British & Irish Lions are a close to playing France in first match of its kind

Sunday, 20 July 2025 at 19:03

byRugby Rucker

A potential
British & Irish Lions tour of France has taken a giant step closer to reality, with talks on a “new business model” set to take place next week in Melbourne ahead of the second Test against Australia.

Bye-Bye Long-Haul?

For fans sick of jet lag and sky-high ticket prices in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, France is emerging as the next big (and far more wallet-friendly) alternative. According to The Guardian, the Lions are reportedly very open to exploring the ooh-la-lapossibilities with their cross-Channel cousins.

Join RUCK’s Instagram broadcast channel and get the latest rugby news straight to your phone.

Benazzi’s French Kiss to the Lions

Enter stage left: Abdel Benazzi – former Les Bleus legend and now vice-president of the French federation (FFR). He’s already been doing the diplomatic rounds, having had “friendly” chats with Lions brass in Dublin before their warm-up match against Argentina. Now, he's hopping on a flight to Oz to turn up the heat on France’s bid to host the Lions once again – a rematch 40 years in the making since their 1989 encounter.

Benazzi’s pitch? It’s not just one match, but possibly two tours – men and women – in 2027 and 2029, both scheduled ahead of the Lions’ New Zealand expeditions.

Bonjour Bordeaux, Salut Toulouse

While the current Australia tour has been about as one-sided as a baguette in a boxing match, France is rolling out the red carpet with Top 14 titans like Toulouse and Bordeaux offering competitive warm-up opposition. It's a mouthwatering alternative – a proper build-up to what could be a Lions vs Les Bleus blockbuster series.

Former Lions scrum-half Mike Phillips is already all-in, calling a France tour a “gamechanger”.

Six Nations Prez Eyes Lions Love-In

Benazzi isn’t stopping at friendly chats. As president of the Six Nations and a narrowly-defeated candidate for World Rugby chair last year, he's pushing to make France a regular fixture on the Lions’ dance card.

He laid it out clearly:

“If you look at the legacy and the reputation of the Lions, of course they have the tradition with the south, our position as a neighbour is that we can do something together in the future."

“We had contact, not formally, just a friendly chat with the guys from the Lions and they started thinking maybe it would be a good idea. We don’t have a formal decision now but maybe we will talk about having two meetings with the [women] and the Lions and the men and the Lions in the future. Maybe in 2027 and 2029. We don’t think of just one shot, we think of a programme for the future. It’s good for everyone because it’s powerful and we want to share it with this institution.”

“It’s Good for Everyone” – Vive le Rugby!

Benazzi’s ambitions are big – and he’s thinking long-term:

“I want to spend a bit of time with the staff and just think about how we can build a new business model with this institution between France and the Lions. For me and for France, we want to build something interesting for both. How we can build something bigger for rugby, for everyone around the world with this meeting and secondly, how we can build some business between the two institutions, the Lions and France, and everyone will be happy with that.”

Three Changes Andy Farrell Must Make for Lions’ Second Test vs Australia

Here’s a breakdown of the three underperforming Lions players, their potential replacements, and why each should be dropped for the next Test based on current form and match impact.

#1. Hugo Keenan – Fullback

Performance Summary:

Rating Consensus: 5/10 across all outlets
Errors: Two turnovers, poor under the high ball, responsible for Max Jorgensen’s try
Positives: Grew into the game slightly, some flashes of attacking promise

Critique:
Keenan struggled under pressure, especially in the aerial game — a non-negotiable at Test level. His missed contest under the high ball directly led to Australia’s first try, and he looked shaky throughout when tested defensively.

Replacement: Blair Kinghorn
If fit, Kinghorn offers more size, versatility, and attacking spark. His high ball security and counter-attacking ability could offer greater threat and reliability.

Final Verdict:

Keenan should be dropped for lack of command at the back and vulnerability under pressure, which cost the Lions territory and points. Kinghorn’s more robust and dynamic style is a better fit against high-kicking sides like Australia.

#2. Tommy Freeman – Wing

Performance Summary:

Rating Consensus: 4–5/10
Errors: Kicks out on the full (twice), 4 turnovers, poor offloading
Positives: Early physical carry, effort in defense

Critique:
Freeman’s athleticism and effort aren’t in doubt, but his execution was off. Repeated unforced kicking errors, soft knock-ons, and poor decision-making stunted momentum and gave Australia easy outs. Despite work rate, he looked out of sync with teammates.

Replacement: Duhan van der Merwe
Duhan offers physical dominance, line-breaking ability, and finishing power. He can punish defensive lapses and relieve pressure with carries.

Final Verdict:

Freeman should be dropped because his decision-making under pressure and basic handling let the team down. Van der Merwe is a more imposing and reliable threat in both attack and defense.

#3. James Lowe – Wing

Performance Summary:

Rating Consensus: 3–5/10 (lowest average rating of the three)
Errors: Kicked dead, dropped ball near try-line, overcooked kicks, turnover near tryline
Positives: One promising fend and inside ball (disallowed try)

Critique:
Lowe had a nightmare game. Multiple poor decisions — particularly with ball in hand and tactical kicking — led to lost points and momentum. His lack of pace was exposed, and he repeatedly gave away field position.

Replacement: Mack Hansen
Hansen is creative, composed, and has strong game awareness. He brings spark, great handling, and reliable kicking from the backfield, making him an all-round upgrade.

Final Verdict:

Lowe must be dropped — his decision-making, handling, and lack of pace are liabilities. Mack Hansen brings more polish and unpredictability that could unlock Australia’s defense.

DITORS PICKS:

“Incredibly proud” – Scotland head coach confirms departure

Lions vs Australia referee faced scary incident with fan after game

The first openly gay All Blacks rugby player has got married

Maro and Mimi Itoje are one of rugby’s richest couple with huge net worth

Legendary referee Nigel Owens had ‘perfect wedding’, now he is starting a family

Quiz Title: Most Points for the British & Irish Lions in Test Matches

Introduction:
Think you know your Lions legends? ?
Test your rugby knowledge by naming the players who have scored the most points for the British & Irish Lions in test matches. These are the top scorers from historic tours—can you remember them all?

You have 5 minutes.
Good luck!