THE APPETITE FOR next year’s Lions tour in Australia hasn’t been hit despite the Wallabies’ horror show at the 2023 World Cup.
The first tickets went on sale for the 2025 Lions tour on Monday and demand was high. Every available seat for the Tests in Sydney and Brisbane was snapped up quickly, while 90% of tickets in the first tranche for the 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground were sold swiftly.
Demand for the Lions’ other games against the Western Force, Queensland Reds, New South Wales Waratahs, ACT Brumbies, Melbourne Rebels, and an invitational combined Australia/New Zealand side was also extremely high, according to Rugby Australia.
You could suggest that the appointment of Joe Schmidt as Eddie Jones’ successor has already meant a bounce effect, even if he hasn’t had a game yet. It has been interesting how often Schmidt has been out in the Aussie media. That has never been a natural role for him but it’s a major obligation Down Under as rugby union battles for media space in a crammed sporting landscape.
Or you could say that the promising start the Aussie sides have had in Super Rugby has created new enthusiasm for the national team. Les Kiss’ Reds have been impressive in the opening four rounds, while the Brumbies are always competitive, and the Waratahs enjoyed a stirring win over the Crusaders.
But the reality is that the demand is mainly about the Lions still being a huge draw. The Australian rugby public only gets this chance every 12 years, while the excitement among all the ex-pats Down Under, including thousands and thousands of Irish, is palpable.
The Lions is a money-making machine for everyone involved and it still holds great prestige for players. Sure, it’s lucrative for them to make the tour but it’s also a major sporting honour that the top players all want. So while Irish fans might worry about the lasting effects these tours have on players, everyone wants to get picked.
Andy Farrell is a fella who gets the Lions. The touring side has been a big part of his career. He first worked with Irish players on the 2013 tour, impressing them to the point that the likes of Johnny Sexton encouraged Schmidt to bring him into the Ireland set-up in 2016. 12 years later, Farrell gets his shot at being the main man in Australia.
Farrell has reminded us a few times of how big a year Ireland still have ahead of them. His main focus is on that juicy two-Test tour of South Africa in July, then a busy autumn schedule in Dublin. Only after those November Tests will Farrell step away from his Ireland job temporarily and become the full-time Lions boss until the tour is finished.
Even while he’s got those challenges on his plate with Ireland, there’s no doubt Farrell will occasionally be thinking about his plans for the Lions tour. He has to confirm his assistant coaches and backroom staff, there is logistical work to get done, and he surely has a file on his laptop relating to squad selection.
Who knows what will have happened in Test rugby by the time Farrell names his Lions touring squad in April or May of next year?
There are three big Test campaigns ahead for most candidates – the 2024 summer Tests, the 2024 autumn window, and the 2025 Six Nations. We know that even one big game in the closing round of the Six Nations can be enough to propel a player up the perceived pecking order, so these are early days.
As things stand, there is a strong chance of heavy Irish involvement.
Eight Irish players were named by Warren Gatland in the original group back in 2021: Andrew Porter, Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Iain Henderson, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Bundee Aki, and Robbie Henshaw.
Porter, still a tighthead back then, was unlucky to be ruled out due to injury before the tour got underway, while hooker Rónan Kelleher was called in as cover both before the Lions left for South Africa and again when they were out there but didn’t get a chance to play.
Unless Ireland’s form falls off a cliff over the next 12 months, it’s a good bet that there will be more than eight of their players named in Farrell’s squad.
Ireland’s entire starting XV will probably be contenders and if the squad was picked this summer, you’d have to think that lads who haven’t been first-choice in this Six Nations like Rónan Kelleher, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, and James Ryan would be in the mix.
Last time, there were only three Irish backs involved but that seems likely to increase. Jamison Gibson-Park, Jack Crowley, Aki, Henshaw, Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Mack Hansen, and Hugo Keenan will be among those aiming to get the nod.
England should have plenty of contenders for Farrell to consider, but Wales’ drop-off is a concern and Scotland struggle for consistency.
The best way of getting picked for the Lions is to shove the thought of it to the back of their minds now. Farrell won’t quite be able to do that but it’s background work for the next while.
Over in Australia, one hopes to see the Super Rugby sides continuing to improve and we will be watching closely as Schmidt’s Wallabies era gets underway with two Tests against Wales and one versus Georgia in July before the Rugby Championship starts in August.
The next batch of Lions tickets will go on sale later this year and demand is likely to be even greater by then.
