BACK THREE
Blair Kinghorn
(Scotland and Toulouse): Age 28: Scotland caps 60. Rangy outside back, a quick and versatile player who has started at 15, 10 and wing for Scotland, although full-back is his preferred position.
A graduate of Edinburgh Academy and then the Edinburgh side, his game has kicked on impressively at Toulouse, whose approach suits his skillset very nicely.
Tommy Freeman
(Northampton and England): Age 24: England caps 20. The complete package on the right wing. Again big, tall, deceptively fast, great under the high ball, strong and with a nose for the line.
Nine tries so far in the Champions Cup this season and a try in every round of the Six Nations. The boy’s on fire. Once released by Leicester Academy, not one of their better decisions.
James Lowe
(Leinster and Ireland): Age 32: Ireland caps 40. Quirky wing can look awkward and is not super-fast – although very strong – but consistently scores great tries and has all sorts of handling skills courtesy of his basketball background in New Zealand.
Tough man to mark, always busy and possesses a howitzer left boot when his team needs to clear their line.
Mack Hansen
(Connacht and Ireland): Age 27: Ireland caps 28. Slightly madcap Irish wing who pulls off unusual plays and is exceptional in the air, which is probably what saw him squeeze home in a stacked position.
Despite his Australia 7s background, he is not a project player his mum is Irish and he was always eligible for the boys in green. Has been fighting injury a bit this season so hopefully all fit and well.
Hugo Keenan
(Leinster and Ireland): Age 27: Ireland caps 46. Spring-heeled and pacy full-back who spent a year in the Ireland Sevens before graduating to the Ireland senior team with immediate effect.
Another who has encountered a few injuries in recent seasons but looks in good nick again. Picks nice lines in attack, solid in defence.
Duhan Van der Merwe
(Edinburgh, Scotland and Lions): Age 29: Scotland caps 49, Lions Tests 3. The burly South African can be an absolute world beater on his day – usually when England are the opponents, when he scores wonder tries for fun – but can underwhelm for club and country on other occasions.
Getting him revved up will be the Lions’ priority. Do that and the results could be spectacular.
Elliot Daly
(Saracens, England and Lions): Age 32: England caps 73, Lions Tests 5. Saracens have endured a patchy season but Daly has been nigh on faultless for them, and it was always possible that Farrell might look in his direction. Covers full-back, wing, and at a push centre.
He can pop over 55m boomers and has the experience of two Lions tours under his belt.
CENTRES
Huw Jones
(Glasgow and Scotland): Age 31: Scotland caps 58. The Scot with a Welsh name who learned his rugby in England and South Africa. Incredibly sharp off the mark, runs great lines, works superbly off Finn Russell and is another with a great hunger for tries, 23 in Tests thus far. Starred again for Scotland in the 2025 Six Nations and surely one of the first names Farrell inked in.
Garry Ringrose
(Leinster and Ireland): Age 30: Ireland caps 67. Mr Consistent for Leinster and Ireland in recent years and always a strong contender for a touring place, although he has encountered a few injuries this season and also found himself on the wing on occasions with Aki and Henshaw paired at centre. Strong in defence and has much credit in the bank.
Bundee Aki
(Connacht, Ireland and Lions): Age 35: Ireland caps 65, Lions Tests 1. An absolute unit in midfield, you know what you are getting with the New Zealander of Samoa extraction. Will do well to break up the Scottish axis of Jones and Tuipuloto but if Farrell sees a situation when he needs raw power, either to start or finish a game, Aki will be in business.
Sione Tuipulotu
(Glasgow and Scotland): Age 28: Scotland caps 30. A former standout for Australia U20, Tuipulotu is that rare thing, a rugby star born and bred in Victoria and Melbourne. Owes his Scotland caps to a grandmother from Greenock and has made a huge impact in the Scotland midfield alongside Jones. Was flying before Christmas but missed the Six Nations through injury and is on the comeback trail.
FLY-HALVES
Finn Russell
(Bath, Scotland and Lions): Age 32: Scotland caps 87, Lions Tests 1. A wonderful box of tricks player who had added to his game since joining Bath., His tactical kicking is better, his leadership skills more apparent and Bath have been transformed since his arrival. This should be his tour, a career pinnacle, although fighting off Fin Smith will be his first job.
