Prop James Slipper seeking redemption with the Wallabies after 2013 series-deciding loss to British and Irish Lions

The chance to play in a second series against the British and Irish Lions is something that veteran Wallaby James Slipper doesn’t want to waste.

Twelve years of pain and regret has stalwart prop James Slipper desperate for Wallabies redemption in the upcoming three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions.

Slipper, 36, is just one of two players – the other being the recalled James O’Connor – in the 36-man Wallabies squad announced on Friday to have played against the Lions the previous time they toured Australia in 2013.

The series was up for grabs heading into the third Test at Stadium Australia after the Wallabies had bounced back from a first-up 23-21 loss in Brisbane with a 16-15 win in Melbourne.

However, rather than rise to the occasion, the Wallabies flopped in Sydney, with the Lions thrashing the Australians 41-16 to clinch the series 2-1.

“We let ourselves down massively in Sydney in that deciding game,” Slipper said ahead of next Saturday’s first Test of this year’s series at Suncorp Stadium.

“It’s probably what makes it really tough, how we performed in that last game, and 12 years is a long time to wait.”

James Slipper has the chance to play in two series against the British and Irish Lions. Picture: Scott Gardiner/Getty Images

Slipper admitted he didn’t fully understand the gravity of a Lions tour in his first series against the British and Irish combination.

“Looking back, you realise how big it is – Ii’s a big occasion,” he said.

“Individually, I probably went into that series a bit naive with how big it is, so for me it’s a special moment having another go because not many people do.”

Slipper, Australia’s most capped player with 144 Tests under his belt, contemplated retirement last year following the departure of previous Wallabies coach Eddie Jones and the appointment of current mentor Joe Schmidt.

“It (the Lions tour) looked far away only because we had new coaches come in,” the ACT Brumbies veteran said.

“Last year was a bit of a rebuild for us, and there was a fair bit of water that had to go under the bridge and a lot of hard work.

“I’d always said that I wanted to empty the tank for Australian rugby. That’s always been my philosophy around when I’m going to end.

“You can never look too far in front of yourself in rugby. You don’t know what the team’s going to look like, or the landscape itself, so to be here today is a special one for me.”

Your 36 Wallabies preparing for the British & Irish Lions Test series.#Wallabies#LionsTour2025pic.twitter.com/1xVnhtL1EM

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Slipper was also pleased the squad included 35-year-old O’Connor, who has the chance to play his first Test since 2022 after being called in to replace injured flyhalf Noah Lolesio (neck).

“It’s awesome to see him here. He had a great year (in the Super Rugby Pacific competition) with the Crusaders, and I’m mostly happy someone else is here now who’s done it before,” he said of O’Connor.

“I’m always an advocate for getting older players in, and I’ve got some friends to hang out with.”

Originally published as Prop James Slipper seeking redemption with the Wallabies after 2013 series-deciding loss to British and Irish Lions