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After Australia’s head coach Joe Schmidt highlighted some of the Lions squad’s ancestry, the issue has become a hot topic in the tour’s development.

In front of a record-setting Force crowd of more than 46, 000, the announcer declared, “Our former Aussie at No 14, Mack Hansen,” on Saturday.

Sione Tuipulotu, another Aussie, sits at No 12. At No 11, Pierre Schoeman, a former SA schoolboy and now Scotsman, and James Lowe, a Kiwi who is now Irishman, are both at No 11.

Lowe, who started for the Maori All Blacks against the Lions in 2017, didn’t really like it.

The 32-year-old told BBC Sport, “Hopefully a few more Kiwis or Saffas play next week and we can keep on getting the same joke going.”

When Schmidt described Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu as the “southern hemisphere centre partnership,” Schmidt apologized and said he was “sloppy” and “did no harm.”

Lions performance manager David Nucifora then accused him of mind games and pot-stirring.

Tuipulotu, the captain of Scotland and a native of Australia, disregarded the insults, saying, “I knew there would be some ‘good humour’ coming back home to Australia. We must take these things seriously, he said.

After winning the URC final, Leinster wing Lowe had to wait a week before getting his first taste of Lions action.

While Lowe feels like he seized every opportunity, which Irish coaches have given him, and he has been given 40 chances by his country, to complete the match with two assists and three clean breaks.

Lowe continues, “I knew I would have a chance to put on a performance, and I was very happy with how I turned out.” When your name appears on the TV, I can still recall sitting at home with my wife. It’s a great privilege to be standing in front of the camera in Australia and given the opportunity.

The amazing thing about this tour is that these games make you more desperate for a test seat. You must put your best foot forward because I’m competing with some elite wingers in their own right.

It’s obvious that we can improve and that we will improve over time, but I’ll already be very proud of it for the rest of my days. ‘

Lowe is just one of 12 Australian Lions players in a single Lions series, which is the most of any other team.

He continues, “We’re in a fortunate situation where we know so many of our own boys.”

Having missed the Six Nations through injury, Sione Tuipulotu feels he’s now finding his best stuff again, the kind of power and influence that shot him to favourite for the Lions Test 12 jersey in the first place.

“I’m starting to get my feet back underneath me,” said the centre after playing the full 80 minutes in the convincing win over Western Force on Saturday.

“Obviously, I haven’t played Test rugby since the autumn. I still feel like I’ve got massive growth to do and I know I can start playing my best rugby in the bigger games at the end of this tour.”

There’s no doubt he is getting better with every game. There’s also no doubt that the battle for the Test midfield partnership is intense.

In Perth the partnership was Tuipulotu and Garry Ringrose, who the Scotland captain was impressed by, to put it mildly. “Jeez, mate, he’s a missile out there,” Tuipulotu said of the Irishman’s physicality.

He enjoyed being alongside Ringrose in the red of the Lions as opposed to in front of him in the blue of Scotland.

The last time Tuipulotu faced Ringrose in the international arena was at the World Cup in Paris in 2023. Ireland sprinted into a 36-0 lead before Scotland managed a couple of late consolation tries. Ringrose was exceptional on one of the darker days of Tuipulotu’s Test career.

“He backed himself to make those [defensive] reads,” said Tuipulotu of the howitzers Ringrose put in on a succession of Western Force attackers. “He left a few sore bodies out there, including himself. What a player.

“I really enjoyed playing with him. And then I also enjoyed when Shuggie [Huw Jones] came off the bench and got some valuable minutes after being out for a while.”

In all probability Jones, after his Lions debut against the Force, will get his chance to shine from the start on Wednesday when Andy Farrell’s side face the more difficult challenge of the Reds in Brisbane. The Reds, coached by incoming Wallabies boss Les Kiss, finished fifth in this season’s Super Rugby compared to the Force who struggled in ninth.

Pre-match in Perth, when the stadium announcer was calling the teams, Tuipulotu was introduced as “another former Aussie Sione Tuipulotu”, a crack at the Melbourne-born centre’s expense. Mack Hansen, James Lowe and Pierre Schoeman, the other southern hemisphere-born Lions, got similar treatment from the wiseguy with the mic.

