As part of the 2025 July internationals, Ireland rugby union team toured Georgia and Portugal. This was the first time Georgia hosted Ireland in a Test match, and the first time Ireland and Portugal had met.
This was Ireland's first tour to a "Tier 2" nation since their 2017 tour of Japan, and their first in Europe since 1988. The tour coincided with the 2025 British & Irish Lions' tour of Australia, leaving Ireland without 15 senior internationals who had been selected for the Lions, as well as the services of head coach Andy Farrell and assistant coaches Simon Easterby, John Fogarty and Andrew Goodman, all of whom were part of the Lions' coaching staff.
Ireland won both Test matches, securing the series with a record defeat of the hosts in the second Test.
Schedule Date and time Venue Home Score Away 5 July 2025; 21:00 GET (UTC+04) Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi 5–34 12 July 2025; 19:00 WEST (UTC+01)Estádio Nacional, Lisbon 7–106
Venues Tbilisi Mikheil Meskhi Stadium Capacity: 27,223 Lisbon Estádio Nacional Capacity: 37,593
Squad On 4 June, Ireland named 32-man squad for their July internationals against Georgia and Portugal.Ireland Men’s Squad Named For Summer Tour On 1 July, prop Scott Wilson joined the squad."Ulster's Scott Wilson joins Ireland squad for summer tour", The42.ie, 1 July 2025
Head Coach: Paul O'Connell Assistant Coach: Denis Leamy Assistant Coach: Mike Prendergast Assistant Coach: Colm Tucker
Matches First Test
FB 15Davit NiniashviliRW 14Aka TabutsadzeOC 13Demur Tapladze IC 12Giorgi KveseladzeLW 11Alexander ToduaFH 10Luka MatkavaSH 9 Vasil LobzhanidzeN8 8 Tornike Jalaghonia OF 7 Beka Saghinadze (c)BF 6 Luka Ivanishvili RL 5 Lado ChachanidzeLL 4 Mikheil BabunashviliTP 3 Irakli Aptsiauri HK 2 Vano Karkadze LP 1 Giorgi Akhaladze Substitutions:HK 16Irakli Kvatadze PR 17Giorgi Tetrashvili PR 18Beka Gigashvili LK 19Giorgi Javakhia FL 20Ilia Spanderashvili SH 21Mikheil AlaniaFH 22Tedo AbzhandadzeCE 23Tornike Kakhoidze Coach:Richard Cockerill FB 15Jimmy O'BrienRW 14Tommy O'BrienOC 13Jamie OsborneIC 12Stuart McCloskey LW 11Jacob Stockdale FH 10Sam Prendergast SH 9 Craig Casey (c) N8 8 Gavin Coombes OF 7 Nick TimoneyBF 6 Ryan BairdRL 5 Darragh MurrayLL 4 Cormac Izuchukwu TP 3 Tom Clarkson HK 2 Gus McCarthy LP 1 Jack Boyle Substitutions:HK 16Tom Stewart PR 17Michael Milne PR 18Jack Aungier LK 19Thomas Ahern FL 20Max Deegan SH 21Ben Murphy FH 22Jack Crowley WG 23Calvin Nash Coach:Paul O'Connell Assistant referees: Adam Leal (England) Ben Whitehouse (Wales) Television match official: Matteo Liperini (Italy) Notes: Thomas Ahern, Jack Aungier, Michael Milne, Ben Murphy, Darragh Murray, Tommy O'Brien (all Ireland) made their international debuts. This was the first time that Georgia has hosted Ireland.
Second Test
FB 15Nuno Sousa GuedesRW 14Simão BentoOC 13Vincent PintoIC 12Tomás Appleton (c) LW 11Manuel Cardoso PintoFH 10Hugo AubrySH 9 Hugo Camacho N8 8 Diego Pinheiro OF 7 Nicolas MartinsBF 6 David WallisRL 5 Pedro Ferreira LL 4 António Rebelo de Andrade TP 3 Diogo Hasse Ferreira HK 2 Luka Begic LP 1 David Costa Substitutions:PR 16Abel da Cunha HK 17Pedro Santiago Lopes PR 18Martim Souto LK 19Guilherme Costa FL 20Francisco Almeida FL 21Vasco Baptista SH 22António Campos CE 23Gabriel Aviragnet Coach:Simon Mannix FB 15Jimmy O'BrienRW 14Tommy O'Brien OC 13Hugh GavinIC 12Stuart McCloskey LW 11Shayne BoltonFH 10Jack CrowleySH 9 Craig Casey (c) N8 8 Cian PrendergastOF 7 Alex KendellenBF 6 Ryan Baird RL 5 Darragh Murray LL 4 Thomas AhernTP 3 Tom Clarkson HK 2 Gus McCarthy LP 1 Jack Boyle Substitutions:HK 16Tom Stewart PR 17Michael Milne PR 18Tom O'Toole LK 19Cormac Izuchukwu FL 20Max Deegan SH 21Ben Murphy FH 22Ciarán Frawley WG 23Calvin Nash Coach:Paul O'Connell Assistant referees: Anthony Woodthorpe (England) Ben Whitehouse (Wales) Television match official: Matteo Liperini (Italy) Notes: Francisco Almeida, Guilherme Costa (both Portugal), Shayne Bolton, Hugh Gavin and Alex Kendellen (all Ireland) made their international debuts. Portugal suffered their biggest Test defeat, which had previously been their 108–13 loss to New Zealand during the 2007 Rugby World Cup; the last time they had conceded more than 100 points in a Test match, Ireland recorded their largest Test win, surpassing their previous record, held since 2000, against the United States when they won 83–3. This was the first time Ireland had scored more than 100 points in a Test match.
See also 2025 mid-year rugby union tests 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia
References