After months of questions and speculation, Andy Farrell finally revealed his British & Irish Lions squad – a 38-player compilation of the best from across the British Isles.
Farrell admitted he was relieved to finally announce it, 18 months after he was named as Head Coach, and will now turn his focus to the preparing for a gruelling 10-match Tour that will start in Dublin and end in Sydney this summer.
Here are some of the key talking points:
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Dublin will be celebrating this morning after 12 Leinster players were selected, the most by any club on a single Lions Tour in history.
It is an incredible achievement for a province that has reached the European Champions Cup final in each of the last three years, and their DNA will be in all areas of the squad, from the front row to the back line.
To put it into context, Northampton Saints and Glasgow Warriors are next on the list and are each sending four players to the Tour, while 15 clubs are represented in all.
Of the 38 players selected on Thursday, 25 will be first-time Lions and only nine are heading for their second Tour, with Farrell admitting there is a young and fresh feel to the class of 2025.
In 2021, there were 19 first-time tourists, five three-time tourists and Alun Wyn Jones on his fourth.
It’s a subtle change but this is a younger squad than the one that toured South Africa four years ago, and Farrell acknowledged that was not an accident as he contemplates one home game, six tour matches and a three Test series against Australia in six weeks.
VERSATILITY
In the era of 6-2 – and even 7-1 benches – the ability cover multiple positions across the backline at Test level is hard to overlook, and Farrell has given himself a plethora of Swiss army knives across the line.
Of the backs, Blair Kinghorn is a world-class full-back who is more than capable of playing on the wing or even filling in at fly-half, which he has done adeptly at club Toulouse.
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Going the other way, Marcus Smith started the Six Nations as England’s starting No.10 but finished it as the main full-back, while centre Garry Ringrose is more than capable on the wing.
And then there is Elliot Daly. To be called the ultimate versatile Test player may sound critical but Daly is a high-class operator at full-back, wing and outside centre, and is prepping for his third Lions Tour.
Of the forwards, Ollie Chessum and Tadhg Beirne can seamlessly swap between lock and blindside flanker, while the entire back row can move across the line.
Farrell’s selections give him room for manoeuvre. And on a long and gruelling Tour, that will be crucial
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC
As a high-class lineout operator, Maro Itoje is not used to mixed signals and, despite his phone reception being patchy when Farrell called to ask him to be his Lions captain, he soon worked it out.
Nine years on from his Test debut and eight years since his first Lions Tour, Itoje was handed the greatest honour of his life at the Indigo – to captain The British & Irish Lions.
It has been a long, twisting journey but one that has seemingly been destined for the Lions captaincy ever since he led England U20s to World Cup glory in 2014.
Itoje has long been talked up as an England and possible Lions captain and, in the past nine months, it has all come to fruition. First, Saracens handed him the armband in September, then England in January and now the Lions in May.
With two Tours under his belt and six Lions caps to his name, Itoje has seen and done it all and Farrell said it was an easy decision.
“As a two-time tourist, Maro fully understands what the Lions is all about and also the role of the captain in helping the group achieve its goal of winning a Test Series this summer.”
POLLOCK PICKED
Everything Henry Pollock has touched has turned to gold this season and the Northampton Saints flanker has slingshot his way into the squad.
His announcement generated the biggest roar from the crowd at the O2 after a year that started with him boasting just 35 minutes of top-flight rugby under his belt was confirmed to finish as a Lion.
Pollock joins a stacked back-row room, with experienced tourists Jack Conan and Tom Curry, Ireland veteran Josh van der Flier, Wales captain Jac Morgan and Saracens superstar Ben Earl.
Forcing his way into the Test team will be difficult but he’s made everything look easy. He has more Test tries than full halves of international rugby, and anyone who watched him against Leinster at the weekend will know he is worth the admission price alone.
ROOM FOR GROWTH?
Though the Squad Announcement had an element of theatre about it, Farrell acknowledged this is unlikely to be the finished squad.
Injury go hand-in-hand with rugby and a list of replacements will have been drawn up for every position. It is almost inevitable that that will be needed.
“Commiserations to everyone not selected,” he said. “But we all know that things happen on Lions Tours. To those who have not been picked for now, stay fit and stay sharp because we are watching.”
Farrell also left the door open for some squad additions regardless, saying there are a couple of potential spots for players who can prove their form and fitness before the end of the season.
