The Lions Tour Australia will put the cream of the home nations crop together in one team. Players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will come together to try and bring home a test series win against Australia.

This summer’s British & Irish Lions adventure down under is the latest instalment in a story that stretches all the way back to 1888. From the victorious 1971 tour to New Zealand that featured Gareth Edwards and Willie John McBride, to the Warren Gatland team who took the spoils from Australia in 2013, the team is steeped in history. The idea that players from four nations can assemble every few years to take on the best teams in the southern hemisphere remains one of the most romantic notions in sport, even in rugby’s professional era. This year it’s Australia’s turn to hear the Lions’ roar.

The Lions are looking for their first series victory since the 2013 tour to Australia, and only their third in the professional era. Andy Farrell and his newly announced coaching team will have just a few short months to fashion a team capable of beating the Wallabies in their own back yard. Some of the best forwards and backs in Europe have just spent the Six Nations 2025 playing themselves in – and out – of contention for a spot on the plane to Australia. They’re running out of time to make their case on the field, with the British Irish Lions squad 2025 set to be announced on Thursday 8 May.

After a disappointing Rugby World Cup in 2023 and a fourth-place finish in last year’s Rugby Championship, Australia showed signs of recovery in November’s Autumn Nations Series. Head coach Joe Schmidt has already announced he’s stepping down after the Lions tour to Australia, but he’ll be keen for his side to continue their upward trajectory as they prepare for a home World Cup in 2027.

With less than three months go until the first ball of the Lions tour to Australia is kicked against Argentina in Dublin, there’s still plenty of time to speculate on the players Farrell and co should be selecting for the trip to the southern hemisphere. In the meantime, here’s everything you need to know about the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2025.

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Lions Tour Australia: overview

Dates	20 June – 2 August 2025
Destination	Australia
Number of matches	10
Head coach	Andy Farrell
TV coverage	Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland; Nine and Stan Sport in Australia

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Lions Tour Australia: fixtures

The British & Irish Lions will play 10 matches in 2025, including three tests against the Wallabies. Their itinerary contains one extra game compared to the nine they played in 2021, and the same number they played in 2017.

Before flying out to Australia, the Lions will play their first ever match in Ireland. Argentina will be the opposition at the Aviva Stadium on Friday 20 June.

It was confirmed in March 2025 that the Lions will play the first ever First Nations & Pasifika XV at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on Tuesday 22 July. Meanwhile, former All Blacks head coach Ian Foster will coach the invitational Australia and New Zealand XV facing the Lions in Adelaide on Saturday 12 July.

Friday 20 June

• British & Irish Lions v Argentina
  Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Saturday 28 June

• Western Force v British & Irish Lions
  Optus Stadium, Perth

Wednesday 2 July

• Queensland Reds v British & Irish Lions
  Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Saturday 5 July

• NSW Waratahs v British & Irish Lions
  Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Wednesday 9 July

• ACT Brumbies v British & Irish Lions
  Gio Stadium, Canberra

Saturday 12 July

• Invitational Australia and New Zealand XV v British & Irish Lions
  Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

Saturday 19 July

• FIRST TEST
  Australia v British & Irish Lions
  Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Tuesday 22 July

• First Nations & Pasifika XV v British & Irish Lions
  Marvel Stadium, Melbourne

Saturday 26 July

• SECOND TEST
  Australia v British & Irish Lions
  MCG, Melbourne

Saturday 2 August

• THIRD TEST
  Australia v British & Irish Lions
  Accor Stadium, Sydney

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Lions Tour Australia: management and squad

Ireland boss Andy Farrell has the honour of leading the British & Irish Lions’ tour to Australia, having been unveiled as head coach in January 2024. He’s currently on a sabbatical from Ireland – Simon Easterby served as interim head coach during the Six Nations – and will return to the day job when the Lions Test series wraps up in August.

Farrell has previous Lions experience, having toured as defence coach under Warren Gatland in Australia in 2013 and New Zealand in 2017.

Unsurprisingly, the British & Irish Lions coaching team features many familiar faces from Farrell’s Ireland staff. His defence coach Easterby, scrum coach John Fogarty, backs coach Andrew Goodman, head of analysis Vinny Hammond and head of athletic performance Aled Walters will all make the trip down under. Farrell also knows the Lions’ general manager of performance, Dave Nucifora (currently working as a performance consultant for the Scottish Rugby Union), from his decade as the IRFU’s performance director.

