{"id":352858,"date":"2025-08-18T00:06:12","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T00:06:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/352858\/"},"modified":"2025-08-18T00:06:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T00:06:12","slug":"2029-lions-fixtures-set-for-twickenham-clash-with-france-to-kick-off-blockbuster-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/352858\/","title":{"rendered":"2029 Lions Fixtures Set for Twickenham Clash with France to kick off Blockbuster Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>The 2029 Lions tour could be heading stateside \u2014 with a groundbreaking fixture in the USA on the cards before their epic tour of New Zealand kicks off.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In a major move to help grow the game stateside ahead of the\u00a0<strong>2031 Rugby World Cup<\/strong>, the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.co.uk\/rugby\/story\/_\/id\/42208117\/british-irish-lions-play-las-vegas-2029-source\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Lions are reportedly planning an exhibition clash in the U.S<\/a>. \u2014 likely against the\u00a0<strong>USA Eagles<\/strong>\u00a0or an\u00a0<strong>invitation XV<\/strong> in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n<p>\ud83c\udfdf\ufe0f TWICKENHAM GETS THE NOD<\/p>\n<p>Before crossing the Atlantic, the tour will kick off with a\u00a0<strong>home fixture<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 and all signs point to\u00a0<strong>Twickenham<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Why? It\u2019s only fair.<\/p>\n<p>The last three Lions home games have been shared evenly around the Home Nations:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\ud83c\udfdf\ufe0f\u00a0Aviva Stadium, Dublin (2025)<\/li>\n<li>\ud83c\udfdf\ufe0f\u00a0Murrayfield, Edinburgh (2021)<\/li>\n<li>\ud83c\udfdf\ufe0f\u00a0Principality Stadium, Cardiff (2005)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That leaves the\u00a0<strong>Home of Rugby<\/strong>\u00a0next in line \u2014 with\u00a0<strong>France<\/strong>, <strong>Argentina<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>Fiji<\/strong>\u00a0tipped as likely opponents under the lights in London.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/channel\/AbYd2l05pp1bM_Ix\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Join RUCK\u2019s Instagram broadcast channel\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>and get the latest rugby news straight to your phone.<\/p>\n<p>\ud83e\udd81 THE ROAD TO NEW ZEALAND<\/p>\n<p>Once the US match is done, the Lions will head down under for a brutal warm-up schedule, facing off against all five\u00a0<strong>Super Rugby<\/strong>\u00a0franchises:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Blues<\/li>\n<li>Chiefs<\/li>\n<li>Crusaders<\/li>\n<li>Highlanders<\/li>\n<li>Hurricanes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>They\u2019ll also go toe-to-toe with the\u00a0<strong>M\u0101ori All Blacks<\/strong>\u00a0in one of the most passionate matchups of the tour.<\/p>\n<p>Following the\u00a0<strong>first Test against the All Blacks<\/strong>, a midweek clash with the\u00a0<strong>New Zealand Barbarians<\/strong>\u00a0is also on the cards \u2014 perfect for rotating the squad and keeping the intensity sky-high before the final two Tests.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lionstour.com\/2027-2029-sign-up\/#:~:text=Touring%20with%20the%20Lions%20is,detail%20is%20taken%20care%20of.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PACKAGES TO AUSTRALIA 2025 HAVE NOW SOLD OUT. SIGN UP FOR NEW ZEALAND 2029.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udcc5 LIKELY 2029 LIONS FIXTURES<\/p>\n<tr>Date (TBC)FixtureLocation<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>TBC<\/td>\n<td>vs France, Argentina or Fiji<\/td>\n<td>Twickenham, London<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>TBC<\/td>\n<td>vs USA Eagles \/ Invitational XV<\/td>\n<td>United States<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>TBC<\/td>\n<td>vs Blues<\/td>\n<td>New Zealand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>TBC<\/td>\n<td>vs Chiefs<\/td>\n<td>New Zealand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>TBC<\/td>\n<td>vs Crusaders<\/td>\n<td>New Zealand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>TBC<\/td>\n<td>vs Highlanders<\/td>\n<td>New Zealand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>TBC<\/td>\n<td>vs Hurricanes<\/td>\n<td>New Zealand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>TBC<\/td>\n<td>vs M\u0101ori All Blacks<\/td>\n<td>New Zealand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>TBC<\/td>\n<td>1st Test vs New Zealand<\/td>\n<td>New Zealand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>TBC<\/td>\n<td>vs New Zealand Barbarians<\/td>\n<td>New Zealand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>TBC<\/td>\n<td>2nd Test vs New Zealand<\/td>\n<td>New Zealand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>TBC<\/td>\n<td>3rd Test vs New Zealand<\/td>\n<td>New Zealand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<p>han the understrength Wallabies outfit Farrell has dispatched this year. Whoever takes the reins as head coach will be under intense pressure to get selections right.