James Lowe: From Maori All Black, who faced British and Irish lions in 2017 to Article 2025 | News of rugby

Outside the representation of Barbara, only two players have ever played for both British and Irish lions. 2025.

In 1955, Irac Tom Reid represented lions in two trials against South Africa and then played against Lions in 1959 for Eastern Canada in Toronto after their tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Some 55 years later, Riki Flutey’s English Center repeated the feat: starting the third test for lions against Springbox in 2009, after facing Wellington lions in New Zealand four years ago.

Back in 2017, the 24-year-old Lowe started for Maori All Black while suffered a 32-10 defeat from Lavovi at Rotoru. Eight years and 40 Irish eyelids later, Lowe was chosen to become a British and Irish lion in 2025 on their tour in Australia.

“It was a slightly whirlwind,” Lowe said Sky Sports. “I was a bag of nerves (during the announcement), my top was over my eyes while he was alphabetically closer. It was a funny emotion, but I was delighted. I was very, very honored.

“I grew up in New Zealand, and my mother was Maori, so I qualified for Maori All Black. I was fortunate to play against lions in 2017. I didn’t really understand the hugeness of what it meant to be a lion at the time.

“I just signed with Leinster a few months before (for the start of next season) and watched the band of 40 people and saw that there were a lot of boys to play with on that team soon. Like Tadhg Furlong – I couldn’t even say his name at the beginning, and he was too scared to say!

“To be honest, it was probably the first real lion test there, it was before their first test against New Zealand, and I think they would probably say they didn’t really perform until that game.

“We got into the game thinking it might be okay. We had Nehe Milner-SCodder on one wing, Rieko ioane on the left and I played full back. We looked at our chances thinking we could do it, but the intensity from the first start was so hard to describe.

“It was my first real introduction to testing rugby and what it really meant they were a lion, and they just stifled us that evening.

“It was a wet night, it was a rugby match test. They attached the corners, Conor Murray put the box on me. I was there for a rugby with Fer-Time, I wanted to start the ball and play a touch, but then Sean O’Brien would chase you.

“It was something very memorable. I actually got the Leigh Halfpenny jersey, we replaced after the game.”

After joining Leinster that summer in 2017, three years later, Lowe was acceptable to Ireland at the time under the Laws of the World Rugby Law – since he has changed in five years.

A powerful wing player continued to give a name in sports as one of the best finishers, picking up the titles six nations in 2023 and 2024, except for the further three-time crowns in 2022 and 2025. And the amazing victory of the 2-1 series over the All Blacks in Novi Zealand 2022.

However, when moving to Ireland eight years ago, Lowe says he never thought about lions or the possibility of ever potentially becoming one.

“Nothing, true,” he says.

“When I received an offer of a contract from Leinster, I was in Limbo with a rugby in Novi Zealand, I didn’t make a team in New Zealand. This opportunity arrived, a three -year contract at the end, in which, in a slope, I thought I might be Ireland. But that’s not the reason I signed.

“It was a phenomenal opportunity for me and my wife to come to this side of the world, move away from the security network of family and friends and gluing ourselves in a whole new culture.

“Becoming a lion is obviously unbelievable, but it’s a by -product of many little things that have happened along the way. It’s a little moment of full circle and here we are.”

On a tour of Australia in 2025, Lowe will fight for a test place in the back of three with the characters of England Tommy Freeman and Elliot Daly, Scottish tobacco Van der Merwe and Irish colleague Mack Hansen.

The 32-year-old repeats the word ‘honor’ when he asked for his thoughts ahead of the tour.

“I look forward to getting into a deep end. Getting honor to leave Jersey in a better place is something I will appreciate for a very long time.

“I want to go there and represent this ridge on my chest with as much pride and enthusiasm as I can bring.

“If I get the opportunity to represent myself and the people who have come before us the best I can and leave a jersey in a better place that is all you can look for as a rugby player.”

Sky Sports It will use an exclusive tour of British and Irish lions in 2025, and all three tests against Wallabies and six warming matches will be shown exclusively live.