British and Irish Lions to play combined New Zealand-Australia XV on 2025 tour
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The British and Irish Lions suffered a 2-1 series defeat by South Africa in 2019
The British and Irish Lions will play a New Zealand and Australia invitational XV as part of their nine-match tour down under in 2025.
The historic fixture in Adelaide will precede Test matches with the Wallabies in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
A sell-out at the 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground would smash records for a Lions Test match.
The series finale will be played in front of more than 80,000 fans in Sydney's Olympic Park.
"We are delighted to announce the tour schedule as we look ahead to what is to be one of the most eagerly anticipated series in history," said Lions chief executive Ben Calveley.
The 2025 Lions tour fixtures in full
Saturday 28 June: v Western Force, Optus Stadium, Perth
Wednesday 2 July: v Queensland Reds, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Saturday 5 July: v New South Wales Waratahs, Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Wednesday 9 July: v ACT Brumbies, GIO Stadium, Canberra
Saturday 12 July: v Invitational Australia & NZ XV, Adelaide Oval
Saturday 19 July: First Test, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Tuesday 22 July: v Melbourne Rebels, Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
Saturday 26 July: Second Test, Melbourne Cricket Ground
Saturday 2 August: Third Test, Accor Stadium, Sydney
Meanwhile, an agreement between the Lions, Premiership Rugby and the United Rugby Championship will ensure an unprecedented two-week preparation period before the tour opener in Perth against Western Force on 28 June.
On previous tours the Premiership final has taken place only a week before the Lions' opening fixture, hampering the tourists' preparation.
"I would also like to thank Premiership Rugby and the United Rugby Championship, whose co-operation has resulted in the longest preparation period for a tour in recent history, which gives us the best possible chance of a series victory," added Calveley.
Calveley's counterpart at Rugby Australia, the former Wallaby flanker Phil Waugh, has called a Lions tour "one of the great sporting festivals".
"Rugby Australia is looking forward to welcoming back the Lions for the first time in 12 years - as well as the tens of thousands of Lions fans from the northern hemisphere," Waugh said.
"It is an exciting fixture of matches all around the country with the Lions taking on our Super Rugby franchises, three massive Test matches, and a marquee match in Adelaide featuring a combined invitational Australia-New Zealand side."
Ieuan Evans, chairman of The British & Irish Lions, added: "British & Irish Lions tours are unique in the world of sport, both in terms of the ultimate challenge they represent and the cultural impact they have.
"Lions tours to Australia have always been memorable occasions and the 2025 tour promises to be no different."
The Lions have toured Australia on three previous occasions, winning the series in 1989 and 2013 and losing to the then-world champion Wallabies in 2001.
Four years ago Warren Gatland's side lost 2-1 to South Africa in a series played out in empty stadiums during the Covid pandemic.
Ireland boss Andy Farrell is widely expected to succeed Gatland as Lions head coach, having been a part of the coaching team in 2013 and 2017.
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