In Melbourne, Australia, the British and Irish Lions are gearing up to face a familiar opponent on their Australian tour: Wallaby veteran Kurtley Beale. Although initially scheduled to participate in the tour’s introductory match with the Perth-based Western Force, Beale has been sidelined due to a hamstring injury. His spot for the opening game against the Lions on Saturday has been filled by current Wallabies squad member Ben Donaldson.
However, Beale is set to join the action later in the tour. On Thursday, he was announced as one of the select few players to represent the First Nations and Pasifika XV team in a game against the Lions slated for July 22 in Melbourne. The Lions’ itinerary in Australia includes nine games, with tests scheduled on July 19, 26, and August 2.
This year, Beale has made a strong comeback playing for the Force after recovering from a long-term Achilles injury, and he was part of Australia’s closely-contested 2-1 series loss to the Lions back in 2013. Joining Beale in the Indigenous lineup is Rob Leota, a player with 21 tests for the Wallabies, including appearances at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, along with Fiji-born back rower Seru Uru. Additionally, the team features Charlie Gamble, a flanker for the New South Wales Waratahs, and Andy Muirhead, who boasts 180 points across 108 games with the ACT Brumbies since 2017.
Coaching the First Nations and Pasifika team is former Wallaby backrower Toutai Kefu. A key player in Australia’s 1999 World Cup victory and the 2001 series against the British and Irish Lions, Kefu currently serves as head coach for Tonga’s national team. The remaining members of the squad are yet to be finalized.
On the Lions side, Elliot Daly, a versatile back, shares a history with Beale, as they both played for English club Wasps in the 2016-17 season, forming a close bond. Reflecting on their time together, Daly recalls, “If he didn’t get injured in that semifinal against Leicester in 2017, I think we would have won the title. He came at a time when we were playing attacking rugby and he slotted in really well.”
The Lions team, comprising players from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England, recently faced a narrow 28-24 defeat to Argentina in a warm-up match on their path to the Australia tour. Their encounters with the Wallabies are set for July 19 in Brisbane, July 26 in Melbourne, and August 2 in Sydney.
The Australian leg of the tour kicks off this weekend on the west coast, with Donaldson joining the Force lineup alongside five other current Wallabies players. Donaldson expressed his sentiments about the opportunity, saying, “Any chance you get to play against the Lions, you probably take it with both hands.”