Preview: NSW Waratahs v The British & Irish Lions

With the Test series against the Wallabies two weeks away, the latest stop on the Qatar Airways British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia 2025 takes them to Sydney where they will face the NSW Waratahs.

The Lions will arrive at Allianz Stadium with momentum starting to build after defeating Queensland Reds 52-12 on Wednesday to make it two wins in a row in which they racked up a half-century of points.

They will be hoping to continue their free-scoring form against the Waratahs, with head coach Andy Farrell naming a side captained by Ireland’s Tadgh Beirne that shows 14 changes from midweek.

The one starter against the Reds being asked to go again is Scotland’s Huw Jones who will be partnering his compatriot and Glasgow Warriors colleague Sione Tuipulotu at centre.

READ MORE: The Making of Huw Jones

There will be three Lions debuts in Sydney, although for Hugo Keenan it’s a case of ‘take two’ after illness forced the full-back to pull out of Wednesday's match in Brisbane.

The other two players who will pull on the famous red jersey for the first time are Blair Kinghorn, who starts on the left wing, and Ben White as replacement scrum-half after his call-up to the squad following the injury to Tomos Williams.

Henry Pollock, so impressive against the Western Force last week, is at blindside flanker with his Northampton Saints clubmates Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith partnering up at half-back.

For the Waratahs, who finished eighth in Super Rugby Pacific this year, Taniela Tupou and Andrew Kellaway have been released by from the Australia squad and will line up at tighthead and right wing respectively.

READ MORE: All you need to know about NSW Waratahs

There are three more players capped by the Wallabies in their starting XV in Rob Leota, Lalakai Foketi and Darby Lancaster, with one more on the bench in Tane Edmed.

The last time the Lions faced the Waratahs, in 2013, it proved to be a good night for them at the old Sydney Football Stadium as they scored five tries in running out 47-17 winners.

Given they have been running up similar scorelines in Australia so far, the Lions will be hoping history repeats on Saturday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports will be showing all the action live in the UK, Ireland and Gibraltar throughout this Tour.

Welsh language channel S4C will broadcast extensive same-day highlights of each game every evening.

For a full breakdown, click here .

What they said

British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell said: "I know there's the sad news about Elliot [Daly] and the news about Owen [Farrell] coming is the big one, but the squad that's been picked [to play the Waratahs] is an exciting one.

READ MORE: The Making of Owen Farrell

“At the top of that is Tadhg as captain. He's honoured and delighted. It took him aback when I told him and that's exactly the type of reaction you want."

NSW Waratahs head coach Dan McKellar said: “They’re a quality side, and as I’ve said to the players all week… this is a Test match.

“We are not playing Super Rugby or anything else. We are playing a high-quality Test team, but they’ve got two arms and two legs, and you just have to put them under pressure.

“The Force and the Reds, they have done that … being able to do it and sustain it for long periods of time is the challenge.

“They bring on eight high quality Test players off the bench… it’s a fair challenge, but as has been proven in the past, it’s certainly doable. You just have to be very good.”

Key battle: Taniela Tupou v Pierre Schoeman

‘Tongan Thor’ Taniela Tupou will be sent out by the Waratahs with a point to prove as he looks to force his way into the Lions’ upcoming series against Australia.

The 29-year-old has over 50 Wallabies caps to his name, during which he has been a destructive presence not just in the scrum but with ball in hand, but he has found it difficult to consistently produce his best form since a ruptured Achilles he suffered in 2022.

The Lions will be able to impose some stiff competition at the set-piece in the form of Scotland loosehead Pierre Schoeman who makes his second start of the tour.

Schoeman will possibly admit to the front row not quite achieving the level of dominance it wanted against the Western Force last week and will be looking to put a marker down against his fellow international.

It is a clash between two players desperate to be involved in the first Test at Brisbane in a fortnight’s time and if either of them is, it could depend on who gets the upper hand in Sydney.

Oval insights

The Lions have played the Waratahs on 21 previous occasions, winning 16, drawing one (in 1966) and losing four, the last of which was at Sydney Cricket Ground in 1959.

The Lions have played four previous matches at Allianz Stadium, losing the first Test to Australia there in 1989 but taking the series victory that year with a third Test win at the same venue. The two other occasions were both against the Waratahs, winning 41-24 in 2001 and winning 47-17 in 2013.

Tadgh Beirne becomes the Lions’ 133rd captain for a match and the 34th Irishman to take the honour

Waratahs back rower Jamie Adamson plays against the Lions having previously turned out for the Great Britain Sevens team in four events in 2023/24.

Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) become the 32nd centre partnership from the same club in Lions history. Only three instances have been recorded in the professional era, when Swansea contributed Mark Taylor and Scott Gibbs twice during the 2001 tour of Australia and there were two Leinstermen, Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy, in the centres against Maori All Blacks in 2005.

The Waratahs averaged more contestable kicks per game (6.4) than any other team in Super Rugby Pacific last season; 25.3% of their kicks were contestable, also a competition high.

Triston Reilly scored the joint-most tries (seven) for the Waratahs last season. He made nine initial breaks (2nd) and supported four (1st).

Jack Conan made more carries (13) and beat more defenders (four) than any other Lions against the Reds. He also assisted two line breaks and a try.

Jac Morgan made 21 tackles (1st), eight carries over the gain line (1st), and won three turnovers (1st) against the Reds.

Teams

NSW Waratahs: 15. Lawson Creighton, 14. Andrew Kellaway, 13. Lalakai Foketi, 12. Joey Walton, 11. Darby Lancaster, 10. Jack Bowen, 9. Teddy Wilson, 1. Tom Lambert, 2. Ethan Dobbins, 3. Taniela Tupou, 4. Fergus Lee-Warner, 5. Miles Amatosero, 6. Rob Leota, 7. Charlie Gamble, 8. Hugh Sinclair (c)

Replacements: 16. Mahe Vailanu, 17. Jack Barrett, 18. Daniel Botha, 19. Matt Phillip, 20. Jamie Adamson, 21. Jack Grant, 22. Tane Edmed, 23. Henry O’Donnell

The British & Irish Lions: 15. Hugo Keenan, 14. Mack Hansen, 13. Huw Jones, 12. Sione Tuipulotu, 11. Blair Kinghorn, 10. Fin Smith, 9. Alex Mitchell, 1. Pierre Schoeman, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Finlay Bealham, 4. Tadgh Beirne (c), 5. James Ryan, 6. Henry Pollock, 7. Josh van der Flier, 8. Ben Earl

Replacements: 16. Dan Sheehan, 17. Ellis Genge, 18. Tadgh Furlong, 19. Joe McCarthy, 20. Scott Cummings, 21. Jac Morgan, 22. Ben White, 23. Marcus Smith

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