Prediction: The British & Irish Lions Test squad to face Australia this Summer

Monday, 12 May 2025 at 09:34

byCameron Archibald

By Cameron Archibald

With Andy Farrell naming his 38-man squad, we take a look at the 23 players he could select to face Australia in the upcoming three-test series.

Farrell's selection has kick-started speculation on who will make his first starting lineup for the Test matches 'down under'. With several first-time tourists among the group chosen to don the famous jersey, here's our prediction for the first test on July 19th.

15. Blair Kinghorn (Stade Toulousain & Scotland)

Kinghorn has been in fine form for both club and country, helping Toulouse to a Champions Cup semi-final that he ultimately missed through injury. A nominee for Six Nations Player of the Championship thanks to his statistical brilliance in a Scotland jersey, the versatile back looks set to start for Andy Farrell's side in Brisbane.

14. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints & England)

A player I chose as a 'nailed-on starter' for the Lions, Freeman's strength and electric pace should make him one of the first names on the Lions team sheet. The Northampton winger was one of the standout players at the Six Nations, scoring in all of England's matches at the championship, his first-half hat-trick against Leinster on Saturday should have convinced the coaches to pick him over Ireland's James Lowe on the wing for the crucial first Test.

13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors & Scotland)

Jones stepped up for Scotland during the injury absence of club-and-country centre partner Sione Tuipulotu, showing off some brilliant finishing and technique to walk away from the tournament with four tries. With Tuipulotu still yet to return from injury but deemed fit enough to make the Lions tour, Jones' club performances and greater volume of game time this season should be enough to ward off competition from his teammate and all other challengers for the 13 jersey.

12. Bundee Aki (Connacht & Ireland)

New Zealand-born Aki is no stranger to the Lions camp, starting the final Test of the 2021 tour to South Africa. The Connacht man brought his usual physicality and presence to the Ireland backs during the Six Nations, making him a sure thing at 12 for Farrell's squad ahead of the likes of Elliot Daly and the aforementioned Tuipulotu.

11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh & Scotland)

Van der Merwe burst onto the scene in 2020 with Scotland and has raced to become their all-time record try scorer, swapping the accolade with Darcy Graham several times throughout the last 12 months. While Graham didn't find his way onto Andy Farrell's 38-man squad list, his South Africa-born counterpart is sure to be starting on the left wing for the Lions come the first test on July 19th.

10. Finn Russell (Bath & Scotland)

The most talked about position on the pitch coming into this tour has undoubtedly been fly-half, with three players gunning for the 10 jersey down under. Farrell's options were limited - an experienced and flashy maverick who doesn't really fit his style, plus two young players with less than 20 caps between them and question marks over their pedigree. Ultimately, Finn & Fin have made the cut and will battle it out for the starting job. We fancy Russell to get the nod over Smith on this occasion, simply due to his international prowess.

9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster & Ireland)

In contrast, Gibson-Park has been the consensus choice at scrum-half for a long time. Probably the best fit nine in the world right now, thanks to Antoine Dupont's injury, there will be no shocks in Brisbane when JGP dons the starting job for Farrell in the first Test. The 43-cap Leinster man has been in stunning form throughout the past few years, aiding in an easy transition away from the ageing Connor Murray for the Irish national team.

1. Andrew Porter (Leinster & Ireland)

Despite the potential appeal of giving the nod to Scotland's Pierre Schoeman, Porter will be expected to take on the starting job at loosehead prop for the Lions. An uncapped tourist in 2021, the Leinster man has benefited from an injury to teammate Cian Healy to secure his place as the first-choice in this position for Farrell's side come July.

2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster & Ireland)

Sheehan is, quite simply, the best hooker in the world. His starring performances at domestic and international level have moved him far clear of any competition for the most important job in the scrum, and he'll be the man to don the number two jersey ahead of teammate Ronan Kelleher and surprise inclusion Luke Cowan-Dickie.

3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster & Ireland)

Completing an all-Leinster and Ireland front row, Furlong's guile and experience will earn him the nod at tighthead in Brisbane for the first face-off against the Wallabies. While Scotland's Zander Fagerson is a previous Lions cap and merits a mention, the cohesion and familiarity of a front row unit so used to playing together will be too appealing for Farrell to look past.

4. Maro Itoje (Saracens & England)

There isn't much to be said here. Itoje is the captain, works hard for a full 80 minutes and can punish any team who gets sloppy in the trenches. The Saracens man has been a sure inclusion in the Lions' starting XV no matter how well his side performs at club or international level - a testament to his quality as one of the best second rows in world rugby.