Scotland forwards coach John Dalziel and England attack coach Richard Wigglesworth will also be part of the coaching team. Farrell has selected no coaches from the Welsh set-up.

There’s still three months to go before the players take the field for the first Lions Tour Australia test in Brisbane, so rugby fans across the UK and Ireland are still speculating on who they believe Farrell and his assistants should select for the trip down under. There’s not too much longer to wait, however, because the British & Irish Lions 2025 squad will be announced at the O2 in London on Thursday 8 May.

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British & Irish Lions Tour Australia shirt

The 2025 Lions kit was unveiled at a launch event in London in November 2024. The new Canterbury strip features a darker shade of red and a new headline sponsor, insurance brokers Howden. Two-time Lions captain Sam Warburton consulted on the design.

 

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Previous British & Irish Lions tours

Year	Destination	Test series	Head coach	Tour captain
1888	New Zealand and Australia	No tests played	Alfred Shaw, Arthur Shrewsbury	Robert Seddon, Andrew Stoddart
1891	South Africa	Lions win	Edwin Ash	Bill Maclagan
1896	South Africa	Lions win	Roger Walker	Johnny Hammond, Thomas Crean
1899	Australia	Lions win	Matthew Mullineux	Matthew Mullineux, Frank Stout
1903	South Africa	Lions loss	Johnny Hammond	Mark Morrison
1904	Australia	Lions win	Arthur O’Brien	David Bedell-Sivright, Teddy Morgan
1904	New Zealand	Lions loss	Arthur O’Brien	David Bedell-Sivright, Teddy Morgan
1908	New Zealand	Lions loss	George Harnett	Arthur Harding
1908	Australia	No tests played	George Harnett	Arthur Harding
1910	South Africa	Lions loss	William Cail, Walter E Rees	Tommy Smyth, Jack Jones
1910	Argentina	Lions win	RV Stanley	John Raphael
1924	South Africa	Lions loss	Harry Packer	Ronald Cove-Smith
1927	Argentina	Lions win	James Baxter	David MacMyn
1930	New Zealand	Lions loss	James Baxter	Doug Prentice, Carl Aarvold
1930	Australia	Lions loss	James Baxter	Doug Prentice, Carl Aarvold
1936	Argentina	Lions win	Doug Prentice	Bernard Gadney
1938	South Africa	Lions loss	Major BC Hartley	Sam Walker
1950	New Zealand	Lions loss	Leslie B Oborne	Karl Mullen, Bleddyn Williams
1950	Australia	Lions win	Leslie B Oborne	Karl Mullen, Bleddyn Williams
1955	South Africa	Tie	Jack Siggins	Robin Thompson, Cliff Morgan
1959	Australia	Lions win	OB Glasgow	Ronnie Dawson
1959	New Zealand	Lions loss	OB Glasgow	Ronnie Dawson
1962	South Africa	Lions loss	Harry McKibbin	Arthur Smith, Dickie Jeeps
1966	Australia	Lions win	John Robins	David Watkins, Mike Campbell-Lamerton
1966	New Zealand	Lions loss	John Robins	David Watkins, Mike Campbell-Lamerton
1968	South Africa	Lions loss	Ronnie Dawson	Tom Kiernan
1971	New Zealand	Lions win	Carwyn James	John Dawes
1974	South Africa	Lions win	Syd Millar	Willie John McBride
1977	New Zealand	Lions loss	John Dawes	Phil Bennett
1980	South Africa	Lions loss	Noel Murphy	Bill Beaumont
1983	New Zealand	Lions loss	Jim Telfer	Ciaran Fitzgerald
1989	Australia	Lions win	Ian McGeechan	Finlay Calder
1993	New Zealand	Lions loss	Ian McGeechan	Gavin Hastings
1997	South Africa	Lions win	Ian McGeechan	Martin Johnson
2001	Australia	Lions loss	Graham Henry	Martin Johnson
2005	New Zealand	Lions loss	Clive Woodward	Brian O’Driscoll
2009	South Africa	Lions loss	Ian McGeechan	Paul O’Connell
2013	Australia	Lions win	Warren Gatland	Sam Warburton
2017	New Zealand	Tie	Warren Gatland	Sam Warburton
2021	South Africa	Lions loss	Warren Gatland	Alun Wyn Jones

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