2025 Lions Tour Contenders
On Thursday the 8th of May at 2pm, Andy Farrell will announce his British and Irish Lions squad for their tour to Australia later this year in front of a crowd that will hopefully be somewhere in the region of 2,000 people. In this post I go through the biggest contenders for each position in the 37-man squad and give my choices.
Loosehead Prop
Pierre Schoeman(Scotland) Andrew Porter(Ireland) Ellis Genge(England) Fin Baxter(England) Nicky Smith(Wales)
Ellis Genge has massively stepped up for England in recent times and seems to be in some of the best form of his career - he definitely going to be on the plane. Pierre Schoeman is also indispensable for both club and country. He is probably one of Scotland's most valuable players given the dearth of depth behind him. Andrew Porter has been a consistent starter for Ireland but found himself struggling at the scrum; he started losing against the likes of Willgriff John, who is a second-choice player for his club, and was often penalised for his long-controversial scrummaging technique. Despite that, Porter is still a great player who will have a great chance of playing due to his relationship with Andy Farrell. Nicky Smith and Fin Baxter are the outside contenders for this position. The former has been in great nick for Wales and Leicester this season and was already an experienced international. Fin Baxter, on the other hand, is much younger but is already a regular for his national side.
My Selections: Pierre Schoeman, Ellis Genge, Andrew Porter
Hooker
Dewi Lake(Wales) Jamie George(England) Luke Cowan-Dickie(England) Ronan Kelleher(Ireland) Dan Sheehan(Ireland)
Dan Sheehan is the best hooker between these nations by a long shot and is almost guaranteed to be wearing the #2 shirt this summer. Behind him, the competition is wide open for the other two spots. Jamie George brings incredible leadership, having briefly captained England, and is a reliable operator at set-pieces. Luke Cowan-Dickie also has international experience but is less good at the line-out and more dangerous in the loose. Ronan Kelleher is a good, solid hooker who is a good option who pairs well with Dan Sheehan for Ireland. Dewi Lake has had some injury struggles but has been a key player and emotional driving force for an embattled Welsh national team. He is a good player who has also been given leadership responsibilities at a relatively young age. He like Jamie George, has the ability to captain the midweek team if not given one of the top two positions.
My selections: Dan Sheehan, Jamie George, Dew Lake
Tighthead Prop
Tadhg Furlong(Ireland) Finlay Bealham(Ireland) Will Stuart(England) Asher Opoku-Fudjour(England)
Zander Fagerson(Scotland)
Tadg Furlong has had fitness issues but is back in form and, despite being older, is still a world-class prop. He is likely to start this summer. Zander Fagerson has been immense for Scotland for years now. He is surely going to be on the tour this year. Finlay Bealham has filled in admirably for Furlong when he was injured but is limited in ability and his place has likely been taken by Will Stuart. The Englishman managed to amass forty caps before really catching fire in an England kit. Now that he has done that, the Bath star has taken off and is in contention to start. This position is among the most clear-cut in terms of selection in my opinion.
Asher Opoku-Fudjour is an outside contender for the position but has become a star for Sale and proved himself at the international level. His ability to play both loosehead and tighthead comfortably makes him a very valuable asset for any squad of limited numbers.
My Selections: Tadg Furlong, Will Stuart, Zander Fagerson, Asher Opoku-Fudjour
Lock
Tadhg Beirne(Ireland) Iain Henderson(Ireland) James Ryan(Ireland) Joe McCarthy(Ireland) Daffyd Jenkins (Wales)
Maro Itoje(England) Ollie Chessum(England) George Martin(England) Grant Gilchrist(Scotland) Scott Cummings(Scotland)
This is an incredibly tough position to whittle down with every country having at least one top quality player at the position. Daffyd Jenkins is the Welsh shout for the position and is a worthy contender for the role - he has been a bright spot for both Wales and Exeter during tough seasons for both. One thing that may hold him back, however, is his lack of a standout ability that sets him apart from the others on this list.
Grant Gilchrist and Scott Cummings are the Scottish contenders. Gilchrist is a seasoned veteran who would be perfect for the midweek games but is not one of the best players. Cummings has been a star for Scotland and was a big miss from their 2025 Six Nations campaign.
