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Farrell on bench for final Lions game before Tests

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Rex Features
Mike Henson
BBC Sport rugby union news reporter
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Australia and New Zealand Invitational XV v British and Irish Lions

Date: Saturday, 12 July Kick-off 11:00 BST Venue: Adelaide Oval

Owen Farrell has been named on the bench for the British and Irish Lions’ final tour match before the Test series against Australia.

The 33-year-old, who joined the tour last week as a replacement for the injured Elliot Daly, is one of two outside backs among the replacements for the game against the AUNZ Invitational side, with Marcus Smith alongside him.

Scotland’s Ben White starts at scrum-half on Saturday, with Jac Morgan afforded another chance to impress at open-side flanker.

Presuming he comes off the bench, Farrell will be playing his first game in more than two months after a concussion in a European Challenge Cup semi-final against Lyon at the start of May.

It was his final appearance in an underwhelming one-season stint at French side Racing 92, with Farrell’s search for form interrupted by a persistent groin injury.

Farrell brought his stay in Paris to an early end, securing a return to Saracens earlier this summer.

If head coach Andy Farrell opts for his son as part of the 23-strong squad for the first Test against the Wallabies on 19 July, it would mark a remarkable return to Test rugby.

Farrell stepped away from international rugby after the 2023 Rugby World Cup to prioritise his and his family’s well-being, before the move to Racing made him unavailable for England selection.

His last Test remains the third-place play-off win over Argentina in October 2023.

Ireland full-back Hugo Keenan, whose tour has so far been limited by injury and illness to 50 minutes in the win over the Queensland Reds, starts at full-back in what could be an audition for a Test starting spot.

Blair Kinghorn, his main rival for the position, is still being assessed after picking up a knock in Wednesday’s win over the Brumbies.

Marcus Smith, who started the loss to Argentina in Dublin at full-back, has been restricted to a replacement role since. Fin Smith is preferred at fly-half.

Tadhg Beirne captains the Lions from the second row.

The Australia/New Zealand invitational XV – a revival of a combined side that last played when the Lions toured in 1989 – includes 63-cap Wallabies wing Marika Koroibete and All Blacks Hoskins Sotutu, Shannon Frizell and Ngani Laumape.

Tane Edmed, who made his Australia debut off the bench against Ireland in November and could return to the Wallabies squad after the injury to their first-choice 10 Noah Lolesio, is at fly-half.

Former Wasps and Ulster prop Jeffery Toomaga-Allen also starts, while Pete Samu, a key part of European champions Bordeaux-Begles back row this season, is at open-side flanker.

British and Irish Lions: Keenan; Hansen, Jones, Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe; F Smith, White; Schoeman, Cowan-Dickie, Stuart, Ryan, Beirne (c), Pollock, Morgan, Earl

Replacements; Kelleher, Porter, Bealham, Cummings, Van der Flier, Mitchell, M Smith, Farrell

AUNZ Invitational: Stevenson; Lam, Laumape, Havili (cc), Koroibete; Edmed, Fakatava; Ross, Paenga-Amosa, Toomaga-Allen, Blyth, Salakaia-Loto, Frizell, Samu, Sotutu.

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  • British & Irish Lions
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Levi’s 501 jeans loved by Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber are slashed to £40 from £100

By in Entertainment News, News

Levi’s 501 jeans are a staple in the wardrobes of celebs like Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber, and they’ve just been slashed from £100 to £40 in Amazon Prime Day sale

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Kendall Jenner is a known fan of the Levi’s 501 jeans(Image: Kendall Jenner/Instagram)

There isn’t a wardrobe in the world that doesn’t have at least one pair of jeans in it, and one of the most iconic silhouettes around is the Levi’s 501 jeans. They’ve been around since 1873 and were the first ever pair of jeans to be patented, making them a key piece in fashion history.

