A formidable Irish contingent will be at the heart of the 2025 British & Irish Lions squad, with Head Coach Andy Farrell selecting 15 Irish players for the tour to Australia.
There is disappointment, though for Caelen Doris, considered a potential Captain before injury last weekend, Robbie Henshaw and Sam Prendergast.
Leinster Rugby leads the charge, contributing 12 players—the most from any club. Seasoned campaigners like Tadhg Furlong and Jack Conan return for their third Lions tour, bringing invaluable experience to the squad. Furlong, in particular, stands out as one of only two players selected for a third consecutive tour.
Munster’s Tadhg Beirne adds versatility to the pack, while Connacht’s Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen bring flair and dynamism to the backline. Leinster’s Hugo Keenan, Garry Ringrose, and James Lowe further bolster the back division.
England’s Maro Itoje has been named as Captain of the squad.
Ben Calveley, CEO of the British & Irish Lions, emphasized the significance of fan engagement during the squad announcement:
“To be able to share the excitement of our first ever squad announcement amongst more than 2,000 fans at The O2 illustrates why the Lions is so unique. The Sea of Red will now come together and get behind this young and impressive squad that Andy Farrell and his assistant coaches have selected.”
The Lions will kick off their tour with a historic fixture against Argentina in Dublin on June 20 before departing for a demanding series of matches down under, culminating in a three-Test series against Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies.
Irish Players Selected for the 2025 Lions Tour:
Forwards:
- Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby)
- Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby)
- Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby)
- Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby)
- Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby)
- Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby)
- James Ryan (Leinster Rugby)
- Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby)
- Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby)
Backs:
- Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby)
- Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby)
- Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby)
- Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby)
- Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby)
- James Lowe (Leinster Rugby)
With nearly a third of the squad hailing from Ireland, expectations are high that these players will not only play a key role but could shape the destiny of the series. The Sea of Red will be tinged with green this summer—and Irish fans will be watching closely.
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