Well, folks, after four years, it’s that time again!
The British & Irish Lions kick off their Test series against Australia at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, at 11am Irish time.
It’s Gavan Casey with you here, and I’ll bring you live updates from the game if you’re not lucky enough to be in the stadium or if you don’t have access to Sky Sports.
Andy Farrell’s side are big favourites against Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies. Brisbane is, by all accounts, a sea of red.
Let’s go!
Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
A reminder of how the sides will line out at Suncorp.
Andy Farrell has a strong enough squad that all of Josh van der Flier, Jac Morgan and Henry Pollock miss out on the matchday squad, with Tom Curry getting the nod at seven.
The Wallabies are without two of their three best players, in all honesty: Rob Valetini and Will Skelton miss out through injury, although star back Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i starts at 13.
Tom Lynagh will make his first Test start at 10 in place of the injured Noah Lolesio, who wasn’t exactly in great form to begin with.
Australia have a combined 466 Test caps in their matchday 23. The Lions have 827. James Slipper, however, accounts for 145 of those Wallaby caps — they have just a combined 321 without him.
Ben O’Keeffe of New Zealand will be the man in the middle this morning.
James Slipper of Australia. Photosport / Andrew Cornaga/INPHO
Photosport / Andrew Cornaga/INPHO / Andrew Cornaga/INPHO
Curry gets the nod at 7. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Australia: Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter; Tom Lynagh, Jake Gordon; James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Allan Alaalatoa; Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams; Nick Champion de Crespigny, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (captain).
Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Tom Hooper, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway.
Lions: Hugo Keenan; Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, James Lowe; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Maro Itoje (captain), Joe McCarthy; Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Bundee Aki
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe [New Zealand].
19 Jul 2025
10:38AM
Listen, fair play.
This lad doing a gig at his house on Caxton Street.
Murray Kinsella is in Brisbane for us — he and I will record a post-match pod immediately after full-time for The 42 subscribers. You can grab your first month for just €1, no catch or commitment!
Just over 20 minutes to go to kick-off at Suncorp.
19 Jul 2025
10:40AM
Big day for this lad.
A teenage Andy Farrell working for Wigan Council in 1993 as a joiner - in case the rugby stuff doesn’t pay off for him…#Lions2025pic.twitter.com/05pS1npkbr
1′ – AUS 0-0 LIONS: Ben O’Keeffe sounds his whistle and the 2025 Lions series against Australia is underway, as Finn Russell kicks things off in Brissie!
Here we go.
19 Jul 2025
11:04AM
1′ – AUS 0-0 LIONS: Tadhg Beirne wins a jackal penalty at the very first breakdown of the game! How about that for a start by the Munster and Ireland man?
An easy three points on offer to the Lions, now, after only 30 seconds of play. Finn Russell will kick for goal from right of centre, around 30m from goal.
2′ – AUS 0-3 LIONS: Russell nudges the tourists into an extremely early lead after Beirne’s poach.
Joe Schmidt will be disgusted by that start by the Wallabies. A lovely settler for the Lions.
19 Jul 2025
11:09AM
4′ – AUS 0-3 LIONS: Some nice involvements by James Lowe — one excellent defensive read to snuff out an Aussie linebreak, and one nice aerial contest — and Finn Russell drills the ball behind the Aussie backfield.
The scrambling Harry Potter spills the ball into touch inside his own 22′!
Chance for the Lions here. But after their lineout attack, the Wallabies get one back on the ground! Fraser McReight wins the battle with Maro Itoje deep inside his own 22′!
19 Jul 2025
11:10AM
7′ – AUS 0-3 LIONS: After McReight wins the jackal pen, the Wallabies botch the lineout and spill forward on their own 10′. First scrum of the game, Lions ball. This will be interesting when it’s eventually set up.
19 Jul 2025
11:11AM
8′ – AUS 0-3 LIONS: Free-kick Lions at the scrum. Lovely break by Russell who offloads to Sheehan.
Lions deep into the Wallaby 22′ with a pen advantage!
The Lions bash their way up to the Wallabies’ 5′ with a pen advantage. Furlong pops the ball back to Russell, who scans, considers a cross-kick, but instead floats a left-handed skip pass to the Scottish inside centre.
Tuipulotu waltzes in, leaving Russell with the gimme conversion.
