British and Irish Lions Squad Announced for 2025 Tour of Australia
The British and Irish Lions have announced their 38-man squad for the 2025 tour of Australia, with Ireland’s Caelan Doris missing out due to a shoulder injury. According to a report by RTÉ, Doris underwent shoulder surgery and was not included in the squad.
The squad, named by head coach Andy Farrell, features a record 15 Irish players, including 12 from Leinster. The forwards include hookers Dan Sheehan and Rónan Kelleher, props Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong, second rows Joe McCarthy and James Ryan, and back rows Jack Conan and Josh van der Flier. Scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park, centre Garry Ringrose, wing James Lowe, and full-back Hugo Keenan also made the cut. As RTÉ reports, Connacht pair Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen are also involved, with Hansen set to be available despite an ankle injury.
Munster’s Tadhg Beirne is the only representative from the province, while Ulster have no players in the squad. Sam Prendergast and Robbie Henshaw are among those who missed out on selection. England’s Maro Itoje has been named as tour captain, having previously been a Lion in 2017 and 2021. The Saracens lock is the first English captain since Martin Johnson in 2001. Farrell’s squad also features 12 English players, eight from Scotland, and two from Wales.
“We have been discussing more than 75 players of interest since we met as a coaching unit for the very first time six weeks ago,” Farrell said, as quoted by RTÉ. “But the key job is getting that squad balance right as we prepare for a long and demanding tour that finishes with a three-Test series against the Wallabies. I am very excited about working with this group and believe they have the capacity to achieve something special and add to the Lions legacy.”
The Lions will take on Argentina in a warm-up game at Aviva Stadium on June 20, before departing on their nine-game tour of Australia. The tour will feature a three-Test series against the Wallabies, with the first Test taking place in Brisbane on July 19, and the subsequent Tests in Melbourne and Sydney on July 26 and August 2, respectively. As RTÉ notes, the squad includes a mix of experience and youth, with several players set to make their Lions debut.
The full squad is as follows:
Forwards:
* Tadhg Beirne
* Ollie Chessum
* Jack Conan
* Luke Cowan-Dickie
* Scott Cummings
* Tom Curry
* Ben Earl
* Zander Fagerson
* Tadhg Furlong
* Ellis Genge
* Maro Itoje
* Rónan Kelleher
* Joe McCarthy
* Jac Morgan
* Henry Pollock
* Andrew Porter
* James Ryan
* Pierre Schoeman
* Dan Sheehan
* Will Stuart
* Josh van der Flier
Backs:
* Bundee Aki
* Elliot Daly
* Tommy Freeman
* Jamison Gibson-Park
* Mack Hansen
* Huw Jones
* Hugo Keenan
* Blair Kinghorn
* James Lowe
* Alex Mitchell
* Garry Ringrose
* Finn Russell
* Fin Smith
* Marcus Smith
* Sione Tuipulotu
* Duhan van der Merwe
* Tomos Williams
The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia is set to be a highly anticipated event, with the team looking to build on their previous successes. With a mix of experience and youth, the squad has the potential to achieve great things and add to the Lions’ legacy. As reported by RTÉ, the team will be looking to make a strong impression on the tour and secure a series win against the Wallabies.
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