"2013 Flashback" - British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia - Every Result From the Last Trip Down Under

The Lions are set for the traditional three match series against the Wallabies, as well as fixtures against each Australian Super Rugby side, and a run in with an Australia-New Zealand Invitational team. In what will be their first visit to Australia since 2013, we decided to take a look back on how things went the last time the Lions went 'Down Under'.

The Lions Tour is considered to be the ultimate rugby fan experience, with the spectacle returning to Australia for the first time since 2013. If you are considering taking part in the adventure of a lifetime, we also have all the dates you need to know for the upcoming tour.

British & Irish Lions vs Argentina - 20th June / Aviva Stadium

LAST TIME:

British & Irish Lions 25 - 25 Argentina

When the British & Irish Lions take on Argentina for their pre-tour test next Summer, it will be the first meeting between the two sides since 2005. This battle from 18 years ago ended in a 25-25 stalemate, with the Lions spared humiliation thanks to the last-ditch penalty from Jonny Wilkinson. The sole Lions try came from former Leicester Tigers centre Ollie Smith, as the English players contributed the entire points tally. It was a near miss ahead of the trip to New Zealand, but yet acted as a prelude for the eventual 3-0 All Blacks clean sweep.

TRIES: O.Smith
CONVERSIONS: Wilkinson
PENALTIES: Wilkinson (6/6)

The second match of the 2013 tour, after the Lions dismantled a Barbarians side with a 59-8 win. The 2013 Lions were off to a blistering start against the Australian club opposition, with Leigh Halfpenny immaculate from the tee as his side put the sword to their Super Rugby opponents.

TRIES: Sexton, O'Driscoll (2), Croft, Heaslip, M. Vunipola, Bowe, Farrell, Parling
CONVERSIONS: Halfpenny (9/9)
PENALTIES: Halfpenny (2/2)

Ben Youngs scored the only Lions try of this hotly contested match against the Reds, with Owen Farrell leading from the front. Farrell was Sexton's understudy for the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour, yet led with great aplomb, and capitalised on every penalty offered up in this close contest against Queensland.

TRIES: Youngs

CONVERSIONS: Farrell

PENALTIES: Farrell (5/5)

Jonny Sexton once again started off the scoring in no time against an Australian Super Rugby side, before a brace from Halfpenny built a healthy lead against the Waratahs. The Welshman's pinpoint accuracy from the tee shone once again, as he slotted each attempt at goal, before handing over the honours to Farrell to wrap up the proceedings.

TRIES: Sexton, Halfpenny (2), Croft, Davies

CONVERSIONS: Halfpenny (4/4), Farrell (1/1)

PENALTIES: Halfpenny (4/4)

The only defeat against club opposition on the 2013 tour, the infamous clash against the Brumbies curtailed the momentum of Warren Gatland's side with the first test fast approaching. The Brumbies were underestimated, and stunned the Lions with Tevita Kurindrani's opening try after just four minutes. The Lions were unable to break through the defensive structure, with the points coming from the boot of Stuart Hogg and Owen Farrell.

PENALTIES: Hogg (2/4), Farrell (2/2)

The 2025 British & Irish Lions tour features the exciting prospect of an Australia-New Zealand invited team, as the Wallabies and All Blacks work together to take on their old enemy. The last time the Lions took on a team of this format was on the 1989 Tour of Australia, in the form of 'Anzac XV'.

The Lions' 2013 trip 'Down Under' featured a match against a combined team from Australian states New South Wales and Queensland. The Lions ran roughshod over their make-shift opponents, scoring 10 unanswered tries for an emphatic shut-out victory.

TRIES: Cuthbert, Murray, Hogg, North (2), Hibbard, O'Driscoll, Halfpenny, O'Brien, Davies

CONVERSIONS: Hogg (4/6), Halfpenny (3/4)

The British & Irish Lions bounced back from their Brumbies set-back, for the all-important first test match victory. Controversial former Wallaby Israel Folau scored the opening try of the contest, before George North began the fight back for the Lions. In 2013, Folau was in his prime, and the now Tongan international struck back with an impressive solo effort for his second try to re-claim Australia's lead.

Alex Cuthbert responded with a try for the Lions early in the second half, before the remaining penalties were decided from an all important kicking match. Halfpenny's penalties proved all-important for the Lions victory. This match is also infamously remembered for Christian Leali'ifano's Wallabies debut, which saw the now Samoan international knocked out after just 52 seconds on the pitch.

TRIES: North, Cuthbert

CONVERSIONS: Halfpenny (2/2)

PENALTIES: Halfpenny (3/4)

The Lions followed up their all-important first test triumph, with a landslide win over the last domestic side of the tour. The utility players of the 2013 tour had their opportunity to take centre stage, with numerous changes made from the 1st string 'test match squad'.

Scrum half duo Connor Murray and Ben Youngs each scored tries, to commence and wrap up this one-way traffic. Additional scores came from New Zealand born Scottish international Sean Maitland, and Ireland's powerhouse forward Sean O'Brien.

TRIES: Murray, Maitland, O'Brien, Penalty Try, Youngs

CONVERSIONS: Farrell (3/3), Hogg (1/1)

The Wallabies equalised the series with a nail-biting one-point victory in 2013's second test. Christian Leali'ifano made his return from suffering the aforementioned head injury, and slotted eleven crucial points to take the proposed clean-sweep away from the Lions. This match was one and lost from the tee, with all 15 of the Lions points coming from the well-trained boot of Leigh Halfpenny.

Adam Ashley-Cooper provided the Wallabies with lifeline try, as he crossed over after 74 minutes to narrow the Lions meticulously crafted lead. After an otherwise near-perfect performance from the tee, Halfpenny's match winning shot at goal dropped just short of the posts, awarding Australia the win and taking the test match series to the decisive third test.

PENALTIES: Halfpenny (5/7)

British & Irish Lions vs Australia (Third Test) - 2nd August / ACCOR Stadium

It was all on the line the last time the British Lions met Australia for the third test match of the series. This could well be the case heading into August 2nd 2025, with the sides set for a colossal meeting some 12 years in the making. The odds were stacked against the Lions heading into the decider, with injuries to Captain Sam Warburton and veteran leader Paul O'Connell thinning out the command ranks.

A heavily Welsh-orientated Lions team took it to the Wallabies, with 10 countrymen selected in Warren Gatland's starting XV. Alex Corbisiero scored an early break-through try, before Halfpenny added a significant tally of four penalties. The Lions built on this lead into the second half, with Jonny Sexton, George North and Jamie Roberts adding the tries for the Lions' biggest test match victory of all time.

TRIES: Corbisiero, Sexton, North, Roberts

CONVERSIONS: Halfpenny (3/4)

PENALTIES: Halfpenny (5/5)