The 2025 mid-year rugby union internationals (also known as the summer internationals in the Northern Hemisphere, and winter internationals in the Southern Hemisphere) are international rugby union matches that will be mostly played in the Southern Hemisphere during the July international window. 2025 will see the British & Irish Lions touring Australia. It is expected to be the last mid-year window in which “Tier I” countries (the SANZAAR teams and teams that make up the Six Nations Championship) compete in the non-organised format, following the creation of the Nations Championship. [1]
Series | Result | Winner |
---|---|---|
Australia–British & Irish Lions test series [2] | TBD | |
Argentina–England test series [3] | TBD | |
New Zealand–France test series [4] [5] | TBD | |
South Africa–Italy test series [6] | TBD |
Team | Tour | Opponents |
---|---|---|
Argentina | Europe + Americas (Tier II) | British & Irish Lions (TBD) [2] – Chile (TBD) [7] |
England | Americas | Argentina (TBD) – United States (TBD) [3] |
Ireland | Europe (Tier II) | Portugal (TBD) [8] – Romania (TBD) – Georgia (TBD) [9] |
The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Lions are a test side and most often select players who have already played for their national team, although they can pick uncapped players who are eligible for any of the four unions. The team tours every four years, with these rotating between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in order. The most recent test series, the 2021 series against South Africa, was won 2–1 by South Africa.
The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks, represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. Famed for their international success, the All Blacks have often been regarded as one of the most successful sports teams in history.
The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly known as the Springboks, is the country's national team governed by the South African Rugby Union. The Springboks play in green and gold jerseys with white shorts, and their emblem is the Springbok, a native antelope and the national animal of South Africa. The team has represented South African Rugby Union in international rugby union since 30 July 1891, when they played their first test match against a British Isles touring team. Currently, the Springboks are the reigning World Champions, having won the World Cup a record four times. South Africa are the only team to have won half of the Rugby World Cups they have participated in, and are also the second nation to win the World Cup consecutively.
The Australia men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Wallabies, is the representative men's national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of Australia. The team first played at Sydney in 1899, winning their first test match against the touring British Isles team.
The Argentina national rugby union team represents Argentina in men's international competitions, The Argentine Rugby Union. Officially nicknamed Los Pumas, they play in sky blue and white jerseys. They are ranked 5th in the world by World Rugby, making them by some distance the highest-ranked nation in the Americas.
The France national rugby union team represents the French Rugby Federation in men's international rugby union matches. Colloquially known as Le XV de France, the team traditionally wears blue shirts with a Gallic rooster embroidered on the chest, white shorts and red socks in reference to the French national flag. Les Bleus mostly play home matches at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship along with England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. France have won the tournament on 26 occasions, winning the Grand Slam 10 times.
Bryan Gary Habana OIS is a South African former professional rugby union player. Playing mainly as a wing, he is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He played for the Golden Lions, the Blue Bulls and Western Province in South Africa, for the Bulls and the Stormers in Super Rugby, and for Toulon in the French Top 14, and won 124 caps for the South Africa national team.
The 2006 June rugby union tests were rugby union Test matches played during between June in 2006. It saw several tests between touring Northern Hemisphere sides and home Southern Hemisphere sides, including a test series between Australia and England, Argentina and Wales, New Zealand and Ireland and South Africa and Scotland. France played Romania and the Springboks, while Italy played Fiji and Japan.
Fabien Galthié is a French rugby union coach and former player, currently the head coach of the France national team.
Australia A/Australia XV is the second national Rugby union team of Australia, behind the Wallabies. Matches played under the 'Australia A' title are traditionally non-test match fixtures and often offer a stepping-stone to Wallaby national selection. Aspiring Wallaby players were given a chance to impress selectors during these games. In the past, the team would also play touring sides, such as the British & Irish Lions, or play mid-week games when the Wallabies are on tour.
The French national rugby union team first competed at the 1900 Summer Olympics.
The 2013 mid-year rugby union tests were international rugby union matches that were played in June 2013, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere.
The 2014 mid-year rugby union internationals were international rugby union matches mostly played in the Southern Hemisphere during the June international window.
The 2015 mid-year rugby union internationals refer to international rugby union matches that were mostly played in the Southern Hemisphere.
The History of the South Africa national rugby union team dates back to 1891, when the British Lions first toured South Africa where they played against South African representative sides. The South Africa national rugby union team played few international matches during a period of international sanctions due to apartheid. Since the end of apartheid in 1994, South Africa has once again fully participated in international rugby.
The 2016 end-of-year rugby union internationals, also known as the 2016 Autumn Internationals in the Northern Hemisphere, were a series of international rugby union matches predominantly played between the visiting Southern Hemisphere countries: Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa – and the European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.
The 2017 mid-year rugby union internationals were international rugby union matches that were mostly played in the Southern Hemisphere during the June international window.
The 2021 mid-year rugby union internationals were a series of international rugby union matches. Due to ongoing restrictions around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of matches were cancelled, and some series moved so that the Northern Hemisphere nations hosted the matches, and some teams played for the first time since their final matches of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Emmanuel Latu-Meafou is a professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Top 14 club Toulouse and the France national team. Born in New Zealand to parents from Samoa, before moving to Australia where he was raised, he later obtained French nationality in 2023 and made his debut for his adoptive country in 2024.
In July 2024, the France rugby union team toured Argentina and Uruguay, as part of the conventional Summer International calendar. Starting in 2012, France has toured Argentina in a two-test series in the year directly following the Rugby World Cup (RWC). However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 tour was cancelled.