Lions lead by 10. What a start by Farrell’s side!
19 Jul 2025
11:19AM
16′ – AUS 0-10 LIONS:Australia with the scrum between the Lions’ 10′ and 22′ after a rare spillage by the outstretched Hugo Keenan.
They lock it out and are now attacking on the 22′.
19 Jul 2025
11:21AM
18′ – AUS 0-10 LIONS: Another jackal win by Beirne — his second — and the Lions clear their lines.
What a start by Beirne.
The Lions’ defence looks impenetrable at the moment. Line-speed is off the charts.
19 Jul 2025
11:24AM
Disallowed try for the Lions!
19′ – AUS 0-10 LIONS: Huw Jones has a score chalked off!
Superb move by the tourists: Gibson-Park identifies the space down the short side and James Lowe makes the break before feeding Jones on his inside.
But the Scotland 13 was tackled and failed to release the ball before reaching for the line and dotting down with a second effort.
Correct call by Ben O’Keeffe. That honestly could have been game over. The Wallabies escape.
19 Jul 2025
11:27AM
23′ – AUS 0-10 LIONS:Harry Potter delivers an almost inch-perfect kick upfield but Hugo Keenan shows nice composure to guide the ball dead, by a ball’s width. His heart would have been in his mouth there but his instinct was bang-on.
Lions get a scrum way back in Australia’s half.
19 Jul 2025
11:32AM
26′ – AUS 0-10 LIONS: Scrappy period of play but the Lions are utterly dominating the collision here. The absences of Valetini and Skelton so notable for the Wallabies, who have been unable to generate any go-forward in attack.
19 Jul 2025
11:34AM
27′ – AUS 0-10 LIONS: Genge is pinged for hinging in the scrum. Big win for the Wallabies and Allan Alaalatoa!
They have a lineout, now, in the Lions’ half. Tadhg Beirne stole their last one but they win their own ball this time.
Lynagh’s chip, however, eludes Sua’ali’i and the Lions exit through Lowe — albeit straight back into the hands of Lynagh.
Jake Gordon’s box-kick is taken cleanly in the air by Jorgensen, who beats Keenan in an excellent contest, and the 20-year-old wing charges for the right-hand corner! Russell’s despairing tackle is no good.
Australia on the board!
Lynagh’s kick trails wide. 10-5 Lions.
19 Jul 2025
11:39AM
32′ – AUS 5-10 LIONS: Oh, so close for the Lions!
A wonderful, flowing, phase attack results in a cross-kick by Russell to McCarthy, who is in acres of space!
But the kick just about eludes McCarthy, who knocks on in the in-goal. Actually a poor kick by Russell, his only black mark so far.
Should have been a try!
19 Jul 2025
11:42AM
34′ – AUS 5-10 LIONS: Lions bash it back towards the Wallabies’ line. They win a penalty and Lowe botches a brilliant chance by going it alone instead of passing to Freeman!
Back for the pen, and the Lions go to the line on the Aussie 5′.
They’re eventually held up — but they have another pen for offside!
The Lions tap and go from five. Sheehan is stopped and so too is Genge, but a phase later, their pressure tells as Curry burrows over. He enjoyed that one!
Russell converts and the Lions lead by 12!
They’ve been by far the dominant side here in Brisbane.
A half in which the Lions’ overall domination isn’t quite reflected on the scoreboard, but they still lead healthily at the turnaround.
Converted tries by Sione Tuipulotu and Tom Curry, as well as a Finn Russell penalty, have them in the ascendancy. Max Jorgensen with the Aussie response from nowhere at 10-0 down, but they’ve had little else to offer.
The Wallabies lose a lineout in their own half and the Lions score immediately to start the second half.
Huw Jones makes the big gains up the middle. The Lions attack from five. Gibson-Park feeds Curry, who puts Sheehan over in the right-hand corner for the diving finish.
Russell splits the posts from the touchline.
That’ll be game, folks, honestly. The Lions picking up where they left off in the first half.
19 Jul 2025
12:12PM
49′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Joe McCarthy appeared to hobble off a while ago, replaced by Ollie Chessum. Andrew Porter on now for Genge.
19 Jul 2025
12:18PM
50′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Porter concedes a scrum pen and the Wallabies get a chance inside the Lions’ 22′.
Genuinely think this is the closes they’ve been to the tourists’ line, try aside.
