Lions Tour: Demand for Wallabies' Participation

The British & Irish Lions management is pressing for Wallabies' participation in the upcoming matches against Super Rugby teams, view these as essential groundwork for their test series campaign. Lions chief executive Ben Calveley has underscored the need for stiff competition to effectively integrate players from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales into a cohesive unit for the test series scheduled in late July and August.

Addressing reporters in Perth, Calveley emphasized, "The agreement mandates the release of test players for preparatory fixtures." He stated that it was crucial for the competitiveness of these games not only for performance but also for the satisfaction of fans, partners, and broadcasters. The Lions are set to engage in weekend matches while continuing talks with Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has freed five squad members for their inaugural tour game against Western Force. However, with key players like Jeremy Williams and Harry Potter retained for the critical test versus Fiji on July 6, Schmidt recognized potential availability issues for other matches. Conversations are ongoing about freeing players for the Reds and Waratahs games, despite the Lions potentially fielding a "dirt-trackers" team for some contests.

(With inputs from agencies.)