British & Irish Lions announce historic pre-Australia tour clash in Dublin

Adam Kyriacou
A general view of a British and Irish Lions' logo on a flag.

A general view of a British and Irish Lions' logo on a flag.

The British & Irish Lions will play an historic fixture at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Friday, June 20, 2025 after it was confirmed they’ll face Argentina in a pre-tour clash.

This will be the first time the famous British & Irish Lions will run out on Irish soil and the meeting with Los Pumas will help prepare the team ahead of the tour to Australia.

The clash follows the successful 1888 Cup game against Japan in Edinburgh ahead of 2021’s tour of South Africa which saw the Lions win the game 28-10 on that occasion.

Dublin send-off

This historic Argentina match also gives fans the opportunity to see the Lions in action and send off the 2025 squad on a high before they embark on their journey to Australia.

The team will begin the 2025 tour in Perth against the Western Force on June 28 before facing off with fellow Australian Super Rugby Pacific sides, the Reds, Waratahs and the Brumbies. The British & Irish Lions will continue their preparation for the first Test by facing an invitational Australian and New Zealand side at the Adelaide Oval on July 12.

Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium will host the first Test against Australia on Saturday, July 19. Following this, a midweek match against Melbourne Rebels will take place at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday, July 22. The second Test will be played on Saturday, July 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which has a capacity of 100,000. The final Test will be played in front of over 80,000 fans at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Saturday, August 2.

Ben Calveley, CEO of the British & Irish Lions, commented: “Excitement is building as we continue the countdown to the 2025 Tour to Australia and we are delighted to confirm details of this fixture which is a key part of the overall Tour. The opportunity to play in Dublin at Aviva Stadium in front of over 50,000 Lions fans will make for a great occasion and the perfect send-off.

“British & Irish Lions Tours have a rich heritage built over 130 years of touring but alongside our strong history which we are very proud of, it is important that we look for ways in which to evolve our Tours. This pre-Tour fixture is one such example of this and builds on the success of the pre-Tour fixture against Japan at Murrayfield in 2021 which was a resounding success.

“British & Irish Lions fans are a core part of what makes a great Lions Tour. This fixture in Aviva Stadium gives fans who may not be travelling to Australia the opportunity to see the Lions in action which is really important to us.

“The 1888 Cup match in Dublin will give even more supporters the opportunity to be part of the Lions exciting journey and we look forward to witnessing a Sea of Red in Dublin before we depart for Australia.

“Finally, I would like to thank The Irish Rugby Football Union and La Unión Argentina de Rugby for their support and collaboration in the organising of this fixture.”

Amazing occasion

Ieuan Evans, Chairman of the British & Irish Lions, added: “This fixture is set to be an amazing occasion as well as an important part of our preparation ahead of the 2025 Tour, as we bid to claim our first Lions Series win since 2013. It’s hugely exciting for the players selected on the Tour to play a Lions fixture in Aviva Stadium and I’m sure it is something they will all relish.

“Aviva Stadium is one the most iconic venues in World Rugby and has been the scene of some of the greatest moments in rugby over the years. What’s more, Dublin is an amazing sporting city, and many rugby and sporting fans will have enjoyed the camaraderie and the warm welcome over the years. It is a wonderful destination for Lions fans and a brilliant setting for our pre-Tour fixture.”

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Argentina