The British and Irish Lions squad has been named but Owen Farrell has been left out of the group that will travel to Australia, with former England teammate Maro Itoje selected as captain.
Farrell misses out on selection for a fourth tour after being excluded from a 38-player group by Lions head coach Andy Farrell, his father. After a season plagued by injuries, Farrell missed out on inclusion as one of three fly halves, with Scotland’s Finn Russell and fellow Englishmen Fin and Marcus Smith preferred.
Itoje was named captain after an injury to Ireland’s Caelan Doris, while English young gun Henry Pollock is included. The one-cap flanker only made his England debut in March, scoring two tries against Wales in Cardiff, but even at 20 years old he has emerged as a blockbuster talent.
Follow all of the latest as the Lions squad is revealed with our live blog below:
British and Irish Lions squad announcement LIVE
- British and Irish Lions squad to tour Australia named by head coach Andy Farrell
- Farrell excludes his own son Owen Farrell and Ireland No 10 Sam Prendergast in intriguing fly half selection
- England lock Maro Itoje confirmed as Lions captain
- Full list of Lions forwards for 2025 tour
- Full list of Lions backs for 2025 tour
British and Irish Lions tour schedule
17:02 , Luke BakerNow we know the make-up of the initial squad, it’s time to get excited about the 2025 Lions tour to Australia.
He’s the full match schedule for the tour
What is the full schedule?
All matches kick off at 11am BST unless stated
- Friday 20 June - Lions v Argentina, Dublin (Aviva Stadium) - 8pm BST
- Saturday 28 June - Lions v Western Force, Perth (Optus Stadium)
- Wednesday 2 July - Lions v Queensland Reds, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)
- Saturday 5 July - Lions v NSW Waratahs, Sydney (Allianz Stadium)
- Wednesday 9 July - Lions v ACT Brumbies, Canberra (GIO Stadium)
- Saturday 12 July - Lions v Invitational AU & NZ, Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
- Saturday 19 July - Lions v Australia, first Test, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)
- Tuesday 22 July - Lions v Melbourne Rebels, Melbourne (Marvel Stadium)
- Saturday 26 July - Lions v Australia, second Test, Melbourne (Melbourne Cricket Ground/MCG)
- Saturday 2 August - Lions v Australia, third Test, Sydney (Accor Stadium)
Jac Morgan finds out he's a Lion
16:42 , Luke BakerJac Morgan was one of just two Welshmen (along with Tomos Williams) in the squad.
The Ospreys back row was on a plane over South Africa when he found out.
Flying high over South Africa ✈
— Ospreys (@ospreys) May 8, 2025
The moment Jac Morgan found out he was named in the @lionsofficial squad, as the team flew from Johannesburg to Durban for tomorrow’s @URCOfficial fixture vs @SharksRugby 🦁
Congratulations, Jac 👏#TogetherAsOne pic.twitter.com/CD45e77U3u
Northampton Saints celebrate their Lions quartet
16:21 , Luke BakerThe best moments of Lions squad announcement day are seeing how the players selected found out.
Luckily, in the social media age, camera phones are ever present to capture it.
The Northampton Saints quartet of Henry Pollock, Tommy Freeman, Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith all found out together
Unbelievable moments 🦁
— Northampton Saints 😇 (@SaintsRugby) May 8, 2025
Watch as our boys found out they are going on the @lionsofficial tour together 🖤💚💛 pic.twitter.com/5J0B0Fvm36
Tomos Williams: You cannot get much higher than this achievement
16:02 , Luke BakerTomos Williams, who was named as one of three scrum halves, also spoke to the crowd over Zoom at the O2.
The Welshman acknowledged the emotion of being selected as a Lion.
“I have got to admit I did shed a tear,” Williams said. “The last two days I’ve been an emotional wreck. Grateful for my parents, my partner Laura and everyone who has helped me.
“The top of the mountain. You cannot get much higher than this achievement. I’ll get a bit of stick for this, no doubt.”
The qualities that make Maro Itoje the ideal British and Irish Lions captain
15:46 , Luke BakerSat in the delightful evening sunshine of Girona, Maro Itoje was deftly deflecting the questions he knew were going to come. It was October at England’s pre-Autumn Nations Series training camp in Catalunya and a British and Irish Lions year dawned.
