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Where to watch Australia vs. British & Irish Lions live stream, TV channel, start time for rugby match

Chirag Radhyan

Where to watch Australia vs. British & Irish Lions live stream, TV channel, start time for rugby match image

The British and Irish Lions are gearing up for Round 2 of their test series against Australia, with the scent of victory still fresh from last weekend's hard-fought opener.

In the first showdown, the Lions drew first blood with a 27-19 win, thanks to clinical finishes from Sione Tuipulotu, Tom Curry, and Dan Sheehan. Finn Russell kept the scoreboard ticking with a masterclass in precision kicking, giving the tourists the early edge in the three-match battle down under.

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Midweek brought another test of mettle as the Lions squared off with the First Nations & Pasifika XV. It was no walk in the park, but they held on for a tight 24-19 win.

The match marked a bittersweet moment for Darcy Graham—donning the Lions jersey for the first time, the Scottish speedster hit the ground running with a try just ten minutes in. But joy quickly turned to heartbreak as he limped off with an ankle injury, bringing his promising tour to an abrupt end.

The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match and kickoff time.

Australia vs. British & Irish Lions live stream, TV channel

Here's how to watch the Australia vs. British & Irish Lions in the United Kingdom:

  • Free-to-air channel: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action
  • Live stream: Sky Sports app, NOW

The Australia vs. British & Irish Lions match from the 2025 Australia tour can be watched on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action in the United Kingdom.

Cord-cutters can also catch the action on the Sky Sports app or via NOW, available on a daily or monthly pass.

What time does the Australia vs. British & Irish Lions kick off?

The Australia vs. British & Irish Lions Rugby clash takes place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in East Melbourne, Australia and kicks off on Saturday, July 26 at 8:00 p.m. local time, which translates to 11:00 a.m. BST in the UK.

British & Irish Lions 2025 Australia Tour schedule

All times BST

Saturday, June 28

  • Western Force 7 def. by British and Irish Lions 54

Wednesday, July 2

  • Queensland Reds 12 def. by British and Irish Lions 52 

Saturday, July 5

  • NSW Waratahs 10 def. by British and Irish Lions 21

Wednesday, July 9

  • ACT Brumbies 24 def. by British and Irish Lions 36

Saturday, July 12

  • Invitational Australia and New Zealand 0 def. by British and Irish Lions 48

Saturday, July 19

  • Australia 19 def. by British and Irish Lions 27 

Tuesday, July 22

  • First Nations and Pasifika 19 def. by British and Irish Lions 24

Saturday, July 26

  • Australia vs. British and Irish Lions (11:00 a.m.)

Saturday, August 2

  • Australia vs. British and Irish Lions (11:00 a.m.)

Chirag Radhyan

Chirag Radhyan is a content producer at The Sporting News, covering various sports across the English Language editions.

Chirag completed his master's in English Literature in India and has covered various sports, including Boxing, UFC, the NFL, and MLB in the span of three years.

He's written for publications like Essentially Sports, Sportskeeda, College Football Network, and Athlon Sports.

Personally, Chirag is a big fan of Gervonta Davis, the Yankees, and the Chiefs. When not writing for The Sporting News, he enjoys swimming, playing video games, and watching films.