19 Jul 2025
12:18PM
53′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Lions immediately turn them over at the lineout maul.
One-way traffic so far in Brisbane. A bit deflating within the context of the wider sport, truth be told.
Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
19 Jul 2025
12:22PM
56′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Curry pinged for a high tackle and Lynagh line-kicks the Aussies to within 10 of the Lions’ line once more.
They need something here.
19 Jul 2025
12:23PM
57′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Australia are held up over the line after some strong attack but they had another pen advantage for offside.
Lynagh goes back to the line. Hosts will have the put-in to a five-metre lineout.
19 Jul 2025
12:24PM
58′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Will Stuart, Ben Earl and Bundee Aki on for the Lions.
19 Jul 2025
12:26PM
59′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Another Lions offside as Australia again attack from the 5′. O’Keeffe issues the warning to Itoje.
Wallabies will go again but first, some home subs.
19 Jul 2025
12:31PM
60′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Australia having a try checked here, plenty in it!
Sua’ali’i made the initial carry, got hit, and then rolled over multiple times from shy of the line.
Ball is grounded, but do the Lions not stop Sua’ali’i by getting over the ball as he rolls for the score?
Yes, they do. No try, says Ben O’Keeffe. Penalty Lions.
19 Jul 2025
12:34PM
63′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: The Wallabies come close again as they attack with a scrum advantage and Harry Wilson chips down the left edge. Harry Potter is inches away from dotting down, but the ball goes dead.
Scrum Lions on their own 5′.
19 Jul 2025
12:37PM
66′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Australia have, in fairness, enjoyed most of the territory in the second half.
They have another five-metre lineout here after hands in the ruck by a Lion — I didn’t see exactly whose hands they were.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
61 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Australia v British & Irish Lions, first Test
Well, folks, after four years, it’s that time again!
The British & Irish Lions kick off their Test series against Australia at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, at 11am Irish time.
It’s Gavan Casey with you here, and I’ll bring you live updates from the game if you’re not lucky enough to be in the stadium or if you don’t have access to Sky Sports.
Andy Farrell’s side are big favourites against Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies. Brisbane is, by all accounts, a sea of red.
Let’s go!
A reminder of how the sides will line out at Suncorp.
Andy Farrell has a strong enough squad that all of Josh van der Flier, Jac Morgan and Henry Pollock miss out on the matchday squad, with Tom Curry getting the nod at seven.
The Wallabies are without two of their three best players, in all honesty: Rob Valetini and Will Skelton miss out through injury, although star back Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i starts at 13.
Tom Lynagh will make his first Test start at 10 in place of the injured Noah Lolesio, who wasn’t exactly in great form to begin with.
Australia have a combined 466 Test caps in their matchday 23. The Lions have 827. James Slipper, however, accounts for 145 of those Wallaby caps — they have just a combined 321 without him.
Ben O’Keeffe of New Zealand will be the man in the middle this morning.
Australia: Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter; Tom Lynagh, Jake Gordon; James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Allan Alaalatoa; Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams; Nick Champion de Crespigny, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (captain).
Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Tom Hooper, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway.
Lions: Hugo Keenan; Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, James Lowe; Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park; Ellis Genge, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Maro Itoje (captain), Joe McCarthy; Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Bundee Aki
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe [New Zealand].
Listen, fair play.
Murray Kinsella is in Brisbane for us — he and I will record a post-match pod immediately after full-time for The 42 subscribers. You can grab your first month for just €1, no catch or commitment!
Just over 20 minutes to go to kick-off at Suncorp.
Big day for this lad.
Who’ll win this first Test, then?
Poll Results:
Just under 10 minutes to go until the series begins in Brisbane.
‘Advance Australia Fair’ just underway in the stadium.
It looks about a 65-35 Lions house. The stand into which the Lions will be playing in the second half is just a wall of red.
1′ – AUS 0-0 LIONS: Ben O’Keeffe sounds his whistle and the 2025 Lions series against Australia is underway, as Finn Russell kicks things off in Brissie!
Here we go.
1′ – AUS 0-0 LIONS: Tadhg Beirne wins a jackal penalty at the very first breakdown of the game! How about that for a start by the Munster and Ireland man?
An easy three points on offer to the Lions, now, after only 30 seconds of play. Finn Russell will kick for goal from right of centre, around 30m from goal.
