ACT Brumbies determined to play key role in 2025 British and Irish Lions tour

The clash would see a combined Australian-New Zealand side take on the Lions in a money-spinner for the cash-strapped organisation.

Overall, the Brumbies support the concept and feel it could add an extra element to the tour.

Adding the match to the schedule, however, could have flow-on effects for the make-up of the 2025 tour.

The Lions played 10 games in five weeks during their most recent tour of Australia and the physical toll started to mount as the trip wore on. The schedule consisted of three Test matches, five games against the domestic Super Rugby teams, a clash with a Combined Country side and a Barbarians match in Hong Kong before they arrived down under.

There have previously been calls for the number of tour matches to be cut back to ensure the Lions are able to focus on the Test series.

Should the Anzac Test be added to the 2025 schedule, one of the state franchises could be forced to miss out on the chance to face the British and Irish Lions.

The Brumbies secured a historic 14-12 victory over the Lions in front of a packed-out Canberra Stadium and it's a match they're eager to replicate in 2025.

"We beat them in 2013, we were the only provincial side to do that," Brumbies chairman Matt Nobbs said. "I'm sure they will want a bit of revenge and we'll be ready for round two.

"Our priority is to have the game in Canberra for our fans and our community. It was a sell out last time and no doubt it would be a sell out again. It's a great chance to showcase Canberra on the world stage."

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The chance of the Lions bypassing one of the five Super Rugby franchises has only served to heighten concerns among Brumbies officials over the club's role in the tour.

As revealed by The Canberra Times in September, there are fears the state of Canberra Stadium could see Rugby Australia choose to play an additional match in Sydney rather than the capital.

With the issue raised again in government hearings this week, construction of a new ground is still a number of years away.

Government funding is expected to play a key role in Rugby Australia's final allocation of games, with the states and territories to bid against each other for matches.

Fans are set to watch the 2027 World Cup from afar after the government decided the cost of hosting games was too expensive.

When it comes to Lions tours, however, Chief Minister Andrew Barr has previously reinforced his willingness to provide financial support to ensure a match is played in Canberra.

"Our 'value for money' sports event assessment framework remains unchanged," Barr said in September.

"We will prioritise content that involves Canberra teams and Australian national teams. Content such as Brumbies vs Lions and Wallabies [or] Wallaroos matches fit this criteria perfectly.

"Canberra Stadium will definitely be available for Lions v Brumbies game in 2025."

The potential introduction of a combined Australia-New Zealand team to take on the Lions comes as the two associations foster greater ties following a period of tension and bitterness.

An announcement on a long-term Super Rugby Pacific agreement is expected to be announced in the coming weeks after months of negotiations.

The talks took a turn in June after RA revealed they were considering going alone in search of better financial terms.

A new deal will be welcomed by the clubs as they look to lock in sponsors and achieve stability off the field.

The agreement will also enable RA to further talks with broadcasters and potentially lead to additional content upon the conclusion of the Super Rugby season.

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