Ireland has four players who are good enough to go on the tour but not all of them will make it. Ryan has seen his playing time diminish due to the emergence of McCarthy and the form of Henderson so he is probably at the back of the Irish queue. McCarthy is a true enforcer but still young and growing. His one drawback is a lack of discipline but it's not a big concern. His direct competition is George Martin who also fulfils that role. The Leicester lock has had some injury issues which could easily work against him. Henderson isn't flashy but is a consistently quality performer and a glue player for Ireland. Beirne brings line-out prowess to the role as well as being a surprisingly good athlete for his build and age, He also brings the flexibility to play at blindside flanker and did so brilliantly during the Six Nations.
Ollie Chessum has a good chance and has come into his own recently - both Itoje and Chessum also have the ability to cover the blindside flanker role. He has become a rampaging, game-breaking ball-carrier for Leicester and England. He can't do much more to force his way onto the plane at this point.. Maro Itoje has been a top player since he first broke onto the scene and so the only questions around him pertain to whether he or Caelan Doris will captain the side.
My Selections: Maro Itoje, Scott Cummings, Joe McCarthy, Ollie Chessum and Taidgh Beirne
Back row
Caelan Doris(Ireland) Jack Conan(Ireland) Tom Willis(England) Ben Earl(England) Tom Curry(England) Henry Pollock(England) Courtney Lawes(England) Ben Curry(England)
Chandler Cunningham-South(England) Jack Willis(England) Josh Van der Flier(Ireland) Jac Morgan(Wales)
Tommy Reffell(Wales) Taulupe Faletau(Wales) Jamie Ritchie(Scotland) Rory Darge(Scotland)
This is by far the hardest position group from which to select. England alone has two sets of players who are all good enough but only six or seven can make it from the four nations, combined. The easiest way to do this is to separate the players into positions, so let's start with the number 8 options. The four contenders for the role are: Caelan Doris, Jack Conan, Tom Willis and Taulupe Faletau. Ben Earl has also consistently played the position and has done so superbly. Cunningham-South is less experienced at doing so but has the ability to do so if necessary. Doris is a guaranteed tourist who is set to be captain if his new injury concern doesn't prove to be too significant. Jack Conan has been his long-term backup but is definitely international quality. Taulupe Faletau has already been a Lions star on previous tours and has recently come back with a bang to the international scene for Wales. He is in his mid-thirties but is still good enough for at least this summer. He is a proven performer at this level and is a reliable choice for Farrell. The English representative at this position is Tom Willis. The Saracens man has been the Gallagher Premiership leader in metres carried for a long stretch of the season and has added some much-needed bulk to the England pack recently.
The other position-specific players in the back row on my list are Courtney Lawes and Chandler Cunningham-South. Lawes has only gotten better as he has aged and has been impressive during his time in the ProD2 in France. He would likely have to join the tour later than everyone else due to the arduous French domestic schedule. Cunningham-South is a young player who has had some difficult patches already this season for Harlequins but is a unique athlete who also brings the ability to player at number 8 and in the second row if absolutely necessary.
The other back rowers bring up many more questions. Tommy Reffell is one of the biggest jackal threats in the world but is a secondary prospect compared to his teammate, Jac Morgan who has been the best player in a Wales shirt over the past two years. He has played some games at blindside flanker in order to accommodate Reffell and might have to do the same if he plays next to Josh Van der Flier who has been amongst the top players in the World for a long time at open-side flanker. England's best two chances at making this group are Ben Earl and Tom Curry. Curry has recovered miraculously from a career-threatening hip injury to return to his position as a world-class flanker. Ben Earl is an electric player who can start at either 7 or 8 for any team in the World.
Rory Darge and Jamie Ritchie are the Scottish contenders and are great players but don't quite stand out as much as the others.
The outside shots on my list are Jack Willis and Henry Pollock for very different reasons. Jack Willis has been a key player for a Toulouse team that is home to the likes of Ramos, Dupont, Ntamack, Mauvaka and a host of other stars. He is good enough to be one of the first names on Andy Farrell's team-sheet but the depth at this position and the likelihood that he will be a late arrival due to playing for such a successful French team are both factors that will count against him. Pollock has burst onto the season at Northampton and England this year. The strength and depth of this position makes it hard to include him but is form and confidence make him a challenging exclusion at the same time.
