British & Irish Lions
Wallabies keen to host Lions in 2017
ESPN Staff
September 18, 2014
Lions skipper Sam Warburton leads the celebrations, Australia v British & Irish Lions, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, July 6, 2013
The Lions saw off the Wallabies in 2013 © Getty Images
Enlarge
Related Links
Features: The tour from hell

Australia are keen to play a one-off game against the British & Irish Lions before the tourists journey to New Zealand in 2017.

Prior to their Australia tour in 2013, the Lions stopped off in Hong Kong for a match against the Barbarians. With the schedule for the 2017 tour still being drawn up, Australia are keen to host a similar match against the team they lost 2-1 to last year.

"That's one of the conversations we've been having with them [Lions officials]," Australia Rugby Union CEO Bill Pulver said. "If they want preliminary games outside New Zealand then we would be a wonderful location for them. We would take it in a heartbeat."

There would be a financial attraction to the proposition for the ARU who saw its coffers bolstered by the Lions tour last year. For the Lions, it would help ensure they did not go into the Test series against the All Blacks in second gear after they were whitewashed on New Zealand soil in 2005.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices