British and Irish Lions vs Argentina: Kick-off time, TV channel, live stream, team news, lineups, h2h, odds today
The traditional curtain-raiser will see the 1888 Cup on the line for only the second time, with the Lions having won it four years ago by beating Japan at Murrayfield ahead of the trip to South Africa in a game that saw captain Alun Wyn Jones suffer a dislocated shoulder that ruled him out for the summer.
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Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Who is Lions' captain Maro Itoje's wife Mimi?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE British and Irish Lions embark on a world tour every four years, which kicks off against Argentina in Dublin on June 20, 2025. Here we get to know captain Maro Itoje's wife Mimi — just one of the glam WAGs attached to the squad. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Maro Itoje is married to Mimi Itoje (née Fall) Credit: Instagram/mimiitoje 3 Like her husband, Mimi works as a model Credit: Instagram/mimiitoje Who is Maro Itoje's wife Mimi? Mimi Itoje is a model and artist who is married to England rugby captain Maro Itoje. In addition to rugby, Maro sometimes also works as a model. He's appeared on the cover of Tatler alongside Lady Amelia Windsor. It's understood the couple met during a shoot. read more on maro itoje WORTH A TRY Itoje captains Lions as squad revealed with shock call up for England star, 20 She has been represented by London-based agencies including W Management. On top of her modelling career, Mimi is an artist — she creates acrylic on canvas paintings incorporating cultural themes. Maro proposed to his now-wife during a holiday to Nigeria and Ghana in August 2024. Mimi shared the happy news on Instagram alongside snaps of her dazzling ring, which she captioned and the caption: "Mrs I to be." Maro subsequently described the moment to the Daily Mail, saying: "We went to this beautiful aqua-safari in Ada, which is on the coast, about two hours from Accra. "It was a beautiful resort, and I popped the question there." England captain Maro Itoje hopeful for 'classy operator' Fin Smith starting against France in the Six Nations The couple married less than a month before the Lions tour kicks off on May 25, 2025. Maro celebrated the occasion by writing on social media: "Scripture says It is not good for man to be alone… I am no longer alone. "I HAVE A WIFE. To God be the Glory!!!!" Talented rugby family Talent runs in Maro's family — his cousin Beno Obano, who plays for Bath rugby, was born just three days apart from him. The cousins often show public support for each other, with Beno appearing on Maro's podcast titled Pearl Conversations. On the show, Maro interviews leaders and groundbreakers from various fields including music, sports, politics and art. 3 The couple tied the knot less than a month before the Lions tour kicks off Credit: Instagram/mimiitoje Maro reflected on their upbringing on Pearl Conversations, saying: "For you and I, rugby has never really been [there] when we were growing up — as you said, from when we were born to when we went to secondary school. "Before then, rugby was never really a thing for us. Coming from a Nigerian household where, if it's any sport at all, it's football. If it's not football, then it's books.""If it's not football, then it's books." Maro's Rugby career Born in Camden, London, Maro didn't pick up rugby until he was 11, discovering the sport at secondary school. Before committing to rugby, he also competed at shot put and basketball. He joined Saracens at the tender age of 17 in 2012. In 2016, Maro went on to earn his first senior England cap against Italy when he was just 21. Maro had already been part of a Lions tour, being the youngest member of the 2017 New Zealand squad at just 22. The Saracens lock was named England captain in January 2025 ahead of the Six Nations.
Wales Online
3 hours ago
- Wales Online
How much do British Lions players get paid?
How much do British Lions players get paid? The Lions begin their summer tour preparations with a match against Argentina in Dublin on Friday night Maro Itoje and his Lions team-mates are set to make a lot of money this summer (Image: 2025 Getty Images ) The British & Irish Lions kick off their summer tour this evening with a warm-up game against Argentina in Dublin. It is the first time in their history that the touring side have played a match in Ireland and head coach Andy Farrell is certainly taking the curtain-raiser seriously. The Lions boss has named a strong XV to face the Pumas at the Aviva Stadium, with Wales skipper Jac Morgan starting and Welsh scrum-half Tomos Williams being selected on the bench. Both will have an opportunity to lay down a marker for the upcoming Test series against Australia, with excitement now building for the trip Down Under. Being selected for the Lions is widely regarded as the ultimate honour for players in the northern hemisphere. Former skipper Sam Warburton said during his playing days: 'To finally get that Test jersey playing the first match against Australia, which we managed to win, that is the only jersey that I have hanging up in my house – that's how proud I am of that one. 'For me that was the biggest and single most important game I have ever played in. Article continues below 'When you are playing club rugby, yes you want to play for Wales and I wanted to play for Cardiff but in the back of my mind I always set my sights really high on playing for the Lions. 'There was pressure on the players and as captain I felt a lot of responsibility. That was why it was such a relief to get the Test series win against Australia – an amazing feeling but we also knew that people would be optimistic about the Lions moving forward to the next series.' Along with the honour of representing the Lions, players also get rewarded financially - and quite handsomely too. According to the Telegraph, this summer's tour is set to be a record-breaker, with a £10million profit expected. A new profit-sharing agreement will see selected players pocket £100,000 each for their contributions in Australia. That is a 25 per cent increase on the tour to New Zealand in 2017, which saw players pocket £80,000 for their efforts. The trip to South Africa in 2021 was played behind closed doors due to Covid. "We know that players love playing for the Lions, and it is the pinnacle of their professional careers, and this landmark agreement highlights how they are at the centre of our thinking," said Lions chief executive Ben Calveley. Article continues below Simon Keogh, Rugby Players Ireland chief executive, added: "Players are central to the ongoing success of the British and Irish Lions Tours and we are delighted that their views – including those of Lions heroes of the past – have been heard throughout this process. "I'd like to thank the British and Irish Lions for their honesty, transparency, and genuine consideration of the players' voice. "As a result, I believe that we have reached an agreement that is both fair and reflective of the strong collaboration between all stakeholders in rugby."
