The 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia, known for sponsorship reasons as the Qatar Airways Lions Men's Series, was an international rugby union tour which took place in Australia between June and August 2025.
The British & Irish Lions, a team selected from players eligible to represent England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, played a three-match test series against Australia, as well as matches against Australia's four Super Rugby franchise teams, one against an invitational team made up of players from Australia and New Zealand, and a match against a team made up of players with First Nations and Pasifika origin. Ireland coach Andy Farrell was appointed as the Lions' head coach for the tour in January 2024.
After losing to Argentina in a pre-tour match, the Lions won all their matches in Australia, except the third test. They won the test series 2–1. Following the tour, The Independent reported that it was the most profitable tour in history by a significant margin.
Schedule
The fixtures for the tour were announced on 19 July 2023. The tour culminated with a three-match test series between the Lions and the Australia, and also featured matches against Australia's four Super Rugby franchises, the Western Force, Queensland Reds, New South Wales Waratahs and ACT Brumbies. They were scheduled to face the Melbourne Rebels in the week between the first and second tests, but the Rebels were disbanded at the end of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season after going into administration earlier in the year. A match against a team of players with indigenous Australian and Pacific Island heritage was proposed in its place in November 2024 and confirmed in March 2025. The week before the first test, the Lions played a match in Adelaide against an invitational team of players from Australia and New Zealand. A warm-up match against Argentina was played at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on 20 June 2025. It was the Lions' first ever match in Ireland.
DateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueDetails20 June (Friday) British & Irish Lions24–28 ArgentinaAviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland Match details28 June (Saturday)Western Force7–54 British & Irish LionsPerth Stadium, Perth, WAMatch details2 July (Wednesday)Queensland Reds12–52 British & Irish LionsLang Park, Brisbane, QLDMatch details5 July (Saturday)New South Wales Waratahs10–21 British & Irish LionsSydney Football Stadium, Sydney, NSWMatch details9 July (Wednesday)ACT Brumbies24–36 British & Irish LionsCanberra Stadium, Canberra, ACTMatch details12 July (Saturday)AUNZ Invitational XV0–48 British & Irish LionsAdelaide Oval, Adelaide, SAMatch details19 July (Saturday)Australia19–27 British & Irish LionsLang Park, Brisbane, QLDMatch details22 July (Tuesday)First Nations & Pasifika XV19–24 British & Irish LionsDocklands Stadium, Melbourne, VICMatch details26 July (Saturday)Australia26–29 British & Irish LionsMelbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, VICMatch details2 August (Saturday)Australia22–12 British & Irish LionsStadium Australia, Sydney, NSWMatch details
Venues SydneyMelbourneSydney Football StadiumStadium AustraliaMelbourne Cricket GroundDocklands StadiumCapacity: 42,500Capacity: 83,500Capacity: 100,024Capacity: 56,347BrisbaneAdelaideLang ParkAdelaide OvalCapacity: 52,500Capacity: 53,500PerthCanberraPerth StadiumCanberra StadiumCapacity: 60,000Capacity: 25,000
Squads British & Irish Lions On 8 May 2025, Lions chairman and tour manager Ieuan Evans announced a 38-player squad at The O2 Arena in London. In a first for the Lions, the squad was announced in front of 2,000 fans.
The initial squad was made up of 15 players from Ireland, 13 from England, 8 from Scotland and 2 from Wales. Maro Itoje was named as the 47th Lions captain.
Notes: Ages listed are as of the first tour match on 20 June against Argentina. Bold denotes that the player was selected for a previous Lions squad. Italic denotes a player that withdrew from the squad following selection.
