The 2025 British and Irish Lions tour gets underway this evening as the squad face Argentina in Dublin.
It is the first of ten scheduled games for Andy Farrell‘s men, with the three showpiece Test matches against Australia the highlight.
Farrell has assembled a top squadGettyFor any rugby fan, the British and Irish Lions tour is always a highlight.
The Lions have not won a Tour since facing Australia in 2013.
They lost to South Africa in the last edition in 2021, having drawn in New Zealand in 2017.
Now, Farrell and co will be eager to replicate Warren Gatland’s side of over a decade ago and claim glory Down Under.
But before they head to the Southern Hemisphere, the Lions have a tough start against an Argentina side who have beaten South Africa and thrashed Australia recently.
Lions vs Argentina: Date and how to follow
The first match of the 2025 Lions tour will take place on Friday, June 20.
It is being held at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, with the game getting underway at 8pm.
talkSPORT will have live commentary of the match, with Andrew McKenna and Ben Kay taking you through the action.
To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream.
You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
The action will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action from 7pm.
Maro Itoje has been named the captainGettyLions vs Argentina: Team news
The starting line-ups for Friday night’s clash have been confirmed.
Maro Itoje will captain the Lions for the first time against Argentina in a fifteen that features Marcus Smith at full-back and England half-backs Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith.
Tadhg Furlong has been given the opportunity to prove his fitness after struggling with a calf injury.
Duhan van der Merwe is another player looking to show his fitness, having been limited to just 11 minutes of action since the Six Nations because of ankle ligament damage.
The Scotland wing is part of a heavy duty three-quarter line that features England try machine Tommy Freeman and bulldozing centres Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu.
British and Irish Lions: Smith, Freeman, Tuipulotu, Aki, Van der Merwe, Smith, Mitchell, Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Bealham, Itoje, Beirne, Curry, Morgan, Earl.
Replacements: Kelleher, Schoeman, Furlong, Cummings, Pollock, Williams, Daly, Hansen.
Julian Montoya will lead Argentina against the Lions on Friday just six days after starting the Gallagher Premiership final.
Saracens flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez and Gloucester’s Bath-bound full-back Santiago Carreras are among a strong Premiership contingent.
Argentina: Carreras, Isgro, Cinti, Piccardo, Mendy; Albornoz, Garcia, Vivas, Montoya (c), Sclavi, Molina, Rubiolo, Matera, Gonzalez, Oviedo
Replacements: Bernasconi, Wenger, Coria Marchetti, Grondona. S, Moro, Benitez Cruz, Moroni, Cordero
Full British & Irish Lions squad
Forwards
Finlay Bealham (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland) Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England) Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks/England) Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland) Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England) Ben Earl (Saracens/England) Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England) Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) (C) Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales) Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England) Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) James Ryan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland) Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England) Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)Backs
Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) Elliot Daly (Saracens/England) Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England) Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland) Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) James Lowe (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England) Fin Smith (Northampton Saints/England) Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland) Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England) Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland) Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland) Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby/Wales)Lions vs Argentina: What has been said?
Ireland legend Johnny Sexton has looked to end the feud between he and Finn Russell.
Sexton is part of the British and Irish Lions coaching staff this summer, but he has had words to say about Scotland’s Russell in the past.
However, Sexton is looking to put all of that behind him.
He said: “It’s probably been blown out of proportion, really.
“I was talking about myself in 2021 and how I felt back then. And it was more really about what I thought [Warren] Gatland was thinking as opposed to what I was thinking.
“But look, you have to deal with these types of challenges. It won’t be the last time.
“We had a handshake and a brief chat. He was racing off because those guys who were playing in finals didn’t stay too long.
“I’m looking forward to catching up with him [Russell] later. What the Lions demands of you is that if there is a rivalry – which there’s not, but if there was – you leave it at the door.
“I’m here to help him now. I’m here to give him experiences. I’m here to answer questions. I’m not here to force myself on him or tell him what to do. It’s not that relationship. I’m here to help.”
The Lions on talkSPORT
talkSPORT has all of the British and Irish Lions matches live across the network. Eddie Jones is among the star-studded line-up leading the coverage Down Under.
June 20, Dublin: Lions vs Argentina
June 28, Perth: Lions vs Western Force
July 2, Brisbane: Lions vs Queensland Reds
July 5, Sydney: Lions vs New South Wales Waratahs
July 9, Canberra: Lions vs ACT Brumbies
July 12, Adelaide: Lions v ANZAC XV
July 12, Brisbane: Lions v Wallabies
July 22, Melbourne: Lions v First Nations and Pasifika XV
July 26, Melbourne: Lions v Wallabies
August 2, Sydney: Lions v Wallabies
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Lions vs Argentina LIVE commentary: UK start time, team news and how to follow as huge summer of rugby gets underway )
Also on site :