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This was published 5 months ago
Gone in 24 hours: Tickets for British and Irish Lions tour almost sold out
By Iain Payten and Tom Decent
The woes of last year’s Rugby World Cup have not dampened the enthusiasm of Wallabies fans to buy up tickets to the British and Irish Lions tour next year, with public allocations to Test matches in Sydney and Brisbane sold out, and tickets for the second Test at the MCG almost exhausted as well.
The Lions’ tour games against the five Super Rugby franchises, and against an Australian/New Zealand invitational team in Adelaide, are also “all close to being exhausted”, according to an RA release.
But in a dose of good news for Australian fans who missed out, a second, smaller allocation of tickets is expected to go on sale later in the year.
Lions tours are always hugely anticipated and the 2025 series in Australia is no different, based on the extraordinary demand for tickets after they went on sale in the Australian market at 2pm on Monday afternoon.
The general ticket allocations for Australian fans were snapped up within hours, with available tickets for the first Test at Suncorp Stadium and the third Test at Accor Stadium sold out. Rugby Australia said 90 per cent of tickets available in Australia for the second Test at the MCG were gone, and the remainder were “selling quickly”.
Though there is uncertainty about the Melbourne Rebels’ future, a game will still be played in Melbourne regardless, RA boss Phil Waugh said on Monday. In the event the Rebels are closed, there is a strong chance an Australia A side will play the Lions instead.
Lions fans pack out a bay at Suncorp Stadium in 2013.Credit: Craig Golding
Lions fans from the UK and Ireland were unable to buy tickets in the Australian sale on Monday, and instead have to buy tickets through the British and Irish Lions organisation. Though 40,000 travelling fans are expected in Australia for the trip, the Lions’ allocation of tickets has been approximately one-third of tickets available in a stadium.
Despite the Wallabies being at a low ebb, the demand for tickets from travelling fans is expected to be higher than usual given the 2021 Lions Tour of South Africa was played during the COVID pandemic, and with travel restrictions in full effect.
There is likely to be a last-chance saloon for Australia fans keen for tickets later in the year, however, when unsold tickets from a range of allocations - including travel groups, corporates and hospitality packages - are returned for general sale.
Meanwhile, John Eales has insisted the Wallabies have a team that can beat the British and Irish Lions next year despite slumping to a record low world ranking earlier this month.
The last man to captain Australia to a series win over the Lions, Eales is adamant the Wallabies have the talent and depth to compete with the legendary touring side comprised of Test players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
“If the Wallabies can get in there and be very competitive, which I believe they will be, and can win the series, it’ll be an amazing achievement,” Eales told reporters on Monday as tickets went on sale to the public.
“One of the great benefits I have seen from the start of Super Rugby is there is a lot of competitiveness among the Australian teams, probably more so than there was last year.
“With a full year under Joe [new Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt] and getting used to the way Joe wants to play the game … I think there is no doubt we will be competitive.”
The Wallabies will play three Tests against the Lions, in Brisbane (July 19), Melbourne (July 26) and Sydney (August 2). Tickets were snapped up by thousands of Australian fans as well as some 40,000 Lions supporters.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt with former Wallabies captain John Eales at the announcement that tickets go on sale to the public for the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia. Credit: Kate Geraghty
The Lions will also play matches against Australia’s five Super Rugby franchises and an invitational Australian and New Zealand XV, in Adelaide on July 12.
The Lions last toured Australia in 2013, when they claimed a 2-1 series win over the Wallabies thanks to a 41-16 victory in the third Test in Sydney.
Eales captained Australia to a 2-1 series win in 2001 and isn’t too concerned by Australia’s new world ranking of No.10 following a diabolical World Cup last year in which they were eliminated in the pool stages.
“One of the things you notice more and more about sport is while at times scorelines can indicate you are a fair way away from winning, it’s often a lot closer than you think,” Eales said.
John Howard with Wallabies captain John Eales in 2001.Credit: Dallas Kilponen
“As a supporter you want to see stability. Everyone was disappointed with the lack of stability [around the Wallabies] last year. You think you’re going into something that is going to be four or five years, and it’s one year. It means you have to start again.
“Of course, it’s disappointing, that’s without commenting specifically on Eddie [Jones] and his decisions.
“Yeah, the scoreboard matters, there’s no question about that. Results and wins and losses matter, but they can’t go in thinking that.”
Schmidt, who officially began in the role earlier this month, has been at pains not to over-promise and revealed he has already traded texts with Lions and Ireland coach Andy Farrell.
“It’s not being outcome focused, it’s about building a bit of a process and how we deliver what we do,” Schmidt said. “If we can build that over the next four months and then through the next period of time with the national team, I think it’ll give us the springboard to be competitive with the Lions.
“I exchanged messages with Andy Farrell this morning and it’ll be good to see ‘Faz’ again. He’s just taken Ireland to another Six Nations back to back and that’s impressive stuff.
“They’ll be very, very good and the players are incredibly motivated to be there.
“It’s just an incredible buzz. I can’t wait to get started on it and I dread [it] in other ways because we’ve got to build an expectation … and then deliver on expectation in about 16 months’ time.”
Eales believes Schmidt can get the Wallabies firing by the time the Lions arrive.
“Without doubt it’s enough time,” Eales said. “I don’t think we have a talent issue in Australian rugby. We’re seeing that in Super Rugby and there is certainly not an enthusiasm issue.”
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