Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Jamison Gibson-Park signs autographs as the Lions arrived in Perth on Sunday.Dan Sheridan/INPHO Freelife on tour Lions remind Australia that they must release Wallabies stars for warm-up fixtures Internationals from the Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies are currently set to be held back for the Test series. 11.31am, 23 Jun 2025 Share options THE BRITISH AND Lions have warned Australia they will be in breach of contract if they fail to release their Test stars for all tour games involving Super Rugby teams. Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt has allowed Western Force players Nick Champion De Crespigny, Dylan Pietsch, Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain and Nic White to take part in Saturday’s first match Down Under in Perth. However, all those from the Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies, including big names such as Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Rob Valetini, will not face the Lions until the Test series. Given Australia’s lack of depth, Schmidt is keen to avoid picking up any injuries while their warm-up fixture against Fiji in Newcastle on 6 July, which takes place the day after the tourists meet the Waratahs, is another obstacle. Advertisement However, Lions chief executive Ben Calveley has reminded the hosts of the terms of the tour contract, knowing Andy Farrell’s men want to play the toughest possible opposition to provide adequate preparation for the opening Test on 19 July. Lions CEO Ben Calveley has issued a warning to Australia.Zac Goodwin / PA Zac Goodwin / PA / PA “We’ll see a competitive fixture at the weekend and that’s what we’re looking for. We want to make sure our guys are battle-hardened when it comes to the Test series,” Calveley said. “The agreement is very clear – it says that Test players have to be released to play in fixtures leading into that series. That is our expectation. “We’ll play the game at the weekend and will carry on having discussions with (Rugby Australia chief executive) Phil Waugh and will take it step by step. “It’s really important that these games are competitive. It’s not just from a performance standpoint but it’s also right for the fans, partners and broadcasters, who are all expecting competitive fixtures. That would be their expectation as well.” Calveley declined to reveal what action the Lions could take if Schmidt will not be budged from his current policy, but it is clear the tourists hold all the aces given the vast revenue they generate for hosting countries. A sold-out Aviva Stadium turned red for Friday night’s send-off in a display of commercial power. Argentina won an entertaining but scrappy game 28-24 and given they are positioned three places higher than the Wallabies in the global ranking in fifth, they could be viewed as a more credible tour destination than Australia. There are also calls for France to be added to the current rotation that is completed by South Africa and New Zealand. For now, however, fixtures against other nations will be bolt-ons to existing destinations rather than stand-alone tours. “There are different teams around the world that we might be interested in playing against in future. Traditionally that’s been consigned to a pre-tour element – Dublin, Murrayfield – so we’ll probably focus on that,” Calveley said. “We’re also interested when we go away on tour to see if we can bring in other countries like Japan and Fiji to feature in those games as we build up to the Test element. “We’re open and we’re flexible, but right now there are no plans to change the rotation of the tour structure.” Related Reads 'We need to be better' - The Lions land in Australia eager to get rolling Laughs, tears and frustration as Farrell settles into unique demands of Lions job Defeat doesn't detract from sense Lions should do this more often Calveley was speaking at a ‘Welcome to Country’ ceremony, a 20-minute First Nations cultural experience held in in Perth’s Kings Park. Press Association Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Lions remind Australia that they must release Wallabies stars for warm-up fixtures”. 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