My Selections: Caelan Doris, Josh Van der Flier, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl, Tom Curry, Chandler Cunningham-South
Scrum half
Jameson Gibson-Park(Ireland) Ben White(Scotland) Tomos Williams(Wales) Alex Mitchell(England)
Like a lot of positions within this squad, scrum-half has one, Irish player who is clearly in the squad and players from the three other nations to back him up. Jameson Gibson-Park is the best human at his position in the World and is integral to Ireland's style of play which is built upon quick ruck speed and smart attacking set-ups.
Tomos Williams is a creative genius on a rugby pitch and brings a unique, attacking vision to the squad. He has played valiantly for Wales but has seen much more success domestically in recent times. He has helped to transform Gloucester's fortunes and is almost unanimously regarded as the best signing of the 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership season. He has been held back when playing behind the Welsh pack but has the chance to show off what he can do in a Lions kit.
My third spot comes down to a competition between Scotland's Ben White and England's Alex Mitchell. Mitchell has become a key player for England since being a late addition to the 2023 World Cup squad. He has also been vital to Northampton's attacking success in partnership with fellow Lions hopeful, Fin Smith. Ben White has been in good form for his national team but his chances could well be crushed by his domestic appearances; he plies his trade for Toulon where he often finds himself out of the squad due to the depth found at the big Top 14 sides.
My Selections: Jameson Gibson-Park, Tomos Williams. Alex Mitchell
Fly half
Sam Prendergast(Ireland) Jack Crowley(Ireland) Finn Russell(Scotland) Fin Smith(England) Marcus Smith(England)
Owen Farrell(England) George Ford(England)
This is, predictably, the position which has garnered the most media attention and speculation. There are intriguing story-lines for every hopeful I am about to mention.
Finn Russell seems to be the obvious choice for the starting spot having been a top performer for his country for years and has largely lead Bath's revival from irrelevance to a final last season and being league-leaders late on this season. The interesting part of this equation comes from comments made by former Ireland fly-half, Johnny Sexton, who called Russell "flashy" and has also said that he would start Owen Farrell instead of him. This tension seemingly goes back to the previous Lions Tour to South Africa in 2021 when Russell and Sexton were vying for the 10 jersey and Russell criticised the style of play from the side. These comments have become more relevant since Sexton joined the Lions coaching staff for the tour. Despite all of that, I still expect Russell to start the first test.
The Irish duo of Prendergast and Crowley will take their international battle to the Lions selection stage in which there is a decent chance neither of them make it. Crowley is mote experienced and has already had significant success with both Munster and Ire,and. However, that did not stop him from being quickly relegated to the bench for Prendergast to start. The youngster has burst onto the scene for Leinster this season and started for his national side shortly thereafter. Prendergast does seem to be the golden boy at the moment but has some serious deficiencies in his game; his lack of size and strength make him a complete liability in defence which is not something the coaching staff needs to put up with given the options at their disposal.
England has four players in with a chance who all have interesting stories. The biggest head-to-head is between the Smith. Fin is young but has already lead Northampton to a Gallagher Premiership semi-final followed by winning the whole thing a year later. Marcus has also won a Premiership and has had some big moments in an England shirt. What could hold him back is his unconventional playing style which has made him an awkward fit at time for England. Marcus can also play at fullback if necessary.
The next duo to bring up are the former fly-half battlers - Owen Farrell and George Ford. Ford seems to be an outsider for this squad but deserves an honourable mention having been overlooked for other Lions Tours when he should've gone. He is still good enough today but I don't see it happening. Farrell is the complete unknown in this scenario. The son of the head coach walked away from test-match rugby last year to play in Paris but things haven't gone to plan as he now finds himself in the middle of a relegation battle and a bad run of form. However, he is still a top class player who will be good in the squad and reliable. He also brings the capability to play inside centre at the highest level.
