Lions Tour 2025

[Adam84]

Adam Gilchrist talking about knowing exactly when he didn't have it or the same drive to perform

a favourite interview

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1563454070663402

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Even better take on it.

 

[Adam84]

Richie Mo'unga, Shannon Frizell and Shaun Stevenson have received insurance approval to participate in the AUNZ Invitational team's match against the British & Irish Lions on July 10. Now just need Japan clubs to sign off and RA will no doubt announce their participation

 

[Dctarget]

Does that mean they're the big name NZ players? Rest of the Kiwis will be NZ based players outside the ABs squad?

 

[rugbyAU]

Anyone else feel that RA has completely dropped the ball on this ANZAC fixture and it's been a real let down

Only 5 weeks left and we have zero players announced, no jersey and coaches only recently announced

There will be no Wallabies playing and the All blacks and the Maori All Blacks will be unavailable, the Brumbies game is also only 3 days before, will those players be available?

Even if they can get Frizzell, Stevenson or Richie what other Kiwis would they get?

It would make sense to do an Aus A fixture if none of the top NZ or Aus players are available and if RA isn't interested in marketing it properly

 

[Major Tom]

Lions don’t want to play Aus A apparently

 

[Slim 293]

There will be no Wallabies playing and the All blacks and the Maori All Blacks will be unavailable, the Brumbies game is also only 3 days before, will those players be available?

Yeah, so what?

 

[rugbyAU]

You want some big name players surely

 

[upthereds#!]

anyone wanna have a crack at the Indigenous/Pasifika team?

They won't be bringing in euro based players for it fairly certain - some may double up between ausnz and PI/IN and probably be some NZ, Japan based, but will give it a go with those in Australia only. (Though I hope this is not the case and we can get some more!) If nothing else, this pack and bench is big and will leave a mark.

1. Kailea 2. Asiata 3. Fotuaika
4. Swain 5. Amatosero
6. Leota 8. Ekuasi 7. Samu
9. Fines 10. Pasitoa 11. Muirhead 12. Feliuali 13. Foketi 14. Reilly 15. Beale

16. Vailanu 17. Moli 18. Tauakipulu 19. Kalapu 20. Tualima 21. Talataina 22. Thomas 23. Ripley

 

[Wilson]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Skelton suit up for either invitational game. La Rochelle have missed out on the play offs, so it'll be much easier to get him out early, but they won't want him going in cold to the first test.

 

[Major Tom]

- Amastero has Nigerian heritage (maybe Polynesian mixed in as well)
- Kalani Thomas should start
- I’m not sure Samu will be available before rugby championship
- I’d deffs have JTA (Jeffery Toomaga-Allen) there as well
Not a bad crack at a team though

 

[PhilClinton]

For everyone complaining about the ANZAC game, chill your grills. Did people really expect a team to run out full of current All Blacks and Wallabies?

It’s a tour match FFS, it’s a pretty new concept as well. The Lions are here to play the Wallabies. That is all sorted.

 

[Brumby Runner]

There may be changes if some of those find their way into the Wallaby squad, the one change to that team I'd make would be Mac Grealy in for Beale. Both played fullback for the Force this year and Grealy's form was far superior.

 

[Wilson]

That selection is for a Pasifika/Indigenous side, as far as I'm aware Grealy does not have either heritage.

 

[rugbyAU]

They won't be bringing in euro based players for it fairly certain - some may double up between ausnz and PI/IN and probably be some NZ, Japan based, but will give it a go with those in Australia only. (Though I hope this is not the case and we can get some more!) If nothing else, this pack and bench is big and will leave a mark.

1. Kailea 2. Asiata 3. Fotuaika
4. Swain 5. Amatosero
6. Leota 8. Ekuasi 7. Samu
9. Fines 10. Pasitoa 11. Muirhead 12. Feliuali 13. Foketi 14. Reilly 15. Beale

16. Vailanu 17. Moli 18. Tauakipulu 19. Kalapu 20. Tualima 21. Talataina 22. Thomas 23. Ripley

And Peitsch if not in Wallabies

 

[Spamnoodle]

For everyone complaining about the ANZAC game, chill your grills. Did people really expect a team to run out full of current All Blacks and Wallabies?

It’s a tour match FFS, it’s a pretty new concept as well. The Lions are here to play the Wallabies. That is all sorted.

And I'll add, it's a bloody awesome concept. Why would they announce a team 5 week's out? The same reasoning doesn't apply anywhere else in the game.

 

[JRugby2]

Anyone else feel that RA has completely dropped the ball on this ANZAC fixture and it's been a real let down

Only 5 weeks left and we have zero players announced, no jersey and coaches only recently announced

There will be no Wallabies playing and the All blacks and the Maori All Blacks will be unavailable, the Brumbies game is also only 3 days before, will those players be available?

Even if they can get Frizzell, Stevenson or Richie what other Kiwis would they get?

It would make sense to do an Aus A fixture if none of the top NZ or Aus players are available and if RA isn't interested in marketing it properly

Yes it's been a huge fail from whoever is in charge of this one.

We should have been hyping this game up massively and treating it like a true exhibition game. Hopefully with Super nearly done we'll get some imminent announcements re jersey, players etc etc but nothing other than coaches so far is so annoyingly typical of RA.

 

[JRugby2]

For everyone complaining about the ANZAC game, chill your grills. Did people really expect a team to run out full of current All Blacks and Wallabies?

It’s a tour match FFS, it’s a pretty new concept as well. The Lions are here to play the Wallabies. That is all sorted.

No and I agree people angry about this are angry at the wrong thing, but we have a well of talent available from Japan and Europe that we could be using to promote the fixture. TBH the fact there aren't going to be current players in the teams isn't even a problem - it should be the high profile exiles filling this team mostly, with a smattering of locals.