The Lions in the UK and Ireland have warned Australia that they must release test players for their visitors tour games with the Super Rugby side.
The Lions will welcome Western troops along with Wallabee head coach Joe Schmidt on Saturday, and will get Perth-based outfits with Australian players Nick Champion de Crepigny, Dylan Pietz, Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain and Nick White.
However, other Australian players from the Reds, Waratah and Brumby, including celebrities such as Joseph Oakso Suari and Rob Barrechni, are not involved in warm-up supplies.
“The agreement is very clear. Test players say they have to be released to play with equipment that leads to that series, and that’s what we expect,” Lions CEO Ben Calberry said he will speak in First Nations’ cultural experience at Kings Park in Perth.
“We play the game over the weekend and continue to talk with Phil Waugh (Chief Executive of Rugby Australia) and take it in stages.
“It’s really important that these games are competitive, not just from a performance perspective, but also for fans, partners and broadcasters who are hoping for competitive equipment.
The Lions sold out Aviva Stadium on Friday night, losing 28-24 to Argentina in a performance that Lions flanker Tom Curry said would lead to “a tough conversation.”
– Tom Hamilton of Dublin: You can tell if there’s time to see if the loss of the Lions was a blip or a harbinger.
– James Regan: 3 things I learned from the Lions Opener
– British and Ireland Lions vs Argentina: As it happened
– Full fixture list for Australian Lions Tour
– Everything you need to know about Summer Lions Tour
– Complete 38-person Lions Team