The British and Irish Lions will take on an Anzac XV in an unofficial ‘fourth Test’ in Adelaide as details of the bumper 2025 tour of Australia were released on Wednesday.
Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium fought off hot competition from Perth and Adelaide to win hosting rights for the first Test on July 19 with the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Sydney’s Accor Stadium unveiled as the other Test venues.
The Lions will also play against all five of Australia’s Super Rugby teams on their nine match tour but the revival of the Anzac concept holds the most intrigue outside of the Wallabies fixtures.
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Officially billed as an “invitational Australia-New Zealand combined team,” the July 12 clash will serve as the final hit out for the Lions before the first Test.
The tour, which hits Australia every 12 years, is expected to attract 40,000 international visitors to the country.
“The British and Irish Lions tour is one of the great sporting festivals. It is a real landmark of Australian and world sport,” Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh said.
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“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.”
The Lions last toured Australia in 2013, with the tourists winning the series 2-1.
Wallabies legend Tim Horan was excited by the idea of a revived Anzac team when the concept was discussed on Stan Sport’s Rugby Heaven in March.
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“It happened in 1989 when the Lions came out. It was sort of the unofficial fourth Test,” Horan said.
“In those days, I think we only had three or four Kiwis that came to play, so if it’s going to be a real Anzac team, you get the best players from the All Blacks.
“If the All Blacks buy in, if the Wallabies buy in and then they’ll share the gate, but also I think Rugby Australia would potentially put some money into the Pacific Islands as well.”
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New Zealand Rugby is yet to offer comment on the Anzac team development but it is likely the squad will feature overseas-based stars instead of contracted players.
Horan had a crack at picking his Anzac dream team in March, with eight All Blacks and seven Wallabies included (see graphic below).
The Stan Sport pundit was working on the basis of all players being available.
Lions chief executive Ben Calveley described the tour as ”one of the most eagerly anticipated series in history.”
“I would also like to thank Premiership Rugby and the United Rugby Championship, whose cooperation has resulted in the longest preparation period for a tour in recent history, which gives us the best possible chance of a series victory,” Calveley said.
“Our ambition is to… make this upcoming tour the greatest Lions tour ever, positioning it as the major global sporting event of 2025.”
LIONS 2025 TOUR SCHEDULE
|
Saturday 28 June |
Lions vs Western Force |
Optus Stadium, Perth |
|
Wednesday 2 July |
Lions vs Queensland Reds |
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
|
Saturday 5 July |
Lions vs New South Wales Waratahs |
Allianz Stadium, Sydney |
|
Wednesday 9 July |
Lions vs ACT Brumbies |
GIO Stadium, Canberra |
|
Saturday 12 July |
Lions vs Invitational AU & NZ XV |
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide |
|
Saturday 19 July |
First Test |
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane |
|
Tuesday 22 July |
Lions v Melbourne Rebels |
Marvel Stadium, Melbourne |
|
Saturday 26 July |
Second Test |
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
|
Saturday 2 August |
Third Test |
Accor Stadium, Sydney |
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