Where is Maro Itoje? Two Lions stars failed fitness tests

Thursday, 26 June 2025 at 14:14

bySteven Smith

Where is Maro Itoje? Dan Sheehan will lead the Lions for the first time as Andy Farrell unveils a much-changed XV to face Western Force in Perth.

RUCK’s Lions content is powered by ISUZU

The Leinster hooker skippers the side on his .

tour debut, as Farrell makes 15 changes – including two positional switches– from the team that slipped to Argentina last Friday. Only Sione Tuipulotu and Tadhg Beirne survive from that defeat.

A strong Leinster flavour runs through the matchday squad, with six players starting and another two named on the bench. Notably absent again are Hugo Keenan and Jamison Gibson-Park, both nursing knocks – though Farrell insists the injuries are minor.

“All being well they should be fit for the Reds game,” says the head coach.

Where is Maro Itoje?

The big lock led the side in Dublin just eight days ago. Many assumed he'd back that up by featuring early on tour – especially as Lions captain. Traditionally, the skipper for the opening game sets the tone.

Now? He’s out of sync

Not playing against the Force and possibly not against the Reds either would leave him behind the rhythm of the “Saturday side” – the one that usually forms the Test backbone.

The Lions confirmed he’s fully fit, so this may be about managing his minutes after a heavy club season. But make no mistake: if he doesn’t feature midweek, it’ll be over two weeks since his last hit-out when he captains the side against the Waratahs.

That’s a long time in Lions terms.

Power Rankings: British & Irish Lions Tier List – Who’s Leading the Race for a Test Jersey?

This evolving tier list ranks players from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales by likelihood of starting the Lions Test matches, considering form, experience, versatility, and injury status.

We will release weekly updates throughout the build-up to the tour, reflecting changes in form, injuries, and squad developments — so stay tuned for the latest insights!

Tier Legend:

? S Tier – Near-lock for the Test XV
? A Tier – Strong favourite, very likely starter
? B Tier – In contention, bench or squad player
? C Tier – Outside shot, needs big tour to break in
? D Tier – Unlikely barring injury or drastic changes

[elementor-template id="208937"]

Hookers

Player	Tier	Notes
Dan Sheehan	? S	The standout hooker; dynamic around the field and solid on set-piece.
Rónan Kelleher	? B	Reliable and strong bench option, pushing for Test starts if form holds.
Luke Cowan-Dickie	? C	Experienced, but behind the Irish duo in pecking order.

Props

Loosehead

Player	Tier	Notes
Ellis Genge	? A	Outstanding performance against Argentina pushes him ahead of Porter.
Andrew Porter	? B	Strong but edged out by Genge’s recent form.
Pierre Schoeman	? C	Reliable backup option.

Tighthead

Player	Tier	Notes
Tadhg Furlong	? A	Still top choice, though fitness is a factor.
Will Stuart	? B	Now ahead of Bealham, who drops to C.
Finlay Bealham	? C	Depth option behind Stuart.

Second Row

Player	Tier	Notes
Maro Itoje	? S	The clear Test starter and captain; dominant on all fronts.
Tadhg Beirne	? A	Versatile lock/blindside with great skillset.
Joe McCarthy	? B	Rising star with big potential.
Ollie Chessum	? B	Mobile and aggressive, pushing for Test role.
James Ryan	? C	Injuries and dips in form have slowed him down.

Back Row

Player	Tier	Notes
Tom Curry	? A	If fully fit, a starting candidate for back row.
Ben Earl	? B	Solid contender but competition fierce.
Josh van der Flier	? B	World-class but form is slightly inconsistent recently.
Jac Morgan	? B	Welsh leader, in the mix for bench or rotation.
Jack Conan	? C	Experienced but behind younger options.

Scrum-halves

Player	Tier	Notes
Jamison Gibson-Park	? A	Likely starting 9 if fit.
Tomos Williams	? B	Promoted ahead of Alex Mitchell based on impact and experience.
Alex Mitchell	? C	Solid but currently third in pecking order.

Fly-halves

Player	Tier	Notes
Finn Russell	? S	Clear Test starter with creativity and control.
Fin Smith	? A	Emerging star, surpassing Marcus Smith as main backup.
Marcus Smith	? C	Has struggled at fullback; Test fly-half spot unlikely.

Centres

Player	Tier	Notes
Bundee Aki	? A	Midfield mainstay.
Huw Jones	? B	Now ahead of Ringrose for his attacking prowess.
Sione Tuipulotu	? B	Versatile and strong option, deserving of B tier status.
Garry Ringrose	? C	Dropped slightly due to injury/form.

Wings

Player	Tier	Notes
Duhan van der Merwe	? S	Test starter.
James Lowe	? A	Reliable threat.
Tommy Freeman	? B	Moves ahead of Hansen due to recent form.
Mack Hansen	? C	Slight drop due to injuries/form.

Fullbacks

Player	Tier	Notes
Blair Kinghorn	? A	Now ahead of Keenan, though may join squad later due to club commitments.
Hugo Keenan	? B	Slightly edged down but still a strong option.
Elliot Daly	? D	Utility back role.

Can You Name Every 2021 British & Irish Lions Player?

Think you remember the 2021 Lions tour of South Africa? It’s been a few years since that brutal, bruising, and controversial Test series — but true rugby heads never forget.

42 players were named in Warren Gatland’s final squad
The Lions won the First Test 22-17, but the Springboks hit back to win the series 2-1
The decider? A gritty 19-16 Springbok victory that still stings for many fans

Now it's time to test your memory.