British and Irish Lions warn Australia must release players for tour fixtures
The British and Irish Lions have warned Australia they will be in breach of contract if they fail to release their Test stars for all tour games involving Super Rugby teams.
Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt has allowed Western Force players Nick Champion De Crespigny, Dylan Pietsch, Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain and Nic White to take part in Saturday's first match Down Under in Perth.
Advertisement
However, all those from the Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies, including big names such as Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Rob Valetini, will not face the Lions until the Test series.
Roll on Saturday 🦁
Game two, and our first on Australian soil:
@westernforce
in Perth 📍
#Lions2025
pic.twitter.com/PWKxlEJ6VN
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial)
June 23, 2025
Given Australia's lack of depth, Schmidt is keen to avoid picking up any injuries while their warm-up fixture against Fiji in Newcastle on July 6, which takes place the day after the tourists meet the Waratahs, is another obstacle.
However, Lions chief executive Ben Calveley has reminded the hosts of the terms of the tour contract, knowing Andy Farrell's men want to play the toughest possible opposition to provide adequate preparation for the opening Test on July 19.
'We'll see a competitive fixture at the weekend and that's what we're looking for. We want to make sure our guys are battle-hardened when it comes to the Test series,' Calveley said.
Advertisement
'The agreement is very clear – it says that Test players have to be released to play in fixtures leading into that series. That is our expectation.
'We'll play the game at the weekend and will carry on having discussions with (Rugby Australia chief executive) Phil Waugh and will take it step by step.
Ben Calveley wants to see the strongest possible warm-up fixtures (John Walton/PA)
'It's really important that these games are competitive. It's not just from a performance standpoint but it's also right for the fans, partners and broadcasters, who are all expecting competitive fixtures. That would be their expectation as well.'
Calveley declined to reveal what action the Lions could take if Schmidt will not be budged from his current policy, but it is clear the tourists hold all the aces given the vast revenue they generate for hosting countries.
Advertisement
A sold-out Aviva Stadium turned red for Friday night's send-off in a display of commercial power from the elite of British and Irish rugby, who continue to be a huge draw.
Argentina won an entertaining but scrappy game 28-24 and given they are positioned three places higher than the Wallabies in the global ranking in fifth, they could be viewed as a more credible tour destination than Australia.
There are also calls for France to be added to the current rotation that is completed by South Africa and New Zealand. For now, however, fixtures against other nations will be bolt-ons to existing destinations rather than stand-alone tours.
Argentina beat the British and Irish Lions in Dublin on Friday (Brian Lawless/PA)
'There are different teams around the world that we might be interested in playing against in future. Traditionally that's been consigned to a pre-tour element – Dublin, Murrayfield – so we'll probably focus on that,' Calveley said.
Advertisement
'We're also interested when we go away on tour to see if we can bring in other countries like Japan and Fiji to feature in those games as we build up to the Test element.
'We're open and we're flexible, but right now there are no plans to change the rotation of the tour structure.'
Calveley was speaking at a 'Welcome to Country' ceremony, a 20-minute First Nations cultural experience held in in Perth's Kings Park.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
31 minutes ago
- Telegraph
David Campese in brutal criticism of four Lions
Australia legend David Campese launched a scathing attack on four British and Irish Lions following the defeat to Argentina on Friday night in their first warm-up match. Marcus Smith, Duhan van der Merwe, Jac Morgan and Tommy Freeman were all in the crosshairs in Campese's column for Planet Rugby, where he also said the Lions would get hammered 3-0 by Australia if they did not buck their ideas up. Here, Telegraph Sport analyses his key criticisms and whether 'Campo' was right or wrong. Marcus Smith Then you have Marcus Smith at full-back. Yes, in attack he was threatening and he played a part in two of the Lions' tries, but, and it's a big but, Australia is the land of the physical, athletic full-back and the spiral bomb. That's what we do – we're brought up on Aussie Rules and the skills transfer. The Lions simply cannot afford the luxury of Smith's defence at 15. He doesn't understand the positional requirements and he's simply too small and light to compete one to one. Yes, as an impact player or starting ten, he will do a great job, but as a starting full-back? Come on! What we say: There is a lot going on here and it is perhaps worth adding a touch of nuance. It is completely understandable that Smith is still learning the positional requirements of full-back. Friday was only his eighth start there in his senior career to date. Defensively, he was not at fault for any of the Pumas' tries. For the first, Argentina outflanked a narrow front line because the Lions did not fold enough men around the ruck. For the second and third, the Pumas savaged the Lions in transition situations. Campese is certainly correct that aerial duels are not a strength of Smith's, but I wonder whether these contests are so chaotic now after the crackdown on escort runners blocking off chasing wings – even Freddie