Wallabies, All Blacks to combine against B&I Lions?

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The Wallabies and All Blacks are in talks to form a joint team to face the British & Irish Lions in a one-off Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2025, according to reports on Wednesday.

The Lions, with players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, are due to tour Australia for three Tests with discussions under way to add a fourth against an Anzac XV.

“We’ve talked to the Kiwis about hosting an Anzac team against the Lions in 2025 and they’re considering the idea,” Rugby Australia chief Hamish 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.”

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The Wallabies are currently on a European tour and Rugby Australia had no immediate comment to AFP, but the governing body confirmed the idea was in the works to Fox Sports.

A combined Anzac team last played in 1989 when they lost 19-15 to the Lions at Ballymore in Brisbane, but it was mostly Australians with just three All Blacks taking part.

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The game fell between New Zealand Tests against Argentina and All Blacks players made individual choices about whether they would risk injury and play.

McLennan has been in tense negotiations recently with New Zealand Rugby over the future of Super Rugby beyond next year.

But he insisted relations were fine. “All is good with the Kiwis now, we’re friends again and we’d be happy to give them a cut,” said McLennan.

© Agence France-Presse

Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Getty Images

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Dylan Jack