Tuipulotu had a chuckle at the wind-up. “I knew there would be some good humour coming back home to Australia,” he said. “Look, these are all things we’ve got to take in our stride. To not announce the elephant in the room, I am from Australia. You know, I was born here. I don’t know how funny that gag is to everyone.

Tuipulotu also spoke about fly-half Finn Russell’s influence on the game and the stamp he’s putting on the 2025 Lions.

“We’re taking ideas from all the nations. Obviously, the coaching style is very Ireland dominant and there’s a lot of ideas that we’re getting from the Irish coaches, but then they’re sprinkled on. When Finn comes in, he plays his style. He plays to the structure of the team, but he’s a very instinctive player and he wants to play what’s directly in front of his face.

“There’s a mixture there and I think that’s what’s going to make it hard to defend for teams. They’re not necessarily defending a structure of play, they’re kind of defending a structure of play with really supreme individuals conducting it, like Finn.

“Finn coming into the line-up helped a lot. I’ve played a lot of rugby with Finn so that combination doesn’t really need to be worked on.

“He’s a world-class number 10. He’s been here, done that. He’s come off a really good season after winning the Premiership with Bath and I thought him and Tomos [Williams] controlled the game and were able to move the ball like we talked about during the week. You could see how we’re trying to play the game.”

In a lighter moment during the press conference after the game, Farrell mentioned that the squad had created their own song, a first blast coming in Perth.

“I think Fin Smith and Huw Jones wrote up the song. We got the first crack of it in the changing room. I’d like to perfect it before I share it to the world. Yeah it was pretty rough, to be honest. We were off beat, so we’re going to need a few more practice runs before we nail it and put it out to the media.”

Nick Timoney admitted that his last appearance in Ireland was “a long time ago now.”

The 29-year-old has found the test game to be more challenging than the regular player in an inconsistent Ulster team.

The back row was a late addition for the same November’s Test against Argentina after making his debut for Andy Farrell’s side against the USA in July 2021, and he was sat in his Belfast home the day before the game, and he then started playing against Fiji a year later.

He hasn’t played since that game, which he did three years ago, despite being in a number of squads in recent years, including touring parties to New Zealand and South Africa.

Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan, Peter O’Mahony, Caelan Doris, and the odd man out making an impact off the bench have been Farrell’s loose forward trio consistently choosing three.

However, there are rarely opportunities for impress for back row hopefuls in Test matches against Georgia on Saturday and Portugal a week later when the former pair are away with the British and Irish Lions, O’Mahony retired, and Doris is injured.

“I’d be lying if I said there weren’t times when I was frustrated,” I said. I’ve definitely experienced times when I feel like I’m very close to it, and I’ve felt like I should have given it a shot and jumped in with it, Timoney said.

In the summer squad, Paul O’Connell will be in charge, with regular head coach Farrell serving as Lions duty, along with the likes of Cian Prendergast, Gavin Coombes, and Max Deegan.

Despite being successful in their respective provinces, each has had its own struggles to get selected ahead of Ireland’s established options.

Being a realist, you enter a lot of camps and are aware that you are not necessarily at the top of the pecking order, Timoney said.

“Every other lad is desperate to play, and the game against England is opening the Six Nations or something similar, and it still kills you a little bit every time you’re not announced or you’re not in the team.”

In the end, if you truly value playing for Ireland enough, you have no choice but to put more emphasis on improving and working harder, which is exactly what I try to achieve.

Timoney, who is now 29 years old, claims that he will still “come into every camp believing that this will be the case when he makes his real, international breakthrough.”

Timoney is well-versed in at least one star from Georgia’s past, despite having only sevens international experience against Saturday’s opponents.

He would frequently search YouTube for clips of the best back rows of the era as a youngster. Regular viewers included Sebastien Chabal, Sean O’Brien, David Wallace, and Stephen Ferris, but Mamuka Gorgodze, who racked up a vengeance, was a particular favorite.

