British &Irish Lions v Argentina ticket sales update after criticism of prices
Insiders claim that the British and Irish Lions' first ever game on Irish soil is close to a sell-out three days out from the kick-off at the Aviva Stadium.
There has been a lot of criticism - particularly on social media - of the pricing of tickets for the 1888 Cup fixture with Argentina on Friday night, with seats costing up to €190.
However that hasn't prevented very healthy ticket sales, with a Lions source informing the Irish Mirror that there only a couple of hundred still available for Andy Farrell's first game as Lions head coach.
There will be no caps given out for a game that has not been granted Test status but it is a valuable outing for Farrell to run the rule over the players who have been with the squad since they met up in Dublin last week before spending a few days training in Portugal.
There are three Ireland internationals in the line-up - Munster's Tadhg Beirne and Connacht pair Bundee Aki and Finlay Bealham - with three more on the bench, Rónan Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong (Leinster) and Mack Hansen (Connacht).
Furlong is available after being sidelined for the last month with a calf injury, while Kelleher is the only one of the 11 Leinster players who were involved in last Saturday's URC final win over the Bulls who has been given the nod for the first of 10 games that the Lions will play, and the only one that takes place outside of Australia.
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The 42
an hour ago
- The 42
'The show is on the road' - Farrell calls for Lions to hit the ground running against Pumas
ANDY FARRELL HAS warned his Lions squad to hit the ground running after naming his team for Friday night's clash with Argentina in Dublin. Some of the group have been together since last week, while others have only joined in recent days after finishing club commitments over the weekend. Yet Farrell has still be able to name a strong team for the Pumas game, as the 2025 Lions look to make a strong start to their campaign. 'Naming the squad yesterday was great,' said Farrell, speaking at the Aviva Stadium. 'You feel like the show is on the road, the journey is about to begin properly so it was exciting to name that and allow the boys to realise that they'll be the first to represent this group.' Advertisement Those lucky few might get a head start in the selection race but the chasing pack won't be too far behind. The players involved in URC and Premiership finals joined the squad earlier this week, and the Lions boss said any injured players are close to returning to fitness. 'They're all a week or so away from being fit. We didn't quite know until Jamison (Gibson-Park) got another scan Monday night, I think that was pretty positive so Jack (van Poortvliet) comes over for cover for this game. Jamison should be up and running for the week after. 'Huw Jones has trained with us this week, he's been back into full training so that was great. Hugo Keenan ran for the first time a couple of days ago. Everything is going pretty well as far as that's concerned. There's always one or two bumps and bruises that you're trying to nurse. That's the nature of rugby.' Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong has been passed fit to feature, with Farrell naming the tighthead on the bench. Furlong has played just eight games this season (seven with Leinster, one for Ireland) across an injury-disrupted campaign. 'Well, he's fit, and ready to go and train well,' Farrell confirmed. 'And he's as keen as everyone else to get the show on the road. Farrell was then asked how many minutes he hopes to give Furlong on Friday night. 'It is what it is. You have all the best plans for a game of rugby. You've got to be ready from minute one or you roll with the punches. You may want to get someone on after 50 or 55 minutes but that might not come to fruition and they might only get five minutes at the end. It is what it is. Everyone understands that.' Farrell's matchday squad for Friday includes a total of 14-first time Lions, including Ireland players Finlay Bealham, Rónan Kelleher and Mack Hansen. 'It's what they dream of, there's no doubt about that, you can just tell with the buzz in the group and what it means to them, the excitement around the place,' Farrell added. 'We've seen it in the preparation, how diligent they've been, how quickly they've come together as a group and the bond that they've got already in such a short space of time, is great to see but best foot forward and all that, it's all about the performance on Friday night, isn't it? 'That's where we're all going to get judged, we want to do the shirt proud and represent the group properly on Friday night.'
