SerpApi.Org
The British and Irish Lions are in advanced talks to play Italy as part of an unprecedented European double-header to kick off their 2029 tour of New Zealand.
Telegraph Sport revealed last year that the invitational side were set to face France in June 2029, marking the first meeting between the sides in 40 years, before flying to the southern hemisphere just like last year’s tourists faced Argentina in Dublin before travelling to Australia.
However, Telegraph Sport understands that negotiations are accelerating for the invitational side to face Italy in a historic first meeting of the two sides before taking on France a week later, and then flying to New Zealand.
This would mark the first occasion in the professional era that the Lions have played twice in Europe before touring one of the southern hemisphere superpowers.
Although details are still to be finalised, the working plan is for the Lions to face Italy on June 23, as part of the Federazione Italiana Rugby’s centenary celebrations, before crossing the Channel to take on France a week later.
At this stage, the locations of both fixtures have yet to be decided, but they will not take place in New Zealand, meaning that only eight of the permitted 10 Lions matches will take place there.
Telegraph Sport understands that the match against Les Bleus will definitely take place in France – with Paris, Bordeaux and Marseille prime candidates to host it – while the fixture with Italy will take place in the United Kingdom. Out of the four home nations stadiums, the Allianz Stadium is the only one which has not hosted a Lions match in the professional era and would, therefore, be in pole position for this fixture.
The make-up of the other eight matches is still to be confirmed by both the Lions and New Zealand Rugby (NZR) but, given there are five Super Rugby franchises based in the country, it is likely that a match against each will supplement the three Tests against the All Blacks.
The last time the Lions toured New Zealand, in 2017, the touring side also faced the Maori All Blacks and the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians, as well as the five Super Rugby franchises, ahead of the drawn Test series. Although the structure of the provincial matches in 2029 is still to be defined, the addition of both Italy and France would seemingly leave those two provincial fixtures under threat. The last time that the Lions did not face the Maori All Blacks on a tour to New Zealand was in 1983.
In 2024, Telegraph Sport reported that the Lions and NZR were exploring staging a match in the United States before the 2029 tour, with Las Vegas, Chicago and Los Angeles mooted as possible destinations, but those plans now look unlikely.
The Lions have also been exploring facing France before the inaugural women’s tour next year, also to New Zealand.
A Lions spokesman told Telegraph Sport: “Discussions around the schedule for the next Lions men’s tour are still ongoing and there is no confirmation of any fixtures at this stage.”
Recommended
Lions exploring France, Japan or Americas tour
