Four All Blacks Join Australia-New Zealand XV for Lions Tour

A combined Australia-New Zealand Invitational XV squad has been announced to face the British and Irish Lions at Adelaide Oval on July 12, marking the first such team since 1989. The New Zealand contingent includes Crusaders captain David Havili, loose forward Shannon Frizell, fullback Shaun Stevenson, and halfback Folau Fakatava, with Havili fresh off leading the Crusaders to a Super Rugby Pacific title. The team will be coached by Reds coach Les Kiss, with former All Blacks mentor Ian Foster as assistant coach. Rugby Australia’s high performance director Peter Horne expressed enthusiasm about the quality of the New Zealand players and the excitement surrounding the fixture. The match serves as a key warm-up for the Lions ahead of their three-Test series against the Wallabies, with the Lions’ subsequent Tests scheduled in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. This announcement highlights the cooperation between Australia and New Zealand rugby ahead of the Lions tour.