The British & Irish Lions are the most famous and historic touring side in rugby, and this summer they are Down Under to take on the best of Australia as part of a three-Test series against the Wallabies.
There have been almost 40 tours undertaken in the 137 years of the Lions, with the first taking place way back in 1888 to Australia & New Zealand.
Since the early years of the Lions, and especially since the dawn of the professional era in 1995, the Lions tours have become a fixture in the rugby world, with a trip taking place to New Zealand, South Africa and Australia on a four-year rotational basis. Argentina have also made occasional appearances on that rotation.
This year it's the turn of the Wallabies in a series that sees Lions head coach Andy Farrell come up against his mentor, former Irish coach Joe Schmidt.
The Sporting News has all bases covered to keep you up to speed with the series, as well as the history of the Lions and the latest betting.
Lions vs. Australia 2025 3rd Test betting
Here's the latest odds for the outcome of the second Test, which takes place on Saturday, August 2 at 11am BST
Lions vs. Australia 2025 Tour betting: Series odds and predictions
After a dramatic last-gasp 29-26 win in the second Test, The Lions have already claimed an historic series victory.
The only remaining question mark now is whether they can complete a series whitewash. That is the bookmakers' choice, at 4/11, but looking back at the historical trends 2-1 to the Lions is still a value choice at 14/5 (Betfair).
There has not been a series whitewash for either side since New Zealand went 4-0 in 2005, and that has only happened twice overall in the last 50 years (New Zealand did it previously in 1983).
Here's the current series betting. Odds will be updated throughout the series.
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2025 Lions Tour of Australia: Fixtures and results
- Lions 24-28 Argentina – 20 June, 2025
- Lions 54-7 Western Force – 28 June, 2025
- Lions 52-12 Queensland Reds – 2 July, 2025
- Lions 21-10 New South Wales – 5 July, 2025
- Lions 36-24 ACT Brumbies – 9 July, 2025
- Lions 48-0 AUNZ Invitational XV – 12 July, 2025
- Lions 27-19 Australia (First Test) – 19 July, 2025
- Lions 24-19 First Nations & Pasifika XV – 22 July, 2025
- Lions 26-29 Australia (Second Test) – 26 July, 2025
- Lions vs Australia (Third Test) – 2 August, 2025
Lions and Australia squads for 2025 series
Lions full squad:
- Forwards (22): Finlay Bealham, Tadhg Beirne, Ollie Chessum, Jack Conan, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Scott Cummings, Tom Curry, Ben Earl, Tadhg Furlong, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Maro Itoje, Ronan Kelleher, Joe McCarthy, Jac Morgan, Henry Pollock, Andrew Porter, James Ryan, Pierre Schoeman, Dan Sheehan, Will Stuart, Josh van der Flier
- Backs (17): Bundee Aki, Owen Farrell, Tommy Freeman, Jamison Gibson Park, Mack Hansen, Huw Jones, Hugo Keenan, Blair Kinghorn, James Lowe, Alex Mitchell, Garry Ringrose, Finn Russell, Marcus Smith, Fin Smith, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Ben White
Additional training cover (5): Ewan Ashman, Thomas Clarkson, Darcy Graham, Jamie Osborne, Rory Sutherland
Australia full squad:
- Forwards (20): Allan Alaalatoa, Angus Bell, Josh Canham, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Matt Faessler, Nick Frost, Langi Gleeson, Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Zane Nonggorr, Billy Pollard, David Porecki, Tom Robertson, Will Skelton, James Slipper, Carlo Tizzano, Taniela Tupou, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Harry Wilson
- Backs (16): Filipo Daugunu, Ben Donaldson, Jake Gordon, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen, Andrew Kellaway, Tom Lynagh, James O'Connor, Hunter Paisami, Dylan Pietsch, Harry Potter, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Corey Toole, Nic White, Tom Wright
Lions vs. Australia: Head-to-head record and previous Lions tour results
Unlike with New Zealand and South Africa, the Lions had a dominant win record over Australia heading into this series.
| Lions Wins | Draws | Opposition Wins | |
| Lions vs. Australia | 17 | 0 | 6 |
| Lions vs. New Zealand | 7 | 4 | 30 |
| Lions vs. South Africa | 18 | 6 | 25 |
The Wallabies did win the very first game back in 1899, but then won just one of the next 13, and they did not win their first and only multi-match series victory until 2001.
