British & Irish Lions could face FIVE different countries in 2025 - Ruck

British & Irish Lions could face FIVE different countries in 2025

The British & Irish Lions could face up to five different nations as the tour of Australia in 2025 looks to break new ground.

The Aussies are hoping to add a revolutionary twist to the 2025 Lions tour by inviting the Pacific Island nations (Fiji, Samoa and Tonga) to join the match roster.

The next hosts want to create a blockbuster spectacle for returning fans, with a pledge for entertaining rugby and the possibility of 100,000-strong crowds.

Rugby Australia Chairman Hamish McLennan revealed: ‘People are already excited about it. The Lions is the high point in the calendar but it’s the fans that complete it. We want it to be full blown, with as many of them over here as possible.

‘We want to anchor it back into what a traditional Lions tour looks like for the fans and the players. We want to deliver competitive games against our teams and we’d also like to bring in countries like Fiji and Tonga. We want to boost the marketability of the tour and that’s what a lot of people would love to see.’

There have also been unconfirmed reports like, as they did in 2005, the Lions could face Argentina in a ‘home’ test match following the success of the clash against Japan at Murrayfield.

EDITORS PICKS:

Pundit Arena brutally rank the five ‘worst’ ever Lions

#5 – Tyrone Howe

PA: “When Dan Luger pulled out with an injury a strange call-up was made by Graham Henry in 2001. A career blighted by injury, only managing 14 caps for Ireland he must count himself lucky to have represented the Lions.”

RUCK: The 30-year-old, who had only won six caps for Ireland at the time, was pencilled in on the Lions’ standby list following some impressive Heineken Cup displays for Ulster. Can’t really argue with what PA have said.

VERDICT: Justified

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