Western Force v British & Irish Lions 28 June 2025 Optus Stadium

[Tazzmania]

Cron, Hilton added to AUNZ Invitational XV coaching staff for Lions match

Western Force coach Simon Cron and Queensland Reds assistant Zane Hilton have been added to the coaching staff for the AUNZ Invitational XV team to face the British & Irish Lions in Adelaide......

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[Tazzmania]

Cron named AUNZ Invitational XV assistant coach for Lions clash

Western Force head coach Simon Cron has been appointed to a highly-credentialed trans-Tasman coaching panel for the AUNZ Invitational XV ahead of their match against the British and Irish Lions at the Adelaide Oval on July 12....

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[Transiting]

Thought about a team for the Lions game:

1. Players returning next year (where possible)
2. Australian eligible (where possible)
3. Not likely in the Wallaby 23 for Fiji (but still in the Wallaby squad)

Team:

1. Coxon
2. Dolly
3. Robinson*
4. Carter
5. Swain
6. Harris
7. Tizzano*
8. CDC*
9. IFL
10. Harford
11. Pietsch*
12. Stewart
13. Kuenzle
14. Leahy
15. Grealy
16. Alcock
17. Pearce
18. Smith
19. Faifua/Thompson
20. Ekuasi
21. Robertson
22. Pasitoa
23. Poolman

[jargan83]

I think Tizzano will be scratched from your team.

[Transiting]

So I took a guess at the 17 (supposedly) Force players that had the special training session with Schmidt and came up with the following:

Robertson
BPA
Dolly
Williams
Swain
CDC
Harris
Tizzano
White
IFL
Donaldson
Stewart
Kuenzle
Pietsch
Potter
Grealy
Beale

[Garry Owen]

So I took a guess at the 17 (supposedly) Force players that had the special training session with Schmidt and came up with the following:

Robertson
BPA
Dolly
Williams
Swain
CDC
Harris
Tizzano
White
IFL
Donaldson
Stewart
Kuenzle
Pietsch
Potter
Grealy
Beale

IFL would be the only question mark I would have on that. Could instead by Henry Robertson or Marley

[Tazzmania]

IFL would be the only question mark I would have on that. Could instead by Henry Robertson or Marley

Looks like it is Henry Robertson from the Photos posted today by Force media unit.

Photos more or less confirm Transisting was spot on

[jargan83]

Wallabies boss Joe Schmidt appears to have altered his stance slightly on the subject of releasing his Test stars for the British and Irish Lions’ pre-Tests tour games.

In mid-May, Australia’s head coach was adamant that he wanted to “safeguard” up to 25 first-choice players to make sure they did not pick up any injuries ahead of the series.

“The policy is that we’d probably be very keen to safeguard out what we perceive to be 23 or 24, 25, and then the rest of the squad for them to get the games and to get to play against the Lions,” Schmidt told reporters last month.

“We don’t want to deprive someone of the opportunity of playing against the Lions if they’re not going to get the Test jersey at the time.

“But we know that the Lions, you never get through unscathed, so we know that we’re going to need people.”

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/cric...ts/ar-AA1GuZZA