Columnist Paul Williams provides his 2025 rugby wishlist, including a competitive Lions tour and Wales’ financial situation.
Competitive Lions Tour
2025 is the year of the Lions. And like Chinese New Year traditions, the Year of the Lion is vital to the mental and financial health of British and Irish rugby.
First, it’s significant because it represents one of the few times on the sports calendar that four enemies become friends for three months. On paper, this concept shouldn’t work, and at worst could result in a major diplomatic incident, but it works perfectly anyway.
Imagine Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal joining us on a two-month summer tour and not anticipating the problems with players and supporters. More importantly, the Year of the Lion provides the four nations with much-needed cash.
Read more: Everything you need to know about the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia
The 2025 tour is expected to generate nearly £10 million in revenue, a huge sum for a game that now permanently finds itself on the back of the sofa looking for spare change. But none of this matters if the series isn’t competitive. And for the past two seasons, it looked like that wouldn’t be the case.
For the first time in living memory, the series seemed to have abandoned its conclusion, as if Elon Musk had done something foolish. But thankfully, Joe Schmidt seems to have turned things around a bit. The Wallabies have solid set pieces and a legitimate set of ball carriers. Rob Valetini is arguably the best pure carrier in the world, along with Ardie Savea.
Furthermore, Joe Schmidt has created a backline that is very happy to pass and ‘step’ in the middle of a blitzing defence. This is something no other team in world rugby can do. It would be fantastic if the Wallabies could win the Test against the Lions.
Move Freddie Steward to 12
Could Freddie Steward move into midfield? (Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images)
This column is a huge fan of Freddie Steward.
He dominates the Midlands’ airspace to the point where being sucked into a plane’s engine is a safety concern. Over the past 18 months, many have questioned his speed and ability to counterattack from deep. But things are changing for Freddie Steward. The role of the full-back is changing once again as defenders can no longer be confined around the ‘catcher’.
Fullbacks can no longer catch the ball in relatively peaceful surroundings. No more armies of Marvel’s monsters standing shoulder to shoulder and blocking the path of pursuers. Fullbacks must now be able to jump, catch, land and then make full contact.
The role reverted to one completed by players such as Leigh Halfpenny and Rob Kearney. However, if this rule change is not enough to revive the steward’s Test career, a change in position could be considered. Steward would score a fantastic 12 at Test level.
If it looks like a 12, smells like a 12, and tackles like a 12, play at a 12. The Kiwis did the same thing to Jordie Barrett and it worked perfectly. Over the Christmas period Steward has nailed more ball carriers than the writer of this column has nailed bottles of Baileys.
If you move him to number 12, he is too good a player to fade to number 15.
Introducing ‘Reverse Jackal’
The ‘Jackals’ of modern rugby are less about skill and more about who is willing to stand in front of a small family hatchback and take the fight.
What used to be a quick skill that required speed and agility to pass the ball is now more about who can catch the ball while 20 stone monsters target the lower neck and limbs. This is one of the most dangerous aspects of rugby and an element of the game that should be subject to more negative pressure than a high tackle.
One of the solutions this column would like to propose is the introduction of the ‘reverse jackal’. Instead of swinging the jackal with its chest towards the clearing, the player sticks out his butt.
Where the ‘jackal’ once stepped on the ball, he now stood on top of it and swung his other leg around it. This means that all cleanouts will be in the hips (the largest muscle in the body) and contact must be made so all joints will move in the correct direction. In other words, it’s not like an alligator roll.
If you agree or disagree, reply to @thepaulwilliams on X.
Lions’ 12-year-old John Tuipulotu
Scottish center Sione Tuipulotu is expected to start for the Lions. (Getty Images)
Bundee Aki is a respectable 12th before countless Irish supporters take to social media to launch attacks as effective as Ireland’s. And this column is his ardent supporter. Aki hits the line like everyone else and needs at least a double tackle. He is central to Ireland’s game plan and his gainline dominance is key in the modern Test environment, where channels 10 and 12 are some of the most claustrophobic on the pitch.
but… … … Sione Tuipulotu does all that and more. Tuipulotu is currently the 12th best player in the world and a legitimate triple threat, and there are only a few of them. Many 12s can run, pass, and kick, but few do all three. He is. Andy Farrell should take a deep breath and let his green feathers ruffle when he picks Tuipulotu. But you must choose him.
Welsh rugby finances sorted out
Welsh rugby’s finances won’t be in order in 2025, but hopefully things are going in some good direction. The WRU plans to commit a competitive budget to Wales within the next two seasons of between £6 and £6.5 million per region for the 2025/26 season.
But like most Christmas TV shows, many people have seen it all before. If this next solution doesn’t work, Welsh rugby will have to ax a region or two. How can Wales have the same number of fully professional teams as South Africa? That doesn’t make sense.
Someone please fix this.
Enjoy watching rugby.
The Women’s World Cup capped a successful year for rugby. (Photo: Bob Bradford – CameraSport via Getty Images)
2025 is another new year for rugby. This is a season that supporters of a similar age as the column writer (48) are also looking forward to. This is a somewhat bleak start to the new year, but important nonetheless. As I approach 50, I might be lucky enough to see just five more Lions tours.
Rugby is a fantastic sport and the level of play now has never been better. Despite what people who saw a little rugby in the 1970s say. Rugby is a beautiful game and 2025 will be a season to remember. Try it and enjoy.
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