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In pictures: British and Irish Lions Captain's Run published at 16:20 BST 27 June
16:20 BST 27 June
BBC Sport and Inpho present a selection of some of the best images from the British and Irish Lions Captain's run at the Optus Stadium, Perth, Australia
'I would love to win a Test series' - Russellpublished at 13:14 BST 27 June
13:14 BST 27 June
Chris Jones Rugby Union Correspondent
Image source, Getty Images
As he prepares to start at fly-half against the Western Force, Finn Russell has told us how it is a career ambition of his to win a Test series with the Lions.
The Scottish star is on his third Lions tour, but bar an excellent cameo in the decider against the Springboks four years ago, has yet to nail down a Test place.
This feels like his time, especially after a trophy-laden season with Bath.
"I've never won a series yet and and I would love to win a series," Russell told BBC Sport.
"It's everyone's dream to be a Test Lion, but there is a lot of work to go on before then.
"It's about firing at the right time, which is the Test matches at the end.
"But we will be pushing every game, and as much as it's the Tests that counts, it's the games building up that we have to push to get it right."
For Russell, this starts in Perth on Saturday. A good performance from the Scot could go a long way to ensuring he is lining up against the Wallabies in three weeks' time.
Suaalii 'soft-launch' hits the gossip columnspublished at 12:37 BST 27 June
12:37 BST 27 June
Image source, Getty Images
Australia's star back Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is in the gossip columns after posting images of himself on Instagram , externalwith Audrey Little, who plays for Sydney-based Super Netball side the Giants.
There is added rugby relevance to this pairing though.
Little is the daughter of Wallabies' legendary centre Jason Little, who won 75 caps and two Rugby World Cup titles in a illustrious Test career.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Little (right) formed a famous Australia centre pairing with Tim Horan
Schmidt says he got it wrong with 'southern hemisphere' comment published at 08:52 BST 27 June
08:52 BST 27 June
Tom English BBC Sport in Australia
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Joe Schmidt gave Bundee Aki his international debut in 2017, when in charge of Ireland
Australia head coach Joe Schmidt says that he was "sloppy" and meant no harm when he called the British and Irish Lions midfield duo Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu the "southern hemisphere centre partnership".
In alluding to their New Zealand and Australian backgrounds, Schmidt's comments made headlines. He was accused of mind games and pot-stirring by Lions head of performance, David Nucifora.
"It wasn't meant to be a swipe or a jibe at all," Schmidt told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"In fact, it was sloppy from me because someone had just been talking to me and described it as that ["the southern hemisphere midfield partnership"], and then I used their words. I should have just stuck to my own words.
"I'm a big believer in the values of the game, so is Faz [Lions head coach Andy Farrell]. I've never seen Faz stirring the pot. His energy goes into the team, not into stirring the pot.
"There are coaches who certainly do it, and they even talk to their team through the media sometimes. But if I've got something to say to a player, I'd rather say it to them, than fire a barrel through the media.
"I know that a lift-out quote or a phrase can be a headline and inevitably, even after 20-plus years of doing this job, I'll get it wrong.
"I'm conscious of it and I'm conscious that other coaches do it, but I don't anticipate it happening in this Lions tour.
"Faz and I have had a few conversations about how we'd like the narrative of the tour to be a celebration of rugby. I think for Australian rugby, we need that."
Schmidt spoke of the "massive respect" he has for the Lions as players and as people.
"My ideal around this was, having been at the 2017 games and seeing how edgy it was, and then the Springbok tour last time, where it probably didn't do a massive amount for promoting the game in a really positive light," he added.
"It would be great for this tour to be talked about in terms of being a celebration of rugby. And I know that Faz is of the same mind, and so hopefully it can be a really positive celebration of rugby."
Travel travails, best Test centre combo and a Lions tour of France?published at 17:00 BST 26 June
17:00 BST 26 June
Chris Jones Rugby Union Correspondent
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Scotland centre Sione Tuipulotu will form a centre partnership with Ireland's Garry Ringrose on Saturday
The latest Rugby Union Weekly podcast is now live, as Gareth Rhys Owen and I check in on the intrepid Tom English in Perth for the Nations Pod.
Tom outlines his travel travails – from Edinburgh to Istanbul, Dubai and beyond – before we get stuck into the Lions team to play Western Force.
Could this midfield be a Test team combination? Why have some players yet to start a game? And what do you do as a player if you get stuck in the midweek team – through no fault of your own?
Gareth makes his case for a Lions tour of France, and we debate whether Australia as a rugby nation is under pressure to prove it should host again in 12 years' time.