Fin Smith
(Northampton and England): Age 23: England caps 11. Has developed apace since joining Saints after Worcester went belly up. The complete package at ten. Blockbusting tackler, calm distributor, instinctive kicker out of hand, very good off the tee, and seemingly unflappable under pressure. Grandfather Tom Elliot, a Scottish prop, was a Lion in South Africa in 1955.
Marcus Smith
(Harlequins and England): Age 26: England caps 44. It’s been a topsy-turvy season for Smith in a faltering Quins side and there have been injury issues as well. Very good in the autumn but lost his starting place at then for England to Fin Smith and had to prove his worth at 15. He has certainly done that in attack, and the Lions recall he slotted in well when flown out in 2021. Holds off some fierce competition, though. Something of a punt.
SCRUM-HALVES
Jamison Gibson-Park
(Leinster and Ireland): Age 33: Ireland caps 43. The New Zealand Māori has been at the heart of everything good for club and country in recent years but will do well to resist Alex Mitchell for the starting spot. It’s going to be touch and go, but with Russell at ten the Lions will probably want a facilitator like JGP rather than a playmaker like Mitchell. We’ll see…
Alex Mitchell
(Northampton and England): Age 27: England caps 23. Made a slow start to the season after being sidelined with a neck injury but had been building steadily and is back to his very best. A quick tempo player and constant threat on the break. Combines superbly with clubmate Fin Smith. Will they get a chance to team up in a Test?
Tomos Williams
(Gloucester and Wales): Age 30: Wales caps 64. A crackerjack of a nine when in Gloucester colours, with the ability to both create and score memorable tries. Had little opportunity to put his best foot forward with Wales recently, but should thrive with the Lions. Another with a basketball background from school years.
FORWARDS
HOOKERS
Dan Sheehan
(Leinster and Ireland): Age 26: Ireland caps 32. Before his big ACL injury was probably the best hooker in the world and he is coming back steadily although not quite at his best. Will probably travel as likely Test starter but he will have two high quality hookers on his heels. Great athlete and try-scoring machine with 15 in Tests so far.
Luke Cowan-Dickie
(Sale, England and Lions): Age 31: England caps 49, Lions Tests 3. Has negotiated a tricky period of a serious career-threatening injury and an aborted move to France to regain full fitness and form, the kind of form that saw him start two of the Lions Tests in South Africa four years ago and feature off the bench in the other. Proud Cornishman, fiery and competent.
Ronan Kelleher
(Leinster and Ireland): Age 27: Ireland caps 39: Started life on the wing like his brother Cian, moved to the back row, then to prop and finally settled at hooker.
Versatile, strong and athletic. Was called into the 2021 Lions squad as a replacement but had no involvement in the Tests. Has been a valued member of Farrell’s Ireland squads and just gets in ahead of Jamie George. Given attrition rates among hookers, George could yet make it down under.
PROPS
Andrew Porter
(Leinster and Ireland): Age 29: Ireland caps 75. A beast of an athlete whose leg presses are world-class while he has the endurance to play the full 80 when required. Superb around the park. Nickname of Viking on account of an alleged similarity to a character from the TV series Kin. Selected for the 2021 Lions party but had to withdraw though injury.
Tadhg Furlong
(Leinster, Ireland and Lions): Age 32: Ireland caps 79, Lions caps 6. Phenomenal player at his best and that best has often come on Lions tours – and an absolute standout in both 2017 and 2021. Has had injury issues recently, but when fully fit a strong scrummaging, agile and blessed with the hands of a wannabe fly-half.
Will Stuart
(Bath and England): Age 28: England caps 50: Started life many years ago as a fly-half and still had the sidestep and hands to prove it but a prop’s first duty is to scrummage the opposition off the park and Stuart has improved in that department over the last season. Will be ready for the Tests if the call comes.
Ellis Genge
(Bristol and England): Age 30: England caps 71. Becomes Bristol’s 12th Lions and the type of player and athlete who could do well in Australia. By his own admission, once something of a wild boy from a poor estate in south Bristol, now a pied-piper figure for young kids in the neighbourhood.
Pierre Schoeman
(Edinburgh and Scotland): Age 31: Scotland caps 42. Outstanding former South African schools and age group cap who became Scottish. A big crowd favourite at Murrayfield, where the home fans scream his name as he makes one of his trademark runs. Like Stuart, very mobile and quick on his feet.
