The Games Begin
It’s finally here, The British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand officially starts this Saturday morning when the Lions take on the Provincial NZ Barbarians. They have a few weeks of warm-up games before their first Test against the All Blacks in Auckland on the 24th of June. By the end of the tour, The Lions will have played every NZ Super Rugby team and the All Blacks three times.
NZ Provincial Barbarians 7 v BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS 13 – June 3rd – 08:35 UK Time
Toll Stadium, Whangarei
The first game is crucial for setting the tone for the rest of the tour and The Lions should have no problem dispatching the smaller NZ equivalent to the iconic Barbarians. But this will be no walkover. The NZ Barbarians features a number of Super Rugby regulars as well as Lions Coach, Warren Gatland’s own son.
The Lions have picked all 3 of the touring Scottish players in a side that is by no means the B-team despite the absence of some key players. Lions Captain, Sam Warburton, will also be taking to the field.
RS Prediction: 30 – 12 to the Lions
Lions Starting XV: S Hogg; A Watson, J Joseph, B Te’o, T Seymour; J Sexton, G Laidlaw; J Marler, R Best, K Sinckler, AW Jones, I Henderson, R Moriarty, S Warburton, T Faletau.
NZ Provincial Barbarians Starting XV: L Laulala; S Vaka, I Finau, D Sweeney, S Reece, B Gatland, J Stratton, A Ross, S Anderson-Heather, O Jager, J Goodhue, K Mewett, J Tucker, L Boshier, M Dunshea.
BLUES 22 V BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS 16 – June 7th – 08:35 UK Time
Eden Park, Auckland
RS Prediction: 15 – 20 to the Lions
Lions Starting XV: Leigh Halfpenny; Jack Nowell, Jared Payne, Robbie Henshaw, Elliot Daly; Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb; Jack McGrath, Ken Owens (capt), Dan Cole, Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes, James Haskell, Justin Tipuric, CJ Stander
Blues Starting XV: Michael Collins, Matt Duffie, George Moala, Sonny Bill Williams Rieko Ioane, Stephen Perofeta, Augustine Pulu; Ofa Tu’ungafasi, James Parsons (capt), Charlie Faumuina, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Scott Scrafton, Akira Ioane, Blake Gibson, Steven Luatua
CRUSADERS 3 V BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS 12 – June 10th – 08:35 UK Time
AMI Stadium, Christchurch
RS Prediction: 15-12 to Crusaders
Lions Starting XV: S Hogg; G North, J Davies; B Te’o, L Williams; O Farrell; C Murray; M Vunipola, J George, T Furlong; AW Jones (capt), G Kruis; P O’Mahony, S O’Brien, T Faletau
Crusaders Starting XV: I Dagg, S Tamanivalu, J Goodhue, D Havili, G Bridge, R Mo’unga, B Hall, J Moody, C Taylor, O Franks, L Romano, S Whitelock (capt), H Bedwell-Curtis, M Todd, J Taufua
HIGHLANDERS 23 V BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS 22 – June 13th – 08:35 UK Time
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
RS Prediction: 20 – 15 to The Lions
Highlanders Starting XV: Richard Buckman, Waisake Naholo, Malakai Fekitoa, Teihorangi Walden, Tevita Li, Lima Sopoaga, Kayne Hammington, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Liam Coltman, Siate Tokolahi, Alex Ainley, Jackson Hemopo, Gareth Evans, Dillon Hunt, Luke Whitelock
Lions Starting XV: Jared Payne, Jack Nowell, Jonathan Joseph, Robbie Henshaw, Tommy Seymour; Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb; Joe Marler, Rory Best, Kyle Sinckler; Courtney Lawes, Iain Henderson, James Haskell, Sam Warburton (C), CJ Stander.
