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First Nations and Pasifika XV surprise touring Lions
Melissa Woods, AAP • July 23rd, 2025 7:27 am
The Lions remain unbeaten on their tour after narrowly defeating a gallant First Nations and Pasifika side | Photo: James Ross/AAP
A spirited First Nations and Pasifika outfit have provided a blueprint for the Wallabies with a barnstorming effort to almost take down the unbeaten British and Irish Lions.
The historic selection delivered a passionate and combative performance at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium to shock the touring party, but ultimately fell just short in losing 24-19.
Skipper Kurtley Beale, a 95-Test Wallabies veteran, said his team showed the aggression needed for Australia to get on top of the Lions to level the series.
"You need to take it to them, head on," the 36-year-old said. "There was patches there where we had the momentum and the Lions were taking a back step and it created opportunities for us.
"These boys, they love the physicality, and I think playing rugby, you need physicality to lay the platform for your backs to play off."
Representing First Nations, Fiji, the Cook Islands, Tonga, Samoa and Maori cultures, the invitational side held the unbeaten Lions to 14-14 at halftime and were unlucky not to score a third on the bell.
Hard-hitting lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto again gave Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt a timely reminder of his value ahead of the second Test at the MCG on Saturday, while prop Taniela Tupou was also rock solid in the scrum.
Darcy Graham scored the Lions' second try in the 10th minute as a landslide looked likely | Photo: James Ross/AAP
The First Nations and Pasifika side were on the back foot early and the signs looked ominous when NSW Waratahs winger Tristan Reilly was given a yellow-card for his tackle on debutant Darcy Graham.
With Owen Farrell captaining the Lions for the first time, the visitors crossed in the seventh minute when a Fin Smith chip kick bounced up for centre Jamie Osborne.
They doubled that score in the 10th minute when halfback Ben White fired a pass out to Graham, but the shattered Scotsman's night, and potentially tour, ended soon after with a leg injury.
The invitational side also had an early casualty, with Wallabies outside back Filipo Daugunu suffering a head knock while making a tackle.
Coach Toutai Kefu's men put the visitors on the back foot with their rushing defence and breakdown ferocity, with flanker Charlie Gamble a stand-out to be named man of the match.
Reilly made amends for his early absence when he intercepted a long Lions pass to score his team's first try before Queensland flanker Seru Uru planted the ball next to the post in the 22nd minute to lock up the scoreline.
Rob Leota's 70th minute try gave the hosts a sniff but the Lions were able to hang on for the win | Photo: James Ross/AAP
The four-nations outfit edged ahead in the 44th minute with Osborne bagging his second, but the home side refused to buckle despite having to call on an inexperienced bench including 21-year-old Canberra club player Jarrah McLeod.
Farrell set up his team's fourth try, dummying and offloading for Duhan van der Merwe and it looked like the Lions would kick away.
However Melbourne product Rob Leota put his team back in the hunt with a 70th minute try to reduce the margin to five points.
First Nations and Pasifika continued to scrap for the match-winner but the Lions managed to hold on to keep their unbeaten record intact.
Relieved Lions coach Andy Farrell said his team strayed from their game plan after taking the early lead.
"I thought, 14 points up and finding space everywhere we started to play the game a little bit like an exhibition match and it was never going to be like that," he said.
"I was pretty pleased with how we redressed that at halftime and started showing some proper intent in our game ... delighted to keep the Ws (wins) rolling."
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