They’re also the go-to style and fit for some of the most stylish celebs, with stars like Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Sydney Sweeney and even Princess Diana all photographed wearing the jeans over the years. Although Levi’s 501 jeans are usually pretty pricey at £100, the Amazon Prime Day sale means you can currently get your hands on them for £39.67 – saving you more than £60.

READ MORE: ‘Excellent quality’ Radley handbag that fits a laptop for work has almost £200 off

READ MORE: Vicky Pattison praises £22 flattering maxi dress for ‘giving me curves I don’t have’

The Prime Day discount currently only applies to the light blue denim wash in the 90s style, but considering this is the go-to colourway for almost every celebrity out there, we’re more than happy to get our hands on a pair. Almost every size is still in stock, and you can pick from any combination of a 23 to a 34 waist and 30 and 32 leg measurement.

Levi's 501 90s jeans
The Levi’s 501 90s jeans are now under £40(Image: Amazon)

One reason the Levi’s 501 90s jeans are so popular is because of their fit, which has a mid-rise waistband and a loose, relaxed fit. They tend to be fitted around the waist and hips with a looser fitting leg that makes them look both flattering and effortless, although it’s suggested that if you prefer a slimmer fit to opt for a size down from your usual.

Their 100% lightweight cotton material means they’re also breathable and comfortable to wear, and retain their shape no matter how often you wear them. Levi’s always recommends only washing your jeans after every 10 wears or so, to help preserve their life span and keep them looking as good as the day you bought them.

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Although Levi’s 501 jeans are the original, plenty of other brands have brought out their own versions, like Abercrombie & Fitch’s Mid Rise 90s Straight Jean which are currently £56.99 down from £75. They’re one of the brand’s best-sellers, coming in seven different colours and washes and a choice of 23 to 37 waist measurements, and five leg lengths spanning extra short to extra long.

Nobody’s Child has also launched its Dark Wash Straight Leg jeans which replicated the 501’s silhouette by being fitted around the waist and hips with a relaxed straight leg. They’re also currently on sale, now £52 down from £75.

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However if you want a true classic, Amazon Prime Day is the perfect time to get your hands on Levi’s 501 90s jeans at a fraction of the price. In fact they have so much slashed off them you could buy two pairs and still save yourself £20 on the usual price of one pair – definitely a winner.

Alonso Looks Forward To ‘Starting From Scratch’ With Real Madrid

By in News, sport-news

Xabi Alonso is looking forward to “starting from scratch” with Real Madrid next season after being thrown in at the deep end as coach of the Spanish giants in the Club World Cup.

Alonso was given a reality check on Wednesday as Madrid were eliminated 4-0 by European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final at the MetLife Stadium.

“PSG are a team who have been built over time, whereas we are practically just beginning,” Alonso said after seeing Real Madrid go two goals behind inside nine minutes.

It was 3-0 before half-time and PSG added a late fourth as they advanced to Sunday’s final against Chelsea.

“We have lots of room for improvement. There are many things that we want to do better,” Alonso added.

“We have to be self-critical. This will tell us things for the future that will help us to compete at a much better level than we did today.”

Alonso was appointed at the end of May, taking over from Carlo Ancelotti after a successful two-and-a-half years at Bayer Leverkusen.

Real finished as runners-up to Barcelona in La Liga and the Copa del Rey, and went out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals against Arsenal.

The Basque technician, a former Madrid player, would have preferred a full pre-season with his squad before being thrust into competitive action, and it was always going to be a big ask for them to beat PSG’s well-oiled machine.

“They are at a very high level and have been since the start of the knockout phase of the Champions League,” Alonso said.

“They have shown it again here and we have to accept it — we are just beginning, learning things about where we want to go and how we are going to get there.”

Real eased into the knockout phase of the Club World Cup despite being held by Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia in their opening game.

They then recorded narrow wins over Juventus and Borussia Dortmund prior to Wednesday’s defeat.

 Modric bows out

Alonso demonstrated his tactical flexibility during the tournament by changing between a back-four and a three-man central defence.

