The game we've all been waiting for is finally here...
Watch Australia v British & Irish Lions live streams as the tourists play the first of their three eagerly anticipated Test matches against the Wallabies, on a dry and mild evening in Brisbane.
This article will tell you all you need to know to watch Australia v British & Irish Lions online, on TV and from anywhere – including a free option for fans in Australia. Scroll down to the end of the page for a match preview, the team line-ups and the officials.
Watch Wallabies v Lions: Key details
– Date: Saturday 19 July 2025
– Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
– Kick-off time: 11.00am BST / 6.00am ET / 8.00pm AEST (local)
– FREE STREAM: 9Now (Australia)
– Other TV channels: Sky Sports/Now (UK and Ireland) / Peacock (US) / Stan Sport (Australia)
– Watch from anywhere: Try NordVPN 100% risk-free
Watch Wallabies v British & Irish Lions live streams FOR FREE in Australia
The Wallabies’ long-awaited series against the Lions is finally here and Aussie viewers can watch all three Tests for FREE on Nine and its 9Now streaming service. Live coverage of the first Test from Brisbane gets underway at 7.30pm AEST this evening, ahead of the 8.00pm kick-off.
Residents of Australia who happen to be travelling overseas this weekend don’t have to miss out on their prized free Australia v British & Irish Lions live stream. You can use a VPN such as NordVPN to help you watch the game as if you were back home on your sofa. Details below…
How to watch Australia v Lions from anywhere
A VPN (or Virtual Private Network) is an ingenious piece of kit that can change your IP address, allowing your smartphone, tablet or laptop appear to be in any country in the world. This brings the benefit of helping you to avoid geo-restrictions that might otherwise get in the way of watching your usual subscription TV services when you’re travelling overseas. A good VPN also improves your online security, which is great for peace of mind, especially when using an unfamiliar internet connection.
Our friends at TechRadar know a thing or two about VPNs having tested hundreds of them, and they reckon NordVPN is currently the best of the bunch.
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Watch the Lions on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland
Every one of this year’s British & Irish Lions fixtures has been shown on Sky Sports, and that was never going to change for the Tests against Australia. The pre-match build up starts on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action at 10.00am BST, with the game itself kicking off at 11.00am.
There are plenty of ways to watch, including Sky Go app for desktop, iOS, Android, PlayStation and Xbox. The Sky website is the place to go for more information.
Australia v Lions live streams in the United States
CBS and streaming service Paramount+ have signed a new deal with World Rugby, meaning they have exclusive rights to show all three of this year’s British & Irish Lions Tests in the US.
You’ll have to get up early to watch your Wallabies v Lions live stream, however, because the game gets underway at 6.00am ET/3.00am PT this morning.
Subscriptions to Paramount+ start at $7.99 per month ($59.99 per year) for the Essential package, $12.99 per month ($119.99 per year) for Premium. A week-long free trial is also available for new subscribers.
Don’t have cable? You can still watch CBS through Fubo.
Australia v British & Irish Lions preview
The wait is finally over. After six warm-up matches in which Andy Farrell and his British & Irish Lions coaching team have run the rule over their players – and called up several additions to their original Lions squad – the tourists are ready for the first of three matches against the Wallabies.
There Lions’ matchday 23 for today’s Brisbane Test is short on major surprises. The biggest headline is arguably Tom Curry getting the nod in the hotly contested number 7 shirt, ahead of Jac Morgan, Josh van der Flier and Henry Pollock. He’s one of four England players in the starting XV, alongside wing Tommy Freeman, prop Ellis Genge and second row/captain Maro Itoje. Morgan’s omission means there will be no Welsh player in a Lions Test squad for the first time since the 19th century.
With Garry Ringrose ruled out as he completes post-concussion return-to-play protocols, Farrell has opted for a Scottish centre partnership of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones. They’ll form an all-Scotland midfield axis with fly-half Finn Russell.
Otherwise it’s a side dominated by players from Farrell’s Ireland set-up, seven of them from Leinster. Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong join Genge in the front row, while Joe McCarthy packs down alongside Itoje at lock. Tadhg Beirne edges out Ollie Chessum to start at blindside flanker, with Jack Conan in the number 8 shirt.
In the backs, Jamison Gibson-Park starts at scrum-half, James Lowe plays on the wing and – after a tour interrupted by injury and illness – Hugo Keenan is the side’s full-back.
Farrell has opted for 5-3 split on the bench, where Marcus Smith’s ability to cover full-back earns him a spot ahead of Owen Farrell. He’ll be joined by Rónan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl and Bundee Aki. Scrum-half Alex Mitchell remains on track to play in every game of the tour.
There are a couple of very large holes in Joe Schmidt’s Australia team, with forwards Will Skelton and Rob Valetini both ruled out by injury. Nick Champion de Crespigny makes his Wallabies debut on the blindside, while the head coach puts his faith in relative newcomer Tom Lynagh (son of the legendary Michael) at fly-half. Wing Harry Potter will be familiar from his Leicester Tigers days, and the Lions will be keeping a close eye on the exciting centre pairing of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Len Ikitau. Harry Wilson captains the side from number 8.
More Wallabies v Lions streams in Australia
Rugby fans in Australia can also watch every British & Irish Lions match ad-free on Stan Sport. It’ll cost you $15 per month to add Stan Sport to your usual Stan plan.
Watch the first Test in South Africa
Subscription platform SuperSport is the place to go for an Australia v British & Irish Lions live stream in South Africa. The match kicks off at 12.00pm SAST today.
There are various SuperSport packages available, covering traditional TV on DStv and direct live streaming.
Stream Australia v British & Irish Lions in New Zealand
Sky Sport NZ is the Lions’ TV home in New Zealand and they’ll be showing a Wallabies v Lions live stream tonight. Kick-off is at 10.00pm NZST.
A subscription to streaming service Sky Sport Now costs $54.99 per month or $549.99 per year (equivalent to $45.83 per month). Day passes are also available for $29.99.
Australia v British & Irish Lions line-ups and officials
Australia
Tom Wright, Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter, Tom Lynagh, Jake Gordon; James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Allan Alaalatoa, Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (captain)
Replacements:
Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Tom Hooper, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway
British & Irish Lions:
Hugo Keenan, Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, James Lowe, Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Maro Itoje (captain), Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan
Replacements:
Rónan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Bundee Aki
Ben O’Keeffe of New Zealand is the referee, assisted by Georgia’s Nika Amashukeli and Italy’s Andrea Piardi. Another Kiwi, Richard Kelly, is the TMO.
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