Zander Fagerson
(Glasgow, Scotland and Lions): Aged 29: Scotland caps 75. Outstanding athlete like his back row brother Matt, Fagerson’s scrummaging has improved and he is a physical unit around whom the Scotland pack often gathers. Toured with the 2021 Lions without featuring in the Tests, but that might change this time round.
SECOND ROWS
Maro Itoje
(Saracens, England and Lions) Age 30: England caps 93, Lions caps 6. Ultra consistent world-class lock, I can recall perhaps two quiet games in a ten-year career at the coalface, and he has maintained his standards despite quite a tricky season with Saracens. Brilliant on the 2017 tour in New Zealand, excellent against Boks in the Covid tour in 2021. Obvious choice as captain.
Tadhg Beirne
(Munster, Ireland and Lions): Age 33: Ireland caps 61, Lions caps 2. Has made it to the top via the scenic route in Wales with Llandovery and Llanelli after being released as a youngster by Leinster. Now bossing it at Munster and a key man for Ireland with is incredible turnover ability and reliability at the lineout. Good enough athlete to play blindside forward but the Lions need him most at lock.
Scott Cummings
(Glasgow and Scotland): Age 28: Scotland caps 42. Graduate of the SRU Academy and an athletic unit at lock. Capped for Scotland at every level from U16s upwards. Probably a toss-up between him and Scotland colleague Grant Gilchrist for a spot in the squad. At least one of them had to go.
Ollie Chessum
(Leicester and England): Age 24: England caps 28. Another very athletic and mobile second row who, like Beirne, could double as a blindside forward. With, unusually, six locks named, you wonder if that is what the Lions are considering. The Tigers historians tell us he is Leicester’s 40th Lion.
Joe McCarthy
(Leinster and Ireland): Age 24: Ireland caps 19. Broth of an Irish boy from Blackrock College originally, who made a big impact when first introduced to Test rugby., Not quite as prominent this season and can give away silly penalties and the occasional yellow card. Fiery and raw….but a mighty operator when the force is with him.
James Ryan
(Leinster and Ireland): Age 28: Ireland caps 72. Has been at the heart of most things good for Leinster and Ireland over the last seven or eight years. Hasn’t enjoyed a stellar season and has picked up injuries and concussions but Farrell has great faith in him. Will have the bit between his teeth.
BACK ROWS
Tom Curry
(Sale, England and Lions): Age 26: England caps 61, Lions caps 3. Has made a remarkable comeback after a career-threatening hip injury and surgery, and still needs managing a little but remains as remorselessly physical and confrontational as ever. Fine Six Nations for England and Farrell will be looking for 40 minutes from him in the Tests, whether as a starter or a replacement.
Josh van der Flier
(Leinster and Ireland) : Age 32: Ireland caps 73. World player of the year in 2022 when he was Ireland’s best forward in their Grand Slam season, he dipped a bit for a while but looks very sharp again and has been a standout in the slightly misfiring Leinster pack. Strong, fast, rugged and know how to score when the opportunity arises.
Jac Morgan
(Ospreys and Wales): Age 25: Wales caps 23. Superb fighting performances in a struggling Wales team last season, Morgan is a class act in attack as well as he showed in a stronger Wales team at RWC2023. Remorseless tackler and inspiring skipper. Heard the news at 3,900 feet flying over Africa en route to a URC game in Durban.
Jack Conan
(Leinster, Ireland and Lions): Age 32: Ireland caps 51, Lions caps 3. Not always a starter for either Leinster or Ireland but a rock solid muscular No.8 who can make a dent off the bench and start if necessary. With Caelan Doris injured and a lack of specialist No.8s in the squad, he will be a good man to have around. Impressed in SA four years ago.
Henry Pollock
(Northampton, England): Age 20: England caps 1. The sensation of the season, although anybody who has watched England U18 and U20 in recent years knew exactly what was coming. Has the pace of a Test wing and the power of a much bigger forwards plus unlimited confidence. Nous as well, knows exactly where the try line is. There will be bumps along the way, surely. Or maybe not…
Ben Earl
(Saracens and England): Age 27: England caps: 42. Versatility and attacking flair is his USP and all that was to the fore at RWC2023 when he was England’s best player, operating at No 8. His form has arguably dipped a little since and the huge array of back row options open to Farrell means the Saracens man will have been mightily relieved to get the thumbs up.
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