Steward struggled in the Premiership final thanks to the commitment of Will Muir – that Farrell put more stock in the up-side of a secondary playmaker. It was Smith or Elliot Daly for that first game anyway, because neither Hugo Keenan nor Blair Kinghorn were available. Farrell would never admit as much publicly, but I looked at the match against Argentina as an 80-minute audition for Smith to be a versatile, impactful replacement on a six-two bench. In that respect, the run-out was worthwhile for the reason Campese highlights himself: the proactivity Smith demonstrated when the Lions had possession. Duhan van de Merwe I simply can't understand how Duhan van der Merwe, a man of 6'5', fails under the high ball in the way he does. He's bloody massive yet managed only one from five in the air in a dismal display under the ball. Tommy Freeman worked hard- 15 carries and the most line breaks, but he was turned over four times- twice in the air and twice on the floor. What we say: Van der Merwe did look vulnerable aerially on Friday night and, generally, it is not a strength of his - and the tweak to the law regarding escort runners has made it even harder for wings - but it is fair to reflect that he can do things that other wings can't and that it was his first appearance since March owing to ankle ligament damage. Certainly, however, the Scot did little to dampen the narrative surrounding James Lowe, and how he is odds-on to start the first Test on the left wing. Jac Morgan I had to check to be sure Jac Morgan was even playing, such was his lack of impact. Yes, he grabbed one good turnover, but when your openside spends 55 minutes on the pitch, makes four carries for six metres, and manages six tackles (one every nine minutes!) you wonder why he's failing to execute the basic roles of his position. He also failed to control anything around the drop zone, a key factor, and generally went missing in action in a woeful personal performanc e. What we say: Harsh from Campo! Morgan might not have been ubiquitous and, certainly, he is now in a race against time to put pressure on his competitors for a Test berth but there were a couple of punchy carries and there was a notable jackal turnover amid the industriousness. Campo criticises Morgan's ball-carrying but is that really what you pick your openside for? The Welshman was not alone in looking a bit subdued at times on Friday night. Tommy Freeman Tommy Freeman worked hard — 15 carries and the most line breaks — but he was turned over four times — twice in the air and twice on the floor. That aerial battle — Rodrigo Isgro and Ignacio Mendy absolutely cleaned the Lions out at the contestables. What we say: Is this like when cricketers seek out a star player for additional sledging? Freeman was not without fault. He threw one overeager offload to Smith in the first half. Much later, in the second period, he coughed up an Argentina clearance in the back-field under no pressure. However, the promise outweighed the errors by some margin. Freeman roamed around the field to pick up touches, clearly settling into the role that the Lions coaches have asked of him. Sione Tuipulotu should have gathered an early offload from the rangy wing off the tail of a line-out and Freeman's work in the air was excellent. As good as the Pumas duo were, the Lions man reinforced his reputation as one of the best in this area. Campese might be clutching at straws, here, because Freeman still seems set for a big tour.
Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
The 'proven' striker Manchester United should sign instead of Viktor Gyokeres
Gary Pallister wants Manchester United to shelve their interest in Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen and prioritise an ambitious deal for the 'ideal striker signing'. Ruben Amorim has made a new striker one of his priorities for the summer transfer window after a desperately disappointing 2024-25 season. His United side finished just 15th in the Premier League and failed to qualify for any European competition after losing a low-quality Europa League final to Tottenham. Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, who cost more than £100m combined, endured miserable seasons at Old Trafford and neither appear to be at the required level to lead the line for Manchester United. Hojlund and Zirkzee have even been linked with moves away from the club this summer with the former believed to be keen on a switch to Inter Milan despite publicly declaring his intention to stay. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. United's pursuit of a new striker has led to transfer talks with Gyokeres, of Sporting Lisbon, and Osimhen, of Napoli. But Old Trafford legend Pallister has reservations about Gyokeres and Osimhen and says his former club should instead go all out for Alexander Isak. Isak has established himself as one of the best strikers in the world since joining Newcastle United in 2022, scoring 54 goals in 86 league games. Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have all been linked with moves for Isak over the past 12 months but Newcastle value the 25-year-old at north of £125m. Isak would also need some convincing to leave Newcastle, who qualified for the Champions League last season and won the Carabao Cup, for a team that slumped to 15th in the table. Asked who Manchester United should target to solve their goalscoring issues out of Gyokeres, Osimhen and Benjamin Sesko, Pallister told Metro: 'Alexander Isak. He's the player that is proven in the Premier League. 'Listen I'm sure he's got teams in better state than United at the moment who would be in to sign him and Liverpool have reportedly declared interest in him so why wouldn't you go there when they've been as successful as they have been? 