Rugby Australia have approached New Zealand Rugby about fielding an Anzac XV against the British and Irish Lions in 2025.
Foxsports.com.au can confirm RA have floated the idea with their trans-Tasman neighbours, which would see the two nations field a combined team for the first time since they lost 19-15 at Ballymore in 1989.
RA chairman Hamish McLennan told the Daily Mail the NZR were “considering the idea”, with the prospect of 100,000 fans packing the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the spectacle.
Scroll to the bottom to see what the Anzac XV could look like!
The match could see Wallabies stars Taniela Tupou and Rob Valetini lining up alongside Ardie Savea and Richie Mo’unga.
“The best of the Wallabies and the All Blacks against the Lions would create enormous global coverage,” McLennan said.
It is understood the one-off match would be separate to the three-match Test series, with an eight to nine match tour being looked at.
Getting the Kiwis on board is essential, with the previous match 36 years somewhat falling over.
In total 12 All Blacks withdrew from the Anzac match, with only three New Zealanders opting to play in the Bob Dwyer coached side that included Michael Lynagh and David Campese.
In the amateur age, All Blacks stars Grant Fox and Sean Fitzpatrick opted out of the match due to concerns around injury, which fell after the official three-match Test series.
Player welfare remains a huge issue with the game and just who takes part in the game, with the one-off match possibly falling between Tests, remains to be seen.
While McLennan previously declared the NZR as “not good partners” shortly after joining RA and threatened to call time on their Super Rugby partnership earlier this year, tensions between the trans-Tasman neighbours have since cooled despite describing them as “naughty boys” last month.
As revealed by foxsports.com.au, the Super Rugby partners are on the cusp of signing a new deal that would secure their domestic competition beyond 2024.
McLennan said he would be “happy to give them a cut” in “the spirit of our new friendship”.
But would could the team look like? We’ve looked into the crystal ball and come up with a 23-man squad, which takes into consideration player development, a slight weighting to the match being played in Australia, and a possible code switch from a former schoolboy star.
POSSIBLE ANZAC 15 TO TAKE ON THE LIONS AT THE MCG IN 2025.
1: Angus Bell
2: Billy Pollard
3: Taniela Tupou
4: Nick Frost
5: Tupou Vaa’i
6: Akira Ioane
7: Ardie Savea
8: Rob Valetini
9: Folau Fakatava
10: Richie Mo’unga
11: Jordan Petaia
12: Samu Kerevi
13: Rieko Ioane
14: Mark Nawaqanitawase
15: Joseph Suaalii
RESERVES
16: Samisoni Taukei’aho
17: George Bower
18: Tyrel Lomax
19: Darcy Swain
20: Charlie Gamble
21: Tate McDermott
22: Reesjan Pasitoa
23: Will Jordan
