Storm brewing as Lions boss hits out over tour matches
A potential storm is brewing over the participation - or not - of Wallabies stars in the British and Irish Lions tour matches.
The Lions are playing against all four of Australia's Super Rugby Pacific teams as part of a nine game trek Down Under, starting with the Western Force in Perth on Saturday.
The Wallabies have released five players for that match - Nick Champion De Crespigny, Dylan Pietsch, Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain and Nic White.
Watch all the action from the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia on Stan Sport, the only place to watch every match live and on demand
Nic White of the Wallabies at Adelaide Oval.
But the other four Force players - Ben Donaldson, Harry Potter, Carlo Tizzano and Jeremy Williams - are instead training with the Wallabies in Sydney to prepare for the July 6 Test against Fiji in Newcastle.
Despite the Lions losing 28-24 to Argentina in Dublin before flying out, there are fears that the tour games could be hopelessly lopsided.
The Lions have been installed as $1.02 favourites at Optus Stadium, with the Force at $16.
"The agreement is very clear - it says that Test players have to be released to play in fixtures leading into that series. That is our expectation," Lions chief executive Ben Calveley said in Perth.
"We'll play the game at the weekend and will carry on having discussions with (Rugby Australia chief executive) Phil Waugh and will take it step by step.
"It's really important that these games are competitive. It's not just from a performance standpoint but it's also right for the fans, partners and broadcasters, who are all expecting competitive fixtures, and for the rugby-loving public. That would be their expectation as well."
NEW PODCAST! The British and Irish Lions are swamped by fans on arrival in Perth and the Wallabies get down to business in Sydney
https://omny.fm/shows/between-two-posts-1/the-lions-are-here/embed?in_playlist=podcast&style=CoverLions tour manager Ieuan Evans was singing from the same song sheet.
"I think what's clear is that we are an elite sporting touring team and we need to be challenged and tested in our preparations towards the Tests," Evans said.
Complicating matters, the Lions play the NSW Waratahs in Sydney on July 5 - the night before the Wallabies vs Fiji game.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt will then name a revised squad to play the Lions on July 11 to prepare for the first Test in Brisbane on July 19.
The likes of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Max Jorgensen and Angus Bell will almost certainly play for the Wallabies rather than the Waratahs.
"It's a complicated matrix and I've never had to quite do it like that before," Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in Stan's Lions promo.
"You can't wait to get your crew into camp and start working in a really shared, collective manner. But for guys to have the chance to play for the Wallabies - and to have teams that we believe are going to be as competitive as they can be - I think it was really important to be able to leave some guys there (in Perth).
"They'll still get a full week with us before we play Fiji, so I don't think it will be too detrimental to us. And I think the positives for the Western Force outweigh anything that's detrimental for us, trying to get our team together.
"Not only that, it gives us a little bit of an opportunity to just broaden the group a little bit."
https://x.com/StanSportRugby/status/1936988535623704858Schmidt is likely to name a full strength team - or very close to it - against Fiji, given it is their only warmup match.
He didn't think his former Ireland assistant - Lions coach Andy Farrell - could afford too much selection foxing either.
Farrell had nine England players in his starting XV against the Pumas but is expected to unleash many of his Ireland stars against the Force.
Andy Farrell arrives at Perth Airport.
"I think we will see the Test combinations before we see the Test matches," Schmidt predicted.
"That would be my understanding of how they'll try to set up their game. I don't think they'll be looking to try to throw late combinations at us to get us off guard.
"I think they'll be trying to get on guard themselves. And that's a little bit the same for us in that we've got one Test to build some combinations, or to rebuild some combinations.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt signs autographs at Stanmore Public School.
"To be frank, I think it's going to be quite hard to pick that (Lions) Test team because I think they've got such a depth and quality. That can be a headache for someone else.
"We'll just see who turns up and then we'll try to do our best."
Meanwhile, Lions lock Ollie Chessum is warding off complacency against a shorthanded Force team that finished ninth in Super Rugby.
Ollie Chessum of England consoles Jamie George.
"For people playing against the Lions, this is potentially a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Chessum said.
"I'm sure that for the Western Force lads and all the teams we face in the future, to be part of a team that beats the Lions would be massive. We expect that from everyone we face, but we also expect to put the best of ourselves out there.
"If I get the opportunity, I'm like everyone in the camp – chomping at the bit to put on the shirt and play for the Lions."