Sprawled out on the terrace in the plush surroundings, taking each question in turn with the due consideration and care that are his trademark as an orator, Itoje neatly said a lot while revealing very little when probed about his memories of past trips and captaincy ambitions.
“It’s an ambition of every British and Irish player to wear that red jersey,” Itoje admitted, though there was not too be any extended elaboration despite The Independent’s best efforts. “The most important thing is performance and I’ve got to make sure I am performing at a level that befits that jersey.”
Read Harry Latham-Coyle’s full piece about the new Lions skipper:
The qualities that make Maro Itoje the ideal British and Irish Lions captain
British and Irish Lions squad revealed
15:31 , Harry Latham-Coyle at the O2 ArenaWe wondered if there would be any total shockers in Andy Farrell’s selection, but that looks a rock solid 38, to me, with little to really surprise the supporters assembled here. One wonders what impact the late injury to Caelan Doris had, both in terms of the captaincy and the construct of the back five options in the pack, with six lock options and a slightly lighter list of flankers than some suggested.
One really feels for England hooker Jamie George, who would have been an excellent tourist but just misses out, as well as Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw, whose untimely dip in form leaves him on the outside looking in. Farrell has also limited himself to just a single France-based player in Blair Kinghorn - with Marcus Smith’s ability to cover 15 in the Toulouse back’s absence perhaps counting in his favour.
Biggest back omissions
15:23 , Luke BakerSo, what about the backs? Well, the conversation around the biggest names to miss out begins with Owen Farrell and Sam Prendergast but we’ve covered the fly half decision below.
Elsewhere, two-time Lion Robbie Henshaw pays the price for some average form for Ireland and Leinster despite his versatility, with Elliot Daly seemingly preferred in the potential ‘23’ role.
Ben White missed out at scrum half with Tomos Williams and Alex Mitchell selected behind Jamison Gibson-Park instead, while Scotland star Darcy Graham was unlucky not to be included in the back three.
Biggest forward omissions
15:17 , Luke BakerLet’s run through some names who missed out, starting with the forwards.
Former England captain Jamie George was probably the biggest one, with Luke Cowan-Dickie and Ronan Kelleher preferred as hooker competition for presumed starter Dan Sheehan. It means the midweek captaincy role is also up for grabs.
Wales’s Dewi Lake also missed out at hooker as did his countrymen Dafydd Jenkins at lock and Taulupe Faletau in the back row.
Ireland prop Finlay Bealham and lock-flanker hybrid Ryan Baird weren’t selected and neither was Toulouse superstar Jack Willis, who may have had to miss the first few games of the tour if his club side reached the Top 14 final.
Sadly, it appears Caelan Doris’s injury ruled him out of contention, with the Ireland captain not named, while a ludicrously stacked back row also meant the likes of Ben Curry, Jamie Ritchie and Rory Darge will be staying at home. Brutal stuff
Ben Earl: It's been a torturous couple of weeks
15:04 , Luke BakerA few of the selected players are brought in over Zoom to give their thoughts. Mack Hansen notably walking along a lovely Galwegian beach, says he was just out for a swim!
Meanwhile, England back row Ben Earl reflects on his selection. He’s beaming like a Cheshire cat!
“It has been a torturous couple of weeks,” admits Earl. “For it to come down to today was amazing. The best news I’ve had in my career. I am so pleased.
“It has been painful and it has been long. I am overwhelmed and so excited to get going.”
Full Lions squad - by position
15:02 , Luke BakerHere’s confirmation of the full squad, broken down by position.
The 38-strong group consists of 15 Irishmen, 13 Englishmen, eight Scots and just two Welshmen
Props
Zander Fagerson (Scotland)
Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)
Ellis Genge (England)
Andrew Porter (Ireland)
Pierre Schoeman (Scotland)
Will Stuart (England)
Hookers
Luke Cowan-Dickie (England)
Ronan Kelleher (Ireland)
Dan Sheehan (Ireland)
Locks
Tadhg Beirne (Ireland
Ollie Chessum (England)
Scott Cummings (Scotland)
Maro Itoje (England, captain)
Joe McCarthy (Ireland)
James Ryan (Ireland)
Back row
Jack Conan (Ireland)
Tom Curry (England)
Ben Earl (England)
Josh van der Flier (Ireland)
Jac Morgan (Wales)
Henry Pollock (England)
Scrum halves
Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland)
Alex Mitchell (England)
Tomos Williams (Wales)
Fly halves
Marcus Smith (England)
Fin Smith (England)
Finn Russell (Scotland)
Centres
Bundee Aki (Ireland)
Huw Jones (Scotland)
Garry Ringrose (Ireland)
Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland)
Back three
Elliot Daly (England)
Tommy Freeman (England)
Mack Hansen (Ireland)
Hugo Keenan (Ireland)
Blair Kinghorn (Scotland)
James Lowe (Ireland)
Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland)
No Prendergast, no Farrell - Lions go bold at 10
14:51 , Luke BakerThere’s so much to dissect from that announcement. Let’s start at fly half.
