British & Irish Lions

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Australia wing Marika Koroibete, who was last capped in 2024 and has played 59 times for the Wallabies, and New Zealand back row Hoskins Sotutu have been added to the combined Australia and New Zealand squad to face the Lions.

Koroibete, 32, started all Australia's games at the Rugby World Cup in 2023 and has been playing his rugby in Japan for Wild Knights.

Sotutu has been linked with an England call-up. The 26-year-old won the last of his All Black caps in November 2022 and is seemingly out of favour with coach Scott Robertson despite being named as Super Rugby's most valuable player in 2024.

He qualifies for England though his mother and Fiji through his father and could switch allegiance to either after completing a three-year period out of the Test game later this year. He has admitted that his agent has explored the possibility of moving to England and into contention for Steve Borthwick's side.

Bordeaux-Begles number eight Pete Samu will also be part of the invitational side's back row.

Samu, a possible addition to the Test team against the Lions, was a standout performer in the Investec Champions Cup final win over Northampton Saints in May.

The 33-year-old's switch from the Brumbies to France paused his international career, but his move to NSW Waratahs has now made him eligible to add to his 33 caps.

Hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa, who has been capped 16 times by the Wallabies, will also join the combined Australia and New Zealand squad.

This news comes after New Zealand centre Ngani Laumape was confirmed on Tuesday for the game.

The fixture will be staged at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday, 12 July.

Current Wallabies Taniela Tupou and Andrew Kellaway have been included in the NSW Waratahs starting team to face the Lions on Saturday.

Tom English
BBC Sport in Australia

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If there was a competition for the most quotable Lion then Pierre Schoeman with his chat about Vikings, gladiators, bison and the secret world of the prop forward would be a landslide winner.

But in terms of single best quote of the tour so far, his fellow loosehead Andrew Porter is running him close. What is it about all these charismatic props?

In the aftermath of the Lions' win over the Queensland Reds in Brisbane, Porter spoke about his cauliflower ears - "nothing I can do about them now, they're too far gone" he said about possible surgery later in life - while also speaking about whether his newborn son might one day become a prop.

"He's already getting huge, but I'm not sure my wife would want him being a prop," said Porter, before adding: "Looking at my ears, he's lucky he didn't come out with them."

Quite an image, that.

Chris Jones
Rugby union Correspondent

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The latest Rugby Union Weekly is now out as we react to the big news from Australia with Andy Farrell calling up his son Owen to replace Elliot Daly.

Farrell's long-time half-back partner Danny Care explains what the former England captain will bring – despite his lack of form – while BBC reporter Tom English joins us from Sydney to give us his take on the matter.

You can listen to the debate here.

Chris Jones
Rugby union Correspondent

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The latest Rugby Union Weekly podcast is now live, with former Scotland captain John Barclay joining us to dissect the 52-12 dispatching of Queensland Reds.

After Andy Farrell rotated his selection for a third time, we debate who furthered their Test case, which places are nailed down, and which positions remain up in the air.

Lauren Jenkins drops in from the bustle of Brisbane to update us on Elliot Daly's injury, and what has been said post match by Farrell and skipper Maro Itoje, who produced a captain's performance in Queensland.

You can listen to the debate here.

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Jack Conan says the British and Irish Lions are "pretty happy" with how they have performed in their first two games in Australia.

Andy Farrell's side followed Saturday's comfortable win against the Western Force with a comprehensive 52-12 triumph over Queensland Reds on Wednesday.

Conan made his first start of the series at number eight against the Reds in Brisbane and was pleased with his display and the Lions' collective performance.

"It was class, I absolutely loved it. Normally I get a bit nervous before a game, but I was just excited," he told BBC Sport.

"I'm happy enough with how it went, a few mistakes but that is always going to happen, you have to roll with the punches a little bit, make the most of it and I felt like I did that.

"Like everyone else, I'm trying to put my best foot forward and make the most of the occasion personally and collectively."

After a slow start at Suncorp Stadium, the Lions dominated the second half as they claimed a deserved win.