“I have hours of Mamuka Gorgodze footage that I watched as a child. I used to watch his highlight video a lot of the time, “told Timoney of the former Montpellier back row, who was known as “Godzilla.”

There was a 10-minute compilation video of Mamuka Gorgodze playing a lot of European nations for Georgia, full of clips from them playing Poland, Russia, Spain, and other stuff when you were younger. As you would with lots of different rugby players that were in your position and kind of looked up to, you would look up some of their clips, their highlights.

Under former Leicester Tigers and Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill, Timoney anticipates a significant challenge in Tbilisi while the undoubtedly quicker Davit Niniashvili is the country’s current star.

You won’t have an easy game against them because they’re big, physically, and passionate, he said.

We know what’s coming because we’ve seen that with a lot of their performances over the past few years.

In their 0-23 to 0-16 All-Ireland victory over Dublin, Tyrone boss Malachy O’Rourke praised the attitude of his players.

The Red Hands’ substitutes scored late goals to pull them out of the Dubs in a tight and heated match.

And O’Rourke was pleased that his team endured the entirety as they reached their first All-Ireland semi-final since 2021 and won the first championship game against Dublin since 2008.

“I’m happy for them all to cross the finish line and pass.” You have to acknowledge that you are facing a high-quality opponent and that you are not going to have it all your own way, he told BBC Sport NI.

“I’m delighted with the boys’ way they dug, defended, and managed to get some good scores.”

O’Rourke expressed his satisfaction with the contributions made by the entire squad, especially in the second half, despite the fact that the conditions made the match even more difficult.

“We were a little let down by how we played in the first half, but the two-pointers kept us in the game and gave us a point.”

We felt more in us because we cheaply used unforced errors and Dublin’s increased pressure on us. We managed to turn the table back half and put more pressure and urgency on them, he continued.

At UFC 317 in Las Vegas, Ilia Topuria defeated Charles Oliveira in a brutal fight to claim the lightweight title and reign as a two-division champion.

The Georgian-Spaniard, who vacated his featherweight belt earlier this year, finished the match with a brutal straight right-left hook combo.

As he extended his unbeaten run to 17, the 28-year-old only had his 10th double victory in UFC history.

Then Topuria and Britain’s Paddy Pimblett could engage in a mouth-watering title fight.

“I don’t believe Pimblett will accept the fight,” he said. Come on, bring him here, Topuria urged anyone who thinks they are ready.

Before entering the octagon and clashing with Topuria, Liverpool’s Pimblett was seen on television cameras grinning in a big way and rubbing his hands together while rubbing his hands together.

You will never knock me out, though that was a significant knockout. Pimblett remarked, “I would finish you.”

Following a disagreement at a hotel prior to UFC London in 2022, the pair have history.

After it was announced that Islam Makhachev would be stepping down from his belt to become welterweight, Topuria and Brazil’s Oliveira organized the title fight.

Topuria defeated Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski in the weight division in 2024, but he later said he would leave because of the challenging weight distribution.

Oliveira, 35, wanted to become the first UFC doubleweight champion.

Topuria, who was a confident striker, opened a gap in Oliveira’s eye after both fighters were cheered during their walkouts.

Topuria delivered his highlight reel moment after getting the better of a grappling exchange on the ground.

Topuria celebrated by putting a fictional cup of tea on top of each shoulder before stowing a UFC title belt over its shoulders.

Topuria’s impressive victory over the well-known Oliveira comes after his team’s victories over Volkanovski and Holloway, cementing his position as one of the roster’s most explosive fighters.

“It’s a brand-new era of mixed martial arts. Topuria remarked that this was the game’s next level.

“I carried out the plans exactly.” His lights went out in the right hand, left hook, and boom!

Brazilian flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja defeated Kiwi Kai Kara-France in the third round to retain his flyweight title.

Since Topuria and Pimblett were engaged in a fight in a hotel in London in 2022, the pair have been engaged in a fight.

