New Zealand and Australia could enter a combined team to face the British and Irish Lions in 2025; Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan said he is in talks with New Zealand Rugby to discuss playing a combined team.
Wednesday 2 November 2022 09:00, UK
New Zealand and Australia could field a combined ANZAC team to face the British and Irish Lions in 2025.
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan said he has opened talks with officials from New Zealand Rugby to discuss the possibility of a combined ANZAC team.
The Lions are set to play three Tests against the Wallabies in Australia in 2025 and McLennan has proposed an additional match with players from New Zealand and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as part of the tour.
"We've talked to the Kiwis about hosting an ANZAC team against the Lions in 2025, and they're considering the idea," McLennan told the Daily Mail.
"I'm in no doubt it would be a belter, and we'd sell the MCG out with 100,000 fans.
"The best of the Wallabies and the All Blacks against the Lions would create enormous global coverage."
In 1989, the Lions face a combined team during a trip to Australia and won the game at Ballymore in Brisbane 19-15 having beaten the Wallabies 2-1 in the series earlier in the tour.
The proposal comes despite a frosty atmosphere between the unions of Australia and New Zealand in recent months.
McLennan claimed the relationship was back on track and said: "All is good with the Kiwis now, we're friends again and we'd be happy to give them a cut."