My selections: Finn Russell, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith
Centre
Sione Tuipulotu(Scotland) Bundee Aki(Ireland) Tom Jordan(Scotland) Ollie Lawrence(England) Robbie Henshaw(Ireland)
Huw Jones(Scotland) Gary Ringrose(Ireland)
Centre seems to be a more clear-cut area of selection for Andy Farrell. At inside centre Tuipulotu and Aki are the best two players at their position in the northern hemisphere and that hasn't changed despite a couple of injury concerns. Tom Jordan is a bit of a wildcard in this scenario. He could benefit from versatility in the same way as Opoku-Fudjour has at prop. The Glasgow man can play at fly-half, inside centre and fullback at a high level. That skill-set is invaluable at this point.
Ollie Lawrence and Robbie Henshaw have both played at inside and outside centre. Henshaw is comfortable in both roles which could put him ahead of Lawrence in the rankings - on top of his connection with the coaching staff. Lawrence's calling card is his explosive carrying in midfield. He is a deadly force in space which means he is much more comfortable at 13 when attacking.
The two specialist outside centres on my list are Huw Jones and Gary RIngrose. Jones has been a try-scoring machine for both club and country, forming a deadly partnership with Tuipulotu. Ringrose has found his place in the Irish starting XV challenged, and ofted taken enttirely, by Henshaw due to lack of form, red cards and injuries. He is, however, a key player for Ireland and Leinster as well as a tricky runner who can unlock any defence in the world.
My selections: Sione Tuipulotu, Bundee Aki, Huw Jones, Robbie Henshaw
Wing
Duhan Van der Merwe(Scotland) Darcy Graham(Scotland) James Lowe(Ireland) Mack Hansen(Ireland) Tommy Freeman(England)
Scotland and Ireland dominate my selections for the back-line and the wing is no different. Van der Merwe is an uncomfortable watch in defence but brings an X-factor to the attack that is hard to replicate elsewhere. His teammate, Darcy Graham, is a very different build but is just as dangerous. Europe's answer to Cheslin Kolbe brings speed and footwork that can make any defender look stupid.
For Ireland, James Lowe is a powerhouse who brings a fiery attitude and a huge left boot to the squad and Mack Hansen is a reliable winger who brings more creativity to the position than anyone else. Due to Ireland's attacking system, and lack of play-maker at fullback, Hansen takes on more responsibility than most other wingers. This could make him an obvious selection for Andy Farrell.
The other contender is Tommy Freeman who, at 6ft 3", is an aerial threat and powerful player who has developed into a top winger over the last year and has nailed down his spot in the England team.
My selections: Darcy Graham, James Lowe, Tommy Freeman, Duhan Van der Merwe
Fullback
Blair Kinghorn(Scotland) Hugo Keenan(Ireland) Freddie Steward(England)
At fullback Kinghorn is the first choice, bringing height for aerial duels and play-making that was honed by playing at fly-half. This is something that his competitors lack. Keenan is the most solid of the three: he is not a special athlete, nor is he a creative influence but he is just a good rugby player. He is the best defensive fullback in the world which is something that should not be overlooked. Freddie Steward is also in contention. He has some flaws to his game in terms of a lack of pace, defensive struggles in one-on-ones and not being much of a distributor but he is the best in the World under a high ball which may be necessary to counter someone like Suaalii.
My selections: Blair Kinghorn, Hugo Keenan
My squad
Loosehad Prop: Pierre Schoeman, Ellis Genge, Andrew Porter (3)
Hooker: Dan Sheehan, Jamie George, Dewi Lake (3)
Tighthead Prop: Tadhg Furlong, Will Stuart, Zander Fagerson, Asher Opoku-Fudjour (4)
Lock: Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum, Tadhg Beirne, Scott Cummings, Joe McCarthy (5)
Back Row: Caelan Doris, Ben Earl, Tom Curry, Jac Morgan, Josh Van der Flier, Chandler Cunningham-South (6)
Scrum-half: Jameson Gibson-Park, Tomos Williams, Alex Mitchell (3)
Fly-half: Finn Russell, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith (3)
Centre: Sione Tuipulotu, Bundee Aki, Huw Jones, Robbie Henshaw (4)
Wing: Duhan Van der Merwe, Darcy Graham, James Lowe, Tommy Freeman (4)
Fullback: Blair Kinghorn, Hugo Keenan (2)
Breakdown by nationality
12 Irish
9 Scottish
13 English
3 Welsh
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