'But Isak would be the ideal Man United signing for me. I think it so important that you're proven in the Premier League because it's different to all the other leagues out there. 'If you've got a player who's been there and done it, he would be the man for me. Manchester United definitely need a goalscorer. 'Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee both struggled last year. I don't think Zirkzee is an out and out number nine. There's a few clubs struggling for that centre forward.' Isak has another three years left on his current contract so Newcastle are in a strong negotiating position should rival clubs line up moves for their talisman. Gyokeres and Osimhen were two of the most prolific strikers in Europe last season but Pallister has doubts over both. Ex-Coventry City star Gyokeres has scored an incredible 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting but is reportedly keen to join United's Premier League rivals Arsenal. That is despite enjoying a healthy relationship with Amorim, who he played under in Portugal before the manager left to replace Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford. Osimhen also enjoyed a superb 2024-25 campaign, netting 37 goals for loan club Galatasary. The Nigerian was close to joining Chelsea last summer but the deal collapsed and Osimhen was forced to explore other options after being exiled by Napoli boss Antonio Conte. Conte has instructed Napoli to offload Osimhen on a permanent transfer this summer and the 26-year-old has rejected a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia as he dreams of playing in the Premier League. 'I've not seen an awful lot of Osimhen to be honest with you,' Pallister added. 'It was a strange one with him going to Galatasaray but he's scoring goals. 'So many clubs were interested in taking him, but he ended up going there. That concerns me. 'I saw Viktor Gyokeres at Coventry, he's scored goals in the Championship and at Sporting but it's a different kettle of fish playing in the Premier League. 'Whichever way they wish to go, it's going to be a bit of a gamble because they're not proven in this league. 'Ruben has worked with Gyokeres at Sporting, so he knows him and if he was to bring him in then he'd have to be confident in the fact that he's a fit for the Premier League. 'Ruben knows him well and hopefully he has a good insight into whether he could hack it in the Premier League but again it's about getting him across the line. 'He is supposed to be more interested in going to Arsenal and you can understand why. It is difficult times to bring in a proven goalscorer. 'When people are looking at Manchester United at the moment, as much as the lure of the club and the badge is there, it's a team that's going to be restarted. 'There will be a big reset at United in terms of the squad so players need to be happy coming into that.' While Manchester United target new signings – they have already confirmed a deal for Matheus Cunha and are in talks with Bryan Mbeumo – they are also keen to offload a number of unwanted players from Amorim's squad. Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony have all been put up for sale and Pallister hopes they all find new clubs before next season. Rashford is believed to be 'dreaming' of a move to Barcelona after spending the second-half of last season on loan at Aston Villa. Sancho is keen to join Serie A champions Napoli following his loan spell at Chelsea, while Antony could take a pay cut to seal a permanent transfer to Real Betis. 'It would be nice if it was all sorted and those three players did find themselves new clubs,' said Pallister, who won four Premier League titles at Old Trafford. 'I think Ruben Amorim has looked at those players and he's quite happy for them to go. There are no real noises coming out from Old Trafford that they want them to stay. 'It needs an overhaul in terms of the mentality and attitude at Old Trafford. You can't finish fifth bottom of the Premier League. 'That's going to bring its own pressure next year, and you've got to have a team that's going to fight tooth and nail every game and change the dynamic at Old Trafford. More Trending 'We're a figure of fun at the moment for a lot of people who are enjoying Manchester United being down where they are and suffering the way they are. 'That's something we knew that a lot of people wanted to see when we were playing there. You've got to use that to take strength from it and show people that you're not going to be moved, and you're still going to be battling for titles. 'We need to find those characters within the dressing room too. That managed itself for a long period of time when I was there, because there were so many personalities and so many strong characters. 'If standards were not good enough and players weren't pulling their weight, they were certainly told. Maybe that's not been the case so much recently.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: £25m Chelsea star wanted by Premier League rivals amid uncertain future MORE: 'You little dope!' – Troy Deeney tells Bruno Fernandes to 'smash' Man Utd teammate in training MORE: Juventus could offer £60m star to Man Utd in exchange for Jadon Sancho
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Lions receive warm welcome at ceremony in Perth
The British and Irish Lions started their first full day in Australia by attending a welcome ceremony at Kings Park in Lions were treated to some traditional music while captain Maro Itoje handed over a team jersey to Indigenous elder Trevor forward Henry Pollock was spotted holding tightly on to mascot BIL. Tradition dictates that the Lions' youngest squad member must look after the toy lion at all times or be given a fine. A cracking setting looking over the city of Perth is not a bad way to start tour life.