A fight might never occur due to the pair’s weight differences, but Topuria’s transition to lightweight earlier this year changed that.

Strange things have happened, though Pimblett is eighth in the lightweight rankings and may not seem like the best choice to face off against Topuria.

Arman Tsarukyan, who is ranked first, and third-ranked American Justin Gaethje, who is ranked third, may have stronger contenders for the title, but Pimblett would make for the most fan-favorable choice.

The 30-year-old has won seven of his UFC fights, including one against Chandler in April, but Topuria poses a significant challenge.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., who looked lost and fought back for the majority of the cruiserweight fight in California, was outnumbered by influential boxer-turned-boxer Jake Paul before praising some of the sport’s biggest names.

In the first half, Chavez hardly ever threw a punch. At ringside, his legendary father, Julio Cesar Chavez Sr, appeared irate and deflated.

As Paul, 28, controlled the fight with jabs and hooks to the head and body, Chavez Jr, a 39-year-old former middleweight world champion, turned into a sitting duck behind a high guard.

As the sold-out Honda Center in Anaheim poured down jeers, he cupped his ears.

Paul told the audience to “shut up,” using some expletives, “all the boos are words, but actions speak louder than words.”

It went without a hitch. He continued, “I believe I only got hit ten times.” He’s been dating Saul Canelo Alvarez and all of those people, and I embarrassed him. simple work.

The victory raises well-known issues regarding Paul’s level and position in boxing. The Mexican who won the world title more than ten years ago was a far cry from the Chavez who entered the ring.

Anderson Silva, a 46-year-old former UFC star, lost to Chavez in 2021, the same opponent Paul defeated a year later. Chavez has spent a lot of his career struggling with discipline and motivation.

Paul, who gained notoriety through social media, has now lost all of his professional fights to Tommy Fury in 2023. Paul said he is prepared to take on Badou Jack, the WBC champion, and Gilberto Ramirez, the WBC champion.

Although boxing enthusiasts see a title shot as the product of years of diligent work, dedication, and advancement, it is plausible to think Paul will win.

A mariachi band serenaded a tense Chavez to the ring before taking deep, steady breaths. Paul and his brother Logan danced in the dressing room as well, bringing that energy into his ring walk.

Chavez slammed on the back as Paul fired body shots in the opening round. He had already lost to the fighter who had triumphed in 2017 and defeated Irishman Andy Lee ten years prior.

Chavez’s corner counseled him to “let his hands go,” but he remained staring blankly at the distance. He struggled with weight issues, substance abuse, and lack of motivation in the past.

He didn’t do anything to deter critics who claimed he was just there for a paycheck, so the boos grew louder.

Chavez Sr. frantically urging his son to find his fire, tossed his hands in the air and looked distraught.

Paul has clearly improved since losing to Fury, displaying a more accurate jab and higher work-rate. It is easier to highlight the improvements when he selects aging fighters like Chavez and Tyson.

Chavez’s best moments came when he landed an uppercut and right hook in the ninth round. Hands raised, he turned around and celebrated as though he had won the fight.

Paul claimed to want “tougher fighters,” but his appeals frequently disregard weight classes.

He outrageously names possible adversaries Gervonta ‘Tank ‘Tank’ Davis and former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman earlier this week stated that Paul’s ranking might be impacted if he beat Chavez. A fighter must be in the top 15 in accordance with WBC rules to be eligible for a shot at the world title.

For context, Team GB Olympian Cheavon Clarke is 19th while British champion Viddal Riley is 15th.

Should Paul from Ohio be ranked higher than Paul? No, according to sports logic. However, it is possible in the modern boxing environment.

Paul also suggested that he might be ranked by the WBA. When grading fighters, the WBA takes into account their history, level of activity, and level of competition.

Through his Most Valuable Promotions, Paul has benefited from the introduction of a new boxing audience, shown serious commitment to training, and supported women fighters. A world title shot cannot be justified by that alone.

He must move past fading names and former MMA stars to earn genuine respect in boxing. Although victories over Chavez and Tyson may strengthen his brand, they don’t really help him stand out in the crowd.