall always remember his gentleness,” McLauchlan once said. “In New Zealand he was dealing with a fairly rough bunch of blokes, but he never had Jhonny Peralta Youth Jersey to utter a harsh word and never had to raise his voice. Our success was entirely due to him.” I thought of him this week when Eddie Jones, the England coach, spoke of making his players into “participants” rather than mere “recipients”, as if this were something new. As John Spencer, the England centre who was a member of the 1971 party, said in a TV programme on James several years ago: “One of his strengths was that he left a lot of the ideas to the members of the team.” But Spencer also called him “a great organiser”, and he was meticulous in his preparation. An amateur in an amateur game, he brought a professional’s commitment to the task as he assembled dossiers on their opponents, visited Matt Busby to talk about Manchester United’s training methods and called on Eric Ashton at Wigan to see how rugby league’s champions went about their work. It was amusing to hear Sean Fitzpatrick, speaking in the aftermath of the 2017 tourists’ defeat by the Auckland Blues, suggesting that their task against the Crusaders on Saturday will be easier because “there’ll be a lot more structure to the game” – implying that spontaneity is alien to the Lions’ culture. In 1971, James gave his players a structure within which their individual creativity could find its fullest expression. Advertisement When it was all over, the defeated captain paid him a high compliment: “He kept a unity that transferred itself to the pitch,” the great Colin Meads said. “He did have stars, but no one could have coached the stars he had like Carwyn did. He was judicious and scientific in his approach, in a way we hadn’t seen in New Zealand before.” Honoured and fulfilled in many ways, rejected and isolated in others, he died of a heart attack in 1983, aged 53. Now the many elements of his complicated life are explored in great depth and with exemplary sensitivity by Alun Gibbard in a new biography titled Into the Wind, whose English-language edition is published on Friday. Speaking of James’s love of the work of Federico García Lorca, Gibbard refers to the way in which the presence of the Spanish concept of duende within the poet’s work – “a heightened state of emotion, expression and authenticity” – found a resonance in the rugby coach’s sensibility. Duende might not be an ingredient of Warren Gatland’s formula for http://www.officialcardinalsbaseball.com/authentic-30-jonathan-broxton-jersey.html this year’s Lions but, as much as anything else, it was what earned the 1971 team their heroes’ welcome home
here is inevitably a battle to be won every time the British & Irish Lions visit the New Zealand stronghold Brandon Tanev Womens Jersey of Canterbury. In the past it was a grimly physical one, not least when Sandy Carmichael and Ray McLoughlin were invalided out of the 1971 tour after the infamously dirty encounter at Lancaster Park. These days it is more of a mental challenge, arguably tougher than any other examination outside the Test arena. The all-powerful Crusaders no longer rely on their fists to intimidate their opponents. Instead they can simply point to this season’s Super Rugby table; the best provincial side in New Zealand are unbeaten in the competition and have been too good for all comers. A Lions victory would cause supporters on all sides to sit bolt upright and reconsider how this tour might pan out. Inside the Lions’ den, accordingly, there has been no effort to downplay the significance of this particular fixture in the wake of Wednesday’s frustrating 22-16 loss to the Blues at Eden Park. In the social media age everyone already has an opinion about these tourists and the virtual noise is tricky to ignore. “You definitely hear it,” said the Wales and Northampton wing George North, preparing to enter the fray for the first time. “You get it and that’s one of the reasons why the Lions tour is so difficult. You have a number of games in close succession; having to ride that rollercoaster of emotion up and down every few days is a massive task.” North speaks with some authority, having played a prominent part in the Lions 2013 series victory over Australia. By the end of that tour he and his team-mates were conquering heroes, but there were assorted ups and downs in between. Listening to the 25-year-old freely admitting this squad needs an on-field boost – “We need to start kicking on now” – is to be reminded that no one cares more intensely than the players about http://www.officialwinnipegjets.com/Adidas-Bryan-Little-Jerseythis expedition’s outcome. Crusaders v Lions: five things to watch out for in third tour match Read more That is certainly North’s belief – “When the boys don’t play as well as they can and don’t get the result there’s no one who feels worse than them” – having watched the Lions splutter rather than surge forwards in week one. The solution has to be collective but, equally, the time has come for the Lions’ big beasts to stir. It has been a while since North carried Israel