This weekend marks the first of three highly anticipated Test matches between Australia and the British & Irish Lions — a fixture that comes around only once every 12 years. With the eyes of the rugby world firmly fixed on this clash, we take a look at the encounter from a betting perspective and offer a few suggested punts for your consideration.
British & Irish Lions
The Lions have made a flawless start to their Australian tour, winning all five of their matches to date. However, the real challenge begins now. Last weekend, they faced an Australia and New Zealand Invitational XV featuring several internationally capped players. The Lions responded with what many regard as their most impressive performance of the tour, dominating the match from start to finish and keeping their opponents scoreless. The final result was an emphatic 48–0 victory.
Starting Lineup
15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 James Lowe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Dan Sheehan, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 5 Joe McCarthy, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Jack Conan.
Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Andrew Porter, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ollie Chessum, 20 Ben Earl, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Bundee Aki.
Australia
Australia head into this weekend’s clash having played a single warm-up match two weeks ago, edging out Fiji 21–18 in a tightly contested affair. While they came away with the win, it was far from convincing and exposed areas that will need tightening up against a formidable Lions outfit. Looking further back, their November Test series last year was a mixed bag — the Wallabies registered wins over England and Wales but fell short against both Scotland and Ireland. Consistency remains a question mark, and they’ll need to raise their game significantly for this opening Test.
Starting Lineup
15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Harry Potter, 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Jake Gordon; 1 James Slipper, 2 Matt Faessler, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 4 Nick Frost, 5 Jeremy Williams, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 7 Fraser McReight, 8 Harry Wilson (c).
Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Tom Robertson, 19 Tom Hooper 20 Carlo Tizzano, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Andrew Kellaway.
Betting and Verdict
The British & Irish Lions enter the first Test as firm favourites, priced at 1.28 for the win. Australia, meanwhile, are trading at 4.00, with the draw a long shot at 29.00.
The Lions come into this clash on the back of five straight wins, capped by a dominant 48–0 showing against the Invitational XV. In contrast, Australia have played just one warm-up fixture — a narrow 21–18 victory over Fiji — which did little to inspire confidence. Based on recent form, preparation, and cohesion, the Lions look well-positioned to assert themselves and set the tone for the series with a convincing victory.
Suggested Bet: British & Irish Lions -9.5 handicap at 1.85
Tactically, the Lions have leaned heavily on their dominant pack throughout the tour, often establishing control early through their rolling maul. That approach is unlikely to change in a Test environment, especially with Dan Sheehan — one of the URC’s top try-scorers — starting at hooker. Expect the Lions to look for early forward dominance, potentially leading to the first points on the board.
Suggested Bet: First try scorer – Any Forward at 2.50
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Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
