First Nations & Pasifika XV

First Nations & Pasifika XV
Full nameFirst Nations & Pasifika XV
UnionAustralian Rugby Union
Founded2025 (2025)
CoachToutai Kefu (2025)

First Nations & Pasifika XV is an Australian-based rugby union team which played the British & Irish Lions during their 2025 tour of Australia.[1] The team was made up of players with Indigenous Australian or Pacific Islander origin.[2]

Background

Originally, the British and Irish Lions were scheduled to play nine matches on their tour of Australia. This included the Melbourne Rebels, whom went into administration in January 2024 and were dropped from the tour schedule as a result.[3] The First Nations & Pasifika XV were formed by Rugby Australia to replace the disbanded Melbourne Rebels side, to maintain a 9-match tour for the Lions.[2] The team was to be made up of indigenous Australian and Pacific Islands heritage players, with the match scheduled to take place on 22 July 2025 at the Docklands Stadium in Melbourne. It was aimed that the team would be made up of New Zealand All Blacks internationals that were playing abroad, and ineligible otherwise to play international rugby for the All Blacks.[2]

On 19 May, former Wallabies forward and Tonga head coach Toutai Kefu was named head coach,[4] whilst on 26 May, Glen Ella, Sekope Kepu, Simon Raiwalui and Tana Umaga were named assistants.[5] On 26 June, it was announced that the former Australian international Kurtley Beale would be the captain of the team.[6] The jersey was chosen as a result of a public vote run by Rugby Australia.[7][8]

In 2026 they are scheduled to play their second fixture against Tonga at the Teufaiva Sport Stadium in Nuku'alofa[9].

Squad

The full First Nations & Pasifika XV squad for their match against the British & Irish Lions as part of the 2025 tour of Australia was named on 14 July 2025.[10] Some of the players selected had previously played against the Lions on the tour for the AUNZ Invitational XV.[11] It also features the first Fijian internationals to play against the Lions since they played against the Fiji national rugby union team in the 1977 British Lions tour to New Zealand.[11]

On 17 July, Filipo Daugunu and Taniela Tupou were released from the Wallabies squad for the tour match, whilst Ponepati Loganimasi also received a late call-up following the conclusion of the Fijian national team's July internationals.[12]

Coaching team:

PlayerPositionDate of birth (age)CapsClub/provinceHeritage
Richie AsiataHooker3 May 19960 Queensland Reds Samoa
Brandon Paenga-AmosaHooker25 December 199520 Western Force Samoa / Māori
George BlakeProp11 June 20010 Queensland Reds Cook Islands
Mesake DogeProp1 April 199319 Fijian Drua Fiji
Feao FotuaikaProp23 April 19935 ACT Brumbies Tonga
Lington IeliProp22 June 20040 ACT Brumbies Fiji
Marley PearceProp3 August 20030 Western Force Māori / First Nations
Taniela TupouProp10 May 199658 New South Wales Waratahs Tonga
Lukhan Salakaia-LotoLock19 September 199641 Queensland Reds Samoa
Darcy SwainLock5 July 199717 Western Force Samoa
Mesake VocevoceLock16 May 20039 Fijian Drua Fiji
Seru UruLock3 March 19970 Queensland Reds Fiji
Charlie GambleBack row23 April 19960 New South Wales Waratahs Tonga
Rob LeotaBack row3 March 199721 New South Wales Waratahs Samoa
Pete SamuBack row17 December 199133 Bordeaux Bègles Samoa
Tuaina Taii TualimaBack row1 June 19970 ACT Brumbies Samoa
Issak Fines-LeleiwasaScrum half2 October 19953 Western Force Fiji
Harrison GoddardScrum half8 April 19980 ACT Brumbies First Nations
Kalani ThomasScrum half18 April 20020 Queensland Reds Māori
Jack DebreczeniFly-half6 June 19930 ACT Brumbies Cook Islands
Filipo DaugunuCentre4 March 199512 Queensland Reds Fiji
David FeliuaiCentre16 May 19970 ACT Brumbies Samoa
Lalakai FoketiCentre22 December 19949 New South Wales Waratahs Tonga / Māori
Isaac HenryCentre8 March 19990 Queensland Reds First Nations
Jarrah McLeodCentre31 May 20040 ACT Brumbies First Nations
Andy MuirheadWing8 July 19930 ACT Brumbies First Nations
Kye OatesWing1 September 19990 ACT Brumbies First Nations
Ponepati LoganimasiWing26 March 19984 Fijian Drua Fiji
Triston ReillyWing14 January 19990 New South Wales Waratahs First Nations
Kurtley BealeFullback6 January 198995 Western Force First Nations

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Foster announced in AU/NZ coaching staff, First Nations Pasifika game confirmed for Lions Series". Rugby Australia. 20 March 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 "Lions to face indigenous-heritage team in Australia". BBC Sport. 20 March 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  3. ↑ "British and Irish Lions: Australia planning indigenous team to fill gap left by Melbourne Rebels for 2025 tour". Sky Sports. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  4. ↑ "Kiss unveiled as AUNZ coach, Kefu to steer First Nations & Pasifika XV". Rugby Australia. 19 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  5. ↑ "First Nations & Pasifika XV coaching staff confirmed". Rugby Australia. 26 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  6. ↑ Snape, Jack (26 June 2025). "Kurtley Beale to lead First Nations & Pasifika XV against Lions in Melbourne". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  7. ↑ "First Nations & Pasifika XV: Jersey Fan Vote". Rugby Australia. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  8. ↑ "Pasifika First Nations jersey revealed for Lions test". ABC Pacific. 26 June 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  9. ↑ https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/pacific/949846/tonga-to-face-first-nations-and-pasifika-xv-in-nuku-alofa
  10. ↑ "First Nations & Pasifika XV squad confirmed for Lions tour match". Rugby.com.au. 14 July 2025. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
  11. 1 2 Woods, Melissa (15 July 2025). "Overlooked lock included in First Nations and Pasifika squad". National Indigenous Times. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  12. ↑ "Wallabies duo, Fijian flyer added to First Nations Pasifika squad". Rugby.com.au. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
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