Bigger than Winning a World Cup!
Owen Finegan holds his 2001 Lions series victory above winning the William Webb Ellis trophy in 1999
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Sky News AU
14 hours ago
- Sky News AU
'Incredible atmosphere': Australia gears up for 'historic, brutal and thrilling' rugby union showdown as British and Irish Lions face off Wallabies, other teams in six-week tour
The British and Irish Lions will roar into Australia next month to bring drama and excitement for rugby fans while delivering a tourism windfall in excess of $150 million. Thousands of Australians have already bought tickets to cheer the Wallabies in what is a historic, brutal and thrilling football series. The Lions tour Australia every 12 years. Their first tour Down Under was in 1888 - before Australia was officially a nation. Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh said this year the visitors will be heading here with a cheer squad of 40,000 fans from the UK. Phillipa Harrison, the managing director of Tourism Australia said the tourism benefits of the six-week tour should not be underestimated. She said the 2013 tour by the British and Irish Lions supporters pumped $150 million to the Australian economy. 'The upcoming tour offers significant opportunities for Australian tourism with the nine-game tour being played across six cities, delivering significant economic impacts to both the host destinations and Australia more broadly,' Ms Harrison said. 'While British and Irish rugby fans will be focused on what's happening on the rugby pitch, we also want to remind them of what Australia has to offer as a world-class holiday destination.' The Lions are bringing a squad of 38 players skippered by Maro Itoje, a rugby superstar who will be a major drawcard. The elusive lock was born Oghenemaro Miles Itoje in London to Nigerian parents and grew up playing many sports. He was an under 17 England shot-put champion. The Lions will play a warm-up match against Argentina in Dublin on June 20 before they fly to Australia. Tim Mander, the Queensland Minister for Sport and Racing and the Olympics said the first test against the Wallabies starts at Lang Park in Brisbane on July 19. He added the Qatar Airways British and Irish Lions Tour to Australia is expected to inject around $55.5 million into the Queensland economy alone. Mr Mander, a former rugby league referee who controlled 12 test matches, expects the series will attract 38,000 visitors to Queensland from interstate and overseas. He said the Queensland Reds will play the tourists in a warm-up game at Suncorp Stadium on July 2. 'We can't wait for the incredible atmosphere that the British and Irish Lions fans guarantee: the chants, comradery and fanfare make for an unforgettable night,' Mr Mander said. 'And where better than the world's best football stadium? 'This is the beginning of our golden runway of rugby for Queensland, as we get ready to host the Men's World Cup in 2027 and the Women's World Cup in 2029.' Victoria's Minister for Sport Steve Dimopoulos believes a crowd in excess of 100,000 may turn out to the MCG. 'Melbourne is Australia's sporting capital, and we can't wait to see the MCG packed to the rafters with what could be a record-breaking crowd,' he said. Steve Kamper, the NSW Minister for Sport, was also claiming bragging rights. 'Sydney is the heartland of rugby in Australia, boasting the nation's strongest fan base,' he said. 'Accor Stadium is one of the finest rugby venues in the country and is a fitting stage for what promises to be the most crucial match of the series against the old foe.' It will also be a packed house in Perth when 61,000 fans turn out to see the Lions go into battle with the Western Force at the Optus Stadium on Saturday June 28. The Lions will also play the NSW Waratahs and the ACT Brumbies. Tourism Australia said there will be another rugby invasion in 2027 when Australia hosts the Rugby World Cup. Matches will be played in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle, and Townsville between October 1 and November 13. Where to see the British and Irish Lions: Saturday June 28 - Lions v Western Force, Perth (Optus Stadium) Wednesday July 2 - Lions v Queensland Reds, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium) Saturday July 5 - Lions v NSW Waratahs, Sydney (Allianz Stadium) Wednesday July 9 - Lions v ACT Brumbies, Canberra (GIO Stadium) Saturday July 12 - Lions v Invitational AU & NZ, Adelaide (Adelaide Oval) Saturday July 19 - Lions v Australia, first Test, Brisbane (Lang Park's Suncorp Stadium) Tuesday July 22 - Lions v First Nations & Pasifika XV, Melbourne (Marvel Stadium) Saturday July 26 - Lions v Australia, second Test, Melbourne (MCG) Saturday August 2 - Lions v Australia, third Test, Sydney (Accor Stadium)
Daily Telegraph
19 hours ago
- Daily Telegraph
AFL: Brisbane Lions happy to be ‘underdogs' against Adelaide