In Pictures: British and Irish Lions tee up tour with golf trippublished at 16:54 BST 26 June
16:54 BST 26 June
Image source, Inpho
Image caption,
Bunde Aki contemplates his next shot during the British and Irish Lions golf day
BBC Sport and Inpho present a selection of some of the best images from the British and Irish Lions golf outing at the Joondalup Resort in Perth, Australia
Image source, Inpho
Image caption,
James Lowe (R) calculates the yardage for points out Luke Cowan-Dickie
Furlong ready to roar for Lions on third tourpublished at 14:08 BST 26 June
14:08 BST 26 June
Nigel Ringland BBC Sport Senior Journalist in Perth
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Tadhg Furlong has played in all six Tests on his two previous Lions tours
Tadhg Furlong pronounced himself ready for the challenges of a third Lions tour before Saturday’s first game on Australian soil against Western Force in Perth.
The 32 year-old is a veteran of the past two tours to New Zealand in 2017, which ended in a draw, and South Africa four years ago, when the Lions lost.
The Leinster prop, however, was a stalwart of both series playing in all six Tests and he’d like to extend that run Down Under.
"Would it be cool to say that I played in all three again?
"Yeah, it would. Is it something that motivates me at the minute? No.
"I think obviously after the result last weekend, we're looking straight ahead for this Saturday, so it's just about trying to get my best out on to the pitch and trying to get results with the lads,” explained Furlong.
Not so long ago there were doubts Furlong would make the squad. A calf strain was the latest in a long line of injuries that kept him sidelined for most of last season, missing Leinster’s URC win a couple of weeks ago.
"They're all short-term injuries, and you're always trying to get back for this game or that game.
"It's more a feeling of 'would you get picked, have you done enough'?"
Furlong will pack down in the front row against Western Force alongside his Leinster team-mate and Saturday's Lions captain Dan Sheehan.
"Knowing Dan, he doesn't overthink it a whole lot, and he always plays well, and I think he has the respect of the group.
"I'm delighted for him as a friend and a team-mate.
"He was a big old hooker and I remember him coming into a few scrum sessions.
"It's hard to find your slot, what's comfortable, what works for you.
"Then it just exploded for him. I'm not sure at what point, but when he came onto the scene, he came onto the scene quick."
The Force Sea of Blue meets the Lions Sea of Red in Perth this weekend - but there will be more than a hint of green in the mix too.
There are nine Leinster players in the Lions matchday 23 for this game - which will be a record for the amount of players from a single club.
Rugby statistician Russ Petty also highlights that the eight Irish starters equals their most in a Lions starting line-up in the professional era - also against the Force in 2013.
If cohesion and connection are the big challenges for a Lions tour, then Andy Farrell surely has an advantage on Saturday against a Western Force side who are without their top try-scorer in Wallaby Carlo Tizzano.
Ireland's James Ryan, Jamison Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan, plus Scotland's Blair Kinghorn - whose domestic season in France has yet to finish - are the four Lions players not to have featured in a match squad yet this tour.
Champion de Crespigny: Sounds like an aristocrat, plays like a gladiatorpublished at 07:15 BST 26 June
07:15 BST 26 June
Lauren Jenkins BBC Sport in Australia
Image source, Getty Images
It's hard to skim past uncapped flanker Nick Champion de Crespigny's name on the Western Force team sheet.
One of six of Joe Schmidt's Wallabies to be released for Saturday's fixture against the British and Irish Lions, he is known for his abrasive approach. 'A gun' is the frequently heard Australian term used to describe him.
Watching on will be his grandfather - Professor Rafe de Crespigny, who at 86 remains an internationally recognised historian on ancient Chinese history.
However, Normandy in France is where the name originates and it was the country of his ancestors which shaped Champion de Crespigny - playing in front of nearly 80,000 in the Top14 final against eventual champions Montpellier in 2022 before returning to Australia.
Former Exeter Chief White to captain Western Force against the Lionspublished at 07:00 BST 26 June
07:00 BST 26 June
Tom English BBC Sport in Australia
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Nic White will captain Western Force against the Lions on Saturday
Former Exeter Chief scrum-half Nic White will captain the Western Force against the British and Irish Lions in Perth on Saturday, kick-off 11.00 BST.
The Force have named 11 Wallabies in their starting line-up including six current members of Joe Schmidt's squad.
The Perth side were dealt an injury blow when the veteran full-back Kurtley Beale was ruled out of the contest at the Optus Stadium.
They've been able to replace him with Ben Donaldson, however. Donaldson, an accomplished and experienced operator at 15 or at fly-half, came off the bench for the Wallabies in their victories over England and Wales last autumn.