All the pre-selection talk was around whether Owen Farrell, son of head coach Andy, would be included and the answer is no. He’s struggled with injury at Racing 92 this year, having stepped back from England duty.
Ireland’s starting No 10 Sam Prendergast also misses out, perhaps not helped by the fact he was outshone by fly half rival Fin Smith in Northampton Saints’s win over Leinster at the weekend.
Smith is one of three 10s included by Andy Farrell along with England teammate Marcus Smith - despite his own dodgy form for Harlequins recently - and Scotland star Finn Russell. Blair Kinghorn, a full back by trade, can also cover 10 if needed. It’s a fascinating set of fly halves
Who is Henry Pollock? England’s one-cap sensation selected for British and Irish Lions
14:47 , Luke BakerHenry Pollock’s form over the past few months means he has become a quintessential Lions bolter, earning his place on the tour from almost out of nowhere.
The England and Northampton Saints back row is a superstar in the making. Read all about his journey here:
Who is Henry Pollock? England’s one-cap sensation selected for Lions
Owen Farrell left out of British and Irish Lions squad as Maro Itoje named captain
14:41 , Luke BakerOwen Farrell has been left out the British and Irish Lions squad to tour Australia, with former England teammate Maro Itoje named captain of the travelling party.
Farrell misses out on selection for a fourth tour after being excluded from a 38-player group by Lions head coach Andy Farrell, his father.
The 33-year-old has not played international rugby since the 2023 World Cup, taking a break from England duty last year before agreeing a move to Racing 92 in France and thus making himself ineligible.
Read Harry Latham-Coyle’s full story on the squad selection:
Owen Farrell left out of British and Irish Lions squad as Maro Itoje named captain
British and Irish Lions backs
14:39 , Luke BakerAnd here are the full list of backs set to go. No Owen Farrell, no Sam Prendergast but Marcus Smith tours
- Bundee Aki (Ireland)
- Elliot Daly (England)
- Tommy Freeman (England)
- Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland)
- Mack Hansen (Ireland)
- Huw Jones (Scotland)
- Hugo Keenan (Ireland)
- Blair Kinghorn (Scotland)
- James Lowe (Ireland)
- Alex Mitchell (England)
- Garry Ringrose (Ireland)
- Finn Russell (Scotland)
- Fin Smith (England)
- Marcus Smith (England)
- Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland)
- Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland)
- Tomos Williams (Wales)
No Owen Farrell
14:36 , Luke BakerAs Ieuan Evans goes through the backs, there’s no Owen Farrell! He misses out
Straight on to the backs
14:36 , Luke BakerHere we go with the backs now
Henry Pollock gets the biggest roar
14:35 , Luke BakerWow! So much to dissect there. Firstly, the biggest roar from the crowd in the arena was for Henry Pollock
Lions forwards named
14:35 , Luke BakerAnd here’s the full list of forwards. No Caelan Doris, as feared with his injury.
- Tadhg Beirne (Ireland)
- Ollie Chessum (England)
- Jack Conan (Ireland)
- Luke Cowan-Dickie (England)
- Scott Cummings (Scotland)
- Tom Curry (England)
- Ben Earl (England)
- Zander Fagerson (Scotland)
- Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)
- Ellis Genge (England)
- Maro Itoje (England) - CAPTAIN
- Ronan Kelleher (Ireland)
- Joe McCarthy (Ireland)
- Jac Morgan (Wales)
- Henry Pollock (England)
- Andrew Porter (Ireland)
- James Ryan (Ireland)
- Pierre Schoeman (Scotland)
- Dan Sheehan (Ireland)
- Will Stuart (England)
- Josh van der Flier (Ireland)
It's time
14:31 , Luke BakerHere we go. Ieuan Evans is about to announce the Lions forwards, in alphabetical order, first up
Itoje reveals when he found out he was captain
14:23 , Luke BakerMaro Itoje is interviewed on stage after the announcement. He reveals that he found out on Tuesday when he received a call from an Irish number and presumed it was Farrell (he didn’t have his number saved).
