"Brainless Moments" – Five Lions Hopefuls Who Completely Flopped in the Six Nations Today

Saturday, 08 March 2025 at 20:14

byRugby Rucker

The Lions squad is taking shape, and every performance is critical in the race for a place.

Find your local Greene King and settle in for the 2025 Six Nations!

Unfortunately, for these five players, their chances of being selected for the prestigious tour took a hit thanks to some costly mistakes in the Six Nations today.

Read on to find out which players missed the mark and why others, like Finn Russell, may be leapfrogging them in the race to the Lions.

1. Joe McCarthy: A Card Too Far

McCarthy's ill-timed yellow card for yanking Thomas Ramos off the ball was a complete brainfart, turning the game in France’s favor.

What followed was a disjointed performance from the lock, and though he tried to make up for it, the damage was already done. For a Lions spot, moments like this are tough to overcome.

2. WillGriff John: A 'Binned' Opportunity

John’s yellow card was as unnecessary as it was costly, leaving Wales on the back foot.

He couldn’t redeem himself after returning to the field and even added to his frustrations with a knock-on. If he was hoping to catch the eye of Lions selectors, this was a missed opportunity he won’t soon forget.

3. Bundee Aki: Not Quite the Aki We Know

Aki battled through some early discomfort with a boot to the face, but his performance fizzled out as the game progressed.

Though he was in the thick of the action, his usual dominance didn’t materialize when Ireland needed it most. With other centres rising to the occasion, Aki’s Lions chances look less promising.

4. Jonny Gray: A Solid Enough Shift, But Not Enough

Gray’s performance was steady, but in a squad as competitive as the Lions, steadiness isn’t enough.

He didn’t stand out, and with so many hungry locks vying for a spot, Gray needed to show more to guarantee his place. Solid but not sensational, and that’s just not enough at this level.

5. Sam Prendergast: A Tale of Two Halves

Prendergast started well, nailing crucial kicks and showing promise, but his second half was riddled with errors, including a disastrous intercepted pass that gave France a try.

With Finn Russell now firmly in pole position for the Lions fly-half jersey, Prendergast’s hopes of making the squad have been dealt a major blow.