A packed tour so far has all been leading up to this for Andy Farrell’s side, who have won five successive games since arriving Down Under last month with varying degrees of performance levels, producing their best display so far with a 48-0 demolition of an AUNZ Invitational XV in Adelaide last weekend.
Farrell’s men had yet to hit top gear before a side devoid of most of their Test starters took apart an AUNZ XV full of individual talent but woefully short on cohesion, but he will demand their best in the first of three summer showdowns with the injury-hit Wallabies, with the Second Test coming in Melbourne after a final midweek meeting with a First Nations and Pasifika XV and the series concluding in Sydney in early August.
Australia had just one warm-up match in preparation for facing the Lions as most of their top names were kept in camp rather than being released back to their Super Rugby franchises for the tour fixtures, needing a last-gasp Harry Wilson try to avoid a disastrous defeat by Fiji in Newcastle a fortnight ago.
This is a massive series for a Wallabies side coached by Joe Schmidt, under whom Farrell previously served for three years as an assistant with Ireland before taking on the top job, adding another delicious subplot to these Tests.
Australian rugby union is in a tough spot at present amid a difficult time in Super Rugby and the Wallabies initially slipping down to eighth in the world rankings despite signs of promise under Schmidt that included a pulsating win over England at Twickenham and pushing Ireland close in an autumn series in which they also thumped sorry Wales and lost to Scotland, before rising to sixth in the newest update.
The Lions’ memorable 2-1 series win under Warren Gatland in Australia in 2013 was their first since the legendary 1997 tour of South Africa, followed by a hard-earned and controversial draw against the All Blacks four years later and a 2-1 defeat to the reigning world champion Springboks in the Covid-impacted tour of 2021.
Lions vs Australia date, kick-off time and venue
The First Test between the Lions and Australia takes place on Saturday July 19, 2025, with kick-off scheduled for 11am BST. That is 8pm local time.
It’s back to the 52,500-capacity Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane for the Lions, where they beat the Reds 52-12.
They also won the opening Test there 23-21 against the Wallabies back in 2013, with Kurtley Beale famously slipping as he looked to slot over a last-gasp penalty that would have handed the hosts a dramatic victory.
How to watch Lions vs Australia
TV channel: Live coverage of the First Test is available via Sky Sports, who have exclusive broadcasting rights to the Lions tour in the UK this summer.
Their broadcast starts at 10am BST on Saturday morning on both Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action.
Live stream: Fans with a Sky Sports subscription can also watch the First Test live online via the Sky Go app, while it’s available to stream via NOW.
Live blog: Follow the First Test action with Standard Sport’s live blog.
Lions vs Australia team news
Curry has seen off competition for the No7 shirt from the likes of Josh van der Flier and Jac Morgan, whose absence from the squad means there is no Welsh representation at all for the first time since 1899.
Tuipulotu lines up with Finn Russell and Huw Jones in an all-Scotland midfield as he prepares to reignite his feisty autumn rivalry with Wallabies star Joseph Suaalii, with Bundee Aki only on the bench and Garry Ringrose ruled out with concussion.
Hugo Keenan starts at full-back with Blair Kinghorn still nursing a knee issue, with Mack Hansen not involved due to a foot problem as James Lowe and Tommy Freeman get the nod on the wings. Jamison Gibson-Park partners Russell at half-back.
Curry is joined in the back row by Tadhg Beirne – who takes the blindside spot ahead of Ollie Chessum – and Jack Conan, while captain Maro Itoje is partnered by Joe McCarthy at lock.
Ellis Genge and Tadhg Furlong are the first-choice props either side of hooker Dan Sheehan, who is backed up by Ronan Kelleher in the absence of Luke Cowan-Dickie.
There is no Owen Farrell on a 5-3 bench, with Marcus Smith preferred alongside Aki and Alex Mitchell. Ben Earl provides back-row cover, along with the versatile Chessum. Andrew Porter and Will Stuart are the back-up props.
Fireworks: Sione Tuipulotu will renew his fiery autumn rivalry with Joseph Suaalii in the First Test
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Jeremy Williams and Nick Frost line up at lock, with Harry Wilson captaining the side from No8 and joined in the back row by Fraser McReight and Nick Champion de Crespigny, who makes his first Wallabies start at 6 with Langi Gleeson having suffered a dead leg.
Suaalii and Len Ikitau is a formidable centre pairing, with Tom Wright at full-back, and Harry Potter and Max Jorgensen on the wings.
Matt Faessler is at hooker, joined in the front row by Alan Alaalatoa and James Slipper, with Taniela Tupou released to play for the First Nations and Pasifika XV on Tuesday, along with Filipo Daugunu.
Lions vs Australia lineups
Lions XV: Keenan; Freeman, Jones, Tuipulotu, Lowe; Russell, Gibson-Park; Genge, Sheehan, Furlong; Itoje (c), McCarthy; Beirne, Curry, Conan
Replacements: Kelleher, Porter, Stuart, Chessum, Earl, Mitchell, M Smith, Aki
Australia XV: Wright; Jorgensen, Suaalii, Ikitau, Potter; Lynagh, Gordon; Alaalatoa, Faessler, Slipper; Frost, Williams; Champion de Crespigny, McReight, Wilson (c)
Replacements: Pollard, Bell, Robertson, Hooper, Tizzano, McDermott, Donaldson, Kellaway
Lions vs Australia head to head (h2h) history and results
This is the 10th time that the Lions have toured Australia since 1899, with the trips resuming in 1989 after a 23-year break.
The Lions have won seven of the nine series so far, with the only exceptions coming in 1930 and 2001.
Lions vs Australia prediction
The absences of Valetini and Skelton are monumental blows for Australia, whose lack of depth is already being shown up badly before the Test series has even begun.
It will also be fascinating to see how Lynagh steps up to the pressure of making his first-ever international start in the cauldron of a Lions Test opener.
The kicking battle will be instrumental, as will Australia’s ability to attack the breakdown and exploit a potential Lions weakness on the floor that was exposed in a number of their warm-up matches, most notably by Charlie Gamble and the Waratahs.
The Lions were big favourites anyway, and it’s so hard to look past them now with that unfortunate Wallabies team news, with Farrell naming a team that will look to make their power felt from the outset.
Lions to win, by 10 points.
Lions vs Australia match odds
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
