As it was revealed that a First Nations and Pacific Island heritage Australian team will take on the British and Irish Lions instead of the defunct Melbourne Rebels next year, a potential clash could be on the cards with the Wallabies likely to play a warm-up fixture the day after the Waratahs take on the famous travelling team. For months Rugby Australia has been looking at scheduling a Wallabies Test ahead of the Lions series, with a clash against a Pacific side – Samoa, Tonga or, most likely, Fiji – at home in the works. But squeezing that fixture in-between the end of Super Rugby and the Lions has been problematic, with the Lions to play their opening tour game against the Western Force on June 28 – one week after the Super Rugby Pacific final.
Now, it seems a clash is set to occur with Joe Schmidt’s side to take on one of their Pacific neighbours on July 6 – the day after the Waratahs host the Lions at Allianz Stadium – and a fortnight before the first Test against Andy Farrell’s men in Brisbane on July 19. The clash will make for some interesting backroom meetings between Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh, Schmidt and new Waratahs coach Dan McKellar, with nine NSW players, including front-rowers Angus Bell and Taniela Tupou as well as five backs, currently in Schmidt’s squad for the current Grand Slam tour. Just how many Test players feature for their Super Rugby franchises against the Lions remains to be seen, with Schmidt expected to hold a tr.
