Combined Australian-New Zealand team to face British and Irish Lions on 2025 tour
British and Irish Lions players after their win against Japan at Murrayfield in 2021.
The British and Irish Lions have confirmed their schedule ahead of their 2025 tour to Australia that includes a fixture against an invitational Australian-New Zealand team, which will be played in Adelaide.
The famous touring team will play the Wallabies in a three-Test series as part of nine tour matches in total, which also features games against every Australian Super Rugby franchise.
The first Test is set to be played on July 19 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and will be followed by matches at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on July 26 and at Accor Stadium in Sydney on August 2.
First clash with Australian-New Zealand team since 1989
The highly anticipated clash against the combined Australian-New Zealand team will be the first time since 1989 that a trans-Tasman team will face the famous touring side.
In their 1989 tour to Australia, the Lions sealed a 19-15 win against an ‘ANZAC XV’ captained by Wallabies legend Nick Farr-Jones at Ballymore in Brisbane.
The Lions will face the combined Australian-New Zealand on July 12 at the Adelaide Oval – seven days ahead of the opening Test in Brisbane.
The tour will start in Perth against the Western Force on June 28 before they take on the Reds in Brisbane on July 2 and the Waratahs in Sydney on July 5.
The Lions will then head south to face the Brumbies in Canberra on July 9, before they take on the Rebels in Melbourne on July 22 between the first and second Tests.
“The British & Irish Lions tour is one of the great sporting festivals – it is a real landmark of Australian and world sport,” said Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh in a statement.
“Rugby Australia is looking forward to welcoming back the Lions for the first time in 12 years – as well as the tens of thousands of Lions fans from the northern hemisphere.
“It is an exciting fixture of matches all around the country with the Lions taking on our Super Rugby franchises, three massive Test matches, and a marquee match in Adelaide featuring a combined invitational Australia-New Zealand side.”
“We are delighted to announce the Tour schedule today as we look ahead to what is to be one of the most eagerly anticipated Series in history,” Lions CEO Ben Calveley added.
“I want to take the opportunity to thank Rugby Australia for the strong level of collaboration in planning for this tour and we look forward to continuing to work with them over the next two years.
“As we begin the countdown to Australia in 2025, The British & Irish Lions brand and organisation has never been stronger with a global fan base of some 14 million people, a significant following and strong level of engagement through our various digital platforms, and a wide range of commercial partners comprised of some of the biggest brands and organisations in the world.
“Our ambition is to further build upon this position and make this upcoming tour the greatest Lions tour ever positioning it as the major global sporting event of 2025.”
2025 British and Irish Lions tour fixtures
Saturday, June 28: Lions vs Western Force, Optus Stadium, Perth
Wednesday, July 2: Lions vs Queensland Reds, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Saturday, July 5: Lions vs New South Wales Waratahs, Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Wednesday, July 9: Lions vs ACT Brumbies, GIO Stadium, Canberra
Saturday, July 12: Lions vs Invitational AU & NZ XV, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Saturday, July 19: Lions v Wallabies (First Test), Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Tuesday, July 22: Lions v Melbourne Rebels, Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
Saturday, July 26: Lions v Wallabies (Second Test), Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Saturday, August 2: Lions v Wallabies (Third Test), Accor Stadium, Sydney
READ MORE: Eddie Jones still believes in the Wallabies’ World Cup dream despite horror start