Folau around on his shoulders for fun; now would be a timely moment to reproduce the form that, on his day, still makes the big Welsh wing an irresistible force. By the sound of it Warren Gatland has been making that point to all concerned since their arrival on the south island. The Blues would not have won without Ihaia West’s memorable late try, cleverly created by Sonny Bill Williams, and a glimmer or two of star quality behind the scrum would not go amiss between now and the first Test in Auckland on 24 June. “I don’t think Warren’s put it on any one individual, he’s put it to us as a squad,” said North, whose scoring rate for the Lions stands at four tries in seven appearancesIf you come to New Zealand you know you’re going to get a lot of X factor coming back at you and we have to deliver some ourselves. We know the challenge is huge and the games are tight. I was touring with Wales last summer and we saw how tough it can be, especially in those last 10 minutes. If we can stay strong in our defence and hold them out then sometimes you need that little bit of X factor either to win games or Connor Hellebuyck Womens Jersey turn games around.” Advertisement There is a perverse argument that losing every remaining fixture en route to the first Test may just prove a cunning ploy if it even vaguely encourages a false sense of security within All Black ranks. That, however, would starkly contrast with the evidence of past Lions tours; while the assistant coach Graham Rowntree still talks about not wishing “to show our full deck of cards” he would take a cheeky win over the Crusaders by whatever available means. For that to materialise the half-back pairing of Owen Farrell and Conor Murray, last seen in the final 14 minutes of the already-won third Test in Sydney four years ago, needs to be instantly rekindled with the forward ball-carriers – Mako Vunipola, Sean O’Brien, Jamie George – also supplying crucial momentum. If Stuart Hogg, Alun Wyn Jones and Peter O’Mahony, among others, are going to be nailed-on Test starters this is the moment to lay down the proverbial marker. With three Saracens in the front five and another at 10 familiarity should be less of an issue and jetlag is no longer a legitimate excuse. The Lions will certainly have to be sharp to subdue the highly rated Crusaders fly-half, Richie Mo’unga, although Rowntree had a ready answer when advised the home coach and former All Black, Leon McDonald, had compared the playmaker to a youthful Dan Carter. “Great,” replied the ever-droll former England loosehead prop. “There will be a few young Dan Carters playing against us on this trip.” Crusaders’ never-say-die spirit and skill level can test Lions to their limit Read more Rowntree is insisting the tour captain, Sam Warburton, is not a long-term injury concern – “He’s going to be all right everyone; remain calm” – after suffering an ankle strain in the opening game. The All Black captain and No8, Kieran Read, is also still sidelined, having ruled himself http://www.authenticcoloradoavalanche.com/authentic-blake-comeau-jersey out of next week’s warm-up Test against Samoa. Read has not played since breaking his thumb on 29 April and, at the very least, will be short of match practice should he be selected to start at Eden Park. If that fitness update causes a little more optimism to trickle into Lions hearts it might be wiser to wait a few more hours before getting overly carried away. New Zealand’s talent barrel does not appear in need of urgent scraping and North’s pre-match rallying cry – “It’s good for us to have those challenges along the way for the bigger picture” – has one glaring caveat. At this precise moment the Lions could do without another grisly Canterbury tale
The British & Irish Lions have suffered worse defeats than this in Auckland and a provincial Dan Feeney Authentic Jersey loss or two will not define their tour. Even so, before they return to this stadium to face the All Blacks on 24 June some fundamental issues need addressing. Without sharper backline execution, better lineout execution and tighter discipline, they will not win the matches that really matter. To suggest this was a contest they would have won if they had conceded fewer penalties also obscures the abiding lesson of a damp, showery evening. Ultimately the Blues emerged victorious courtesy of two vivid flashes of creative skill the Lions simply could not match; unless Warren Gatland’s squad conjures up some similar game-changing magicians, all their undoubted forward power is going to be insufficient. Gatland had spoken before the game about X-factor contributors and his point was perfectly underlined by the home side’s match-winning 74th-minute try from the replacement fly-half Ihaia West, set up by Sonny Bill Williams. Williams is set to be named in the All Blacks squad to face the Lions and the sweet offload which sent the rapid West on a 40-metre slaloming run to score under the posts contrasted sharply with their visitors’ more pedestrian midfield efforts. Blues 22-16 Lions: tour match – as it happened Ihaia West’s stunning late try