Foster announced in AU/NZ coaching staff, First Nations Pasifika game confirmed for Lions Series

Former All Blacks coach Ian Foster has been confirmed as part of the coaching staff for the AUNZ Invitational XV against the British and Irish Lions.

Foster will join the side for the July 12 clash in Adelaide as the final ticket allocation for this year’s eagerly-anticipated Qatar Airways British & Irish Lions Series goes on sale today.

On top of this, the First Nations & Pasifika XV team has been confirmed as the replacement for the Melbourne Rebels match on July 22.

“It’s incredibly exciting to be able to offer the last available tickets for what’s going to be an absolutely unforgettable Lions Tour throughout June, July and August,” RA CEO Phil Waugh said.

“With just 100 days to go until the first match, it’s certainly not far away and whether you’re a lifelong Rugby supporter, a general sports fan or someone who loves live events, this Tour is something you must be a part of.

“It’s particularly pleasing to have tickets available across all categories, allowing more Australians, and those travelling, to be there in the stands for what truly is a bucket list live sporting event.

“We’re also thrilled to be able to confirm the First Nations & Pasifika XV match in Melbourne, which will be a great celebration of those who continue to contribute enormously to the Australian Rugby community.”

The final allocation represents the last chance for supporters to purchase tickets, with half a million fans expected to attend the nine matches across six cities and six weeks.

It begins in Perth with the Western Force hosting the Lions, which is exactly 100 days away on June 28.

The opening Test between the Wallabies and the Lions will begin on July 19, with the initial ticket allocation exhausted in just 60 minutes last year.

Following this, the action heads to the MCG seven days later as the record for largest crowd for a Lions Test is set to be broken, surpassing the mark set at 84,188 at Accor Stadium in 2001.

Sydney’s Accor Stadium is set to be the location for another potential decider between the two sides, with both previous Series going down to the wire, with the Wallabies winning 2-1 in 2001, before the Lions squared the ledger in 2013.

“It is fantastic to confirm the match schedule for the 2025 Tour with the added fixture against a First Nations & Pasifika XV at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium - a game that everyone at the Lions is hugely excited about,” Ben Calveley, CEO of the British & Irish Lions added.

"With the Tour schedule confirmed, we are also excited to see the final ticket allocation released. Together we are set to welcome more than half a million fans at games in 2025 for what will be an amazing spectacle in one of the greatest sporting countries in the world.

"For our own Lions supporters, Wallabies fans and global sporting fanatics, this is the last opportunity to purchase tickets and be part of what will be a truly special six weeks.”