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Thread: Return of the Anzac XV? RA pitch for Wallabies-All Blacks team to play Lions

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    Return of the Anzac XV? RA pitch for Wallabies-All Blacks team to play Lions

    Iain Payten - 46m ago

    Rugby Australia have opened discussions with New Zealand Rugby about reforming the Anzac XV — featuring a mix of Wallabies and All Blacks — for a clash against the British and Irish Lions.

    The Lions will be touring Australia in 2025, and along with three Tests and games against Super Rugby sides, RA chairman Hamish McLennan is keen to explore a clash pitting the best of Australia and New Zealand against the Lions, who are selected from England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

    An Anzac XV last played together against the Lions in 1989, when a trans-Tasman combination played at Ballymore.

    “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 out with 100,000 fans.

    “The best of the Wallabies and the All Blacks against the Lions would create enormous global coverage.”


    In their last match of the 1989 tour, the Lions downed the Anzac XV in a match that saw mostly Australian players turn out for the mixed side.

    Stars like David Campese, Nick Farr-Jones and Michael Lynagh played but only three All Blacks were involved — Kieran Crowley, Frano Botica and Steve McDowell.

    Another three stars — Richard Loe, John Gallagher and John Schuster — withdrew from the Bob Dwyer-coached side due to injury.

    The game fell on a free weekend between New Zealand’s two Tests against Argentina and All Black players made individual choices about whether they’d risk injury and play. Grant Fox, Buck Shelford, John Kirwan and Sean Fitzpatrick were among those who stayed at home.

    Reviving the ANZAC XV in 2025 would face a number of sizeable hurdles, not least McLennan convincing New Zealand Rugby to join forces after several years of frosty relations. McLennan has been unashamedly antagonistic towards the NZR over Super Rugby negotiations, saying they’re bad partners and “naughty boys”.

    But McLennan told the Daily Mail the two unions were “friends again” and Rugby Australia would be happy to share the profits of an Anzac-Lions clash.

    New Zealand Rugby have been approached for comment.

    A huge cheque for New Zealand would appear to be the only realistic way of getting such a game off the ground, given the All Blacks will also be hosting an inbound Test series in July 2025.

    Unlike the 1989 Lions tour, which saw the Anzac XV game played after the three Tests against Australia, a 2025 revival would have to fit the game in before the Tests - and thus impact on the All Blacks’ Test plans as well.

    Adding another game to the long-term workload of New Zealand players would also be an issue raised.

    But if the game somehow got over all those hurdles, selecting a team would undoubtedly generate huge interest and massive debate, with some suggesting Australia would be lucky to get a handful of players in a “best of” team picked on merit.

    An Australian-run game would see a balanced team of locals and New Zealand players spread evenly.

    If an ANZAC XV game was to happen, given it would have to be before the Test series with the Lions, there may be more chance of a team put together from non-Test squad players, featuring the best of the rest from Super Rugby.

    The Super Rugby avenue would also allow players from Fiji and Moana Pasifika to take part, and thus meet McLennan’s previously stated goal of including Pacific Island nations in the 2025 Lions tour.

    https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/rugb...195cedc92c5494

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    Honestly, seems like a bad idea. If they wanted to do something a bit different, maybe do a combined Pacific/Japan team against the Lions and let them take the gate to share. Don't think there is anything much to be gained by putting out an Anzac team.

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    Senior Player Leo86's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AndyS View Post
    Honestly, seems like a bad idea. If they wanted to do something a bit different, maybe do a combined Pacific/Japan team against the Lions and let them take the gate to share. Don't think there is anything much to be gained by putting out an Anzac team.
    $$$ for RA and further content to sell/increase their TV rights.

    Mind you I reckon a Pacific team of Aus, NZ, PI nations would of been good to create similar to Lions. Share games around but also profit gets evenly split between all and not just host nation.

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    In my humble opinion, I love the concept especially if they can arrange for the match to be on ANZAC Day.

    Free entry to retired Servicemen. And, support Wounded Warrior charities.

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    Just think it is all downside. It'll be spun as needing to go hat in hand to the kiwis for a chance to beat the Lions, and what chance would you give on them reciprocating the next time they host? If they do though, I like the idea of throwing it open for service personnel. Especially if they are going to appropriate the name.

