Archive July 6, 2025

The British and Irish Lions would benefit from “stripping things back” and adopting a more simple style of play, says former England wing Chris Ashton.

The Lions made nine unforced errors in their unconvincing 21-10 win against New South Wales Waratahs on Saturday.

Head coach Andy Farrell has yet to fully integrate the attacking system of complex pre-rehearsed moves that has been so successful with Ireland.

“It was rubbish. If that was their first game, OK,” Ashton told the BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast, after the 2025 Lions’ fourth match.

“Why have the Lions not stripped things back? There were so many changes and so many games, why not just go really simple against the Waratahs.

“Then it gives people more of a chance to show off their X-Factor and bring their personality to the game. Instead of all these intricate plays. There isn’t time for it. “

Farrell, who won back-to-back Six Nations titles playing in this style with Ireland, included 15 Irishmen in his initial touring squad.

However handling errors continue to haunt the Lions’ attack – and even the Ireland players who know Farrell’s system have struggled to gel alongside their new team-mates from other nations.

Former Wales coach Warren Gatland led the last winning Lions tour in 2013 and with the series poised at 1-1, started 10 Wales players in the deciding Test.

“Gatland played it simple and had a big Welsh contingent that he coached and trusted,” said Ashton, who narrowly missed out on selection for that tour.

“It seems now that would be easier to implement, as you have a relationship and gameplan that is flowing.

It will be intriguing what Farrell does with his selection for Wednesday’s game against the Brumbies.

On paper it will be the Lions’ toughest game in Australia outside the matches against the Wallabies and it has been suggested he could include most of his Test team in order to build cohesion.

He paired Scotland centres Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones together in the midfield for the first time against the Waratahs.

It was a success, with Jones scoring two tries – the first of which was set up by his Glasgow Warriors team-mate.

Farrell has yet to pair Ireland centres Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose together on tour, but Ashton feels they have the edge over the Scotland pair.

“Bundee Aki has been very good,” the former Saracens wing said.

“There is a lot to be said for that 12-13 axis to have played together, to know how each other run lines.

Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen and James Lowe started every game of Ireland’s 2023 Grand Slam-winning campaign and the trio are on the Lions tour.

Despite their level of collective cohesion, Ashton says England wing Tommy Freeman has been the best back-three player so far in Australia and should start the first Test.

“Freeman is carrying all over the pitch and is scoring tries – only he is doing that so far out on the wing this tour,” Ashton added.

“He is hitting lines in the middle of the pitch as they want to use his carrying.

“He’s got a yard more pace compared to Hansen and a bit more size. “

The selection at full-back is another call to be made after Keenan, who played his first game in more than a month on Saturday, struggled to impose himself on his Lions debut.

Scotland full-back Blair Kinghorn started on the wing against the Waratahs and lacked ball to show off his attacking prowess on his Lions debut.

The 28-year-old joined the tour late after starting the Top 14 semi-final and final on the left wing for Toulouse, leaving only two games to get a start in the number 15 shirt before the first Test.

“The full-back Test spot is open,” Ashton said.

“Kinghorn has hardly played full-back for his club, which takes a bit of time to adjust back to.

Arsenal have completed the signing of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad in a deal worth almost £60m.

The Spain midfielder is the Gunners’ second signing of the summer transfer window, following the arrival of goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea for £5m.

They are also in talks to sign Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres for £70m.

Zubimendi, who rejected an approach from Liverpool last summer, came through the ranks at Real Sociedad before becoming a regular in their first team.

The 26-year-old deep-lying midfielder – who played 236 times for the Spanish club, scoring 10 goals – has signed a five-year deal.

“This is a huge moment in my career,” said Zubimendi. “It’s the move I was looking for and one I wanted to make. As soon as you set foot here, you realise how big this club and this team are.

Last season Zubimendi was part of the side beaten 4-1 at Old Trafford as Sociedad, who finished 11th in La Liga, were knocked out of the Europa League by Manchester United.

He helped his country win Euro 2024, coming on for Manchester City’s Rodri at half-time in the final against England as Mikel Oyarzabal’s goal claimed the trophy for Spain.

He has 19 caps and has become a regular for Spain as a result of Rodri being sidelined last season by a serious knee injury.

Zubimendi scored in the recent Nations League final against Portugal before Spain lost on penalties.

