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3rd August 2025
03:24pm BST
Andy Farrell's Lions may be flying home from Australia with a series victory, but the statistics show just how close his side came to disappointment.
For all the talk of a whitewash, and the potential of the Lions skipping Australia in 12 years' time in favour for a more competitive opponent, the Lions led for only 81 of the 240 minutes of Test rugby played in the series.
Furthermore, their overall points score from the three Tests was just one more than Australia - 68 to 67 - the closest-ever points gap in a Lions tour, six points wider than the 1971 and 1993 tours of New Zealand.
And for all the accusations of Farrell's Irish bias, only one Ireland player made the top five for minutes played across the tour.
To be expected, Irishman Tadhg Beirne tops that table with 507 minutes, followed by Scotsman Huw Jones (455), Englishman Tommy Freeman (428), Scotsman Finn Russell (419) and Englishman and captain Maro Itoje (419).
The Lions CEO Ben Calveley said on Sunday that he anticipates a return to Australia in 12 years’ time, despite the speculation of touring elsewhere.
“I would absolutely envisage returning to Australia,” Calveley said.
“Just to be very clear, I know there's been loads of speculation about whether that would be the case or not, but we've had a wonderful tour here. It is 100% our ambition to return, and we would want the next one to be bigger and better than this one.”
Calveley also answered questions on Farrell's future with the Lions, hinting that he will be in charge in four years' time for the tour of New Zealand.
"Andy’s done an incredible job and I have really enjoyed working with him," Calveley said.
"I go right back to when I first met him to offer him the role. You could see right then that we had made the right decision in appointing Andy.
"Since he has started full time back in December, he has brought a real focus to the operation which has ultimately resulted in success on the field of play. We will now give him a bit of time off.
"When it comes to our appointments for future tours, we will start the process in about two years and I don’t think it would be right to comment on where it ends up. But certainly he has put himself in a very strong position, let’s put it that way."
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