AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 23:  Owen Farrell looks on with team mate Jonathan Sexton kicking session at the Eden Park on June 23, 2017 in Auckland, New Zealand.  (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 23: Owen Farrell looks on with team mate Jonathan Sexton kicking session at the Eden Park on June 23, 2017 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Gatland confident Lions pair Sexton and Farrell can handle Williams for second Test



British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland insists Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell can "do a job" on New Zealand's Sonny Bill Williams in Saturday's second Test.

Gatland has paired Sexton and Farrell as twin playmakers in a bid to outflank New Zealand on the counter-attack in Wellington.

Sam Warburton will captain the Lions, with last weekend's skipper Peter O'Mahony omitted entirely from the match squad, while Alun Wyn Jones has been retained at lock to partner Maro Itoje.

England centre Ben Te'o was able to force Williams into having a quiet night in the Lions' 30-15 first Test defeat in Auckland last weekend, but Gatland remains adamant Sexton and Farrell can handle him this time around.

"Johnny and Owen haven't started but have had quite a bit of time together," said Gatland of fly-half Sexton and inside centre Farrell.

"It's just given us two ball players and two kicking options at first and second receiver, so we're happy with the mix.

"One concern we might have is that looking at the long-range weather forecast it doesn't look too great for Saturday night.

"So we may have to change how we play tactically. And of course defensively we'll have to do a job on Sonny Bill Williams, too.

"He came pretty direct at us and got away a couple of offloads, so it's going to be important we shut him down."

Asked if Sexton and Farrell's slighter frames against the hulking Williams could cause problems, Gatland replied: "No, not at all.

"It is tough for Ben Te'o. He's done really well, carried well for us, defended well, so it's been a tough call for him but he will get some time off the bench.

"So we've made a call on the amount of possession and opportunities we've created. We think we did stress the All Blacks at times last week.

"They got pretty narrow, because they played that way in an attacking perspective, so it does open up some opportunities for us if we get the ball back to attack them as well. And that's why we've gone with the combinations we have.

"We allowed Sonny Bill too much time on the ball last week.

"I can't remember Sonny Bill passing the ball in the game, but he got some good gainline for them, got a couple of good offloads away and got them some front-foot ball.

"So we just need to make sure that our line speed, that's important for us, to stop him being as effective as he was. And we've been working pretty hard on that."

Gatland admitted the Lions bosses talked long and hard about potentially loading their replacements bench with six forwards and just two backs.

Ireland lock Iain Henderson would most likely have made the bench had the management opted for the pack-heavy bench.

The Lions boss revealed it was the past injury profiles of the likes of Sexton, however, that swayed their thinking to name three backline replacements, in Te'o, Rhys Webb and England's Jack Nowell.

Gatland has kept faith with Jones at lock after the Wales star struggled in the first Test, but remains convinced the experienced campaigner will come good this weekend.

"It is a big game for Alun Wyn. He knows," said Gatland.

"He was a bit disappointed last week in how it went, and he's pretty focused and pretty motivated. It's potentially a one-on-one challenge with him and his opposition. "Normally in the past when he's had those challenges, he's really fronted the next game.

"He's trained well this week and I think he's looking forward to Saturday night.

"We had a long debate about a six-two split on the bench. And in the end it was just too much of a risk, if we lost a couple of backs.

"We've got a couple of players who haven't always had the greatest injury record in big matches.

"We saw the All Blacks last week losing two backs, and potentially the pressure that puts you under having to bring a nine on and move some people around.

"But we did have a long discussion about that."

* Press Association

Abu Dhabi race card

5pm Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige Dh110,000 1,400m

5.30pm Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige Dh110,000 1,400m

6pm Abu Dhabi Championship Listed Dh180,000 1,600m

6.30pm Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m

7pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap Dh80,000 1,400m

7.30pm Handicap (TB) |Dh100,000 2,400m

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cargoz%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Premlal%20Pullisserry%20and%20Lijo%20Antony%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2030%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: Turbocharged four-cylinder 2.7-litre

Power: 325hp

Torque: 500Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh189,700

On sale: now

Match info:

Burnley 0

Manchester United 2
Lukaku (22', 44')

Red card: Marcus Rashford (Man United)

Man of the match: Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)

Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale

Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni

Director: Amith Krishnan

Rating: 3.5/5

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A