1888 Cup Match Preview: British & Irish Lions v Argentina

2025 BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TOUR – 1888 CUP MATCH:

Friday, June 20 –

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS v ARGENTINA, Aviva Stadium, 8pm (live Sky Sports Action & Main Event/TG4/TG4 Player/S4C/talkSPORT)

Important Matchday Information – British & Irish Lions v Argentina

Team News: Playing on Irish soil for the first time in their 137-year history, the British & Irish Lions will face a stern challenge from Argentina, the world’s fifth-ranked team, as they bid to take some winning momentum with them to Australia.

Saracens and England lock Itoje captains the team for the very first time as he prepares for his third Lions tour, which will see Farrell’s men take on the Joe Schmidt-coached Wallabies.

In total 14 players could make their Lions debuts against the Pumas tonight, while two-time tourists Bundee Aki, Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Marcus Smith, and Duhan van der Merwe all featured in South Africa in 2021.

The Lions can also call on the experience of three-time tourists Elliot Daly and Tadhg Furlong, who is returning from a calf injury, off the bench.

In the familiar setting of the home of Irish Rugby, there are starts for the Ireland trio of Aki, Beirne, and Finlay Bealham, who was called up to the tour squad to replace the injured Zander Fagerson.

Aki forms a centre partnership with Scotland’s Sione Tuipulotu for the first time, in a the Lions back-line that will be led by Northampton Saints and England’s Fin Smith and Alex Mitchell.

Connacht tighthead Bealham joins England pair Ellis Genge and Luke Cowan-Dickie in the front row, and Munster captain Beirne will pack down with Lions skipper Itoje to complete the tight five.

There are a further three Ireland players among the replacements, with the fit-again Furlong set for his first match minutes since the Investec Champions Cup semi-final between Leinster and Northampton Saints in early May.

His international team-mate, Mack Hansen, has recovered from an ankle injury to be included on the bench, and Rónan Kelleher, the only player who featured in either of last weekend’s URC or Premiership finals, is also poised for his maiden Lions appearance.

Looking forward to seeing this matchday 23 in action in front of a capacity crowd, Farrell commented: “Congratulations to Maro ahead of leading out the Lions for the first time – it is a truly special moment, and one that very few players ever get to experience.

“Maro has led the group well during our time in Portugal and then Dublin this week. This is also our first opportunity to show what the 2025 Lions are about and what we want to stand for as a team.

“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.”

Meanwhile, former Leinster out-half/centre and assistant coach Felipe Contepomi is hoping to coach his native Argentina to a famous victory as they look to spoil the Lions’ going away party.

Nine players are retained in the starting XV from last November’s narrow 22-19 defeat to Ireland at the same venue. One of them is captain Julian Montoya, who backs up just six days after Leicester Tigers’ Gallagher Premiership final loss to Bath.

Tomas Albornoz, who kicked 14 points against Ireland that night, features again at out-half, while Pampas centre Justo Piccardo will make his first international start.

Contepomi’s selected side is a talented, mostly English-based group. There are some notable absentees, with the likes of Toulouse’s Juan Cruz Mallia and Bordeaux-Bègles lock Guido Petti involved in Top 14 semi-finals this weekend.

The Pumas have included three potential debutants on the bench – front rowers Bautista Bernasconi and Boris Wenger, and scrum half Simon Benitez Cruz – along with Santiago Cordero, who spent the last two years at Connacht.

It is a rare opportunity for Argentina to take on the Lions – full-back Santiago Carreras said it is a ‘once in a life’ chance when summing up the visitors’ motivation – and a look at their results over the last year shows they are more than capable of upsetting the odds.

Contepomi’s charges have claimed wins over France, New Zealand, Australia, and World champions South Africa, moving from seventh to fifth in the World Rugby Rankings as they finished third in the Rugby Championship, just two points behind the All Blacks.

Argentina’s current head coach was captain the last time the South Americans locked horns with the Lions in 2005. They were on course to win in Cardiff until Jonny Wilkinson’s late penalty saw the game end in a 25-all draw.

BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: Marcus Smith (Harlequins/England); Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland); Fin Smith (Northampton Saints/England), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England); Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks/England), Finlay Bealham (Connacht Rugby/Ireland), Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) (capt), Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England), Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales), Ben Earl (Saracens/England).