Prop Tom Robertson, lock Darcy Swain, back-row Nick Champion de Crespigny, White, Donaldson and wing Dylan Pietsch are the current Wallabies who will face the Lions in their opening fixture on Australian soil.
Jeremy Williams (lock), Carlo Tizzano (back-row) and Harry Potter (wing) have not been released from Test camp for this game.
Three-cap Wallaby Hamish Stewart and former All Black Matt Proctor, on debut, make up the centre partnership as the Force try to beat the tourists for the first time.
Western Force: Donaldson, Grealy, Proctor, Stewart, Pietsch, Harford, White; T Robertson, Paenga-Amosa, Hoskins, Carter, Swain, Harris, Champion de-Crespigny, Ekuasi
Replacements: Dolly, Pearce, Tauakipulu, Faifua, Prinsep, H Robertson, Burey, Kuenzie
Schoeman trying to add value to 'Viking ship'published at 14:58 BST 25 June
14:58 BST 25 June
Lauren Jenkins BBC Sport
Players laying down a marker and encouraging others in their position to raise their game is exactly what Lions had coach Andy Farrell will be hoping for on this tour.
It was certainly true of loose-head prop Ellis Genge with his standout performance against Argentina in Dublin, and Pierre Schoeman off the bench too.
''Genge had an amazing game," said Schoeman.
"He's an amazing bloke - but we're competitive with everything. 'We're competitive in the gym. Even jokes and banter... who can stay in the ice bath the longest? Andrew Porter as well.
"That can really rub off; you're sharpening your swords or your axes together. You have to be the best version of yourself and add value to the Viking ship going to its destination.''
Image source, Lauren Jenkins
Image caption,
Scot Schoeman faces the media following training in Perth
Captain Maro Itoje, who said his team had played too much 'tippy-tappy' rugby after defeat by the Pumas, was banging that same drum in training beforehand.
"We were looking to force the pass a bit and in forcing the pass we turned the ball over and invited more pressure on ourselves," he said after a session before the game.
"In the moments when things don't go our way, let be more direct, let's back our physicality."
Elsewhere, there is insight into the make-up of the various tour committees with Scotland prop Pierre Schoeman being given responsibility for 'joke of the day' on the bus and Ireland centre Bundee Aki in charge of fines.
"Bundee was desperate to be on the fines committee," said Itoje.
"I had a few people tell me he shouldn't be allowed - that the power goes to his head - but he was so hungry for it I said he could have it."
England's Ellis Genge is one of the early stars. The England prop is noticeably vocal in the dressing room before and at half-time in the game against Argentina. There is also a nice moment as he praises Tadhg Beirne's scrum technique to assistant coach John Fogarty in training.
Beale labels Russell as Lions danger manpublished at 08:09 BST 25 June
08:09 BST 25 June
Nigel Ringland BBC Sport Senior Journalist in Perth
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Beale thinks Finn Russell is the player Australia must watch out for
Former Australian international Kurtley Beale says Finn Russell is the player that could lead the Lions to victory in the Test series.
Beale, who played in all three Tests for the Wallabies in 2013, is set to face the Lions again for Western Force when the tour gets underway in earnest here in Perth on Saturday.
Russell is expected to start the game for Andy Farrell’s tourists after helping Bath win their first Premiership title since 1996, a couple of weeks ago.
Farrell names his squad on Thursday.
Beale, 36, told The Australian newspaper,, external “I played with him at Racing and he’s such a mercurial, unpredictable player. And I think with a forward pack like he will have in front of him, he can create a lot of damage.
”He’s obviously got some exciting backs outside him as well who will thrive off of his delivery, his service. So I’d think he’d be the danger man.”
Beale had a stellar international career but infamously slipped when he lined up to take a potential match-winning penalty in the first Test in 2013.
He missed, the Lions won 23-21, and although Australia bounced back to win the second test, they lost the decider and the series.
Lions receive warm welcome at ceremony in Perthpublished at 12:49 BST 23 June
12:49 BST 23 June
The British and Irish Lions started their first full day in Australia by attending a welcome ceremony at Kings Park in Perth.
The Lions were treated to some traditional music while captain Maro Itoje handed over a team jersey to Indigenous elder Trevor Walley.
Back-row forward Henry Pollock was spotted holding tightly on to mascot BIL. Tradition dictates that the Lions' youngest squad member must look after the toy lion at all times or be given a fine.
A cracking setting looking over the city of Perth is not a bad way to start tour life.
Image source, Inpho
Image source, Inpho
Image source, Inpho
Image source, Inpho
Image source, Inpho
Image source, Inpho
