5 h. ago ‘Ellis Genge? You go from despising people to having coffee’: Dan Sheehan on Lions magic

Irish hooker on forging alliances with sworn enemies and the challenge of getting ‘four different nations connected’The best way to sum up the unique dynamic of a British & Irish Lions tour is to consult a player experiencing it for the first time. “It’s mad how fast you can go from despising people to hanging around to go for a coffee with them,” says Ireland’s straight-talking hooker Dan Sheehan, admitting he had not been expecting to bond instantly with his new English mate Ellis Genge. “He’s definitely someone that surprises you that he’s not a dickhead.”Welcome to the psychological maze that is the first week of a Lions tour on the other side of the world. Dealing with jet lag is the easy part. Even for top players like the 26-year-old Sheehan, a probable Test starter, the need to rub shoulders – often literally – with previously sworn enemies and forging unlikely alliances is a challenge in itself. “Genge would be a good one. He’s obviously a passionate, animated player fo...

Politics

11 h. ago Australia issues robust Lions response as demand to release star players for tour games rejected

Joe Schmidt hits back over claims he is contractually obliged to release players

Sport

12 h. ago Joe Schmidt rejects Lions demands to release Australia stars for tour games

Wallabies coach says agreement is not to release all playersSchmidt highlights clash between Waratahs and Fiji gamesThe Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has hit back at the British and Irish Lions management, insisting Australia are adhering to the tour agreement regarding the release of international players for pre-Test games and that his front-line home players were only unavailable because they were preparing to face Fiji on Sunday week.The issue has flared up again this week after the Lions chief executive, Ben Calveley, said he expected Schmidt to release Wallaby players back to their Super Rugby franchises for their respective games against the touring team. Some fringe Wallabies are due to feature for Western Force this Saturday but it is set to be a different story for the subsequent games against the Reds, the Waratahs and the Brumbies. Continue reading...

Politics

30 h. ago What IS going on with Will Smith? As fans beg 'cringe' singer to 'stop releasing music' how star has been marred by setbacks after hallucinating that he would LOSE his career

His body of work has been overshadowed since he made global headlines when he stormed the stage at the 94th Academy Awards and slapped host Chris Rock.

Sport

31 h. ago Thunder’s thrilling nerd juggernaut ushers in NBA’s nice guy era

Polite, considerate, and brilliant to watch, Oklahoma City’s team of champions helped produce one of the most absorbing postseasons in yearsThese were supposed to be the boring finals, a contest between two small-city teams with none of the media pull of Boston or New York or even Denver for that matter, featuring the (allegedly) most overrated guard in the NBA, no personalities, relentless fouling, and a Canadian MVP whose ascendancy seemed to indicate nothing more than the terminal decline of America as a stable of elite basketballing talent. Instead we were treated to the most thrilling and unpredictable finals since LeBron James came through with his famous rejection in 2016 – a bustling, punishing, seven-game exhibition of physical basketball whose outcome was genuinely unclear until the final quarter of the season. Denigrated and dismissed by a basketballing commentariat who’ve spent much of this season ruing the modern NBA’s dearth of charisma, Oklahoma City and Indiana playe...

Politics

32 h. ago Lions warn Joe Schmidt over Wallabies player release for tour matches

Ben Calveley expects competitive Force side to face LionsTour could open up to other countries such as FranceEvery big tour is a hectic learning curve as the 2025 British & Irish Lions are already finding. The squad had to call off their post-arrival recovery dip in the Pacific Ocean – a letdown both for local news crews and the lurking sharks off Cottesloe beach – because of inclement weather and the first media squall of the trip has also blown in.The Lions chief executive, Ben Calveley, has made clear the touring side expect the Wallabies head coach, Joe Schmidt, to make his national players available for their Super Rugby teams before the Test series commencing next month and the host nation has been gently reminded of that contractual detail following the Lions’ arrival in Australia. Continue reading...

