Every four years, a British and Irish Lions tour is still seen by many as the peak of professional rugby, with the finest players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland joining forces.
Every four years, a British and Irish Lions tour is still seen by many as the peak of professional rugby, with the finest players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland joining forces.
This summer, head coach Andy Farrell has taken the Lions to Australia with the aim of winning a series in the southern hemisphere for the first time in 12 years.
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- How to watch Lions on TV
- Full fixture list
- Latest team news
- Lions squad
- Lions coaches
- Australia squad
- Previous tours
How do I watch the 2025 Lions tour?
Sky Sports have exclusive rights to show all Lions matches this summer.
Radio coverage of all matches is on Talksport. Telegraph Sport will live blog every game too.
Fixtures: Full schedule and TV guide
The Lions played in Dublin against Argentina on Friday before travelling to Australia and commencing tour matches on June 28. The tour then runs throughout July, ending with the third and final Test against Australia on August 2.
Times shown below are UK (BST). All games shown on Sky Sports Main Event.
Friday, June 20
Lions 24 Argentina 28 (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
Saturday, June 28
Western Force 7 Lions 54 (Optus Stadium, Perth)
Wednesday, July 2
Queensland Reds 12 Lions 52 (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane)
Saturday, July 5
NSW Waratahs 10 Lions 21 (Allianz Stadium, Sydney)
Wednesday, July 9 – 11am BST
ACT Brumbies 24 Lions 36 (Gio Stadium, Canberra)
Saturday, July 12 – 11am BST
Australia & New Zealand Invitational 0 Lions 48 (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)
Saturday, July 19 – 11am BST
vs Australia – First Test (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane)
Tuesday, July 22 – 11am BST
vs First Nations and Pasifika XV (Marvel Stadium, Melbourne)
Saturday, July 26 –11am BST
vs Australia – Second Test (MCG, Melbourne)
Saturday, August 2 –11am BST
vs Australia – Third Test (Accor Stadium, Sydney)
What is the latest news?
By Daniel Schofield
Australia head coach Joe Schmidt has sprung a surprise by handing flanker Nick Champion de Crespigny his debut against the Lions on Saturday after No 8 Rob Valentini and second row Will Skelton were ruled out.
The Wallabies are missing some key personnel going into the first Test at the Suncorp Stadium and fly-half Noah Lolesio had already been ruled out with a serious neck injury, but Schmidt will now also be missing Valentini and Skelton who are both nursing calf injuries.
Tom Lynagh, son of Wallabies legend Michael, fills the void at fly-half to make his first Test start while Champion de Crespigny, who was struggling to find a club five years ago, comes into the back row alongside Fraser McReight and Harry Wilson who captains the team from No 8.
The loss of both Valentini and Skelton cannot be understated. Valentini is the Wallabies primary ball carrier and has won back to back John Eales Medals, awarded to Australia’s player of the year. Skelton, meanwhile, is one of the most destructive locks in world rugby and supplies significant heft to the Wallabies second row.
Schmidt revealed that both players were on the cusp of being passed fit but he decided not to risk either man entering a three-Test series. “We just felt it was the most judicious decision,” Schmidt said. “Bobby has been a very regular starter for us and a big player for us. It puts more onus on Harry Wilson to fulfil the ball-carrying role.”
Back rower Langi Gleeson also misses out while there is no space in the matchday squad for Taniela Tupou. Lynagh, who missed the 21-18 victory against Fiji with a hand injury, partners Jake Gordon at half-back. By starting, the Lynaghs will become the first father-son combination to play against the Lions after Michael’s starring role in the 1989 series.
Matt Faessler also returns at hooker alongside tighthead Allan Alaalatoa and James Slipper, the loosehead, who is Australia’s record caps holder. Nick Frost and Jeremy Williams are in the second row together.
Budding superstar Joseph Suaalii starts at outside centre and is partnered by Exeter-bound inside centre Len Ikitau in the same outside back division that played against Fiji. Harry Potter and Max Jorgensen start on the wings with Tom Wright at full-back.
“The whole squad has worked hard as a group to prepare for what’s going to a massive challenge against an in-form Lions team,” Joe Schmidt said. With the short runway leading up to such a big Test match, we know we must adapt fast and improve quickly, from the performance we had against Fiji recently. We’re very much aware of the occasion and conscious of earning the support from the public through the effort they see on the field.”
Australia XV: T Wright; M Jorgensen, J-A Suaalii, L Ikitau, H Potter; T Lynagh, J Gordon; J Slipper, M Faessler, A Alaalatoa, N Frost, J Williams, N Champion de Crespigny, F McReight, H Wilson
Replacements: B Pollard, A Bell, T Robertson, T Hooper, C Tizzano, T McDermott, B Donaldson, A Kellaway
Who is in the Lions squad?
Since the original squad was announced in May injuries have forced the withdrawal of Tomos Williams and Elliot Daly.