“Martin is a player who will bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence to our team,” said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.

“He will fit in really well and has all the attributes to be a key player for us.

“The standard he has consistently performed at over the last few seasons for both club and country is exactly why we are so excited to have him with us. “

For Arsenal, the beginning of the end of Zubimendi’s signing began in the scorching heat of Spain’s south coast as long ago as last June.

In truth, though, the journey culminating in the midfielder’s arrival at Emirates Stadium was spawned well in advance of that covert visit to Andalusia last summer.

Arteta had watched Zubimendi extensively. He was taken by his ability to execute the full passing repertoire with precision and timing.

A controller of matches, Zubimendi became an obsession for the Arsenal head coach.

With that in mind, a delegation from the Emirates, including then sporting director Edu and his number two Jason Ayto, flew to Marbella for a meeting with counterparts from Real Sociedad.

To greet them in Spain was Roberto Alabe, the La Liga club’s then sporting director, and president Jokin Aperribay.

For Edu and Ayto, the primary aim of their deployment was to strike a deal for Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino, who was an immediate target for Arsenal.

But then arrived the curveball.

Arsenal’s recruitment heads explained that, while they wanted to sign Merino before the 2024-25 season, they also had designs on midfield partner Zubimendi.

But here was the catch – they wanted to sign Zubimendi in the summer of 2025. Their finances last summer would not allow them to do both.

There was the added complication of Liverpool’s interest in the 26-year-old.

Recently appointed Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes had entered into negotiations with Sociedad over a move for Zubimendi, to the point where the Anfield club believed they were close to tying up the deal.

Working with former Socieded midfielder Arteta – and being reunited with Merino and ex-Sociedad playmaker Martin Odegaard – was a prospect Zubimendi was captivated by.

Arteta and Zubimendi were both also born in the Basque city of San Sebastian.

Equally, Zubimendi and his representatives made it clear they wanted to be respectful to Liverpool.

The scenario of any news leaking out of the Spaniard turning down a move to Anfield in favour of the Emirates was one all parties were keen to avoid.

Nevertheless, Edu and Ayto departed Marbella with an agreement in principle for both Merino and Zubimendi.

In terms of the Zubimendi deal, Arsenal expressed their preference to pay more than the player’s £51m release clause in order to spread the cost of the fee.

Release clauses in Spain require the purchasing club to deposit the agreed fee in full in one payment – a scenario Arsenal wanted to avoid.

It is one of the reasons Arsenal have not acted upon their interest in Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, who had a 58m euro (£50m) release clause before signing a new deal with the club earlier this week.

As early as last June, Arsenal were getting wind of Real Madrid’s interest in then Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso – who admires Zubimendi, having worked with him in Sociedad’s B team – to replace the incumbent Carlo Ancelotti.

It was a situation the Gunners feared could scupper their plan to sign Zubimendi, despite the agreement struck by all parties that the player would join this summer.

The fact Zubimendi and Alonso are clients of the same agency was also a dynamic that provided Arsenal with cause for concern, despite leaving Spain with the player’s word that he would join.

With that in mind, Arsenal knew they needed to complete the formalities of the deal as quickly as possible.

As summer moved into autumn there was still no tangible confirmation that Madrid – with or without Alonso – would make a move for Zubimendi.

Edu’s decision to leave Arsenal in November left the formal aspects of the deal to be executed by Ayto, who would be elevated to the position of acting sporting director after the Brazilian’s exit.

Alonso’s confirmation as Real head coach set the rumour mill into overdrive. One Spanish newspaper splashed a picture of Zubimendi across their front page accompanied with a story saying Real were moving for the midfielder.

Ultimately, however, any talk of Real hijacking Arsenal’s move has been redundant. The deal was done – it had been for more than six months.

Zubimendi has stayed true to his word – not that it was ever in doubt from those at Arsenal involved in the deal.

The player arrived in London at the end of June to visit the club’s London Colney training ground to meet his colleagues and carry out media duties in preparation for his official unveiling.

He has become the first significant signing of Andrea Berta’s reign as sporting director.

Arsenal have completed the signing of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad in a deal worth almost £60m.

The Spain midfielder is the Gunners’ second signing of the summer transfer window, following the arrival of goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea for £5m.

The 26-year-old, who rejected an approach from Liverpool last summer, came through the ranks at Real Sociedad before becoming a regular in their first team.