Kylian Mbappe was used sparingly and sat out the group stage after being hospitalised with a stomach bug, but there were positives elsewhere.

New signings Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen got their first taste of action for the club, and young striker Gonzalo Garcia made a big impression with four goals in the first five matches.

Luka Modric, 39, made his farewell appearance against PSG, bringing down the curtain on a glorious 13-year spell at the club. He is now set to join AC Milan.

“This game is the last match of this season, not the start of the next one,” Alonso insisted.

“We will take positives away from this. We come away from here a better team and I am convinced this will help us start next season better.”

Like all the European teams who have gone deep into the Club World Cup, the turnaround into next season will be a quick one.

Alonso’s La Liga debut as Real coach is scheduled to be on Tuesday, August 19, at home to Osasuna.

Attempts to have the fixture postponed have so far been unsuccessful, meaning there are less than six weeks for the players to have a break and then embark on a full pre-season with their new coach.

Argentine starlet Franco Mastantuono, a 17-year-old attacking midfielder, will arrive from River Plate in time for the new campaign after a transfer fee of around 63 million euros ($74m) was agreed last month.

“In August the 2025/26 season begins,” said Alonso.

“Things are going to be different. We are starting from scratch.”

Defund universities that allow anti-Semitism, says Australia envoy

By in News, World News

Australia’s anti-Semitism envoy has called for the cancellation of funding to universities that tolerate anti-Jewish sentiment and the screening of migrants for anti-Semitic views under a sweeping plan presented to the government.

Jillian Segal made the recommendations in a report published on Thursday amid elevated concerns about anti-Semitism following a spate of violent incidents, including an alleged arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue last week.

“Countering antisemitism must not be the burden solely of the Jewish community; nor can we expect governments alone to fight antisemitism on Australians’ behalf,” Segal, who was appointed as Australia’s first special envoy on anti-Semitism last year, said in a foreword to the report.

“Community leaders, educators, businesses, media, creatives and citizens must unite. It is a responsibility shared by all Australians.”

Segal’s report said the envoy would work with the government and educational authorities to reverse a “dangerous trajectory” of normalised anti-Semitism at many universities, and withhold funding to institutions that engage in anti-Semitic “or otherwise discriminatory” speech and actions.

To guard against the “importation of hate”, non-citizens involved in anti-Semitism should face deportation, the report said, with the envoy to provide education on anti-Semitism to immigration officials to assist them with screening for visa applicants with hateful views.

Segal will also monitor media organisations “to encourage accurate, fair and responsible reporting”, advocate for “best practice regulation of online content,” and work with authorities to ensure artificial intelligence does not amplify anti-Semitic content, the report said.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who leads the centre-left Labor Party, welcomed the report and said the government would “carefully consider” its recommendations.

He said some of the proposals could be implemented quickly and others “will require work over a period of time”.

“This is something that the government needs to work with civil society on at all levels … to make sure anti-Semitism is pushed to the margins,” Albanese told a news conference.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, a peak body representing Jewish communities across the country, praised the “well considered” plan and endorsed its recommendations.

“Its release could not be more timely given the recent appalling events in Melbourne,” ECAJ President Daniel Aghion KC said in a statement.

“The actions which the plan call for are now urgently needed.”

However, the Jewish Council of Australia, a progressive group that has been critical of Israel’s war in Gaza, warned that the plan risked “undermining Australia’s democratic freedoms, inflaming community divisions, and entrenching selective approaches to racism that serve political agendas”.

“This document reads more like a blueprint for silencing dissent rather than a strategy to build inclusion,” Jewish Council of Australia executive officer Max Kaiser said in a statement, criticising the report’s “vague” language and use of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism.

“Consistent with her past statements erroneously linking antisemitic attacks with Palestine solidarity protests, Segal seems fixated on driving a pro-Israel narrative and repressing legitimate criticism of Israel’s genocide in Gaza,” Kaiser added.