Conan believes their focus now is to put in a complete performance from the start as they look forward to their next game against Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday.

"We just want to play from minute one to minute 84, I think at one stage a few lads were screaming to kick it out because we were over it and pretty tired, but you want to play and show what you're about and show your skillset, I think we did that in spades today," he added.

"There is always room to improve and get better but we're pretty happy with how they have gone, and we have the opportunity to go again Saturday."

'Lions tour a really exciting challenge'

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Conan's fellow Irish forward, Ronan Kelleher, was also thrilled to get the win against the Queensland side on his first start of the tour.

The Leinster front row's tap penalty put Andrew Porter over to level at 12-12 before Finn Russell's conversion put the Lions ahead and there was no looking back from there.

Kelleher, a veteran of the 2021 tour of South Africa, is excited to be involved for a second time and feels their victory on Wednesday is a "a step in the right direction".

"It's great to get the win against an unbelievably good Reds side," said the 27-year-old hooker.

"They were unbelievably physical, particularly in that first half, so we're happy with how we went and are really excited about the next four weeks.

"It's a really exciting challenge and everyone is really looking forward to it. The competition for places is really important as well with lads showing up in training and ready to get better each day."

Getty Images and Inpho present a selection of some of the best images from the British and Irish Lions' 52-12 victory over Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.

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Image source, Inpho

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FT: Queensland Reds 12-52 British and Irish Lions

Tries: 2-8

Metres made: 277-536

Possession: 49%-51%

Territory: 49%-51%

Clean breaks: 5-9

Defenders beaten: 26-18

Turnovers conceded: 13-17

Tackles made/attempted: 141/159 - 169/195

Penalties conceded: 12-9

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Competition isn't confined to pitch for the British and Irish Lions.

The latest episode of The Ultimate Test - the team's in-house behind-the-scenes documentary, external - features an entertaining basketball duel between Ireland team-mates James Lowe and Bundee Aki and a forwards v backs head tennis epic.

Also look out for the blossoming bromance between props Ellis Genge and Finlay Bealham. Bealham is pushing to turn the pair into podcast co-hosts. Genge still needs some convicing.

Chris Jones
Rugby Union Correspondent

The latest Rugby Union Weekly podcast is now live, as Gareth Rhys Owen and I check in on Tom English for the Nations Pod.

We dive into loads of interesting topics before the British and Irish Lions face Queensland Reds on Wednesday.

How big a blow is Tomos Williams' injury? And with so few nailed-on starters for the first Test, should alarm bells be ringing?

Plus, Tom explains why the infamous "99" call from the 1974 South Africa tour might be more myth than reality.

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All Blacks centre Ngani Laumape, who started the third Test against the British and Irish Lions in 2017, has been named in the combined Australia and New Zealand squad to face the Lions.

The 32-year-old scored the opening try in the third Test against the Lions in 2017 after making his All Blacks debut in their second Test defeat in Wellington.

Laumape earned his call-up to the Test series after impressing for the Hurricanes in a thrilling warm-up match against the Lions, which ended 31-31.

The hard-running centre, who has been playing for Japanese side Kobelco Steelers, won the last of his 15 caps in 2020.

Laumape has opted to play his rugby outside of New Zealand since 2021, but will join Auckland-based Super Rugby side Moana Pasifika for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

Highly rated Blues prop Josh Fusitua has also been added to the combined Australia and New Zealand squad.

Organisers of the fixture, to be staged at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday, 12 July, have failed with approaches to New Zealand fly-half Richie Mo'unga and former Australia captain Michael Hooper.

In other news, Wallabies wing Andrew Kellaway has been released back to the NSW Waratahs for their game against the Lions on Saturday, with Corey Toole returning to the ACT Brumbies.

Wider training members Tane Edmed, David Feliuai, Lington Ieli, Ryan Lonergan and Rory Scott have also returned to their Super Rugby clubs.

Last week Australia head coach Joe Schmidt rejected claims from the Lions that he must release all of his biggest stars to their clubs side, saying it would be a "counter-productive" move.

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