The deep-lying midfielder – who played 236 times for the Spanish club, scoring 10 goals – has signed a five-year deal.

Zubimendi helped his country win Euro 2024, coming on for Manchester City’s Rodri at half-time in the final against England as Mikel Oyarzabal’s goal claimed the trophy for Spain.

He has 19 caps and has become a regular for Spain as a result of Rodri being sidelined last season by a serious knee injury.

Zubimendi scored in the recent Nations League final against Portugal before Spain lost on penalties.

For Arsenal, the beginning of the end of Zubimendi’s signing began in the scorching heat of Spain’s south coast as long ago as last June.

In truth, though, the journey culminating in the midfielder’s arrival at Emirates Stadium was spawned well in advance of that covert visit to Andalusia last summer.

Mikel Arteta had watched Zubimendi extensively. He was taken by his ability to execute the full passing repertoire with precision and timing.

A controller of matches, Zubimendi became an obsession for the Arsenal head coach.

With that in mind, a delegation from the Emirates, including then sporting director Edu and his number two Jason Ayto, flew to Marbella for a meeting with counterparts from Real Sociedad.

To greet them in Spain was Roberto Alabe, the La Liga club’s then sporting director, and president Jokin Aperribay.

For Edu and Ayto, the primary aim of their deployment was to strike a deal for Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino, who was an immediate target for Arsenal.

But then arrived the curveball.

Arsenal’s recruitment heads explained that, while they wanted to sign Merino before the 2024-25 season, they also had designs on midfield partner Zubimendi.

But here was the catch – they wanted to sign Zubimendi in the summer of 2025. Their finances last summer would not allow them to do both.

There was the added complication of Liverpool’s interest in the 26-year-old.

Recently appointed Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes had entered into negotiations with Sociedad over a move Zubimendi to the point where the Anfield club believed they were close to tying up the deal.

Working with Arteta – and being reunited with Merino and former Sociedad midfielder Martin Odegaard – was a prospect Zubimendi was captivated by.

Equally, Zubimendi and his representatives made it clear they wanted to be respectful to Liverpool. The scenario of any news leaking out of the Spaniard turning down a move to Anfield in favour of the Emirates was one all parties were keen to avoid.

Nevertheless, Edu and Ayto departed Marbella with an agreement in principle for both Merino and Zubimendi.

In terms of the Zubimendi deal, Arsenal expressed their preference to pay more than the player’s £51m release clause in order to spread the cost of the fee.

Release clauses in Spain require the purchasing club to deposit the agreed fee in full in one payment – a scenario Arsenal wanted to avoid.

It is one of the reasons Arsenal have not acted upon their interest in Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, who has a 58m euro (£50m) release clause.

As early as last June, Arsenal were getting wind of Real Madrid’s interest in then Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso, who remains a major admirer of Zubimendi, to replace the incumbent Carlo Ancelotti.

It was a situation the Gunners feared could scupper their plan to sign Zubimendi, despite the agreement struck by all parties that the player would join this summer.

The fact Zubimendi and Alonso are clients of the same agency was also a dynamic that provided Arsenal with cause for concern, despite leaving Spain with the player’s word that he would join.

With that in mind, Arsenal knew they needed to complete the formalities of the deal as quickly as possible.

As summer moved into autumn there was still no tangible confirmation that Madrid – with or without Alonso – would make a move for Zubimendi.

Edu’s decision to leave Arsenal in November left the formal aspects of the deal to be executed by Ayto, who would be elevated to the position of acting sporting director after the Brazilian’s exit.

In January, Ayto – alongside director of football operations James King – took charge of completing the finals stages of the deal by overseeing the verification of all the relevant paperwork for Zubimendi to join, pending a successful medical.

Alonso’s confirmation as Real head coach set the rumour mill into overdrive. One Spanish newspaper splashed a picture of Zubimendi across their front page accompanied with a story citing that Real were launching a swoop for the midfielder.

Ultimately, however, any talk of Real hijacking Arsenal’s move has been redundant. The deal was done – it has been for more than six months.

Zubimendi has stayed true to his word – not that it was ever in doubt from those at Arsenal involved in the deal.

The player arrived in London at the end of June to visit the club’s London Colney training ground to meet his colleagues and carry out media duties in preparation for his official unveiling.

He has become the first significant signing of Andrea Berta’s reign as sporting director.