Backs: Ewan Ashman (Scotland), Bundee Aki (Ireland), Elliot Daly (England), Tommy Freeman (England), Jamie George (England), Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland), Darcy Graham (Scotland), Mack Hansen (Ireland), Huw Jones (Scotland), Hugo Keenan (Ireland), Blair Kinghorn (Scotland), Jamie Osborne (Ireland), James Lowe (Ireland), Alex Mitchell (England), Garry Ringrose (Ireland), Finn Russell (Scotland), Fin Smith (England), Marcus Smith (England), Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland), Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland), Tomos Williams (Wales). Ben White (Scotland, for Tomos Williams), Owen Farrell (England, for Elliot Daly).
Forwards: Finlay Bealham (Ireland), Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Tom Clarkson (Ireland), Ollie Chessum (England), Jack Conan (Ireland), Luke Cowan-Dickie (England), Scott Cummings (Scotland), Tom Curry (England), Ben Earl (England), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Ellis Genge (England), Maro Itoje (England, capt), Ronan Kelleher (Ireland), Joe McCarthy (Ireland), Jac Morgan (Wales), Henry Pollock (England), Andrew Porter (Ireland), James Ryan (Ireland), Pierre Schoeman (Scotland), Dan Sheehan (Ireland), Will Stuart (England), Rory Sutherland (Scotland), Josh Van der Flier (Ireland).
Who is in the Lions coaching team?
England No 2 Richard Wigglesworth and Ireland’s recent interim boss Simon Easterby are Farrell’s assistant coaches. Scotland forwards coach John Dalziel was recruited to Farrell’s management team and he is joined by Ireland’s John Fogarty, Andrew Goodman and Johnny Sexton. Farrell is the only member of the staff with previous Lions coaching experience.
Simon Easterby
Age: 49
Current job: Ireland interim head coach (normally in charge of defence)
Lions experience: Zero tours as coach; one as a player
Coaching credentials: A tourist as a rounded flanker on the ill-fated 2005 tour, Easterby won 65 caps for Ireland and another two for the Lions before taking the leap to coaching.
Easterby spent two years as the Scarlets defence coach before moving into the head coach role. In 2014, he then joined Joe Schmidt’s Ireland coaching team as forwards coach. He switched to defence in 2021 under Andy Farrell and took interim charge of Ireland in the 2025 Six Nations in Farrell’s absence. With Easterby as assistant, Ireland won two Six Nations titles (in 2023 and 2024) with one Grand Slam (in 2023).
Richard Wigglesworth
Age: 41
Current job: England senior assistant coach (in charge of attack)
Lions experience: Zero tours
Coaching credentials: The youngest of Farrell’s assistants, the former England scrum-half transitioned into coaching while a player-coach at Leicester, leading a Premiership title victory with the Tigers. He then took the reins fully on a temporary basis upon Steve Borthwick’s departure to England in 2022.
Wigglesworth joined Borthwick before the 2023 World Cup and has been leading England’s attack since. Last year, he was promoted to senior assistant coach in Borthwick’s set-up and his inclusion is reward for England’s second-place Six Nations finish.
Andrew Goodman
Age: 42
Current job: Ireland backs coach
Lions experience: Zero tours
Coaching credentials: The New Zealand-born Goodman is the sole “foreign” coach in Farrell’s cabal and has been running the Irish attack alongside the head coach since the 2024 Six Nations, when he replaced England World Cup winner Mike Catt.
Goodman was poached from Leinster, where he was the brains behind the province’s attack from the start of the 2022-23 season, having helped the Crusaders to the Super Rugby title a few months earlier. The former fly-half and centre – who played for Leinster between two stints in Japan – was also a part of Samoa’s coaching team at the 2023 World Cup. Ireland won the 2024 Six Nations with Goodman as an assistant.
John Dalziel
Age: 48
Current job: Scotland forwards coach
Lions experience: Zero tours
Coaching credentials: A former flanker with Gala, Melrose, London Scottish and then the professional (now defunct) Border Reivers outfit, Dalziel joined the senior Scotland set-up as forwards coach ahead of the 2020-21 season.
Between his playing retirement and role alongside Gregor Townsend, he was the forwards and head coach at Melrose, the head coach of Scotland under-20s and sevens, and the forwards coach of London Scottish and then Glasgow. It was from the Warriors where he was poached by Townsend in 2020. Scotland won the most line-outs of any nation in the 2025 Six Nations under Dalziel’s tutelage.
John Fogarty
Age: 47
Current job: Ireland scrum coach
Lions experience: Zero tours
Coaching credentials: Having began his playing career in 2000 for Munster, it took Fogarty another 10 years to win his first and only cap for Ireland, as a replacement in the loss to New Zealand. Fogarty, whose playing career was more well known for stints at hooker with Connacht and Leinster, did however make numerous appearances for Ireland A before his retirement because of concussion in 2010.
Upon retirement, Fogarty became an elite player development officer with Leinster, while also fulfilling the role of scrum coach with Ireland Under-20s. In June 2015 he became the senior scrum coach at Leinster before moving up to the international arena in 2020. As with Easterby, Ireland have won two Six Nations titles with one Grand Slam since Fogarty’s arrival.