The 42
an hour ago
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Akipulotu pairing catches the eye in English-influenced Lions side
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Van der Merwe has the power and speed to run over or past pretty much anyone. Advertisement Andy Farrell himself seems to be uncertain about how this is all going to pan out over the next four weeks. He has always embraced the twists and turns that rugby throws up, even the ones that cause others to panic. Aglow with a tan from last week's camp in Portugal and this week's camp in Dublin, Farrell seemed genuinely excited at his press conference in the Aviva Stadium. He has named his first matchday 23 and even with 15 members of his wider Lions squad unavailable, it's a selection packed with quality. Those who are in the stands on Friday night won't be comfortable if this opening side starts strongly. Following the Lions will always involve a parochial perspective and there were six points of interest for Irish fans in that regard, even with 11 of Leinster's 12-man contingent missing out on Friday night's opening game against Argentina. Tadhg Furlong makes his return from injury. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO Perhaps the biggest news was official confirmation that Tadhg Furlong is back from the calf injury that has kept him sidelined since 17 May. Making this Lions tour was obviously always a huge priority for the Wexford man as he struggled with his calf and hamstring during the November Tests, Six Nations, and more recently. The experienced tighthead prop wasn't involved in Leinster's URC final win over the Bulls last weekend, but it seems that he could have featured at a push. Instead, Leinster continued with Thomas Clarkson and Rabah Slimani, leaving Furlong to ready himself for Lions duty. Mack Hansen is the other Irish player making his return from injury on the Lions bench on Friday, having recovered from the ankle injury that ended his Connacht season back in April. Hansen has ground to make up, all the more so if starting right wing and Test favourite Tommy Freeman has a big game on Friday night. Rónan Kelleher is the only Leinster player who will feature after being involved in the URC final, albeit he only played 25 minutes off the bench. They were 25 high-quality minutes and Kelleher will be glad for a chance to get his Lions involvement up and running. He is vying with Luke Cowan-Dickie for a place in the Test squad along with frontrunner Dan Sheehan. Joining Aki in the starting team are Tadhg Beirne, who looks set to be a key figure for this Lions team, and Finlay Bealham, a late injury call-up who could end up playing a big part for the tourists. They are part of a side that has a heavy English slant, especially given that Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith will drive the team from the halfback slots as Marcus Smith provides his playmaking influence from fullback. In all, there are 11 English players in this 23, six Irish, four Scots, and two Welsh. Mitchell and Smith have an excellent understanding, given that they also play together in Northampton, and this is a prime chance to make another big impression on Farrell with the first shot at the nine and 10 shirts. Fin Smith and Alex Mitchell. Juan Gasparini / INPHO Juan Gasparini / INPHO / INPHO The Lions boss already knows what they can do but if the Saints duo can calmly and intelligently direct a good performance so soon after this Lions group have come together, they'll get an extra green tick. Farrell expects Jamison Gibson-Park back from his glute injury in about a week, but Mitchell will sense opportunity. As Finn Russell recuperates from the Premiership final last weekend, Fin Smith's chance seems immense. The 23-year-old doesn't tend to overplay his hand, influencing games in a composed manner, which is what Farrell will look for again. Deploying Marcus Smith as the starting 15, as he promised to do, while also asking him to cover out-half may be a hint at Farrell's thinking for further down the line. Related Reads Three Irish players start for Lions as Furlong returns on bench Argentina name team for Dublin meeting with Lions The second row pairing of captain Maro Itoje and Tadhg Beirne will be fascinating to watch. Because Beirne was used at blindside flanker on the 2021 tour, they haven't locked down alongside each other in the same starting pack. Both are lineout-calling forwards and they should combine well in that set-piece. The first back row selection always promised to be punchy and so it has proven with Jac Morgan, Tom Curry, and Ben Earl combining. There's no frontline lineout operator among them, but there is a serious amount of breakdown threat, dynamism, and all-round contact skill. That 20-year-old Henry Pollock is ready to be sprung from the bench only adds to the intrigue.
Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
That's how it should be – Andy Farrell insists Lions places still up for grabs
Andy Farrell has told his British Irish and Lions stars ahead of Friday's clash with Argentina that selection for the Test series is wide open. Maro Itoje captains the Lions for the first time and is joined in the starting XV by Marcus Smith, who has been picked at full-back behind an all-England half-back partnership of Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith. Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong is given the opportunity to prove his fitness after being named on the bench for the Aviva Stadium showdown having been sidelined since early May because of a calf strain. As many as 14 players could make their Lions debuts before the squad departs for Australia on Saturday and Farrell has demanded they make an immediate impact if they want a shot at facing the Wallabies. Our team to face Argentina in Dublin! 🦁#Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 18, 2025 'I did an exercise a couple of weeks ago, and I've done it about five times since, of choosing what the Test side could be,' the head coach said. 'You actually can't even go there because there's such good competition and that's how it should be. 'The exciting thing about Friday night is these guys get to show the team-mates who are sat in the stand what they're all about. 'We are looking for cohesion, connection and an ability to attack the game from the off. 'You can give yourself any excuse as far as time together is concerned, but we've had good prep and if you want to be a good Lions player you've got to hit your straps straight from the off.' Tadhg Furlong has been given the chance to prove his fitness against Argentina (Andrew Matthews/PA) Furlong has been troubled by calf and hamstring injuries all season, forcing him to miss the entire 2024 autumn series and all but one match of the Six Nations. If fit, the three-time Lions tourist will be favourite to start at tighthead prop in the Test series against the Wallabies, but first he must negotiate the curtain raiser against a Pumas side ranked fifth in the world. 'Tadhg is fit and ready to go and train well and as keen as everyone else to get the show on the road,' Farrell said. Duhan van der Merwe is another player looking to demonstrate his fitness ahead of Saturday's departure Down Under having been limited to just 11 minutes of action since the Six Nations because of ankle ligament damage. The Scotland wing is part of a heavy duty threequarter line that features England try machine Tommy Freeman and bulldozing centres Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu. Farrell delivered positive fitness updates on Jamison Gibson-Park (glute), Huw Jones (Achilles) and Hugo Keenan (calf), stating that all three should be available for the the first match in Australia against Western Force on Saturday week. Argentina were also the warm-up opponents in 2005 when they held Sir Clive Woodward's Lions to a 25-25 draw in Cardiff. 'It's a tremendous opportunity for myself and the whole team. This is our first opportunity to set the standard that we want to be set and be the kind of team that we want to be,' Itoje said.
