Kiss to lead combined Australia-NZ team against Lions

19th May 2025 | Source: BBC

Les Kiss was formerly director of rugby at Ulster and head coach at London Irish

Incoming Wallabies coach Les Kiss will lead a combined Australia and New Zealand side that will play the British and Irish Lions this summer.

It will be the first combined Australia and New Zealand team since 1989 and they will play a Lions side who start a three-Test series against Australia on Saturday, 19 July in Brisbane.

Kiss, who will take over from Joe Schmidt as Australia coach in 2026, will have former All Blacks head coach Ian Foster as an assistant for the game in Adelaide on Saturday, 12 July.

"It's a privilege to be able to lead the coaching group for the combined AUNZ Invitational XV," said Kiss, currently Queensland Reds head coach.

"The British and Irish Lions are one of world sport's most renowned teams and to be able to play them at an iconic Australian venue such as the Adelaide Oval will be an incredible spectacle.

"I'm looking forward to working with a coach like Ian who has wide-ranging experience at the highest level of the game and linking up with the wider management in due course."

World Cup-winning former Australia international and ex-Tonga coach Toutai Kefu will lead a First Nations and Pasifika XV that will play the Lions on Tuesday, 22 July in between the first and second Tests against Australia.

"I feel honoured to be named head coach of the first ever First Nations and Pasifika XV," said Kefu.

"First Nations and Pasifika people contribute massively to the game all around the world and the significance of this game in celebrating those ongoing contributions can't be overstated, especially against a team with the history of the British and Irish Lions."