British & Irish Lions first test will be played in front of six-figure crowd at mega-stadium

Monday, 05 May 2025 at 21:58

bySteven Smith

moment for Sam Prendergast—the prodigy set to carry Irish rugby into the next era. Instead, the 21-year-old was ruthlessly exposed by Northampton in the Champions Cup semi-final.

History will be made on July 25, 2025, when the British & Irish Lions step out at the legendary Melbourne Cricket Ground—and it won’t just be the Wallabies under pressure.

Competition: Get a Chance to Watch the Lions in Australia

For the first time in their 137-year history, the Lions will play in front of a crowd tipping six figures, with a whopping 100,024 fans expected to pack the stands and terraces.

Thanks to recent grandstand upgrades and a rare green light for 5,000 standing tickets, the MCG will become a cauldron of red, gold... and cold hard cash—nearly £20 million in ticket sales from one match alone.

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Never before has rugby below the Equator come with such a jaw-dropping price tag—and fans are more than willing to pay for the spectacle.

✈️ Qatar Airways Lions Tour Begins Down Under

?? Western Force vs Lions

Optus Stadium, Perth
?️ Saturday, 28 June 2025
? KO: 11:00 BST

❤️ Queensland Reds vs Lions

? Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
?️ Wednesday, 2 July 2025
? KO: 11:00 BST

? NSW Waratahs vs Lions

? Allianz Stadium, Sydney
?️ Saturday, 5 July 2025
? KO: 11:00 BST

? ACT Brumbies vs Lions

? GIO Stadium, Canberra
?️ Wednesday, 9 July 2025
? KO: 11:00 BST

? The Mid-Tour Blockbusters

? Australia & New Zealand Invitational XV vs Lions

? Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
?️ Saturday, 12 July 2025
? KO: 11:00 BST
A fresh addition, this composite side will bring flair and firepower.

? THE TEST SERIES

?? 1st Test: Wallabies vs Lions

? Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
?️ Saturday, 19 July 2025
? KO: 11:00 BST

? First Nations & Pasifika XV vs Lions

? Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
?️ Tuesday, 22 July 2025
? KO: 11:00 BST
An historic first—this fixture celebrates Indigenous and Pasifika rugby culture.

?? 2nd Test: Wallabies vs Lions

? Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
?️ Saturday, 26 July 2025
? KO: 11:00 BST

?? 3rd Test: Wallabies vs Lions

? Accor Stadium, Sydney
?️ Saturday, 2 August 2025
? KO: 11:00 BST

“Hopes over” – Four players who FLOPPED on their final Lions audition

The countdown to the 2025 British & Irish Lions squad announcement is nearly over, but for these five stars, the dream might already be dead.

While some players are surging into the spotlight, these names may have seen the red jersey slip through their fingers at the worst possible time.

? Owen Farrell – All hope Lyon gone

Owen Farrell’s bid for a fourth Lions tour may have ended in painful, poetic fashion—on French soil, 18 minutes into Racing 92’s Challenge Cup semi-final against Lyon.

Stationed at inside centre and captaining the Parisians, the 112-cap England veteran was forced off with a head injury before the first quarter was done. With his father and Lions head coach Andy Farrell watching closely, it was a brutal blow to his already fragile chances.

As MailSport’s Chris Foy bluntly put it: “Surely, that must be the end of that element of the 10 debate.”

With the squad due this Thursday and Farrell now ineligible for England, the signs all point to this being one battle he won’t win—especially after Racing’s dismal 29-15 defeat, where they barely fired a shot.

? Marcus Smith – Miami nice, Premiership nightmare

Remember when Marcus Smith skipped Harlequins’ clash with Saracens to soak up the sun in Miami? Since then, Quins have slumped to four straight defeats, including an eye-watering 62-0 mauling at the hands of Leinster.

His latest outing? A limp 40-7 loss to Leicester, with Smith playing through the pain, ankle heavily strapped, and barely able to influence the game. There were glimpses—some smart kicking into the Tigers’ 22—but the fizz was gone.

And let's not forget Borthwick’s baffling decision to stick him at fullback during the Six Nations. Smith’s spark has flickered just when Farrell needed to see fireworks.

I remain hopeful that Farrell will select him, although such a decision would not be supported by his recent form.

? Jamie Ritchie – All bark, not enough bite

You can't fault Jamie Ritchie's fight—the Scotland flanker was all over the scraps in Edinburgh’s defeat to Bath, including a full-blooded bust-up with Sam Underhill.

But test-level Lions don’t just bring heat—they deliver dominance. Ritchie couldn’t get near the breakdown battle and never grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.

Once tipped to lead the Lions into battle, he now looks more likely to be watching it on TV.

? Sam Prendergast – Welcome to the big leagues

This was supposed to be the

A soft turnover inside 10 minutes. A horror kick leading to a Saints try. A missed shot at goal that would’ve tied it late on. Even his one bright moment—a sweet assist for Tommy O’Brien—was quickly overshadowed as he was torched on the outside by teenage sensation Henry Pollock.

Farrell loves a bolter, but this one might need a bit more seasoning first.

"Hopes over" - Four players who FLOPPED on their final Lions audition

Ex-England boss Stuart Lancaster is now a front-runner for Premiership job