5. Tadhg Beirne (Munster & Ireland)

Munster's only representative in the 38-man Lions squad, Beirne's quality has shone through despite his club's tribulations this season. A strong Six Nations for Ireland and the versatility to slot in at flanker means Beirne will not be looked past by his Ireland coach come the first Test down under. The 33-year-old has 61 caps for Ireland and two for the Lions, bringing yet more international pedigree to an already seasoned pack.

6. Jac Morgan (Ospreys & Wales)

The only Welshman tipped by many to make the squad, Morgan's inclusion was never really out of the question. The Ospreys man has been the sole bright spark in an otherwise turgid spell for the Welsh side, earning a place in the Six Nations Team of the Championship despite his side being handed the wooden spoon. Morgan has earned his place not only in Australia but in the starting XV for the Lions.

7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster & Ireland)

Many will be clamouring for 20-year-old Northampton sensation Henry Pollock's selection. Let's all just hold our horses for a minute, and realise the stage this game is being played on. Barring stellar performances in warm-up games and a hat-trick in the Champions Cup final, it's much more sensible to call on van der Flier as the openside flanker for Test one. The Leinster man scored twice against Pollock's Saints side in their European meeting and brings nearly a decade of international experience to the table.

8. Jack Conan (Leinster & Ireland)

Conan isn't even a regular starter at club or international level, usually left to deputise for Leinster & Ireland captain Caelan Doris. However, his shoulder injury picked up against Northampton has ruled him out of Lions contention. This opens the door to Conan once again, having benefited from injuries to make three appearances on the 2021 tour. With competition at number eight limited, we think Conan can expect the starting role under Farrell in Brisbane.

REPLACEMENTS

16. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster & Ireland)

Kelleher will find himself in a familiar position on this tour, backing up Sheehan as he does for Leinster and Ireland. The 27-year-old is a fine hooker in his own right, but can't find a way past his compatriot into the starting role, and will have to make his impact from the bench. He'll easily fend off England's Luke Cowan-Dickie for the 16 jersey come the first Test.

17. Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh & Scotland)

I toyed with the idea of giving Schoeman the starting role, as a player who has appeared for the Lions on the 2021 tour. As mentioned previously, the front row unit at the Aviva Stadium is just too strong for Schoey to find his way into that number one jersey. The South African-born prop is a fine backup, however, and could easily fight his way into the first team with some electric cameos.

18. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors & Scotland)

A tough call to make up against England's impressive Will Stuart, I've gone with the more experienced Fagerson on this occasion as Tadhg Furlong's deputy. Having appeared on the 2021 tour in a minor role, the Warriors man has the international caps to earn his place back on the Lions bench. A player who's grown up a lot throughout his Scotland career, Fagerson can leap into the starting conversation with mature performances for Farrell's side in the provincial ties leading up to July 19th.

19. Joe McCarthy (Leinster & Ireland)

I was in two minds over this selection and whether to give Leicester's Ollie Chessum the nod as the replacement second row for the Lions. However, McCarthy's form in green under Farrell and his solid performances for Leinster do enough to convince me he should take his place on the bench. The Manhattan-born lock only has 19 caps for Ireland, but his time under the Lions head coach should influence the decision to have him ahead of Chessum or Scotland's Scott Cummings.

20. Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints & England)

After a meteoric rise he described as "a dream", Pollock's selection in the squad drew by far the biggest cheer inside the O2 as Farrell named his squad. The 20-year-old has been in stellar form for Northampton this season, playing a starring role as they dumped Leinster out of the Champions Cup earlier this month. Despite all this, I can't see him starting for the Lions before he does so for England, but he can't be too disappointed with a place in the 23-man squad after such a rapid ascent to the top level of rugby. It's a selection which is unbelievably harsh on Ben Earl, but Pollock's form means he has to feature in this squad.

21. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints & England)

Mitchell will be the unanimous choice as the backup scrum-half on this tour, coming on when game management is important and Gibson-Park needs a rest. The Northampton man's fine form domestically and for England sees him firmly hanging on to the deputising role ahead of shock inclusion Tomos Williams, and Mitchell will start most of the non-Test matches against provincial opposition in Australia.

22. Fin Smith (Northampton Saints & England)

Completing a trio of Englishmen on the bench, Smith is another player who has rocketed into Lions contention over the last 12 months. An excellent performance up against Sam Prendergast in Dublin has gotten Smith this far, but he'll need either injuries or some incredible form to wrestle the starting job away from Scotland's Finn Russell.

23. Hugo Keenan (Leinster & Ireland)

Farrell has favoured a 6-2 split as Ireland boss, but I think a 5-3 is much more sensible given the players at his disposal. Still, versatility across the backs will be important to the side, as is the case in modern rugby. Kinghorn and Freeman are both players able to feature in several positions, meaning Keenan doesn't need to be as malleable as those around him. He's not a complete one-trick pony, though, having featured on the wing on several occasions throughout his career.