British & Irish Lions 2025 General News and Chat

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Please the Top 14 teams would play their U23 Espoirs team

 

[AlRums]

Future British & Irish Lions tour of France on the agenda at Melbourne summit

Abdel Benazzi, vice-president of the French rugby federation, said supporters and players would buy in to repeat of the 1989 France v Lions fixture

www.theguardian.com

Headlines all wrong, they're promoting a pre tour game. Nothing more.

No different to Japan or Argentina.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Headlines all wrong, they're promoting a pre tour game. Nothing more.

No different to Japan or Argentina.

Read the article. No commitment for Lions to tour SA/Aus in 2033/37.

Personally I am in favour. Especially with the travel. Makes sense.

 

[Derpus]

I don't really understand the point of playing France. I was assured the main reason the Lions are still a thing (despite the money it generates) is its heritage.

That said - there is a non-zero chance Australia aren't even professional in another 12 years.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

I don't really understand the point of playing France. I was assured the main reason the Lions are still a thing (despite the money it generates) is its heritage.

Money!

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

A tour to a country where rugby matters, there’d be great opposition, great scenery and a totally different culture.

And frankly far better wine than you get in Aus (especially), NZ, SA or South America.

And just a couple of hours away.

What’s not to like?

Cycle of NZ, SA, Fra and then a test only tour against the rest of the world.

The tours stand or fall or the tests. But for all the hype, underwhelming doesn’t begin to describe this tour so far.

Or just can the whole idea.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

For me we play the French teams so often it's a bit blah

Genuinely I would rather see a combined SH team and change it between north and south hosting it.

This tour would've been so much better with something like
Pre tour v Argentina
Game 1 v Samoa (Aus play Tonga)
Game 2 v Tonga (Aus pls Fiji
Game 3 v Fiji (Aus play Samoa)
Test 1
Combined team of some kind midweek
Test 2
Test 3

Both teams have equal prep

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

For me we play the French teams so often it's a bit blah

That’s true.

But then again we’ve also got the SA teams in the URC and Champions Cup and with the AIs and summer tours and player mobility between clubs the SH players aren’t the mythical beasts of old either.

I think Fra would be great for players and fans and could experiment with warm ups against the likes Spain and Georgia.

Unfortunately the initial phase of this tour is going to have to force some rethinking one way or another.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

End of the day the Lions concept is retained and against a top international side. It needs to be competitive. France and top 14 teams will be. I don’t see what there’s not to like on top of it would be a big revenue raiser, a couple hours travel away and it would be only once every 12 years? Assuming SA is retained and instead there’s a combined Aus/NZ tour? Or retain the current structure and it would be once every 16 years. Worth a try.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I struggle to see the top 14 teams wanting to ruin their preseason rest for a one off lions game

I can’t see them fielding full strength sides and will prob have less starters than the Aussie teams

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Only way I'd not hate this is I'd it's warmups v Rugby Europe Championship teams, France A and French Barbarians.

Fully loaded Top 14 teams would smoke the Lions in warm up games and espoirs would be cannon fodder.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Any French tour would be a once in every decade+ event a long way in the future. Deals can be done and contracts made.

French rugby is also huge on civic pride in a way few others (and certainly not Aus) are. So from that perspective alone I’d have thought most clubs would kill for the chance to take down the Lions. Llanelli are still dining out on beating the ABs in 1972.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

I don't really understand the point of playing France. I was assured the main reason the Lions are still a thing (despite the money it generates) is its heritage.

That said - there is a non-zero chance Australia aren't even professional in another 12 years.

Their best players will be but playing in New Zealand, Japan, France or England.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I don't really understand the point of playing France. I was assured the main reason the Lions are still a thing (despite the money it generates) is its heritage.

That said - there is a non-zero chance Australia aren't even professional in another 12 years.

Generally speaking it’s private schools keeping the game afloat. Same goes for cricket over here.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

In England private schools are both shrinking and also becoming more reliant on demographics I can’t imagine being as keen on rugby. Plus brain damage crisis doesn’t help at all.

 

[Ddanno]

What a spiteful old vampiric looking **** (Peter V'landys)

British and Irish Lions: How series could save rugby union in Australia

Rugby union has slipped off the back pages and into crisis in Australia. The arrival of the British and Irish Lions might have come just in time to save the sport.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[AlRums]

What a spiteful old vampiric looking **** (Peter V'landys)

British and Irish Lions: How series could save rugby union in Australia

Rugby union has slipped off the back pages and into crisis in Australia. The arrival of the British and Irish Lions might have come just in time to save the sport.

www.bbc.co.uk

One thing that article confirms is that Lions tours are a financial lifeline for the Southern nations.

 

[Ddanno]

British and Irish Lions: Pete Samu ineligible to play for First Nations and Pasifika XV

Rugby Australia and the British and Irish Lions are at loggerheads after Wallaby number eight Pete Samu is blocked from appearing for the First Nations and Pasifika XV.

www.bbc.co.uk

Why are the Lions being total dicks about this

 

[Derpus]

What a spiteful old vampiric looking **** (Peter V'landys)

British and Irish Lions: How series could save rugby union in Australia

Rugby union has slipped off the back pages and into crisis in Australia. The arrival of the British and Irish Lions might have come just in time to save the sport.

www.bbc.co.uk

Hes worse than he looks.

 

[Reiser99]

British and Irish Lions: Pete Samu ineligible to play for First Nations and Pasifika XV

Rugby Australia and the British and Irish Lions are at loggerheads after Wallaby number eight Pete Samu is blocked from appearing for the First Nations and Pasifika XV.

www.bbc.co.uk

Why are the Lions being total dicks about this

So the Lions complain about Australia not releasing their best players for the warm ups and devaluing the games, but then also complain about Samu playing which would make the team better over a minor technicality thus devaluing the match.

Considering they have a brand to protect they don't seem very bothered about looking like complete dickheads.