Johnny Sexton
Age: 49
Current job: Ireland (consultant)
Lions experience: Two tours
Coaching credentials: The legendary Ireland fly-half began work with national set-up on a consultancy basis for the 2024 Autumn Nations Series. He returned in time for the 2025 Six Nations campaign.
Sexton has held clear-the-air talks with Scotland fly-half Finn Russell who he had previously described as “flashy”. “It’s probably been blown out of proportion,” said Sexton. “We had a handshake and a brief chat. I’m here to help him now. I’m here to give him experiences and answer questions. I’m not here to force myself on him or tell him what to do.”
Who is in the Australia squad?
Backs: Filipo Daugunu (Wests Rugby Club, Queensland Reds), Ben Donaldson (Clovelly Eagles, Western Force), Jake Gordon (Canterbury Juniors, NSW Waratahs), Len Ikitau (#Tuggeranong Vikings, ACT Brumbies), Max Jorgensen (Balmain Wolves, NSW Waratahs), Andrew Kellaway (Hunters Hill Rugby Club, NSW Waratahs), Tom Lynagh (University of Queensland, Queensland Reds), Tate McDermott (Flinders Rugby Club, Queensland Reds), James O’Connor (St Joseph’s College, Nudgee, Crusaders – New Zealand), Hunter Paisami (Harlequin Junior Rugby Club, Queensland Reds), Dylan Pietsch (Leeton Phantoms, Western Force), Harry Potter (Moorabbin Rams, Western Force), Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii The Kings School, NSW Waratahs), Corey Toole (uncapped, Wagga Waratahs, ACT Brumbies), Nic White (Maitland Blacks, Western Force), Tom Wright (Clovelly Eagles, ACT Brumbies)
Unavailable for selection due to injury: Charlie Cale, Massimo De Lutiis, Noah Lolesio, Liam Wright.
Forwards: Allan Alaalatoa (West Harbour Juniors, ACT Brumbies), Angus Bell (Hunters Hill Rugby Club, NSW Waratahs), Josh Canham (Harlequin Junior Rugby Club, Queensland Reds), Nick Champion De Crespigny (uncapped, Canberra Grammar School, Western Force), Matt Faessler (USQ Saints, Queensland Reds), Nick Frost (Hornsby Lions, ACT Brumbies), Langi Gleeson (Harbord Harlequins, NSW Waratahs), Tom Hooper (Bathurst Bulldogs, ACT Brumbies), Fraser McReight (Albany Creek Brumbies, Queensland Reds), Zane Nonggorr (Gold Coast Eagles, Queensland Reds), Billy Pollard (Lindfield Junior Rugby Club, ACT Brumbies), David Porecki (Seaforth Raiders, NSW Waratahs), Tom Robertson (Dubbo Kangaroos, Western Force), Will Skelton (The Hills Sports High School, Stade Rochelais – France), James Slipper (Bond Pirates, ACT Brumbies) Carlo Tizzano (University of Western Australia, Western Force), Taniela Tupou (Brothers Rugby, Brisbane, NSW Waratahs), Rob Valetini Harlequin Junior Rugby Club, ACT Brumbies), Jeremy Williams (Wahroonga Tigers, Western Force), Harry Wilson (Gunnedah Red Devils, Queensland Reds).
What happened on the 2021 tour?
The Lions last toured in 2021, when they were beaten 2-1 by South Africa in a tour that was played behind closed doors due to the Covid pandemic.
2021 – South Africa
Lost 2-1
2017 – New Zealand
Drew 1-1
2013 – Australia
Won 2-1
2009 – South Africa
Lost 2-1
2005 – New Zealand
Lost 3-0
2001 – Australia
Lost 2-1
1997 – South Africa
Won 2-1
1993 – New Zealand
Lost 2-1
1989 – Australia
Won 2-1
1983 – South Africa
Lost 3-0
1983 – New Zealand
Lost 4-0
1980 – South Africa
Lost 3-1
1977 – New Zealand
Lost 3-1
1974 – South Africa
Won 3-0
1971 – New Zealand
Won 2-1
1968 – South Africa
Lost 3-0
1966 – New Zealand
Lost 3-0
1962 – South Africa
Won 2-1
1959 – New Zealand
Won 2-1
1955 – South Africa
Lost 2-1
1950 – New Zealand
Lost 4-0
1936 – South Africa
Lost 2-0
1930 – New Zealand
Lost 3-1
1924 – South Africa
Won 2-1
1914 – New Zealand
Lost 3-1
1910 – South Africa
Lost 2-0
1908 – New Zealand and Australia
New Zealand:Lost 3-1 (4-match series)
Australia:Won 2-0 (2-match series)
1904 – South Africa
Lost 2-1 (3-match series)
1888 – New Zealand and Australia
New Zealand:Lost 1-0
Australia:Won 1-0
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