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British & Irish Lions strike landmark deal with Premiership and URC for 2025
By Josh Raisey
The British & Irish Lions have announced a new strategic partnership with Premiership Rugby and the United Rugby Championship ahead of the tour of Australia in 2025 to help make it the “greatest Lions tour ever.”
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The deal will ensure all selected Lions players from both leagues are available for all pre-tour activities, in what Premiership Rugby CEO Simon Massie-Taylor has described as “best possible preparation time in history.”
This comes after various players from the Gallagher Premiership, as well as the Top 14 and Championship, were unavailable for preparations for the 2021 tour due to club commitments, with a contingent of Exeter Chiefs players missing the match against Japan at Murrayfield due to the Premiership final being on the same day.
The partnership will also see the a collaborative approach to digital content, events and key announcements, which British & Irish Lions CEO Ben Calveley says will benefit all parties involved.
“We are thrilled to be working in partnership with Premiership Rugby and United Rugby Championship and want to thank them for their support in reaching this landmark agreement,” Calveley said.
“Our relationship with the clubs, who are the guardians of all potential Lions, is critical to any success we have, and we are committed to working with Premiership Rugby and United Rugby Championship in a spirit of collaboration.
“It is crucial that this agreement benefits not just The British & Irish Lions but also Premiership Rugby and United Rugby Championship. Our ambition is to make 2025 the greatest Lions Tour ever and we believe the opportunities for collaboration across marketing, promotional and wider activity will add significant value to all organisations.”
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As it stands, the Lions’ first match in 2025 will be against the Western Force in Perth on June 28, followed by matches against the Reds, Waratahs, Brumbies and an invitational Australia and New Zealand side. The three-match Test series will begin on July 19 in Brisbane, with a match against the Rebels between the first and second Tests.
Neither the Wallabies nor the Lions have a head coach currently after Eddie Jones resigned from his post in charge of Australia after the World Cup and Warren Gatland – coach of the last three Lions tours – ruled himself out of contention last month.
Looking ahead to the tour, Chairperson of The British & Irish Lions Board Ieuan Evans said: “The 2025 Tour to Australia is one of the most eagerly anticipated tours in history. As we reflect on recent challenges in our game, including the pandemic and its impact on rugby, now is a crucial time to demonstrate our unity and ability to collaborate in order to showcase the best of what our game has to offer.
“Australia in 2025 represents a significant opportunity to claim our first Lions Series win since 2013 and as with any Lions tour, it will be difficult. To achieve our ambition of success on the pitch, we need our very best players, and this partnership is crucial to this.”
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Both Massie-Taylor and URC CEO Martin Anayi have welcomed this partnership, with Anayi saying it will help “grab the attention of the wider sporting audience.”
“Throughout the professional era our league has been home to an extraordinary number of British & Irish Lions and we are always proud to give our players the best chance of pulling on that famous red jersey,” he said.
“For every tour in the professional era our league has always supported the Lions and their touring schedule because their continued success will always help grow interest in our sport.
“The upcoming British & Irish Lions Tour will see new levels of collaboration between all of our organisations to celebrate what is a landmark moment in the rugby calendar. It is a valuable opportunity to really grab the attention of the wider sporting audience while also bringing our most dedicated fans closer to the stories of their heroes than ever before.
“We look forward to the tour to Australia in 2025 and watching players from the United Rugby Championship excel in the colours of The British & Irish Lions.”
Massie-Taylor said: “We know how much The British & Irish Lions means to our players, our clubs and our fans. And we are incredibly excited about this new landmark partnership and the opportunity to work in true collaboration with the Lions ahead of their tour to Australia in 2025.
“Everyone at Premiership Rugby understands how crucial it is to work closely with all stakeholders for the game to continue to thrive and grow. And giving our players and The British & Irish Lions the best possible preparation time in history is vital for both the Lions and Premiership Rugby as we support each other on and off the pitch.
“As a league, we are also looking forward to combining with the Lions to create some new and exciting content to promote the Tour, our players and clubs.
“We are now looking forward to seeing as many Premiership Rugby players as possible competing for a Test jersey and hopefully experience being on a winning tour.”
