Invitational Australia & New Zealand side to play in JulyPlayers who have switched nationality will not be eligible
The British & Irish Lions are set to face a number of former All Blacks with Rugby Australia’s chief executive, Phil Waugh, confident players based in Japan can be recruited for the Anzac fixture in July. Waugh also confirmed that players who have represented Australia and New Zealand but subsequently switched nationality will not be considered, ending Israel Folau’s hopes of appearing in another Lions series and ruling out Charles Piutau.
The Lions will lock horns with an invitational Australia and New Zealand side for the first time since 1989. When the fixture was announced in 2023, the then Australia head coach, Eddie Jones, turned his nose up, saying: “I don’t want to be involved with the Kiwis.” With the former All Blacks head coach Ian Foster leading the combined side, Waugh believes the fixture in Adelaide will have star appeal.
About Author
More Stories
JJ Spaun completes fairytale with monster final putt on wet and wild day at US Open
Malik Tillman double leads US to 5-0 rout of Trinidad and Tobago in Gold Cup opener
McLaren play it cool after Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collide