A number of contenders have enhanced their chances of inclusion in next summer’s British & Irish Lions squad to tour Australia after a busy period of international rugby.
Andy Farrell will look to assemble the right blend of players from Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland as he oversees his first series as head coach.
The Lions take on the Wallabies in the traditional three-Test series on 19 July, 26 July and 2 August, 2025 while a tough wider itinerary is set to feature seven other matches.
Getting the selection right will be key for Farrell, who faces a number of key questions as he prepares to take charge.
What could his squad look like? The Independent has selected a 37-man touring party:
Loosehead props (3)
Pierre Schoeman (Scotland), Andrew Porter (Ireland), Ellis Genge (England)
An area of relative strength for the Lions, with three established international starters heading the chase for a place. Schoeman is rock solid in every area, Porter is ever more important to the Irish scrum, and Genge offers a good blend of ball-carrying and leadership. How Engand handle Fin Baxter’s development is also intriguing after a strong start to his international career in New Zealand.
Hookers (3)
Dan Sheehan (Ireland), Dewi Lake (Wales), Jamie George (England)
Sheehan’s recovery from his ruptured ACL will be key with the Irishman nailed on as a starter if fit, and Lake travels as his deputy having enhanced his burgeoning reputation in Australia with Wales. While his time as a Test starter may have gone, George would be an excellent squad man and possible midweek captain if required, a role fulfilled by mentor Rory Best in 2017. Sheehan’s backup for Ireland, Ronan Kelleher, and a bolter such as Theo Dan could also be in the mix.
Tighthead prop (3)
Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Zander Fagerson (Scotland), Finlay Bealham (Ireland)
Incumbents Furlong and Fagerson look safe bets to tour again, but the depth at tighthead is rather dicier. Bealham is well-liked by Farrell and his Ireland coaching staff but this feels like a spot where a bolter could surge into contention with a strong autumn or Six Nations.
Lock (6)
Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Maro Itoje (England), Joe McCarthy (Ireland), George Martin (England), Adam Beard (Wales), Ollie Chessum (England)
There’s every chance that Beirne reprises his role on the blindside with the emergence of McCarthy and Martin giving Farrell two tighthead lock options to complement Itoje, back to his best throughout an outstanding 2023/24 campaign. Beard is perhaps the surprise inclusion here but his ability as a lineout caller and maul menace should not be forgotten, particularly if Paul O’Connell ends up part of the coaching staff. James Ryan and Dafydd Jenkins would be very unfortunate in this instance.
Back row (6)
Caelan Doris (Ireland), Ben Earl (England), Aaron Wainwright (Wales), Josh van der Flier (Ireland), Tom Curry (England), Jac Morgan (Wales)
Squeezing this group down to just six names is a brutal task. Looking at the openside options alone, all of Van der Flier, Curry, Morgan, Sam Underhill, Rory Darge, Jack Willis and Tommy Reffell merit mention and consideration — and it may be that none of them start if Ben Earl is shifted across with Caelan Doris a captaincy candidate at No 8.
On the blindside, either Chandler Cunningham-South or Ryan Baird could perhaps earn a spot with a few statement performances, but the versatility offered by the lock options may well mean that Farrell goes a player light at six with Courtney Lawes surely unlikely to get a call.
Scrum half (3)
Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland), Alex Mitchell (England), Ben White (Scotland)
Gibson-Park’s importance to Ireland’s attack should see him take the starting nine shirt, with Mitchell’s seizing his England opportunity to also earn a first Lions trip. Tomos Williams’ skillset would be a nice fit if Farrell favours an Irish-style system but White is probably the more rounded option and just gets the nod.
Fly half (3)
Finn Russell (Scotland), George Ford (England), Jack Crowley (Ireland)
So much to consider here with the form and fortunes of fly halves in Ireland and England over the next 12 months set to determine who join Russell in a touring trio. Let’s start, though, with the absence of Owen Farrell. Would the Farrell family wish to deal with the unfair questions that Owen’s selection may cause? With no Test rugby in which to really press his case, it may be easier to avoid a potential millstone by letting him enjoy his new adventure in Paris.
If Ford can return to fitness and maintain his place ahead of Marcus and Fin Smith in Steve Borthwick’s pecking order, his experience may count in his favour, while Crowley feels on a good development arc to be really taking charge of Ireland by next year.
Centres (4)
Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland), Robbie Henshaw (Ireland), Garry Ringrose (Ireland), Bundee Aki (Ireland)
Can Aki plough on to make a second Lions selection? The centre will be 35 next summer but has been in career-best form. The terrific Tuipulotu may well get the nod as the starting 12 anyway given his wonderfully diverse skillset, while Henshaw and Ringrose will both feel confident of putting themselves in the frame if they can stay fit and Ollie Lawrence can’t be discounted.
This could also be an area where Farrell’s selection of assistant coaches plays a role. If Felix Jones, for example, is targeted as a defence coach, then Henry Slade’s work operating the outside blitz will count in his favour; a creative attacking coach might argue strongly for Huw Jones.
Back three (6)
Hugo Keenan (Ireland), James Lowe (Ireland), Mack Hansen (Ireland), Blair Kinghorn (Scotland), Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (England)
Another tricky group to whittle down. Keenan and Lowe are just about nailed on for all that they offer, while Kinghorn’s form at Toulouse and versatility makes him a likely candidate, too. Hansen’s great gifts have been forgotten during his extended injury absence but his ability to unlock a defence as a roaming ball-handler offers a point of difference.
Feyi-Waboso is the coming man on the wing, and while Van der Mewe’s overall game may be unrefined, his blend of size and speed is unique among the options, leaving Rio Dyer, Darcy Graham, Josh Adams and Tommy Freeman on the outside looking in.
Breakdown by nation:
Ireland 16, England 10, Scotland 7, Wales 4
