Lions Tour of Australia: Dates, Venues, Kick-Off Times from UK, Squad Announcement by Andy Farrell
The lads from the British and Irish Lions are primed and ready for their Down Under adventure this coming summer, as they haven't set foot in Australia since 2013. Since their last trip, the legends from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales fight tooth and nail to earn a spot among the renowned team every four years.
Reading over their previous encounter in 2021, it doesn't paint the prettiest picture for the team; that was Warren Gatland's swan song, and their test against South Africa was a bitter loss, with several additional setbacks against the nation's local teams. But now, Andy Farrell has taken the reins and is eager to steer his side toward victory on foreign shores.
When's the Lions tour of Australia happening?
Got your calendars at the ready, Lions fans? The boys will embark on their Aussie journey on Saturday, June 28 and they'll be staying Down Under for five action-packed weeks – the tour comes to a close on August 2. There'll be a total of nine games to witness, but let's get our teeth into the specifics.
Kicking things off with a duel against Western Force in Perth, the lads will play nine grueling matches, including three tests against the ever-formidable Aussies and six thrilling encounters with regional teams. Most of these matches are scheduled for a 10:45am UK time start, whereas the meeting against an invitational Aussie-New Zealand outfit gets an early kick-off at 10:15am.
Prepare for nonstop action, because this Lions tour Down Under will be exclusively broadcast live on talkSPORT. And if you want to tune in to the madness, head to our page right here for the live stream. You can also get in on the action via the talkSPORT app, DAB digital radio, smart speakers, or 1089/1053 AM stations.
Expert Commentary
Lions fans, buckle up and prepare for a wild ride, as the talkSPORT team has you covered. Eddie Jones, a former England and Australia coach, will join forces with British & Irish Lions heavyweight Ben Kay, Ireland's Gordon D'Arcy, Wales' Alex Cuthbert, Scotland's Jim Hamilton, England's Rocky Clark, and Aussie Matt Giteau. With this dream team, you know you're in for a teasin' from start to finish.
Who made the cut for the Lions squad?
The official British and Irish Lions squad is officially out. Stepping into the captain's role for the first time in 24 years, Maro Itoje leads the charge. The honor is indeed a massive privilege, as Itoje humbly admitted, "[It's] hard to articulate. It's a tremendous honor, a tremendous privilege. You think about the people who have held this position before, and it's remarkable."
However, Ireland captain Caelan Doris, who was tipped for the captaincy, won't be making an appearance, as an unfortunate injury has sidelined him. Only two Welsh internationals, Jac Morgan and Tomos Williams, were chosen for this illustrious team, while Finn Russell from Scotland and England's rising star Henry Pollock have also secured their places.
Andy Farrell decided to leave his son, Owen Farrell, who is currently kicking it with Racing 92 in France, off the squad.
Here's the full lineup for the British and Irish Lions:
Full British & Irish Lions squad
Forwards:
- Tadhg Beirne - Ireland
- Ollie Chessum - England
- Jack Conan - Ireland
- Luke Cowan-Dickie - England
- Scott Cummings - Scotland
- Tom Curry - England
- Ben Earl - England
- Zander Ferguson - Scotland
- Tadhg Furlong - Ireland
- Ellis Genge - England
- Maro Itoje (C) - England
- 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 Stewart - England
- Josh van der Flier - Ireland
Backs:
- Bundee Aki - Ireland
- Elliot Daly - England
- Tommy Freeman - England
- Jamison Gibson-Park - Ireland
- Mack Hansen - Ireland
- Huw Jones - Scotland
- Hugo Keenan - Ireland
- Blair Kinghorn - Scotland
- 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
Lions tour of Australia: Schedule
Mark your calendars, folks! The Lions take the field together for the first time on Friday, June 20, as they square off against Argentina in Dublin to officially kick off the tour. But buckle up, because the real fun starts on June 28, when the team touches down in Perth for a match against Western Force.
Were it not for a spicy match against Argentina in Dublin, the Lions' tune-up games leading up to their tour Down Under would consist solely of regional contests. But there's no rest for the wicked, as they'll face off against the likes of the ACT Brumbies, NSW Waratahs, First Nations & Pasifika XV (in Melbourne), and, of course, the mighty Aussie Wallabies in three separate tests – the first one starts on July 19 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Below, you'll find the full schedule for the British and Irish Lions Down Under tour:
All kick-off times GMT
- The Lions vs Argentina – June 20, 8pm – Aviva Stadium, Dublin
- Western Force vs The Lions – June 28, 10:45am – Optus Stadium, Perth
- Queensland Reds vs The Lions – July 2, 10:45am – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
- NSW Waratahs vs The Lions – July 5, 10:45am – Allianz Stadium, Sydney
- ACT Brumbies vs The Lions – July 9, 10:45am – GIO Stadium, Canberra
- Invitational AU-NZ vs The Lions – July 12, 10:15am – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
- Australia vs The Lions (First Test) – July 19, 10:45am – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
- First Nations & Pasifika XV vs The Lions – July 22, 10:45am – Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
- Australia vs The Lions (Second Test) – July 26, 10:45am – MCG, Melbourne
- Australia vs The Lions (Third Test) – August 2, 10:45am – Accor Stadium, Sydney
With the team named and the schedule announced, the buzz around the Lions tour Down Under is starting to build. After being bestowed with the captaincy, Maro Itoje had nothing but praise for the accolade, stating, "It's an honor and I will do my very best so that I can contribute to a successful tour." In the same vein, Wales' Tomos Williams admitted he was "Grateful [for the opportunity] and I'll get a bit of stick for this, no doubt."
That's the latest in the Lions tour of Australia – stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the kick-off date!
[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/61710733[2] https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/british-irish-lions-announce-aussie-tour-squad-for-2025-42296351.html[3] https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/union/british-irish-lions-australia-2025-tour-b1143075.html[4] https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/feb/07/british-irish-lions-decline-australia-test-series-offer-in-deal-that-prevents-2025-tour[5] https://www.pa.pressassociation.com/Regional-News/British-Irish-Lions-hand-tour-plans-to-Australia-to-2025/21451493.article
- Andrew Farrell has announced that he is preparing the British and Irish Lions for their tour of Australia, with the tour set to take place from June 28 to August 2, 2025.
- Maro Itoje, a prominent rugby player, has been named as the captain of the British and Irish Lions squad for the tour of Australia.
- Apart from several matches against regional teams, the Lions will be playing three tests against the Australian Wallabies, with the first one scheduled for July 19 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
- Alongside former England and Australia coach Eddie Jones, the talkSPORT team will provide live broadcast coverage of the Lions tour of Australia, featuring British & Irish Lions heavyweight Ben Kay, Gordon D'Arcy, Alex Cuthbert, Jim Hamilton, Rocky Clark, and Matt Giteau.