2′ – AUS 0-3 LIONS: Russell nudges the tourists into an extremely early lead after Beirne’s poach.
Joe Schmidt will be disgusted by that start by the Wallabies. A lovely settler for the Lions.
4′ – AUS 0-3 LIONS: Some nice involvements by James Lowe — one excellent defensive read to snuff out an Aussie linebreak, and one nice aerial contest — and Finn Russell drills the ball behind the Aussie backfield.
The scrambling Harry Potter spills the ball into touch inside his own 22′!
Chance for the Lions here. But after their lineout attack, the Wallabies get one back on the ground! Fraser McReight wins the battle with Maro Itoje deep inside his own 22′!
7′ – AUS 0-3 LIONS: After McReight wins the jackal pen, the Wallabies botch the lineout and spill forward on their own 10′. First scrum of the game, Lions ball. This will be interesting when it’s eventually set up.
8′ – AUS 0-3 LIONS: Free-kick Lions at the scrum. Lovely break by Russell who offloads to Sheehan.
Lions deep into the Wallaby 22′ with a pen advantage!
9′ – TRYYYYYYY FOR THE LIONS! SIONE TUIPULOTU!
The Lions bash their way up to the Wallabies’ 5′ with a pen advantage. Furlong pops the ball back to Russell, who scans, considers a cross-kick, but instead floats a left-handed skip pass to the Scottish inside centre.
Tuipulotu waltzes in, leaving Russell with the gimme conversion.
Lions lead by 10. What a start by Farrell’s side!
16′ – AUS 0-10 LIONS:Australia with the scrum between the Lions’ 10′ and 22′ after a rare spillage by the outstretched Hugo Keenan.
They lock it out and are now attacking on the 22′.
18′ – AUS 0-10 LIONS: Another jackal win by Beirne — his second — and the Lions clear their lines.
What a start by Beirne.
The Lions’ defence looks impenetrable at the moment. Line-speed is off the charts.
19′ – AUS 0-10 LIONS: Huw Jones has a score chalked off!
Superb move by the tourists: Gibson-Park identifies the space down the short side and James Lowe makes the break before feeding Jones on his inside.
But the Scotland 13 was tackled and failed to release the ball before reaching for the line and dotting down with a second effort.
Correct call by Ben O’Keeffe. That honestly could have been game over. The Wallabies escape.
23′ – AUS 0-10 LIONS:Harry Potter delivers an almost inch-perfect kick upfield but Hugo Keenan shows nice composure to guide the ball dead, by a ball’s width. His heart would have been in his mouth there but his instinct was bang-on.
Lions get a scrum way back in Australia’s half.
26′ – AUS 0-10 LIONS: Scrappy period of play but the Lions are utterly dominating the collision here. The absences of Valetini and Skelton so notable for the Wallabies, who have been unable to generate any go-forward in attack.
27′ – AUS 0-10 LIONS: Genge is pinged for hinging in the scrum. Big win for the Wallabies and Allan Alaalatoa!
They have a lineout, now, in the Lions’ half. Tadhg Beirne stole their last one but they win their own ball this time.
Lynagh’s chip, however, eludes Sua’ali’i and the Lions exit through Lowe — albeit straight back into the hands of Lynagh.
29′ – TRYYYYYYY FOR AUSTRALIA! MAX JORGENSEN!
OUT OF NOTHING!
Jake Gordon’s box-kick is taken cleanly in the air by Jorgensen, who beats Keenan in an excellent contest, and the 20-year-old wing charges for the right-hand corner! Russell’s despairing tackle is no good.
Australia on the board!
Lynagh’s kick trails wide. 10-5 Lions.
32′ – AUS 5-10 LIONS: Oh, so close for the Lions!
A wonderful, flowing, phase attack results in a cross-kick by Russell to McCarthy, who is in acres of space!
But the kick just about eludes McCarthy, who knocks on in the in-goal. Actually a poor kick by Russell, his only black mark so far.
Should have been a try!
34′ – AUS 5-10 LIONS: Lions bash it back towards the Wallabies’ line. They win a penalty and Lowe botches a brilliant chance by going it alone instead of passing to Freeman!
Back for the pen, and the Lions go to the line on the Aussie 5′.
They’re eventually held up — but they have another pen for offside!