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. They are the reigning AFL premiers and sitting pretty in second spot on the ladder, but the Lions will be the 'underdogs' in Friday night's battle with the Crows at Adelaide Oval. That's the verdict from Brisbane coach Chris Fagan, who said the in-form Adelaide would start as favourites. The Crows, who are six points adrift of Brisbane, have won four of their past five games and are coming off a 90-point thrashing of Sydney, last year's beaten grand finalists. 'Big crowd there, mostly South Australians barracking for the Crows, hostile environment, playing a team that's in great form … I think we'll go in as underdogs, which suits us down to the ground,' Fagan said. 'We're looking forward to the opportunity. We always like to test ourselves out, and they're probably the benchmark team in the competition at the moment, so we'll give it our best shot and see how we go.' Fagan said the Lions were still searching for ways to improve despite having lost only two of their 12 games this season. 'All you are trying to do in the home and away season is win enough games to qualify for finals, and then hopefully what you can do is be at your best when the finals arrive,' he said. That was the case for the Lions last year, who after an early struggle finished fifth on the ladder, leading to them needing four successive wins in the finals series to claim the premiership. 'There's some narrative around us that maybe we're not going so well as we were last year, but I think people have forgotten how hard last year was and they're just judging us on how we went in the grand final (a 60-point win over the Swans), which was reasonably exceptional, and doesn't happen too often,' Fagan said. 'We're happy to be where we are. We were a mile away from this at the same stage last year, so we've just got to keep going and keep trying to improve.' The Lions have made one change to the 23 that beat Essendon by 18 points last week, with 19-year-old forward Ty Gallop to make his AFL debut. Gallop will replace Darcy Gardiner, who will miss the match with knee soreness. First-choice ruckman Oscar McInerney will be given another week off as he manages a back injury and other ailments. It will be the fourth successive game McInerney has missed, but he has again been named among the emergencies. Premiership-winning ruckman Darcy Fort will again fill the void left by McInerney. 'Darcy Fort's been doing a great job for us,' Fagan said. Originally published as Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan says Adelaide is the AFL's 'benchmark' team
Herald Sun
a day ago
- Herald Sun
AFL: Brisbane Lions happy to be ‘underdogs' against Adelaide
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. They are the reigning AFL premiers and sitting pretty in second spot on the ladder, but the Lions will be the 'underdogs' in Friday night's battle with the Crows at Adelaide Oval. That's the verdict from Brisbane coach Chris Fagan, who said the in-form Adelaide would start as favourites. The Crows, who are six points adrift of Brisbane, have won four of their past five games and are coming off a 90-point thrashing of Sydney, last year's beaten grand finalists. 'Big crowd there, mostly South Australians barracking for the Crows, hostile environment, playing a team that's in great form … I think we'll go in as underdogs, which suits us down to the ground,' Fagan said. 'We're looking forward to the opportunity. We always like to test ourselves out, and they're probably the benchmark team in the competition at the moment, so we'll give it our best shot and see how we go.' Fagan said the Lions were still searching for ways to improve despite having lost only two of their 12 games this season. 'All you are trying to do in the home and away season is win enough games to qualify for finals, and then hopefully what you can do is be at your best when the finals arrive,' he said. That was the case for the Lions last year, who after an early struggle finished fifth on the ladder, leading to them needing four successive wins in the finals series to claim the premiership. 'There's some narrative around us that maybe we're not going so well as we were last year, but I think people have forgotten how hard last year was and they're just judging us on how we went in the grand final (a 60-point win over the Swans), which was reasonably exceptional, and doesn't happen too often,' Fagan said. 'We're happy to be where we are. We were a mile away from this at the same stage last year, so we've just got to keep going and keep trying to improve.' The Lions have made one change to the 23 that beat Essendon by 18 points last week, with 19-year-old forward Ty Gallop to make his AFL debut. Gallop will replace Darcy Gardiner, who will miss the match with knee soreness. First-choice ruckman Oscar McInerney will be given another week off as he manages a back injury and other ailments. It will be the fourth successive game McInerney has missed, but he has again been named among the emergencies. Premiership-winning ruckman Darcy Fort will again fill the void left by McInerney. 'Darcy Fort's been doing a great job for us,' Fagan said. Originally published as Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan says Adelaide is the AFL's 'benchmark' team