Brooklyn Beckham sparks fears amongst family as they mark milestone day

By in Entertainment News, News

Brooklyn Beckham has left his family concerned over whether he will wish his younger sister Harper a happy birthday as the teen celebrates her 14th birthday today

Brooklyn has left his family worried about whether he’ll mark his sister’s birthday(Image: WWD via Getty Images)

Brooklyn Beckham has reportedly worried his famous parents on whether he’ll reach out to Harper today on her birthday. The youngest of the Beckham clan is marking her 14th birthday today.

However, there are said to be real fears from both David and Victoria about if Brooklyn will reach out to his little sister Harper – either publicly or privately – to mark the occasion. Brooklyn, who was 12 when his youngest sibling was born, and Harper have been very close over the years but the family is reportedly worried he might not reach out at all given the momentous day ahead amid a family feud.

Sources have said that they are worried Brooklyn won’t reach out today after both Brooklyn and Nicola failed to see Harper when they visited London in May to film an advert, just over a mile from the family home.

Harper marks her 14th birthday today
Harper marks her 14th birthday today(Image: WireImage)

“Brooklyn and Harper used to be inseparable. He adored her, he hopefully still does, but the problem is that Brooklyn has a track record for ignoring family birthdays now. It would be devastating for Harper not to hear from him. She hasn’t done anything and she’s only 13-years-old, she is the innocent party here,” a source said.

“Harper’s birthday has always been such a happy day, she’s the adored little daughter so it’s always so joyous but this is a tough situation. Brooklyn was 12 when Harper was born, he was so important in her life and it must be terribly sad that she isn’t seeing him since the fall out with David and Victoria happened.”

The insider added to the Mail: “David and Victoria very much blame Nicola for all of this but hopefully Brooklyn will see sense. While Harper doesn’t have her own Instagram yet, the family thing is to tag her in on their posts as #harperseven.”

So far, Victoria has posted a gushing tribute to her daughter. She wrote: “Happy birthday to my world!! You are my everything, and I’m so proud of the strong, confident, kind, and talented young lady you are becoming. You’re my best friend and I’m so lucky I get to be your mummy. We love you so so much!!” alongside a string of photos.

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Romeo also posted a picture of himself with his arm around his sister, writing: “Happy 14th to the most amazing human there is love you always and forever.” At the time of writing, Brooklyn has yet to publicly reach out to his sister.

24 Terrorists Killed In Six Days As Troops Intensify Offensive

By in News, Nigeria News

Combined Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have killed 24 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in a renewed offensive into enclaves across various locations within the North-East theatre of operations. 

Among those killed were five logistics suppliers who were ambushed in night operations.

The coordinated operations took place between 4th and 9th July in Sambisa Forest, Timbuktu triangle, the Mandara Mountains, and other known locations. This resulted in the recovery of several arms, ammunition, logistics, and other fighting equipment.

The troops also recovered motorcycles, bicycles, food condiments, footwear, and terrorist uniforms.

According to the Theatre Commander, North-East Joint Taskforce Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, the operations were intelligence-driven and guided by intelligence gathered

Maj. Gen. Abdulsalam said the operations were conducted by the combined troops of the Air Force component, the Civilian Joint Task Force, and the Nigerian Army.

The spokesperson of Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Reuben Kovangiya, gave details of the operations in a statement.

READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW

TROOPS OF OPERATION HADIN KAI NEUTRALIZE 24 BOKO HARAM INSURGENTS AND RECOVER WEAPONS IN OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS BETWEEN 4 – 9 JULY 2025

In continuation of the series of coordinated offensive operations across the North East Theatre of operations, troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), bolstered by close air support from the Air Component and collaboration with Civilian Joint Task Force and hunters, have carried out successful kinetic operations against Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in theatre between 4 – 9 July 2025, eliminating several terrorists.

In one of the ambushes conducted at Platari on 4 July 2025, the gallant troops, while lying in wait, made contact with JAS/ISWAP terrorists mounted on bicycles moving from the Sambisa Forest axis to the Timbuktu Triangle. The terrorists were immediately subdued with heavy fire, leading to the neutralization of 3 terrorists.

