‘Bash them': The Anzac team tasked with softening up Lions for Wallabies
While no players have yet been confirmed for the 2025 AUNZ Invitation side, former All Blacks coach Ian Foster has been appointed as an assistant. And Kiss said he envisaged there being a healthy number of New Zealanders, alongside a contingent of Australian players either released from the Wallabies squad or picked from the state sides.
'I'd imagine anywhere from six to ten New Zealanders at least and the rest will be open,' Kiss said on Stan's Rugby Heaven.
'There's talk about probably making sure we have enough avenue for Wallabies players to have access to that game, particularly as it's the last major match before the Test series starts. No doubt there's going to be some moves in that area to get some players in there, to be able to give them more game time, and [give] Joe [Schmidt] and the coaching team at the Wallabies more insight to what they're looking at in terms of their players.
'Make no mistake, we want to try and get that quality in, for sure, [but] in the right positions that allow us to expose the players that we want to. We don't want to close out any opportunities for our [Australian] guys in certain positions. So, those discussions will be ongoing, and we need to be fluid right to the last minutes.'
With the AUNZ game scheduled as the last tour game before the first Test in Brisbane a week later, the Lions will almost certainly deploy the first-choice team they intend to use at Suncorp Stadium.
When putting the 2025 tour schedule together, the Lions management were at pains to say they didn't want to play a quasi fourth Test against an Australia 'A' side.
In a hard-fought and feisty clash in 2001, an Australia A side coached by Eddie Jones rolled the Lions in Gosford, and several other tour matches also saw the Lions cop mountains of aggression and physicality from the Australian state sides.
Though it may have a festival vibe, Kiss said there would be a huge intensity to the AUNZ-Lions clash and the hosts will also be looking to do their part to help the Wallabies a week later.
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'I think if you look at what the possibilities could be in terms of personalities in that squad, there's going to be a lot of competitive people there. They'll want to do something special themselves,' Kiss said.
'I can't see anything but a super competitive battle, really. They're going to be loaded. They're very physical, very talented right across the squad. We'll do our best to get out there and bash them, for sure.
'We want to make sure we make it an enjoyable experience, but get out there and make sure we do a job that can soften the Lions up a bit for us.'
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The AUNZ Invitational match against the British & Irish Lions will not only be a historic event for the city of Adelaide, but double as a Wallabies trial a week before the opening Test. AUNZ coach Les Kiss confirmed that several Wallabies aspirants will be given the chance to impress Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt for a starting spot, the day after he announces his wider Lions squad. The AUNZ Invitational XV is the first to feature stars from both Australia and New Zealand since 1989 and will be led by Kiss – who takes over from Schmidt midway through next year as Wallabies coach – alongside assistants Ian Foster, Simon Cron and Zane Hilton. Given it is the Lions' final hitout before their three-Test series against the Wallabies, it's expected they'll put out a full strength side against a combined team that is set to feature former All Blacks Richie Mo'unga and Shannon Frizell, as well as Wallabies contenders that could include Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Tom Lynagh, who are on the mend from injuries. 'We're not sure what the balance will end up at this stage, however you're going to see some talent here,' said Kiss after the team jersey was unveiled in Adelaide on Friday. 'You're going to see some players at the top of their game, particularly some Wallabies that'll be chancing their last hand to say can I be part of Joe's team in that first Test when we go to Brisbane. 'So we're going to see some quality players that's for sure. It's a brilliant coaching group. I'm really pleased to be part of that but the broader management group from all the provinces and from RA are also coming in together to make this an experience, a unique experience that we can all enjoy. 'It's going to be a fair dinkum game but talking to some players and the staff, they're going to come in here to enjoy.' There have been suggestions that the AUNZ team will be sent out to bash the Lions and hobble them for the opening Test, to which Kiss smirked and gave a coy response. 'I don't know what tactics we'll throw out yet but we just don't want the British & Irish Lions to get a handle on that too early,' Kiss said. 'Look when you bring that type of group together, I'm not going to say it's Barbarians, but we're going to allow them to play their footy and we're going to be direct and try and create some opportunities for those players to put their hand forward for whatever they want to do in terms of their Wallabies selections as well. 'I'm pretty sure Joe and myself will be talking about certain players that we need to give some time so that they can get a chance to put their hand up for the Test series.' South Australia will host a four-day festival of events before and after the invitational game. Further details Thursday, July 10 – Official Golf Day Book here. Thursday, July 10 – Rugby Business Network Dinner Friday, July 11 – Official Lunch Tickets here.