Events

37 h. ago British and Irish Lions warn Wallabies they must release players for tour games

Only a handful of Australia stars are currently in line to feature for their club sides ahead of the Test series

Events

39 h. ago Andy Farrell’s Lions land in Australia aiming to revive the spirit of Sydney

Chest-thumping speech before the 2013 series decider is part of Lions lore and can be the head coach’s mantra for his 2025 touristsThe logistics involved in touring Australia with the British & Irish Lions have changed slightly over the years. On the first Lions tour in 1888 the 22 selected players were away from home for 249 days and, in addition to 35 games of rugby, were also required to play 19 games of what we now know as Australian rules football.It took 46 days by boat to reach their destination and attempts to hone their skills on the SS Kaikoura had to be abandoned after all the squad’s rugby balls disappeared over the side. The ship, as chronicled in the beautifully updated official history of the Lions, even had 300 stoats and weasels on board as part of a plan to deal with the rabbit population in New Zealand, their first port of call, where they played nine matches. Continue reading...

Politics

58 h. ago Economic policymaking needs to adapt to the climate emergency | Heather Stewart

Tackling inflation from companies raising prices during cost shocks requires more than adjusting interest ratesThe heatwave that gripped much of the UK this week was the latest sweltering reminder that the climate emergency is already making daily life more volatile.Many of the places most brutally exposed to out-of-kilter weather patterns and natural disasters are in the global south, and rightly demand solidarity from the wealthier countries responsible for most historical emissions. But the costs of the emergency are being felt everywhere. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Jordan Spieth's verdict on LIV Golf's Bryson DeChambeau saw two PGA Tour allies snubbed

Jordan Spieth is the only player in PGA Tour history to see two of his playing partners shoot a round of 59, but he was more in awe of one of Bryson DeChambeau's performances

Politics

3 d. ago Andy Farrell issued major warning ahead of Australia reunion with Joe Schmidt

Former Australia captain James Horwill believes the Wallabies can spring a surprise this summer when they meet the challenge of the British and Irish Lions

Events

6 d. ago Ruth Jones' estranged husband 'dating Gavin and Stacey actress lookalike'

Gavin and Stacey star Ruth Jones and estranged husband David Peet released a statement confirming their split on Wednesday, revealing they 'remain good friends'

Culture

6 d. ago 'Exceptional' and 'creepy' horror film with twist 'no one saw coming'

The horror film Hide and Seek was released in 2005 and saw A-lister Robert De Niro star alongside a young Dakota Fanning, and it seems that two different sides emerged from the movie

Events

7 d. ago Lilo & Stitch star David Hekili Kenui Bell dies weeks after film's release as sister shares moving tribute

Bell passed away on June 12, though an official cause of death has yet to be confirmed

Events

1 week ago Tyson Fury's brilliant response to Wayne Rooney's demand he be knighted

Tyson Fury is preparing to co-manage England alongside Wayne Rooney at this weekend's Soccer Aid, but the pair have previously discussed the idea of the heavyweight boxer being knighted

Politics

1 week ago ‘We’d hold hands and cry’: Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers’ wife opens up about his final months for the first time

Myers’ widow is releasing a book that recounts her relationship with the adored BBC star

Politics

1 week ago Tyson Fury showed true colours with response to Wayne Rooney demand

The sporting icons are expected to link up on Sunday - with the pair co-managing England at this year's Soccer Aid match against the World XI

Politics

1 week ago Netflix's Virgin River season 7 release date as star confirms exciting news

Season seven of the hit Netflix show Virgin River could be airing on sooner than expected, as Alexandra Breckenridge drops some exciting news...

Economics

1 week ago Shane Lowry reveals emotional message to wife as US Open golfer refuses to change

Shane Lowry has been one of the standout players on the PGA Tour this season but is yet to secure a victory, with the Irishman admitting his winless run is 'hard' to take ahead of his next opportunity to land a second Major, the US Open

Politics

1 week ago Liam Payne's Netflix show releases trailer in late One Direction star's last project

Netflix has unveiled a release date and first look trailer for new talent show Building The Band, featuring the late Liam Payne as a judge alongside Nicole Scherzinger and Kelly Rowland

Economics