The British & Irish Lions will play nine fixtures on their 2025 tour of Australia – one fewer than their predecessors in 2001 and 2013.
Dropped from the schedule is the Combined Country (or NSW Country) fixture that the tourists have always won at a canter. Instead, the 2025 team will face an ANZAC side featuring players from New Zealand and Australia, as they did at the end of the 1989 tour.
Also missing is the stopover match against the Barbarians in the humidity of Hong Kong, which it was felt hampered the Lions’ preparations in 2013.
Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney will host the Test series, which finishes on 2 August – almost a month later than 12 years ago. The Lions will have a two-week preparation period ahead of their departure.
It will be the fifth Australia-only official Lions tour following trips in 1899, 1989, 2001 and 2013. They won the series on each of those occasions except for 2001, when Graham Henry’s team was beaten 2-1.
Ireland boss Andy Farrell is tipped to success Warren Gatland as Lions head coach, having been part of the management team in 2013 and 2017.
Since beating Australia 2-1 in 2013, the Lions have drawn with New Zealand and lost 2-1 to South Africa in a series played without supporters because of the Covid pandemic.
British & Irish Lions 2025 Fixtures
Sat 28 June Lions v Western Force (Optus Stadium, Perth)
Wed 2 July Lions v Queensland Reds (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane)
Sat 5 July Lions v NSW Waratahs (Allianz Stadium, Sydney)
Wed 9 July Lions v ACT Brumbies (GIO Stadium, Canberra)
Sat 12 July Lions v ANZAC XV (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)
Sat 19 July Lions v Wallabies (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane) First Test
Tue 22 July Lions v Melbourne Rebels (Marvel Stadium, Melbourne)
Sat 26 July Lions v Wallabies (Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne) Second Test
Sat 2 August Lions v Wallabies (Accor Stadium, Sydney) Third Test
Do you plan to be at any of these matches? Let us know via rugbyworldletters@futurenet.com or on our social media channels.
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