The British and Irish lions will take on an Anzac XV in the unofficial ‘fourth Test’ in Adelaide as details of Australia’s 2025 tour were released on Wednesday.
Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium fought off hot competition from Perth and Adelaide to win the right to host the first Test on July 19. and the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Sydney’s Accor Stadium have been unveiled as other test venues.
The Lions will also play all five of Australia’s Super Rugby teams on their nine-game tour but the revival of the Anzac concept has much interest outside the Wallabies.
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The match on July 12 will serve as the “Australia-New Zealand invitational team” as the Lions’ final Test match.
The tour, which comes to 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 sport’s greatest festivals. It is a true symbol of the sport in Australia and the world,” Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh said.
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“It’s an exciting game for the world as the Lions take on our Super Rugby competition, three big Test matches, and an Australia-New Zealand friendly in Adelaide.”
The Lions last visited Australia in 2013, where the visitors won the series 2-1.
Wallabies legend Tim Horan was excited about the idea of a revived Anzac team when the idea 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 like an unofficial fourth test,” Horan said.
“In those days, I think we only had three or four Kiwis who came to play, so if you’re going to be a real Anzac team, you get the best players from the All Blacks.
“If the All Blacks buy, the Wallabies buy and share the gate, and I think Rugby Australia can also invest in the Pacific Islands.”
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New Zealand Rugby has not commented on the size of the Anzac squad but it is understood the team will be made up of foreign players instead of contract players.
Horan had a hard time picking his dream Anzac team in March, with eight All Blacks and seven Wallabies included (see photo below).
The Stan Sport pundit was working on the basis of all available players
Lions boss Ben Calveley described the tour as “one of the most anticipated series in history.”
“I would also like to thank Premier Rugby and the United Rugby Championship, whose partnership has resulted in the longest tour preparation period in recent history, giving us the opportunity to win the series,” Calveley said.
“Our goal is … to make this upcoming tour the biggest Lions tour ever, and position it as the biggest game in the world in 2025.”
LIONS TOUR PLAN 2025
|
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 |
The second test |
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
|
Saturday 2 August |
Third Test |
Accor Stadium, Sydney |
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