Wales Online
4 hours ago
- Wales Online
Lions v Argentina referee James Doleman was caught up in 'throat-slitting' incident
Lions v Argentina referee James Doleman was caught up in 'throat-slitting' incident The British & Irish Lions kick off their summer schedule with a match against Argentina in Dublin on Friday night Referee James Doleman (L) sends the Hurricanes' captain Ardie Savea to the sin-bin (Image: WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images ) The British & Irish Lions get their summer under way tonight with a date against Argentina in Dublin. The 1888 Cup is on the line in the Irish capital and will be the first opportunity for players from the four unions to lay down a marker for starting spots in Australia next week. The Lions are playing three Tests against the Wallabies in a series which is really beginning to raise excitement levels. In charge of the game tonight is referee James Doleman, who made his Six Nations debut in 2023. Here's all you need to know about the New Zealand-born official. Who is James Doleman? Hailing from Tauranga, New Zealand, Doleman spent a significant part of his youth in the Philippines and China, starting his refereeing career while still a student. His first game was in 2007 at the age of 16, overseeing an under-nines match at a school tournament in Hong Kong, although he humbly confessed that his initial outing was "rubbish". After officiating the World Rugby Under-20 Championship final in 2019, he ascended to handling his first Super Rugby game in the subsequent year and made his international refereeing debut the year before he was selected for the Australia versus England Test series opener in 2022. Article continues below Doleman embraced his Six Nations refereeing debut at just 31 years old during England's second-round fight against Italy in 2023. Upon receiving the appointment, he shared with South China Morning Post: "It's one of those goals as a referee. Aside from the World Cup, the Six Nations is the pinnacle." He added: "Being involved in a tournament like that, with the history, coming from New Zealand, the fans up north make the Six Nations very special. At the end of the day, referees get into refereeing because we're fans of rugby. The reason I do it is to be involved in those occasions." Jones criticism However, Doleman faced criticism from England's former coach Eddie Jones after overseeing a match where England lost 30-28 to an Australian side that was one man down for more than 45 minutes. In a turn of events during the game, Australia's Darcy Swain was sent off for headbutting Jonny Hill, but despite this, the Wallabies managed to secure a significant lead and subsequently resisted England's late surge to claim their first victory over the Red Roses after eight previous defeats. Jones' team suffered their fourth consecutive defeat, leaving the coach visibly annoyed after the match. He suggested referee Doleman was "evening things up" for Australia following Swain's sending off, stating he had observed similar responses to red cards in the past. "That always happens," he proclaimed. "You look at the history of the game, whenever you get a red card the referee evens it up. That's normal and we've got to be good enough to handle it. "When you play against 14 men the referee has a significant impact on the game and you've got to be good enough to understand what that is and we weren't good enough to understand what that is. And therefore we paid the price." 'Throat-slitting' incident Doleman was at the heart of a shocking episode that sent ripples across rugby in 2023 when New Zealand's Ardie Savea made a chilling gesture at an opponent during a game. It occurred just prior to the interval in the Super Rugby tie between Melbourne Rebels and Savea's Hurricanes, when a massive scuffle erupted. It featured Dane Coles and Rebels second-rower Josh Canham going head-to-head, with both sides jumping in to calm the commotion. In the midst of the fracas, Savea forcefully knocked Rebels fly-half Carter Gordon to the ground, leading to a heated verbal exchange after which Gordon chose to walk away. Doleman, after conferring with his assistant referees Paul Williams and Graham Cooper, determined that while the initial tussle between Canham and Coles was nothing more than "push and shove", it was Savea who had indeed intensified the confrontation. Savea, who had already been penalised for another infringement, received a yellow card for his actions. He attracted ironic applause from Rebels scrum-half Ryan Louwrens as he left the field, triggering an incensed reaction from the back-rower, who gestured towards Louwrens with a throat-slitting motion. The commentary team was visibly shocked by Savea's gesture, and Doleman's microphone caught someone exclaiming: "He's threatening to f*****g kill him, he's threatening to kill him." Savea offered an apology post-match, conceding that his behaviour was not befitting for younger spectators. "I can understand the fans are furious with the gesture that I made," Savea explained to Sky Sports. "It's just a heat of the moment kind of thing, you know. It's footy, but I understand kids are watching us. Article continues below "We're in the heat of the moment and that's out of character for me, so I put my hand up first and apologise for that. I've got to be better, we're trying to clean up the game. I understand... there's no excuse for me, I've got to be better." Lions v Argentina officials Referee: James Doleman (NZ) Assistant referees: Nika Amashukeli (Geo) & Andrea Piardi (Ita) TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra) FPRO: Matteo Liperini (Ita)