PlayerPositionDate of birth (age)National teamClub/provinceNational caps(Lions caps)NotesHooker Edinburgh22Called up as additional coverHooker Sale Sharks49 (3)Hooker Saracens102 (3)Called up as injury coverHooker Leinster38Hooker Leinster32Prop Connacht51Replaced Zander FagersonProp Leinster8Called up as additional coverProp Glasgow Warriors75Withdrew due to injury sustained before tourProp Leinster79 (6)Prop Bristol Bears71Prop Leinster75Prop Edinburgh42Prop Bath50Prop Glasgow Warriors41 (2)Called up as additional coverSecond row Munster61 (2)Second row Glasgow Warriors9Called up as additional coverSecond row Leicester Tigers28Second row Glasgow Warriors42 (c)Second row Saracens93 (6)Second row Leinster19Second row Leinster72Back row Leinster51 (3)Back row Sale Sharks61 (3)Back row Saracens42Back row Ospreys23Back row Northampton Saints1Back row Leinster73Scrum-half Leinster43Scrum-half Northampton Saints23Scrum-half Toulon25Replaced Tomos WilliamsScrum-half Gloucester65Replaced due to injury sustained in match against Western ForceFly-half Saracens112 (6)Replaced Elliot DalyFly-half Bath87 (1)Fly-half Northampton Saints11Fly-half Harlequins44Centre Connacht65 (1)Centre Glasgow Warriors58Centre Leinster67Centre Glasgow Warriors30Wing Northampton Saints21Wing Edinburgh43Called up as additional coverWing Connacht28Wing Leinster40Wing Edinburgh49 (3)Full back Saracens73 (5)Replaced due to injury sustained in match against Queensland RedsFull back Leinster46Full back Toulouse60Full back Leinster8Called up as injury cover
Management and staff Ireland head coach Andy Farrell was appointed as the Lions' head coach for the tour in January 2024. He succeeded former Wales head coach Warren Gatland, who had led the team on their previous three tours. Farrell was one of Gatland's assistant coaches on the 2013 tour to Australia and 2017 tour to New Zealand.
Farrell announced his five assistant coaches on 26 March 2025. Three of the coaches selected worked under Farrell at Ireland – defence coach Simon Easterby, scrum coach John Fogarty and backs coach Andrew Goodman. Forwards coach John Dalziel was selected from Scotland, whilst attack coach Richard Wigglesworth (who played under Farrell at Saracens) was selected from England. For all five assistant coaches, this was their first Lions tour, although Easterby had toured as a player in 2005. It was also the first tour since 2001 without any representation from Wales among the coaches.
On 17 April, Johnny Sexton was added to the coaching staff. Sexton, who toured with the Lions as a player in 2013 and 2017, has been a coach with Ireland since 2024.
On 23 June, the Lions confirmed the backroom staff of the tour.
ManagementRoleNameTour Manager / Chairman Ieuan EvansChief Executive Ben CalveleyGeneral Manager David NuciforaCoachesRoleNameUnion / ClubHead Coach Andy FarrellForwards Coach John DalzielDefence Coach Simon EasterbyScrum Coach John FogartyBacks Coach Andrew GoodmanKicking Coach Johnny SextonAttack Coach Richard WigglesworthPerformance staffMental Skills CoachGary KeeganHead of AnalysisVinny HamondAnalystCarwyn MorganAnalystRhodri BownAnalystJohn BuckleyHead of Athletic PerformanceAled WaltersStrength & Conditioning CoachDan TobinStrength & Conditioning & Sports ScientistBen PollardNutritionistGraeme Close LJMUHead of MedicalDr Ciaran CosgraveTeam DoctorDr Geoff DaviesPhysiotherapistBob StewartPhysiotherapistJohn MilesPhysiotherapistKeith FoxMassage TherapistAnn-Marie BirminghamMassage TherapistSusie GillKit ManMark BeelsOperationsDirector of OperationsCharlotte GibbonsHead of CommunicationsJonny Fordham Premiership RugbyHead of SecurityBill Renshaw
Australia On 11 July 2025, Australia named a 36-player squad ahead of their test series against the British & Irish Lions.
On 22 July 2025, Pete Samu was called up to the squad as training cover, after being blocked from playing in the First Nations & Pasifika XV match.
On 23 July 2025, Josh Flook was called up to the squad as training cover, while Filipo Daugunu recovered from injury sustained during the First Nations & Pasifika XV match.
On 27 July 2025, Aidan Ross was called up to the squad to replace Harry Potter, who was injured during the second test match.
On 1 August 2025, Brandon Paenga-Amosa was called up to the squad to replace Dave Porecki, who was injured leading up to the third test match.
Coaching team: Head coach: Joe Schmidt Assistant coach: Geoff Parling Assistant coach: Laurie Fisher Assistant coach: Mike Cron Skills coach: Eoin Toolan
Note: Ages, caps and clubs as of first test match on 19 July 2025.
