Lions to play First Nations team in Melbourne, 2025

The British and Irish Lions will play a First Nations team in Melbourne during their 2025 tour of Australia. This tour includes nine matches, with three being test matches against the Australian national team, coached by Joe Schmidt. Rugby Australia announced the full schedule for the tour, which starts in just 100 days. The Lions will also compete against an AUNZ Invitation XV, made up of players from Australia and New Zealand, in Adelaide. This match is set for a week before the first test on July 19 in Brisbane. The game on July 22 against the First Nations lineup will feature Indigenous Australian and Pasifika players. It was added to the schedule after the Melbourne Rebels were removed from the Super Rugby competition. Andy Farrell will coach the Lions, which include players from Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and England. Phil Waugh, the chief executive of Rugby Australia, described the match as a celebration of contributions to the Australian rugby community. The Lions tour Australia every 12 years, with this tour beginning against the Western Force in Perth on June 28.