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- Anzac side last played Lions in 1989
- McLennan insists RA and NZR are on good terms despite recent Super Rugby tensions
The British and Irish Lions touring rugby union side could compete against a combined Australia and New Zealand during their series in 2025.
Rugby Australia (RA) chairman Hamish McLennan confirmed the national governing body had held talks with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) about the possibility of fielding an Anzac side, which last featured on the 1989 Lions tour.
“We’ve talked to the Kiwis about hosting an ANZAC team against the Lions in 2025 and they’re considering the idea,” McLennan told the Daily Mail.
“I’m in no doubt it would be a belter and we’d sell the MCG [Melbourne Cricket Ground] out with 100,000 fans.
“The best of the Wallabies and the All Blacks against the Lions would create enormous global coverage.”
Currently, the Lions are set to play three Tests against the Wallabies in Australia as part of their next tour, with the match against the blockbuster Australia-New Zealand team potentially serving as pre-cursor to that trio of games.
RA’s proposal comes despite recent tensions between the Australian and New Zealand federations over the future of the Super Rugby competition.
Both sides have struggled to reach an agreement over revenue-sharing for the competition. Currently there is a significant imbalance between the two domestic broadcast deals, with NZR earning significantly more than RA.
Following a new revenue-sharing proposal from NZR, McLennan called his counterparts “naughty boys” and has previously stated that RA would consider leaving the competition if it does not gain an equal amount of revenue.
But McLennan has now insisted that both federations have reconciled and suggested an agreement could be reached over revenue-sharing.
“All is good with the Kiwis now, we’re friends again and we’d be happy to give them a cut,” he said.
