Wallabies boss mocks 'southern hemisphere' Lions selection for tour opener
Rugby NewsFriday, 20 June 2025 at 09:19
Australia head coach Joe Schmidt has lauded the British & Irish Lions’ new-look midfield duo of Bundee Aki and Sione Tuipulotu as a “southern hemisphere centre partnership” ahead of their curtain-raiser against Argentina.
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The Aviva Stadium clash on Friday night will be Andy Farrell’s first game in charge of the Lions—and the only hit-out before their blockbuster nine-match tour of Australia.
Ireland’s Aki and Scotland’s Tuipulotu, both typically inside centres, have been handed the 12 and 13 shirts to face the Pumas. While Aki was born in New Zealand and Tuipulotu in Australia, both are now key figures in northern hemisphere rugby and emblematic of the Lions’ evolving identity.
Schmidt, who famously handed Aki his Ireland debut in 2017 after the Connacht powerhouse qualified on residency, is no stranger to either player.
“A southern hemisphere centre partnership that will be pretty formidable,” the Wallabies boss said at his squad announcement for next month’s Test against Fiji.
“I coached Bundee for several years and know him really well and respect him massively as a player. He's a great contributor to the team environment.
“I've only had glancing conversations with Sione but again, by all accounts a champion bloke. You don't get to be captain of a national team without being a great bloke and really professional in those high-performance environments."
Eight of the 38 players in Farrell’s squad were born outside the UK and Ireland—a point of media discussion since the squad’s announcement.
But Lions assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth was quick to defend the selections, insisting every squad member had earned their place.
“I don't know if they are questioning their commitment. Everyone has earned the right to pull on the Lions jersey,” the ex-England scrum-half said.
“They are, to a man, incredibly proud to be here.
“It is not your background or how you have got here, it's what sort of player you are and what sort of man you are. We have got great men and great players.”
Lions Breakdown: Who’s Representing Who?
- Ireland: 15 players (4 foreign-born, all capped through residency or ancestry)
- England: 13 players (1 foreign-born: Marcus Smith, but English-raised)
- Scotland: 8 players (4 foreign-born, mainly South African imports)
- Wales: Just 2 players — both born and bred in Cymru.
Eligibility Cheatsheet
| Player | Team | Born | Homegrown? | Eligibility Route | Previous Rep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pierre Schoeman | Scotland | South Africa | No | Residency (2021) | SA U18, U20 |
| Joe McCarthy | Ireland | USA | Yes | Parent | — |
| Jamison Gibson-Park | Ireland | New Zealand | No | Residency (2020) | NZ Māori |
| Marcus Smith | England | Philippines | Yes | Parent | — |
| Bundee Aki | Ireland | New Zealand | No | Residency (2017) | — |
| Huw Jones | Scotland | Scotland | Mixed | Scotland Born | — |
| Sione Tuipulotu | Scotland | Australia | No | Grandparent | Aus Schools, U20 |
| Mack Hansen | Ireland | Australia | No | Parent (Eligible on arrival) | Aus U20 |
| James Lowe | Ireland | New Zealand | No | Residency (2020) | NZ Māori |
| Duhan van der Merwe | Scotland | South Africa | No | Residency (2020) | SA Schools, U20 |
The Bigger Picture
While the Lions are proudly marketed as a showcase of home nations unity, the reality is increasingly global. And for critics like McBride, that change is jarring.
But with stricter eligibility rules now in place, the days of players arriving on a professional deal and qualifying three seasons later may be numbered.
The next Lions tour might look very different. Whether
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