Lions Tour 2025

[Homer]

To be fair it is starting to look like a cluster f**k. Team thrown together, lacking real talent and given three training sessions together to take on the lions. Sort of like those club rugby Baa Baa teams they throw at the Australian U21 teams.

 

[Mr Pilfer]

Quite a few kiwis now available that missed out with a point to prove.

Blackadder, Tele'a, Papali'i, Havili, Sotutu, would be great to see them in there mixed with some fringe wallabies players and some overseas players.

 

[Strewthcobber]

To be fair it is starting to look like a cluster f**k. Team thrown together, lacking real talent and given three training sessions together to take on the lions. Sort of like those club rugby Baa Baa teams they throw at the Australian U21 teams.

It's an exhibition game, like hundreds of similar games in the history of rugby union.

I can't understand why anyone thought this was ever going to be anything other than a bit of fun for players not selected for anything else

 

[Wilson]

Looking at the schedule it's basically going to be an Australia A game with the Brumbies players replaced with Kiwis. I imagine that means they have a much better idea of the bulk of the side internally, with just that kiwi availability remaining to see who they can slot in where. Given how strong ticket sales have been across the tour I don't think it matters much that they haven't announced who's playing yet either.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Bit of history for the previous ANZAC game in 1989. While it was a pretty good and close game, the concept itself was a bit of a flop, which is probably why it has never been repeated..

The Anzac XV was supposed to be a Barbarian-style side combining large numbers of All Blacks and Wallabies but, in the end, the New Zealanders refused to fully support the concept.

A total of 12 All Blacks dropped out of the squad and only one of the three who did turn up was a current international.

 

[Spamnoodle]

Bit of history for the previous ANZAC game in 1989. While it was a pretty good and close game, the concept itself was a bit of a flop, which is probably why it has never been repeated..

In 1989 everyone had to hold down a real job to be able to afford to play rugby. It was most likely lambing season in NZ.

 

[Strewthcobber]

In 1989 everyone had to hold down a real job to be able to afford to play rugby. It was most likely lambing season in NZ.

It was because the ANZAC game fell on the spare weekend between two test against Argentina. The Bled was then the week after

 

[Spamnoodle]

It was because the ANZAC game fell on the spare weekend between two test against Argentina. The Bled was then the week after

Well there's your answer, it's hardly a similar scenario this time around.

 

[rugbyAU]

Lions warn Rugby Australia about breaking 'agreement' by resting Wallabies stars

The British and Irish Lions have no interest playing against anything but full-strength line-ups in their lead-up to the first Test against the Wallabies in July.

www.abc.net.au

 

[John S]

To me that reads the BIL see themselves as a more important match than Aus v Fiji. I get them wanting to play the best team they can, but surely RA can want to put best team for an international match onto the pitch.

Or am I reading too much into it?

 

[Adam84]

Well the shit kicking off in the Middle East might impact on barmy army tour numbers, flights getting cancelled and I’d expect a few Poms reconsidering their plans if it needs to go via Qatar/UAE

 

[Wilson]

Well the shit kicking off in the Middle East might impact on barmy army tour numbers, flights getting cancelled and I’d expect a few Poms reconsidering their plans if it needs to go via Qatar/UAE

I wonder if any British or Irish players have booked holidays for Australia just in case there's a late squad call up. Wouldn't be the first time they've called in players in the region on short notice and it'll be even more likely if last minute flights are tricky to organise.

There aren't many kicking around super rugby right now - Adamson is the only one I'm aware of, though there are technically eligible ones like Lambert, Dolly and Sotutu, I'm not sure what lions selection would otherwise mean for they're eligibility. I imagine the handful of so in Japan also come into consideration.