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England), Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby/Wales), Elliot Daly (Saracens/England), Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby/Ireland).

ARGENTINA: Santiago Carreras (Gloucester Rugby); Rodrigo Isgro (Harlequins), Lucio Cinti (Saracens), Justo Piccardo (Pampas XV), Ignacio Mendy (Benetton Rugby); Tomas Albornoz (Benetton Rugby), Gonzalo Garcia (Zebre Parma); Mayco Vivas (Gloucester Rugby), Julian Montoya (Leicester Tigers) (capt), Joel Sclavi (La Rochelle), Franco Molina (Exeter Chiefs), Pedro Rubiolo (Newcastle Falcons), Pablo Matera (MIE Honda Heat), Juan Martin Gonzalez (Saracens), Joaquin Oviedo (USA Perpignan).

Replacements: Bautista Bernasconi (Benetton Rugby), Boris Wenger (Dogos XV), Francisco Coria Marchetti (CA Brive), Santiago Grondona (Bristol Bears), Joaquin Moro (Pampas XV), Simon Benitez Cruz (Tacuras Rugby), Matias Moroni (CA Brive), Santiago Cordero (Connacht Rugby).

Referee: James Doleman (NZR)
Assistant Referees: Nika Amashukeli (GRU), Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)

Pre-Match Quotes: Tadhg Beirne (British & Irish Lions) –

For us Irish players, it means a lot to us. (Playing) where we’ve had a lot of special days, and then to add playing a game for the Lions to that long list of good days here, is pretty special.

“The lead-up to the game is going to feel very similar, doing all the same things that we would do in Irish camp, either going to the same coffee places or preparing for the game the same way.

“A lot of it is similar but different at the same time, because you’re not used to being around the players that you would be used to. It makes it a lot more enjoyable.”

Felipe Contepomi (Argentina) –

We haven’t been together for seven months and now getting together with lots of new faces it has been a challenge, but the guys have been magnificent.

“They are training with a lot of intensity, and we are very pleased with how they adapted.

“We expect the best of the best from the British & Irish Lions. We know all their players and we expect them to be playing hard.”

Pre-Match Links –

Farrell: Portugal Trip Was Perfect To Get New Lions Group Together

Sexton: Hopefully I Can Add Value, Impart Some Of My Knowledge

TG4 To Show Live Coverage Of Lions Match Against Argentina

Aki And Tuipulotu In Tandem As Lions Limber Up For Pumas Challenge

Beirne: Playing For Lions In Ireland Means A Lot To Us

In Pics: British & Irish Lions Hold Captain’s Run At Aviva Stadium

Match Facts:

– The Lions play a match in Ireland for the first time and face Argentina for the first time in 20 years, having drawn 25-all with the Pumas in Cardiff as a pre-cursor to the 2005 tour to New Zealand

– Fin Smith becomes the Lions’ first grandson of a Lion to appear for the world famous side. His grandfather, Tom Elliot (Lion #380), a forward from Galashiels, played in nine matches on the 1955 tour to South Africa

– There are three Northampton Saints in the starting XV, the first time this has occurred since the second Test in South Africa in 1997

– There are half-backs picked from the same club for the first time since the Ospreys’ Dan Biggar and Rhys Webb started together against Otago in June 2017

Previous Meetings:

1910: British & Irish Lions Tour To Argentina – Argentina 3 British & Irish Lions 28, Sociedad Sportiva Argentina, Buenos Aires

1927: British & Irish Lions Tour To Argentina – Argentina 0 British & Irish Lions 37, Gimnasia y Esgrima, Buenos Aires; Argentina 0 British & Irish Lions 46, Gimnasia y Esgrima, Buenos Aires; Argentina 3 British & Irish Lions 34, Gimnasia y Esgrima, Buenos Aires; Argentina 0 British & Irish Lions 43, Gimnasia y Esgrima, Buenos Aires

1936: British & Irish Lions Tour To Argentina – Argentina 0 British & Irish Lions 23, Gimnasia y Esgrima, Buenos Aires

2005: British & Irish Lions Tour To New Zealand – British & Irish Lions 25 Argentina 25, Principality Stadium, Cardiff