Similarly, following intelligence on movements of the insurgents around Komala general area, troops sprang another ambush on the terrorists, neutralizing another fighter. On exploitation of the general area, troops recovered motorcycles and spare parts, knapsack sprayers, pesticides, and terrorists’ food items.

Relatedly, troops conducted a night ambush on the same day at terrorists’ hideouts around the Kawuri general area in Konduga Local Government. During the deliberate operations, the resilient troops came into contact with the insurgents. Consequently, 2 terrorists conveying logistics were immediately eliminated, while others fled with gunshot wounds. Troops also recovered packets of salt, food seasoning, detergents, and other sundry items.

In the same vein, troops on 5 July 2025, intercepted terrorists attempting to access the Madarari Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Konduga Local Government Area. The troops swiftly engaged the insurgents, killing one terrorists, while others escaped with traces of gunshot wounds. Troops subsequently recovered several rounds of ammunition during the exploitation of the area.

In another development, troops conducted a fighting patrol to terrorists’ enclaves at Leno Kura. Resultantly, the troops came into contact with the insurgents and engaged them with simultaneous gunfire from different directions. Accordingly, 3 terrorists met their Waterloo, while troops continued exploitation of the area.

Furthermore, on 6 July 2025, troops carried out a night ambush at a suspected terrorists’ crossing point along the roads Ngoshe – Gava, Ngoshe – Ashigashiya, as well as Amuda – Gava areas.Troops made contact, and an insurgent was neutralized while others fled.

On 7 July 2025 also, troops sprang another ambush following an intelligence report close to Sabsawa village. During the operation, troops made contact with terrorists’ logistics suppliers and successfully neutralized 2 insurgents. On exploitation of the area, the gallant troops recovered bicycles, sacks of slippers, several torchlights, batteries, detergents, salt, and rubber shoes, amongst other sundry items.

On 8 July 2025, troops in conjunction with the Civilian Joint Task Force, under close air support provided by the Air Component of OPHK, conducted clearance operations at Bula Marwa, a known ISWAP/JAS enclave. In the course of the operation, the troops eliminated an insurgent and recovered a gun, terrorists’ uniforms, while their life-supporting structures were totally destroyed.

Additionally, troops in a joint operation with hunters and the Civilian Joint Task Force, conducted fighting patrol at terrorists’ hideouts at Pambula village in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State. During the patrol, contact was made with JAS/ISWAP terrorists, who were immediately engaged with a high volume of fire, forcing the terrorists to disperse in disarray. Consequent upon the firefight, the troops neutralized a terrorist, recovering four motorcycles and his weapon. The determined troops continued exploiting the general area to rid it of any terrorists activities.

In another coordinated clearance operations conducted on 8 July 2025 at Bula Marwa, troops neutralized a terrorist fighter, while others fled. Items recovered included a gun and terrorists’ uniforms. Troops also destroyed the insurgents’ camp.

On 9 July 2025, troops in joint operations with Civilian Joint Task Force, also conducted a clearance operation in JAS/ISWAP enclave at Tangalanga and Bula Marwa. After a heavy firefight, 3 insurgents were eliminated. Terrorists’ life supporting structures in the camp, were also destroyed completely. Troops recovered six AK 47 rifles 47 magazines and ninety rounds of 7.62mm ammunition during exploitation of the area.

In furtherance of the offensive operations, troops in conjunction with CJTF conducted ambush at Ngailda, Manjim and Wulle villages, where contact was made with the insurgents. Following the contact, troops successfully eliminated 6 terrorists while others fled in disarray. Items recovered by the troops during exploitation included motorcycles and bicycles.

The neutralisation of 24 insurgents with close air support underscores the determination, collaboration, and concerted efforts by the troops of OPHK, to ensure terrorists are placed on the back foot, thereby creating conducive environment for socio-economic activities to thrive in the North East region.