Of the three series won on the last 12 tours by the Lions, two of them have come against Australia, in 1989 and 2013.
Here's a breakdown of all the Lions tour results from eras past.
| Year | Host Country | Series Result |
| 1891 | South Africa | Lions 3-0 |
| 1896 | South Africa | Lions 3-1 |
| 1899 | Australia | Lions 3-1 |
| 1903 | South Africa | South Africa 2-0 |
| 1904 | Australia & New Zealand | Lions 3-0 (AUS) New Zealand 1-0 (NZ) |
| 1908 | New Zealand | New Zealand 2-1 |
| 1910 | South Africa | South Africa 2-1 |
| 1910 | Argentina | Lions 1-0 |
| 1924 | South Africa | South Africa 3-0 |
| 1927 | Argentina | Lions 4-0 |
| 1930 | New Zealand & Australia | New Zealand 3-1 Australia 1-0 |
| 1936 | Argentina | Lions 1-0 |
| 1938 | South Africa | South Africa 2-1 |
| 1950 | New Zealand & Australia | New Zealand 3-0 Lions 2-0 |
| 1950 | Australia | Lions 2-0 |
| 1955 | South Africa | Draw 2-2 |
| 1959 | Australia & New Zealand | Lions 2-0 (AUS) New Zealand 3-1 |
| 1962 | South Africa | South Africa 3-0 |
| 1966 | Australia & New Zealand | Lions 2-0 (AUS) New Zealand 4-0 |
| 1968 | South Africa | South Africa 3-0 |
| 1971 | New Zealand | Lions 2-1 |
| 1974 | South Africa | Lions 3-0 |
| 1977 | New Zealand | New Zealand 3-1 |
| 1980 | South Africa | South Africa 3-1 |
| 1983 | New Zealand | New Zealand 4-0 |
| 1989 | Australia | Lions 2-1 |
| 1993 | New Zealand | New Zealand 2-1 |
| 1997 | South Africa | Lions 2-1 |
| 2001 | Australia | Australia 2-1 |
| 2005 | New Zealand | New Zealand 3-0 |
| 2009 | South Africa | South Africa 2-1 |
| 2013 | Australia | Lions 2-1 |
| 2017 | New Zealand | Drawn series 1-1 |
| 2021 | South Africa | South Africa 2-1 |
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Lions vs. Australia: Previous tours and memorable moments
The Lions had not visited Australia for 18 years when they went Down Under in 1989, and suffered a rude awakening with a 30-12 opening Test loss in Sydney.
They bounced back to win the series, with a 19-18 victory sealing it against a quality side that would win the World Cup two years later.
In 2001, the Wallabies were at the peak of their powers with the 1991 World Cup being added to with a second crown in 1999, and a Test series for the ages was expected.
The Lions stunned John Eales, Stephen Larkham, George Gregan and co. with an incredible 29-13 win, which saw Brian O’Driscoll announce himself as a world superstar with one of the touring side’s best-ever tries.
The world champions responded in devastating fashion in the second Test, storming home to a 35-14 win after trailing 11-3 at the break, with winger Joe Roff cutting the Lions apart with two tries.
Sydney was the scene for a dramatic third Test, where the lead went back and forth before Australia took a 29-23 advantage through the boot of Matt Burke late on. Justin Harrison’s lineout steal to win the series with the Lions just five yards out remains one of the most poignant moments in tour history.
Fast forward 12 years later, both the Lions and the Wallabies had fallen from their peak, and the tourists had not won a series since the 1997 visit to South Africa.
The first two Tests were split, leading to another climatic showdown in the very same stadium where their previous epic took place, and it featured one player who had played in 2001, but not another.
O’Driscoll was controversially dropped by Warren Gatland, with the returning Jamie Roberts stepping in alongside his Welsh partner Jonathan Davies.
On the other hand, George Smith became the first player of the professional era to play in two separate series against the Lions — he was later joined by Morne Steyn in 2021, and both James Slipper and James O’Connor are set to join him this summer.
The decision paid off for Gatland, with Roberts and Davies starring in a dominant 41-16 win which sealed the series. It remains the last won by the Lions.
