Calveley welcomed the strength of the Force side but said he would continue to press RA boss Phil Waugh to ensure Wallabies players are also released for games against Queensland and NSW, as per the tour agreement. In a press conference where Calveley also spoke about the Lions’ willingness to play in other areas like Argentina, America and France, the threat of Australia losing its status as a destination for the lucrative Lions tours appeared to be attached. “The agreement is very clear: it says that Test players have to be released to play in fixtures leading into that series,” Calveley said. “That is our expec-tation, it’s really important that these games are competitive. It’s not just for a performance standpoint – the players do want to test themselves and build towards the Test series – but it’s also right for the fans, partners and broadcasters who are all expecting competitive fixtures, and for the rugby-loving public. That would be their expectation as well.