British and Irish Lions vs. Argentina: Kick-off time, how to watch, team news
The British and Irish Lions will kick off their 2025 summer tour with an exhibition against Argentina in Dublin, Ireland on Friday before they travel Down Under.
After months of planning, Andy Farrell will make his debut as Lions coach, guiding his 38-man squad for the first time as he bids to land only the Lions’ second series victory this century.
“We know that Argentina will challenge us up front and out wide — so Friday night will be a tough contest, but also a great occasion for all the fans,” Farrell said.
Here is everything you need to know.
When is the game?
When: Friday, June 20 at 8.00 p.m. BST (5.00 a.m. Saturday AEST)
Where: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Match official: James Doleman (New Zealand)
How to watch
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and on Stan Sport in Australia. You can also follow ESPN’s live blog, as well as extensive news and feature coverage.
Marcus Smith has been given his first chance to impress at fullback after being named to start, while 20-year-old Henry Pollock has been named on the bench.
Farrell named his first squad as Lions coach on Wednesday ahead, with Smith taking the No. 15 jersey. He has been switched between fly-half and fullback for England in recent times, and Farrell has previously boasted his versatility as a key reason behind his selection for the tour.
Back-row Pollock stole the headlines when the squad was named in May after making his England debut amid a stellar campaign for Northampton. He will be hoping for a chance off the bench to make his mark.
Julian Montoya will be captain for Argentina as they look to spoil the Lions’ opener. Farrell opted to leave out the players that starred in last weekend’s Premiership final, but Argentina have decided to start Montoya who captained Leicester.
Meanwhile, Bautista Bernasconi, Boris Wenger, and Simon Benitez Cruz are set to make their Argentina debuts.
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– British & Irish Lions fixtures for Australia tour
– The full 38-man Lions squad
– WATCH: The moment Maro Itoje was named Lions captain