<\/p>\n<p>With that in mind, here\u2019s our early prediction for the\u00a0<strong>2029 Lions Test XV<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>15. Blair Kinghorn<\/p>\n<p>Despite missing most of the 2025 tour through injury and Top 14 commitments, Kinghorn remains one of the most complete fullbacks available to the Lions. On form, he\u2019s the best in the Home Nations, offering versatility and composure at the back.<\/p>\n<p>At 28, he\u2019ll be in excellent physical shape by 2029. Starting the final Test this weekend provides valuable experience. While Sale\u2019s\u00a0<strong>Joe Carpenter<\/strong>\u00a0is a rising threat, Kinghorn\u2019s proven Test-level pedigree keeps him ahead.<\/p>\n<p>14. Tommy Freeman<\/p>\n<p>Freeman was a nailed-on starter throughout the 2025 series \u2014 and for good reason. At 24, he\u2019s still developing but already plays like a seasoned international. His size, power, and try-scoring instinct make him a nightmare for defenders.<\/p>\n<p>By 2029, he\u2019ll be at his peak and could be one of the standout figures in the Lions backline.<\/p>\n<p>13. Ollie Lawrence<\/p>\n<p>Lawrence missed the 2025 tour through injury but would have almost certainly travelled \u2014 and challenged for a starting spot. With\u00a0<strong>Huw Jones<\/strong>\u00a0likely past his best at 35 in 2029, Lawrence (who\u2019ll be 29) has a golden opportunity to claim the 13 jersey.<\/p>\n<p>If he regains his top form, he\u2019ll be tough to leave out.<\/p>\n<p>12. Sione Tuipulotu<\/p>\n<p>Tuipulotu impressed during the 2025 season and was arguably unlucky to be benched in favour of\u00a0<strong>Bundee Aki<\/strong>, despite being in better form. By 2029, he\u2019ll be 32 and bring a wealth of experience.<\/p>\n<p>His blend of physicality and skill, along with a calm head, will be vital against the All Blacks.<\/p>\n<p>11. Mack Hansen<\/p>\n<p>Injury kept Hansen out of the 2025 series, but if fit, he\u2019ll be 31 in 2029 and still a major attacking threat. His flair, game intelligence, and unpredictability make him a fan favourite.<\/p>\n<p>If Andy Farrell isn\u2019t retained as coach, Hansen could be overlooked for a winger from another nation \u2014 but on ability alone, he\u2019s hard to ignore.<\/p>\n<p>10. Fin Smith<\/p>\n<p>Smith is the standout young fly-half in English rugby and showed real quality during the 2025 series, even if opportunities were limited. His decision-making, game management and kicking are already top-tier.<\/p>\n<p>By 2029, he could be the best No.10 available.\u00a0<strong>Sam Prendergast<\/strong>\u00a0might challenge him, but Smith currently looks the more complete package.<\/p>\n<p>9. Alex Mitchell<\/p>\n<p>Mitchell is in his prime at 28 and impressed during the 2025 tour. With few younger No.9s putting their hands up, he\u2019s in a strong position to retain the jersey.<\/p>\n<p>If his partnership with\u00a0<strong>Fin Smith<\/strong>\u00a0continues at Northampton Saints, that club connection could be a big plus for the Lions in 2029.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ruck.co.uk\/2029-lions-fixtures-set-for-twickenham-clash-with-france-to-kick-off-blockbuster-tour\/2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Like this:<\/p>\n<p>Like Loading&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"sd-link-color\"\/>\t\t\t<script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2029 Lions tour could be heading stateside \u2014 with a groundbreaking fixture in the USA on the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":352859,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5309],"tags":[2000,299,36],"class_list":{"0":"post-352858","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-france","8":"tag-eu","9":"tag-europe","10":"tag-france"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115046854386271309","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352858","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=352858"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352858\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/352859"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=352858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=352858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=352858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}