Matches British & Irish Lions v Argentina
Team details FB 15 Marcus SmithRW 14 Tommy FreemanOC 13 Sione TuipulotuIC 12 Bundee Aki LW 11 Duhan van der Merwe FH 10 Fin SmithSH 9 Alex Mitchell N8 8 Ben EarlOF 7 Jac Morgan BF 6 Tom CurryRL 5 Tadhg BeirneLL 4 Maro Itoje (c) TP 3 Finlay Bealham HK 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie LP 1 Ellis Genge Substitutions:HK 16 Rónan Kelleher PR 17 Pierre Schoeman PR 18 Tadhg Furlong LK 19 Scott Cummings FL 20 Henry Pollock SH 21 Tomos Williams FB 22 Elliot Daly WG 23 Mack Hansen Coach: Andy Farrell FB 15Santiago CarrerasRW 14Rodrigo IsgróOC 13Lucio Cinti IC 12Justo PiccardoLW 11Ignacio Mendy FH 10Tomás AlbornozSH 9 Gonzalo García N8 8 Joaquín Oviedo OF 7 Juan Martín GonzálezBF 6 Pablo MateraRL 5 Pedro RubioloLL 4 Franco Molina TP 3 Joel Sclavi HK 2 Julián Montoya (c) LP 1 Mayco Vivas Substitutions:HK 16Bautista Bernasconi PR 17Boris Wenger PR 18Francisco Coria Marchetti FL 19Santiago Grondona FL 20Joaquín Moro SH 21Simón Benítez Cruz CE 22Matías Moroni WG 23Santiago Cordero Coach: Felipe Contepomi Player of the Match: Tomás Albornoz (Argentina)
Assistant referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) Andrea Piardi (Italy) Television match official: Eric Gauzins (France) Foul play review officer: Matteo Liperini (Italy) Notes: Finlay Bealham, Scott Cummings, Ben Earl, Tommy Freeman, Ellis Genge, Mack Hansen, Rónan Kelleher, Alex Mitchell, Jac Morgan, Henry Pollock, Pierre Schoeman, Fin Smith, Sione Tuipulotu and Tomos Williams all made their British & Irish Lions debuts. This was Argentina's first win over the British & Irish Lions. Argentina won the 1888 Cup.
Western Force v British & Irish Lions
Team details FB 15 Ben DonaldsonRW 14 Mac GrealyOC 13 Matt ProctorIC 12 Hamish StewartLW 11 Dylan Pietsch FH 10 Alex Harford SH 9 Nic White (c) N8 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi OF 7 Nick Champion de CrespignyBF 6 Will Harris RL 5 Darcy SwainLL 4 Sam Carter TP 3 Ollie Hoskins HK 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa LP 1 Tom Robertson Substitutions:HK 16 Tom Horton PR 17 Marley Pearce PR 18 Tiaan Tauakipulu LK 19 Lopeti Faifua FL 20 Reed Prinsep SH 21 Henry Robertson FH 22 Max Burey CE 23 Bayley Kuenzle Coach: Simon Cron FB 15 Elliot DalyRW 14 Mack HansenOC 13 Garry Ringrose IC 12 Sione TuipulotuLW 11 James LoweFH 10 Finn Russell SH 9 Tomos Williams N8 8 Henry Pollock OF 7 Josh van der FlierBF 6 Tadhg Beirne RL 5 Joe McCarthyLL 4 Scott Cummings TP 3 Tadhg Furlong HK 2 Dan Sheehan (c) LP 1 Pierre Schoeman Substitutions:HK 16 Rónan Kelleher PR 17 Andrew Porter PR 18 Will Stuart LK 19 Ollie Chessum N8 20 Jack Conan SH 21 Alex Mitchell CE 22 Huw Jones FH 23 Marcus Smith Coach: Andy Farrell Player of the Match: Joe McCarthy (British & Irish Lions)
Assistant referees: Paul Williams (New Zealand) James Doleman (New Zealand) Television match official: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa) Foul play review officer: Glenn Newman (New Zealand) Notes: Dan Sheehan, Joe McCarthy, Josh van der Flier, James Lowe, Garry Ringrose, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum and Huw Jones all made their British & Irish Lions debuts.
Queensland Reds v British & Irish Lions