Latest news with #AUNZXV
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Havili, Salakaia-Loto to lead Australia-New Zealand against Lions
David Havili, who led Canterbury Crusaders to the Super Rugby title, will co-captain the AUNZ XV against the British and Irish Lions (Sanka Vidanagama) David Havili and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto were on Thursday named co-captains of a "powerful" Australia-New Zealand combined side stacked with All Blacks and Wallabies to face the British and Irish Lions in Adelaide. Coach Les Kiss picked 17 internationals in his matchday 23 for Saturday's final warm-up game for the Lions before they face Australia in the opening Test on July 19 in Brisbane. Advertisement Head coach Andy Farrell's side are unbeaten in four matches in Australia after wins over four Super Rugby sides, including 36-24 against ACT Brumbies on Wednesday in Canberra. The Australia-New Zealand side, the first time the powerhouses have joined forces since 1989, could provide the Lions with their biggest test so far. Every player in the starting XV has international caps, with Salakaia-Loto part of a Queensland Reds-heavy tight five alongside Aidan Ross, Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen and Angus Blyth. Former Bordeaux flanker Pete Samu starts at flanker, with All Blacks Shannon Frizell and Hoskins Sotutu completing the forward pack. Advertisement Havili, who recently led the Canterbury Crusaders to the Super Rugby title, is at inside centre alongside former All Blacks centre Ngani Laumape. Shaun Stevenson will start at fullback. "After speaking with all the players we thought the co-captaincy model with natural leaders like David and Lukhan would really suit this team and what we represent," said Kiss, who will succeed Joe Schmidt as Wallabies coach next year and is being assisted by former All Blacks head coach Ian Foster. "This week has been building nicely and the boys have put a lot of time into getting to know each other. Advertisement "In forming new bonds, many of them have discovered they have more in common than they originally thought. "We have named an experienced, powerful starting side for Saturday and we know our bench will make an impact when they get their opportunity." AUNZ Invitational XV (15-1): Shaun Stevenson; AJ Lam, Ngani Laumape, David Havili (co-capt), Marika Koroibete; Tane Edmed, Folau Fakatava; Hoskins Sotutu, Pete Samu, Shannon Frizell; Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (co-capt), Angus Blyth; Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Aidan Ross Replacements: Kurt Eklund, Joshua Fusitu'a, George Dyer, Matt Philip, Joe Brial, Kalani Thomas, Harry Mclaughlin-Phillips, Jock Campbell tl/dh
NZ Herald
8 hours ago
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Lions Tour 2025: Ian Foster wants AUSNZ XV side to play in New Zealand in 2029
Former All Blacks coach Ian Foster has thrown his support behind the AUNZ XV initiative and says he'd love to see the team reunite for the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand in 2029. The AUNZ XV team have been brought together for the first time since
RNZ News
a day ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Kiwis and Aussies put aside rivalries for game against British and Irish Lions
Former All Blacks coach Ian Foster at training. Photo: SUPPLIED Former All Blacks coach Ian Foster is getting used to the ribbing about wearing the green and gold of Australia. Foster is in Adelaide as assistant coach for the AUNZ Invitational XV who play the British and Irish Lions on Saturday night. Their 30-player squad is a mix of promising Australian talent with eight All Blacks not in Scott Robertson's current squad for the series against France and a couple more from Super Rugby sides. Their training uniforms feature the Aussie green and gold livery on the chest, with black sleeves as a hat tip to the All Blacks. "It's outstanding," said Foster about the kit. "I love the black sleeves too, so there's been a nice bit of compromise in the colours.' "Les (Kiss, AUNZ XV head coach) has taken the mickey. Every time I sign something green and gold, he takes a photo of it, so I am in trouble later in the week I think." The players only assembled this week so have a limited time to get combinations gelling against the Lions, who have won their three tour games and play the Brumbies on Wednesday night. Foster, who has coached the Toyota Verblitz team in the Japan's rugby competition since finishing up with the All Blacks after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, said it will be tough against the Lions and the accent has been on getting to know each other. "The guys are coming in and getting to know each other and that always brings a lot of energy. There are guys who have played against each other, but never really had a chat. Bit of bonding, bit going on, but they are hoeing into their work and getting used to something that should be pretty special." The Lions celebrates a try against the Waratahs, 2025. Photo: DEAN LEWINS / PHOTOSPORT Foster described the Lions as ''looking pretty slick at the moment", after wins against the Force, Reds and Waratahs. They play the Brumbies tonight. "They have been well tested in their early games but I thought the Waratahs really climbed into them physically and turned that into a bit of bunfight. "We know that if they can play on top of you and get the ball they want that they have got pretty good shape about how they go about things. "They have some good existing combinations that they have had internationally. That's kinda the challenge here for us, probably the strength of the combinations. "We have got to acknowledge they are good at what they do, their set piece is strong but it's not invincible,'' Foster said. The AUNZ team was not going "heavy'' on organisation. "We can only do so much in a short time period. It's the guys just wanting to play for the guy next to them. Generating that sort of Anzac feel about it, you know putting aside the rivalries and let's do something together. "It's not a festival game for us, it's one where we want to express ourselves, it's a real opportunity to play a pretty special team against the Lions and who knows, achieve something nice." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
30-06-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Lions Tour 2025: All Blacks quartet headline first names in AUNZ XV
Four All Blacks have been revealed as the first names called up to the AUNZ XV squad to take on the British and Irish Lions at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, July 12. Crusaders captain David Havili, who missed out on selection in the All Blacks squad to face France, headlines
CNA
19-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Kiss to coach invitational team against Lions, Kefu leads Pasifika
SYDNEY :Wallabies coach-elect Les Kiss will coach the AUNZ Invitational XV and Toutai Kefu the First Nations & Pasifika XV against the British & Irish Lions in tour matches in July, Rugby Australia said on Monday. Australia has only four Super Rugby sides after the demise of the Melbourne Rebels last year and the Lions will play the tour matches against the invitational sides in Adelaide and Melbourne as preparation for the test series. Kiss, who will take over as Wallabies coach from Joe Schmidt in July next year, said it would be a privilege to lead the AUNZ side along with a coaching team including former All Blacks boss Ian Foster for the July 12 clash. "The British & 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," he said in a press release. "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 Wallabies number eight Kefu, who was coach of Tonga until 2023, said it would be a particular honour to lead the inaugural First Nations & Pasifika XV in Melbourne on July 22. "First Nations and Pasifika people contribute massively to the game all around the world," Kefu said. "The significance of this game in celebrating those ongoing contributions can't be overstated, especially against a team with the history of the British & Irish Lions." The first clash between the Lions and Australia will take place in Brisbane on July 19 with the second and third tests in Melbourne and Sydney on the following two Saturdays.
