2025 Lions - Who is on the Tour for you?

[retired9]

Bit of fun following an BIL ad on Faceplant, who makes your Lions team based on the WC performances?

Purely from a Scottish perspecitve, to throw some names in the mix...

Backs:
I think Finn Russell is well placed to be the leading 10 on this tour potentially, could be one of the last big hurrahs.
Darcy Graham has to be in contention for a wing, lethal strike rate
Maybe George Horne could get a look in at 9 to offer something different
The centres might get a look in, but Aki and Ringrose will be hard to push aside I feel.

Forwards:
Zander should be in the mix
Feel one of the hookers, Cherry or Turner could get a shot
Gilchrist
Darge on the back row and maybe Watson if he's still going strong

Outside of the boys in blue, generally speaking, the tight 5 is probably going to be green, maybe some white, maybe one red shirt in there or so? Depends on form for the Welsh guys buy the time selection comes round.
In the back row Tom Curry should be thereabouts, I'd like to hope Darge is there and then some say Morgan is going to be captain material by then... Can also see a green shirt or 2 for sure.

Gibson-Park and Russell for me at half back, Farrell will be the convetional option this tour, probably the Aki/Ringrose centre pairing with Sione and Huw for midweek?

Hanson Graham and Keenan at the back.

Likely much of this won't make it to tour time, I don't know enough about the Welsh boys to be sure who to call into the mix. Mainly picked players working in semi proven settings thus far.

 

[spursindevon]

This will be very one sided and everyone will loose (or lose, I can never remember) interest

 

[GarethA]

Definitely agree Ireland will likely make up the bulk of the team. I like Russell at ten, he should have started for the lions in South Africa. Darcy Graham is an excellent finisher and better suited to Australian teams, think there are better 9s than Horne. Yes to Zander and the centres (especially Tuipulotu).

Jac Morgan and Taulupe Faletau (If still going) from the Welsh pack and George North, Liam Williams (if back from Japan) should be picked for the backs. Maybe Tomos Williams if playing consistently and Rees Zammit may be back from NFL by then!

As long as there are rugby fans in britain there will be interest in the lions.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

This will be very one sided and everyone will loose (or lose, I can never remember) interest

It's lose. Loose is

Doris progress as a leader 'astonishing' - Farrell

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell praises the "astonishing" progress as a leader made by Caelan Doris, who will captain the side against Italy.

www.bbc.co.uk

Potential Lions captain?

 

[GarethA]

yah why not? The side will be predominantly Irish and generally best to have a forward skippering so makes sense…

 

[TommiG88]

If I could pick a team right now for the first test in Brisbane (hoping to be there), it would be;

Porter
Sheehan
Furlong
Itoje
McCarthy
Beirne
Reffell
Earl

Gibson Park
Russell
Lowe
Tuipulotu
Ringrose
Feyi-Waboso
Keenan

Bench
Theo Dan
Genge
Fagerson
Martin
Wainwright
Mitchell
M Smith
Hansen

 

[GarethA]

I like a lot of this team!
My current team:

1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadgh Furlong
4. Maro Itoje
5. Joe McCarthy
6. Tommy Reffel
7. Tadgh Beirne
8. Caelan Doris

9. Jamison Gibson-Park
10. Finn Russell
11. Duhan van der Merwe
12. Bundee Aki
13. George North
14. Louise Rees-Zammit (I have blind faith he'll be back by then!)
15. Hugo Keenan

16. Pierre Schoeman
17. Jamie George
18. Ellis Genge
19. Ben Earl
20. Alex Mitchell
22. Sione Tuipulotu
23. Marcus Smith

This is an all-rounder team so would need to be adjusted for a particular tactical approach.

 

[Saintjay]

I like a lot of this team!
My current team:

1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadgh Furlong
4. Maro Itoje
5. Joe McCarthy
6. Tommy Reffel
7. Tadgh Beirne
8. Caelan Doris

9. Jamison Gibson-Park
10. Finn Russell
11. Duhan van der Merwe
12. Bundee Aki
13. George North
14. Louise Rees-Zammit (I have blind faith he'll be back by then!)
15. Hugo Keenan

16. Pierre Schoeman
17. Jamie George
18. Ellis Genge
19. Ben Earl
20. Alex Mitchell
22. Sione Tuipulotu
23. Marcus Smith

This is an all-rounder team so would need to be adjusted for a particular tactical approach.

Slight issue North has jacked in international rugby so assuming it'll be the same for the Lions.

Given the state of Australia we might as well send Ireland and let the rest have the summer off.

 

[TW27BA]

If he regains his previous form after injury Jac Morgan is in with a big shout in the back row. That is one area where the Lions are spoilt for choice.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

If I was Farrell I'd start with my Ireland team and add in better players who play the style he wants.

The big thing is style, he could pick all the bigger more set piece forwards and try and smash SA or more mobile ones.
I'll put together my 23 later but also depends a lot on form in 2 years time.

 

[TommiG88]

Packages have just gone on sale. Extortionate and not built for people that work. So I'll be waiting until I retire.

Have bought a priority access for the Dublin game though so hopefully can snag a package for that

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

I have picked my Lions team
1. E. Genge
2. D. Sheahan
3. T. Furlong
4. M. Itoje
5. T. Beirne
6. S. Underhill
7. J. Van der Flier
8. C. Dorris
9. J. Gibson-Park
10. F. Russell
11. D. Van der Merwe
12. R. Henshaw
13. G. Ringrose
14. T. Freeman
15. H. Keenan

 

[Welsh Exile]

Is Itoje even been showing enough to make the match day squad? Genuine question as I've only really seen him in an England shirt and he's looked average for quite a while now.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Only Welsh in with a shout of going on tour (not sure any of them make the starting 15) are:

Lake
Morgan
Reffell
Wainwright
Tomos Williams.

 

[Saintjay]

Is Itoje even been showing enough to make the match day squad? Genuine question as I've only really seen him in an England shirt and he's looked average for quite a while now.

I think you could pick pretty much any combination of the Nations second row at the moment and they'd go ok against Aus.

Even average Itoje rather than peak Itoje will have enough.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I think you could pick pretty much any combination of the Nations second row at the moment and they'd go ok against Aus.

Even average Itoje rather than peak Itoje will have enough.

Yeah this is true. It's just Ireland have so many by themselves. I would've put Jenkins down on my list (and still think he's got an outside chance) if it wasn't for that. I'm sure Itoje will go just surprised seeing him in peoples starting 15.

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

Yeah this is true. It's just Ireland have so many by themselves. I would've put Jenkins down on my list (and still think he's got an outside chance) if it wasn't for that. I'm sure Itoje will go just surprised seeing him in peoples starting 15.

So who would you start instead of Itoje?

 

[Welsh Exile]

So who would you start instead of Itoje?

As I say any of the Irish lot really. So Beirne, Ryan, McCarthy, Henderson, Baird etc. I actually think Rowlands is really underrated but, yeah, he's not going let alone starting and I think Jenkins has a very high ceiling but again I'll be surprised he goes.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Itoje has been brilliant In the last 12 months or so. I've been quite critical of him in the past but he's in brilliant form recently.

Although a Martin Chessum lock pairing is possible the best out there.

 

[General Melchett]

The Scots I expect to tour are:

Russell
Tuipolotu
DVDM
Schoeman
Z Fagerson
Kinghorn (covers the back three and FH)

Possibly a scrum half (Ben White or G Horne).