Results for 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia

Maro Itoje's class of 2025 matched the 2-1 series win in Australia of the 1989 and 2013 teams

The British and Irish Lions won the series 2-1 but failed to secure a series whitewash as Australia came out on top 22-12 in the final Test in stormy Sydney.

Having won the first Test 27-19 in Brisbane, Hugo Keenan's last-minute try secured a 29-26 second Test victory in Melbourne to clinch their first series win since the 2013 tour of Australia.

Andy Farrell's side, who won eight of their nine matches in Australia, became the first Lions team to win the first two Tests of a series since 1997.

But they could not match the 1927 team's 3-0 series triumph in Argentina.

Test series results and try-scorers

2 August - Third Test: Australia 22-12 Lions, Sydney (Accor Stadium)

• Try-scorers: Morgan, Stuart

• Con: Russell

• Player of the match: Tom Hooper (Australia)

• Player of the series: Tadhg Beirne

• Attendance: 80,312

25 July - Second Test: Australia 26-29 Lions, Melbourne (Melbourne Cricket Ground)

• Try-scorers: Sheehan, Curry, Jones, Beirne, Keenan

• Cons: Russell 2

• Player of the match: Maro Itoje

• Attendance: 90,307 (record for a Lions Test)

19 July - First Test: Australia 19-27 Lions, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)

• Try-scorers: Tuipulotu, Curry, Sheehan

• Cons: Russell 3

• Pens: Russell, M Smith

• Player of the match: Tadhg Beirne

• Attendance: 52, 229

Could have been 2-1 to Australia

• Australia were within 51 seconds of levelling the series before the Lions' last-gasp winning try in the second Test

• The Wallabies led for more time across the three Tests - 75 minutes in the second Test and 72 minutes of the third

• The Lions won the series 2-1 but by an aggregate score of just 68-67

Results from tour matches

22 July - First Nations & Pasifika XV 19-24 Lions, Melbourne (Marvel Stadium)

• Try-scorers: Osborne 2, Graham, Van der Merwe

• Cons: F Smith 2

• Man of the match: Charlie Gamble

12 July - Invitational AU & NZ 0-48 Lions, Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)

• Try-scorers: Van der Merwe 3, White, Tuipulotu, Cummings, Kelleher, Pollock

• Cons: F Smith 2, M Smith 2

• Man of the match: Ben Earl

9 July - ACT Brumbies 24-36 Lions, Canberra (GIO Stadium)

• Try-scorers: Chessum, Lowe, M Smith, Ringrose, Van der Flier

• Cons: Russell 4 Pens: Russell

• Man of the match: Jamison Gibson-Park

5 July - NSW Waratahs 10-21 Lions Sydney (Allianz Stadium)

• Try-scorers: Jones 2, Mitchell

• Cons: F Smith 3

• Man of the match: Alex Mitchell

2 July - Queensland Reds 12-52 Lions Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)

• Try-scorers: Freeman 2, Porter, Van der Merwe, Itoje, J Morgan, H Jones, Ringrose

• Cons: Russell 4, F Smith 2

• Man of the match: Jac Morgan

28 June - Western Force 7-54 Lions Perth (Optus Stadium)

• Try-scorers: Sheehan, Williams 2, Daly 2, Ringrose, McCarthy, Mitchell

• Cons: Russell 5, M Smith 2

• Man of the match: Joe McCarthy

20 June - Lions 24-28 Argentina, Dublin (Aviva Stadium)

• Try-scorers: Aki, Penalty try, Beirne

• Cons: F Smith 2 Pens: F Smith

Who was in the Lions squad?

Northampton flanker Henry Pollock's meteoric rise this season earned him a place in the 38-man squad announced live at London's O2 in May.

Pollock, 20, only made his England debut in March, scoring two tries against Wales in Cardiff, and has continued to make his mark with a series of blockbusting displays.

England and Saracens captain Maro Itoje, a Test regular in the 2017 and 2021 series, was named skipper for the first time.

Ireland are best represented with 16 players, 12 of whom play for Leinster.

England supply 13 following a strong showing in the Six Nations.

Zander Fagerson's withdrawal because of injury reduced Scotland's contingent to seven but they were back up to eight after Toulon scrum-half Ben White was called up to replace Tomos Williams.

Williams' tour-ending injury meant Jac Morgan was the only Welsh player in the squad.

Scotland full-back Blair Kinghorn, who joined the squad in Australia after winning the Top 14 title with Toulouse, was the only France-based player to feature in the original 38 before White received his call-up.

Meanwhile, former England captain Owen Farrell, a Lions tourist in 2013, 2017 and 2021 and son of Andy Farrell, replaced Elliot Daly in the squad on 3 July.

Who were the Lions coaches?

Farrell's coaching team drew heavily on the Ireland set-up he left on secondment to lead the Lions.

Simon Easterby, who served as Ireland's interim head coach for this year's Six Nations, was joined by attack specialist Andrew Goodman and scrum coach John Fogarty, while Lions great Johnny Sexton, who started all three Tests of the 2013 series win over Australia, was an assistant coach.

Scotland forwards coach John Dalziel and England senior coach Richard Wigglesworth were also included.

It was the first time since 2001, when New Zealander Graham Henry took a break from his job with Wales to lead the Lions in Australia, that there was no Welshman among the Lions coaches.

Lions history in Australia

The Lions' first tour was to Australia in 1888 but the touring party pre-dated the Wallabies so they played club and regional sides.

They returned the following year before visiting again in 1904, 1908, 1930, 1950, 1959 and 1966, when they also toured New Zealand.

It was not until 1989 when they next travelled to Australia, beating the Wallabies 2-1.

On their next tour in 2001, England speedster Jason Robinson scored a stunning early try in the third minute as the Lions won the first Test 29-13 at the Gabba.

They led at half-time in the second, only for Australia to recover and force a decider.

The hosts would claim a famous 29-23 win to take the series 2-1 and lift the Tom Richards Trophy in Sydney.

The Lions would avenge that defeat on their most recent visit, winning 2-1 in 2013.

Welshman George North scored one of the greatest tries in Lions history to hand the visitors a narrow 23-21 victory in the opening Test before Australia won by a point to level the series in the second.

North came to the fore again in the decider with an iconic hit on Israel Folau, lifting and carrying the Australia winger several metres back. The Lions cruised to a 41-16 win in Sydney and reclaimed the Tom Richards Trophy.

More Lions history