36′ – TRYYYYYY FOR THE LIONS! TOM CURRY!
The Lions tap and go from five. Sheehan is stopped and so too is Genge, but a phase later, their pressure tells as Curry burrows over. He enjoyed that one!
Russell converts and the Lions lead by 12!
They’ve been by far the dominant side here in Brisbane.
A half in which the Lions’ overall domination isn’t quite reflected on the scoreboard, but they still lead healthily at the turnaround.
Converted tries by Sione Tuipulotu and Tom Curry, as well as a Finn Russell penalty, have them in the ascendancy. Max Jorgensen with the Aussie response from nowhere at 10-0 down, but they’ve had little else to offer.
Catch you in 15!
41′ – AUS 5-17 LIONS: Tom Lynagh, 36 years after his dad competed against the Lions, restarts the game!
42′ – TRYYYYYY FOR THE LIONS! DAN SHEEHAN!
The Wallabies lose a lineout in their own half and the Lions score immediately to start the second half.
Huw Jones makes the big gains up the middle. The Lions attack from five. Gibson-Park feeds Curry, who puts Sheehan over in the right-hand corner for the diving finish.
Russell splits the posts from the touchline.
That’ll be game, folks, honestly. The Lions picking up where they left off in the first half.
49′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Joe McCarthy appeared to hobble off a while ago, replaced by Ollie Chessum. Andrew Porter on now for Genge.
50′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Porter concedes a scrum pen and the Wallabies get a chance inside the Lions’ 22′.
Genuinely think this is the closes they’ve been to the tourists’ line, try aside.
53′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Lions immediately turn them over at the lineout maul.
One-way traffic so far in Brisbane. A bit deflating within the context of the wider sport, truth be told.
56′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Curry pinged for a high tackle and Lynagh line-kicks the Aussies to within 10 of the Lions’ line once more.
They need something here.
57′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Australia are held up over the line after some strong attack but they had another pen advantage for offside.
Lynagh goes back to the line. Hosts will have the put-in to a five-metre lineout.
58′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Will Stuart, Ben Earl and Bundee Aki on for the Lions.
59′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Another Lions offside as Australia again attack from the 5′. O’Keeffe issues the warning to Itoje.
Wallabies will go again but first, some home subs.
60′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Australia having a try checked here, plenty in it!
Sua’ali’i made the initial carry, got hit, and then rolled over multiple times from shy of the line.
Ball is grounded, but do the Lions not stop Sua’ali’i by getting over the ball as he rolls for the score?
Yes, they do. No try, says Ben O’Keeffe. Penalty Lions.
63′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: The Wallabies come close again as they attack with a scrum advantage and Harry Wilson chips down the left edge. Harry Potter is inches away from dotting down, but the ball goes dead.
Scrum Lions on their own 5′.
66′ – AUS 5-24 LIONS: Australia have, in fairness, enjoyed most of the territory in the second half.
They have another five-metre lineout here after hands in the ruck by a Lion — I didn’t see exactly whose hands they were.
68′ – TRYYYYYYY FOR AUSTRALIA! CARLO TIZZANO!
The replacement burrows over from close range and gives the Wallabies a glimmer.
Replacement 10 Ben Donaldson converts.
The gap is down to 12 and the Wallabies get some reward for their territorial pressure.
73′ – AUS 12-24 LIONS: Wallabies botch an exit and the Lions win a pen for hands on the ground.
Free three points here for Marcus Smith, who’s on for Finn Russell.
This will seal the deal.
74′ – AUS 12-27 LIONS: Smith chips the Lions into a 15-point lead with six minutes remaining.
Game over, ball bursht. The tourists will take this first Test.
78′ – TRY FOR AUSTRALIA! TATE MCDERMOTT!
The replacement scrum-half — impressive since he came on for Jake Gordon — swivels over for the consolation score.
Donaldson converts.
Just over a minute to go, Lions lead by eight.
They’ll be disappointed not to have pulled away by more here.
80′ – AUS 19-27 LIONS: Australia look to play from deep but a pass flies into touch on their own 5′.
Lions get one last chance to put some gloss on the scoreboard.
Full-time: Australia 19-27 Lions
Lions botch the lineout and Harry Wilson boots the ball out for full-time.
The Lions take the first Test in Brisbane.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
As it happened Liveblog