for the Blues condemned the British & Irish Lions to their first defeat of the 2017 tour of New Zealand Read more Nor could any Lion match the brilliance of the long pass from the 20-year-old Stephen Perofeta which put his similarly youthful team-mate Rieko Ioane away for the Blues’ opening try. If there was a hint of fortune about the Blues’ other try just before half-time, when it seemed to the naked eye as if the ball went forward off TJ Faiane’s hand, a try count of three tries to one reflected the home team’s ruthless finishing. The Lions are averaging one try per game and it is not nearly enough. It should help to have Owen Farrell lined up at 10 as they transfer to Christchurch to tackle the unbeaten Crusaders; with Dan Biggar failing a head injury assessment and Jonathan Sexton still nowhere near his best, the Lions’ creative heart needs to start pumping with more ideas and energy. Then again, simply chucking the ball around and hoping for the best against New Zealand sides is never a great idea either. The tour itinerary remains brutal and, unless a sharp improvement materialises, the below-par success against the Provincial Barbarians last Saturday could conceivably be the first and last weekend fixture the Lions winThe alternative is to bottle the frustration http://www.sandiegochargersauthorizedstore.com/dan-fouts-jersey-elite of this outcome and look to uncork it in the Tests. Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje, CJ Stander, Rhys Webb and Leigh Halfpenny all had their moments and there was enough scrummaging success to suggest the Lions should be more than competitive in that key area. As Gatland rightly observed, however, no team conceding 13 penalties, several of them soft ones, is giving themselves much chance at the highest level. Advertisement Liam Williams being sent to the sin?bin in the 57th minute, after a second mistimed aerial challenge on Matt Duffie, was merely the most obvious example of players not thinking straight. Stander’s high tackle shortly before half-time also allowed Perofeta the penalty shot at goal that ended up shaping the game profoundly. The ball struck the upright, the rebound – knocked on or not – went over the Lions line and Sonny Bill Williams was in the right place at the right time to score. The Blues were suddenly walking back to the sheds 12-10 up and the Lions could never muster quite the same authority again. Injury-wise it also proved a wince-inducing night for the Lions. The centre Jared Payne limped off having apparently aggravated the calf problem that ruled him out of the opening fixture and Biggar never reappeared after departing for a head injury assessment. It was a particularly bittersweet occasion for Payne, who used to play for the Blues and has a brother living in Auckland. Before his evening ending prematurely he could have had a couple of first-quarter tries, once just failing to reach a rolling ball in the in-goal area and then being denied a try when his left knee grazed the touchline as he went to touch down in the left cornerWith Webb also being collared just short of the line when a try looked certain, the Lions were overdue a score when Stander http://www.sandiegochargersauthorizedstore.com/denzel-perryman-jersey-elite finally finished off a rolling maul. Halfpenny’s conversion and penalty gave the visitors a 10-5 lead which their improved tempo and sense of purpose fully deserved. The ever-dangerous Ioane came close to bagging another score, having touched down for the Blues’ first try, within three minutes of the restart as the Lions made a sluggish start to the second half. Even before Liam Williams was handed a yellow card, the touring team were tightly marshalled in midfield, only for Halfpenny’s boot to put them back in front with nine minutes remaining. Advertisement It was to prove a false dawn, with the Lions over-throwing a last-minute lineout which could have transformed the mood. Rory Best will not recall the moment with much affection but he and his team-mates know it is what happens next that really counts. Can the Lions iron out such teething problems in less than three weeks? Do they have anything like enough in their attacking locker? And, most pertinent of all, if they are losing against New Zealand’s sixth-best non-Test side, how on earth are they going to beat the All Blacks? Slow and steady is not going to win this particular race. Blues Collins; Duffie, Moala (Faiane, 66), Williams, R Ioane; Perofeta (West, 52), Pulu (Nock, 72); Tu’ungafasi (Hodgman, 58), Parsons (capt; Faiva, 72), Faumuina (Mafileo, 58), Cowley-Tuioti (Tupou, 58), Scrafton, A Ioane, Gibson (Pryor, 66), Luatua. Guardian Australia sport newsletter: subscribe by email Read more Tries R Ioane, Williams, West. Cons Perofeta, West. Pen West. British & Irish Lions http://www.greenbaypackersauthorizedstore.com/brett-favre-jersey-elite Halfpenny; Nowell, Payne (L Williams, 48), Henshaw, Daly; Biggar (Sexton, 36), Webb (Laidlaw, 76); McGrath (Marler, 54), Owens (capt; Best, 69), Cole (Sinckler, 55), Lawes (Henderson, 76), Itoje, Haskell (O’Mahony, 54), Tipuric, Stander
