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British and Irish Lions: Captain Maro Itoje calls for whitewash over Australia after Henry Pollock feedback | Rugby Union Information

British and Irish Lions captain Maro Itoje hopes Australia wish to whitewash his aspect after Henry Pollock revealed the crew need to win the collection 3-0.

After six warm-up matches, The Lions play their first Check towards Australia this Saturday at 11am (build-up from 10am), dwell on Sky Sports activities, in Brisbane as they search for their first collection win since 2013, which additionally got here towards the Wallabies.

Their final 3-0 collection victory in Australia was in 1904, whereas the 1974 crew, which is thought to be the best ever, gained three Checks and drew one in South Africa.

“I believe that is undoubtedly the ambition. It goes with out saying, nobody desires to lose a recreation,” stated Itoje of Pollock’s feedback.

“It will be a bit bizarre if one in every of my team-mates stated ‘we wish to win two and lose one’, that may be a bit odd.

“I hope it is Australia’s ambition too, to win all of the video games. We wish to win each recreation we play. However all our focus is that this Saturday, the opposite two video games will take care of themselves.”

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Sky Sports activities Information’ Eleanor Roper and Dan Biggar assessment the British and Irish Lions’ emphatic win over an Australia and New Zealand Invitational XV of their remaining warm-up recreation earlier than the Check collection will get underneath means

On Monday, the Lions introduced Scotland trio Rory Sutherland, Ewan Ashman and Darcy Graham will be a part of the squad to assist present cowl after the primary Check.

Head coach Andy Farrell named a 38-player squad in Might however since arriving in Australia, full-back Jamie Osborne, hooker Jamie George and prop Tom Clarkson have additionally been added.

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British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell acknowledges he has some tough choices to make relating to crew choice after they thrashed an Australia and New Zealand Invitational XV previous to the Check collection

“Andy has known as them in as a result of he believes it would assist us obtain our objective of profitable a Check collection,” stated Itoje.

“The entire gamers which were known as in are high quality gamers. They’ve a excessive stage of expertise and achieved issues of their profession. We’re all on this collectively.

“It does not matter if there is a late name up. We’ve seen late name ups up to now have had large impacts on the tour in constructive methods. I’ve little doubt everybody who’s known as up will play an element within the crew attaining their objective.”

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Highlights from the sixth recreation of the 2025 tour because the British and Irish Lions took on an Australia and New Zealand Invitational XV at Adelaide Oval

Itoje, who’s the primary black captain of the Lions, has more and more starred within the warm-up matches resulting in the primary Check.

The 30-year-old says “it’s an incredible honour” to be a part of a 3rd Lions tour and thinks it is “completely different” to every other match together with the Six Nations or Rugby World Cup.

“Naturally in Check week there is a sharpening of the thoughts. There’s in all probability a better stage of focus,” he stated.

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Former British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton believes present skipper Maro Itoje wanted a giant efficiency of their win over Queensland Reds and that he delivered with the stress on him

“The standard of our opposition this week will probably be considerably greater than what we have now confronted up till now. We all know there may be going to be a giant step up.

“As we get nearer to the sport we’ll get sharper. There is a wholesome pressure within the squad as a result of we all know that is what we have now been working in the direction of.”

British and Irish Lions tour of Australia on Sky Sports activities

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Watch the British and Irish Lions’ tour of Australia completely dwell on Sky Sports activities this summer season

Sky Sports activities will completely present the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Checks towards the Wallabies and 6 warm-up matches to be proven completely dwell.

British and Irish Lions 2025 tour schedule

Date Opponent Venue
Friday, June 20 Argentina (L 28-24) Dublin
Saturday, June 28 Western Drive (W 54-7) Perth
Wednesday, July 2 Queensland Reds (W 52-12) Brisbane
Saturday, July 5 NSW Waratahs (W 21-10) Sydney
Wednesday, July 9 ACT Brumbies (W 36-24) Canberra
Saturday, July 12 Invitational AU-NZ (W 48-0) Adelaide
Saturday, July 19 AUSTRALIA (first Check) Brisbane
Tuesday, July 22 First Nations & Pasifika XV Melbourne
Saturday, July 26 AUSTRALIA (second Check) Melbourne
Saturday, August 2 AUSTRALIA (third Check) Sydney

Howden Insurance coverage – proud principal associate and front-of-shirt sponsor of the British and Irish Lions. Discover out extra right here.

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