MAORI ALL BLACKS 10 V BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS 32 – June 17th – 08:35 UK Time
Rotorua International Stadium
RS Prediction: 20 – 25 to The Lions
Maori Starting XV: J Lowe; N Milner-Skudder, M Proctor, C Ngatai, R Ioane; D McKenzie, T Kerr-Barlow; K Hames, A Dixon (capt), B May, J Wheeler, T Franklin, A Ioane, E Dixon, L Messam.
Lions Starting XV: L Halfpenny, A Watson, J Davies, B Te’o, G North, Sexton, C Murray, M Vunipola, J George, T Furlong, M Itoje, G Kruis, P O’Mahony (capt), S O’Brien, T Faletau
CHIEFS 6 V BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS 34 – June 20th – 08:35 UK Time
FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
RS Prediction: 22 – 10 to The Lions
Chiefs Starting XV: S Stevenson; T Pulu, T Nanai-Williams, J Fa’auli, S Alaimalo; S Donald (capt), F Christie; S Fisiihoi, L Polwart, N Laulala, D Bird, M Allardice, M Brown, L Boshier, T Sanders.
Lions Starting XV: L Williams; J Nowell, J Payne, R Henshaw, E Daly; D Biggar, G Laidlaw; J Marler, R Best (capt), D Cole, I Henderson, C Lawes, J Haskell, J Tipuric, C Stander.
All Blacks 30 V BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS 15 – June 24th – 08:35 UK Time
Eden Park, Auckland
RS Prediction: 20-10 to the All Blacks
All Blacks Starting XV: B Smith; I Dagg, R Crotty, SB Williams, R Ioane; B Barrett, A Smith; J Moody, C Taylor, O Franks, B Retallick, S Whitelock, J Kaino, S Cane, K Read (capt)
Lions Starting XV: L Williams; A Watson, J Davies, B Te’o, E Daly; O Farrell, C Murray; M Vunipola, J George, T Furlong; AW Jones, G Kruis; P O’Mahony, S O’Brien, T Faletau
HURRICANES 31 V BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS 31 – June 27th – 08:35 UK Time
Westpac Stadium, Wellington
RS Prediction: 25-20 to the Lions
Hurricanes Starting XV: J Barrett, N Milner-Skudder, V Aso, N Laumape, J Savea, O Black, T Toiroa-Tahuriorangi, B May, R Ricitelli, J To’omaga-Allen, M Abbott, S Lousi, V Fifita, C Gibbins, B Shields (captain).
Lions Starting XV: J Nowell; T Seymour, J Joseph, R Henshaw, G North, D Biggar, G Laidlaw, J Marler, R Best(cap), D Cole, I Henderson, C Lawes, J Haskell, J Tipuric, CJ Stander.
All Blacks 21 V BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS 24 – July 1st – 08:35 UK Time
Westpac Stadium, Wellington
RS Prediction: 21-17 to The Lions
Lions Starting XV: L Williams, A Watson, J Davies, O Farrell, E Daly, J Sexton, C Murray; M Vunipola, J George, T Furlong, M Itoje, AW Jones, S Warburton (c), S O’Brien, T Faletau.
Replacements: K Owens, J McGrath, K Sinckler, C Lawes, CJ Stander, R Webb, B Te’o, J Nowell.
All Blacks V BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS – July 8th – 08:35 UK Time
Eden Park, Auckland
RS Prediction: All Blacks 30 – Lions 18
Lions Starting XV: L Williams, A Watson, J Davies, O Farrell, E Daly, J Sexton, C Murray; M Vunipola, J George, T Furlong, M Itoje, AW Jones, S Warburton (c), S O’Brien, T Faletau.
Replacements: K Owens, J McGrath, K Sinckler, C Lawes, CJ Stander, R Webb, B Te’o, J Nowell.
New Zealand Starting XV: Jordie Barrett; Israel Dagg, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ngani Laumape, Julian Savea; Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith; Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, Owen Franks, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Jerome Kaino, Sam Cane, Kieran Read.
Replacements: Nathan Harris, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Scott Barrett, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Aaron Cruden, Malakai Fekitoa.
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