Historic Australia-New Zealand Line-Up Faces Lions Ahead of Test Series

In a significant move, Marika Koroibete, Pete Samu, and Brandon Paenga-Amosa have been selected for a unique Australia-New Zealand invitational team set to face the British & Irish Lions. This lineup marks the first such collaboration since 1989, and it is spearheaded by the future Wallabies coach, Les Kiss.

They join forces with former All Blacks players Shannon Frizell, David Havili, Ngani Laumape, Shaun Stevenson, and Folau Fakatava, alongside Auckland Blues' prop Joshua Fusitu'a. The match is scheduled for July 12 at Adelaide Oval, serving as a precursor to the upcoming test series against the Wallabies.

The Lions have showcased dominant form, defeating the Queensland Reds 52-12 in Brisbane and launching their tour with a 54-7 victory over Western Force. These encounters set the stage for an exciting contest against the combined team, with the test series looming in Brisbane on July 19.

(With inputs from agencies.)