Ian Foster, the former head coach of the All Blacks, has committed to coaching an ANZAC XV in a highly anticipated match against the British and Irish Lions. This friendly, officially named the ‘AUNZ Invitational XV’, marks the first collaboration on the rugby field between Australia and New Zealand in three decades. Scheduled for July 12 at Adelaide Oval, the encounter is being presented as the ‘fourth Test’ of the Lions’ tour.
While Foster’s role may not position him as the head coach for the ANZAC team, his involvement underscores Rugby Australia’s seriousness about this fixture. Given that leading players from both the Wallabies and All Blacks will be unavailable, Rugby Australia hopes to attract stars from Japan, including Michael Hooper, Shannon Frizell, and Richie Mo’unga, to join the team.
Foster recently stated, “We’ve had lots of injuries over here,” referring to the player situation in Japan, which may encourage some to participate despite their usual commitments. He has been working with players like Hooper and Aaron Smith at Toyota Verblitz, further enhancing the chances of their involvement in this historic match. The upcoming Lions tour is expected to create significant financial gains for Rugby Australia, with projected revenues exceeding $100 million and over 500,000 tickets anticipated to be sold across nine matches.
The Lions, coached by Andy Farrell, will also face a First Nations and Pasifika XV in Melbourne on July 22, alongside matches against all four Australian Super Rugby clubs. The full schedule includes friendly fixtures at various venues, culminating with two encounters against the Wallabies on July 19 and July 26.
The excitement is palpable as Rugby Australia prepares for this once-in-a-decade opportunity, hoping to blend talent from both Australian and New Zealand players for a thrilling rugby spectacle.