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Preliminary discussions about an ANZAC XV being reinvented has multiple exciting dimensions for the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour.
Certainly, one will be finding a selection policy that earns more than three Wallabies a place in the actual team which might be the brutal truth if the starting XV was picked today.
It’s the sort of team that will be “assembled” rather than “selected” which creates the opportunity for a good balance of players from both sides of the Tasman.
News from Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan that New Zealand Rugby is “considering the idea” is a positive after RA floated the possibility of an ANZAC XV for the 2025 Lions tour.
“I’m in no doubt it would be a belter…the best of the Wallabies and the All Blacks against the Lions would create enormous global coverage,” McLennan said.
The first question is “Does the tour need such a game?” after the one-off staging in 1989 was dropped from the 2001 and 2013 tours.
What the 2025 tour needs most of all is competitive matches outside the three Tests on what will likely be a 10-game tour. So, yes.
On paper, the ANZAC XV would certainly have enough firepower to stretch the Lions, albeit with only two or three training runs to find a little groove.
Rugby officials could do themselves a big favour by first learning the lessons of 2013.
Australia’s best Super Rugby sides at the time were basically forced to play the Lions with a hand tied behind their backs.
You could understand 11 Wallabies being told they couldn’t play for the NSW Waratahs side which faced the Lions a week out from the first Test.
Nick Farr-Jones of the ANZAC XV in action during the British Lions tour in 1989. (photo by Russell Cheyne /Allsport)
Not allowing seven Wallabies to play for the Queensland Reds TWO weeks before the first Test was lunacy. It was a major own goal.
The understrength Reds still gave a wonderful account of themselves in the first competitive fixture of the 2013 tour.
They ran it from everywhere. Luke Morahan scored a stunning kick-and-chase try and it was the one day on that tour you were glad coach Robbie Deans had dropped Quade Cooper.
Cooper skippered Queensland and the thrilling contest for more than 50,000 fans was much closer than the final 22-12 scoreline at Suncorp Stadium.
First point. Rugby Australia must make sure that two Super Rugby sides, at least, are at full-strength when they take on the Lions.
The successful reactivation of the Australia A program this year means Australia A will have a crack at the Lions too.
That’s a great step considering the wonderful Australia A upset on the 2001 tour when a Scott Staniforth try and Manny Edmonds boot sunk the Lions 28-25 in Gosford.
I’m unashamedly a fan of the ANZAC XV concept. Too many Australians on ANZAC Day believe they are honouring only Australian sacrifices at war.
The acronym connects Australia and New Zealand in the most meaningful way. The more that can be highlighted the better.
It’s also fair that not all are comfortable with it. When The Roar posted a story in April about the ANZAC XV concept, this reasoned response came through: “War has little to do with sport…uncomfortable with the ANZAC acronym.”
It wouldn’t be The Roar with other more light-hearted takes: “Just call the team NZ…North Island, South Island and West Island combined.”
Finding a spot in June-July for an ANZAC XV game is the next hurdle.
The reason the inaugural ANZAC XV line-up of 1989 was weaker than hoped was because it couldn’t unravel a scheduling dilemma.
In the end, Steve McDowall, Frano Botica and Kieran Crowley were the only Kiwis to run out with 12 Aussies at Ballymore.
It was less of a spectacle than hoped because the match fell on the free July weekend between the two Tests of the All Blacks’ series against Argentina.
Headliners Buck Shelford, Sean Fitzpatrick, John Kirwan, Grant Fox and others decided not to risk injury and declined invitations.
Michael Lynagh potted 11 points with the boot and pacey Ian Williams scored the ANZAC XV’s only try. The Lions, captained by Scotland’s David Sole that day, got home 19-15 in the second half.
A number of decorated war veterans from Australia and NZ were invited to the match and stirred the ANZAC spirit even more at the post-game dinner.
The ANZAC XV game in 1989 was played AFTER the three Tests of the tour as the final match of the tour. Such is the modern way, top-level games of rugby are rarely played for sheer fun.
As appealing as it might be to play this as a Barbarians-style game to end the tour, reality will be discussed too.
The idea of the ANZAC XV is, in part, to create another competitive match on the tour. There’s no use having it after the series when preparing the Lions for the Tests is more on point.
It’s a tough crystal ball exercise but consider this as a possible ANZAC XV in 2025.
ANZAC XV: Will Jordan (Crusaders), Caleb Clarke (Blues), Jordan Petaia (Queensland Reds), Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes), Corey Toole (ACT Brumbies), Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders), Tate McDermott (Queensland Reds), Rob Valetini (ACT Brumbies), Dalton Papali’i (Blues), Shannon Frizell (Highlanders), Tupou Vaa’i (Chiefs), Nick Frost (ACT Brumbies), Taniela Tupou (Queensland Reds), George Bell (Crusaders), Angus Bell (NSW Waratahs).