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    Veteran Sheikh's Avatar
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    ANZAC Day is in the middle of the Super Rugby season, and also in the run-up to the end of the European season, so no chance of having it on that day, excellent though the concept sounds.

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    Veteran SNOB's Avatar
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    They could just call it the All Blacks (ANZAC) game! Apart from water boys I’m not sure what position we would need to fill.

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    Senior Player Leo86's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by .X. View Post
    the match to be on ANZAC Day.
    I have liked in the past when it's the 5 Aus v the 5 kiwi sides over the ANZAC weekend.

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    Champion andrewg's Avatar
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    No thanks.
    The Kiwis had their go during their last Lions tour.
    Clearly RAu must be desperate for a $.

    RAu manage the Lions tour so badly. Remember KISS - after all you're meant to be a professional outfit which looks aftere the interest of the total game in Australia!

    Last time ONLY the WF were expected to play the Lions AND play a SR game in the same week.
    I remember it well and the controversy.
    It was tough being beaten by a Tahs team, in the weekend following the Lions game at Subi, which included Will Skelton and Adam Coleman getting their first caps.

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    Last edited by andrewg; 03-11-22 at 17:45.

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    Immortal jargan83's Avatar
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    In a Rugby calendar that is already heavily congested RA wants to schedule a nothing game?

    Pass.

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    Immortal GIGS20's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jargan83 View Post
    In a Rugby calendar that is already heavily congested RA wants to schedule a nothing game?

    Pass.
    And yet we complain that we're shit because our players don't see enough game time.

    (OK this isn't the solution, because our players will just be holding tackle bags for the Kiwi BaaBaas, but still!

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    C'mon the

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    Champion andrewg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GIGS20 View Post
    And yet we complain that we're shit because our players don't see enough game time.

    (OK this isn't the solution, because our players will just be holding tackle bags for the Kiwi BaaBaas, but still!)
    There is a big difference in playing more games outside the SR season and cramming more games during the SR season.

    That's the good thing about the proposal that the WF play an extra 5/6 games post SRP 2023.
    I'd be happy to see these games as well as a revitalised NRC for the wider training group/Academy and other emerging players.

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    Rennie underwhelmed by Anzac team talk
    Ian Chadband
    AAP
    November 4, 2022 5:03AM

    Plans for a combined Wallabies-All Blacks 'superteam' to tackle the British & Irish Lions appear to have left Australia coach Dave Rennie somewhat underwhelmed.

    Following reports the NZRU and Rugby Australia have been discussing the possibility of the best players in both countries teaming up for a one-off spectacular against the Lions on the 2025 tour, Rennie admitted he hadn't heard anything about the prospect.

    And when asked, as a New Zealander who's overseen the Wallabies whether that might be a team he'd be interested in coaching, he offered a half-smile as noted: "Jeez, don't know if I'll be coaching Australia then ...

    "It's above my pay grade. Probably more important is sorting out a domestic competition between the two countries as opposed to picking a team that represents both countries, so I'd be interested to see if there's any validity in that."

    When it was suggested he didn't sound too enthusiastic about the idea, he shrugged: "Aw well, I think there's more important things going on here the next couple of years - we'll worry about that when it comes around."

    The players were caught by surprise too with Wallabies prop Matt Gibbon enthusing: "Guess it would be pretty cool ..."

    Veteran Bernard Foley couldn't envisage playing in three years time, never mind in an 'Anzac XV'.

    "Dare say I won't be playing in 2025," he shrugged.

    "I don't think I'll be playing international footy then. Attractive as another Lions tour is, I think it's probably a little bit beyond my capabilities by then."

    But could the great trans-Tasman rivals put their Bledisloe rivalry behind them and join forces in perfect harmony?

    "I'm sure they could," smiled Foley. "You see the Lions guys able to do it. Australians and New Zealanders as much as we are competitors, if there was the opportunity I'm sure the guys would get along fine."

    https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/ru...talk-c-8753143

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    15 Kiwis ….. 3 Aussies on the bench ??

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    Bird has flown the coop, should have had a SANZAR Tri-Nations vs Five Nations match years ago. At the very least, have the Rugby Championships Four Nations vs the Lions, not that I'm really in favour of that either. That should be the Perth game of Lions tour, if they do have it; get the local Saffas and Kiwis out to support the match.

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    Last edited by chibi; 04-11-22 at 16:28.


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