The Wigan brogue on the other end of the line when he answered confirmed it!
Itoje seemingly a popular choice if the crowd in the O2 are anything to go by. A “ooooh Maro Itoje” chant rings round the arena
Itoje and Farrell react to captaincy selection
14:19 , Luke BakerSome quotes from both Maro Itoje and Andy Farrell after Itoje was named as skipper.
Farrell said: “I want to congratulate Maro on being named captain of the British and Irish Lions.
“This is a great honour for Maro, his family and everyone who has supported him throughout his career from Saracens to England - and on to the Lions in 2017 and 2021.
“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.”
Itoje said: “It feels amazing to be named Lions captain.
"I’m deeply honoured, humbled and I will do my best to do the role justice. I am very much looking forward to the challenge ahead, it’s going to be a great tour.
"I know the appetite amongst the players is extremely high, everyone is hungry to be a Lion and I can’t wait to play my role.”
Maro Itoje named as Lions captain
14:16 , Luke BakerAnd there it is. As expected, England skipper Maro Itoje has been named as captain of the 2025 British and Irish Lions.
It appeared to be a straight shootout between Itoje and Ireland’s Caelan Doris but Doris’s ill-timed shoulder injury opened things up for Itoje.
Well deserved and when Andy Farrell announces Itoje’s name, he’s roared on to the stage by the crowd at the O2.
Captain about to be named
14:11 , Luke BakerWe’ll be finding out who has been named as Lions captain first. We’re expecting it to be Maro Itoje.
Andy Farrell says a Lions captain needs to be a beacon for his teammates
Here come Farrell and Evans
14:07 , Luke BakerHead coach Andy Farrell and announcer extraordinaire (and Lions chair) Ieuan Evans have been introduced to the stage.
Farrell says he’s not nervous because now all the pressure is on Evans as the man reading the names - his job is done!
Evans then reminisces about his own Lions selection experiences and gets a laugh when he says his first tour selection was announced by telegram.
It’s your standard corporate fare and you know what, I don’t mind it.
Squad naming imminent
14:03 , Luke BakerRight, live coverage has started on Sky Sports and the Lions YouTube channel. Lee McKenzie and Ugo Monye on hosting duties on the O2 stage. Safe hands.
This is exciting stuff
Who will be in the squad?
14:01 , Luke BakerFinal call to check out the predicted squad from our Rugby Correspondent Harry Latham-Coyle.
How right (or wrong) will he prove to be...?
British & Irish Lions 2025: Predicting the squad to tour Australia
How will the squad naming work?
13:56 , Luke BakerThe Lions captain will be the only player at the O2 today, we believe, with the rest of those in contention left to wait and watch at home.
The squad will be named alphabetically in two categories, with a break between the forwards and backs. Lions chair, and former three-time tourist, Ieuan Evans is the man tasked with reading out the names.
That could mean a particularly anxious wait for the third scrum half to be revealed - it is thought that Ben White and Tomos Williams are probably vying for that spot, with one of them likely to be the last name read out.
How many Welshmen will be selected?
13:53 , Luke BakerPerhaps unsurprisingly, given their dismal form in recent months, we aren’t expecting many Welshmen to be named in Andy Farrell’s squad.
How many will there be? Three? Four? Only one? It will be fascinating to find out.
You’d say there are probably five or six legitimate Welsh contenders unless Farrell opts for a true bolter like Blair Murray in the back three or gives one of Adam Beard or Will Rowlands a surprise nod in the second row.
Hooker Dewi Lake, prop Nicky Smith, lock Dafydd Jenkins, back rowers Jac Morgan and Taulupe Faletau and scrum half Tomos Williams are the men with a genuine shot. I’d have Morgan as almost a lock, Williams very likely, Lake quite likely, then the remaining three as possibles.
British and Irish Lions squad announcement
13:52 , Harry Latham-Coyle at the O2 ArenaTen minute warning! John Fogarty and Aled Walters, the two real characters in the coaching staff, were given the task of warming up the crowd, who really do appear to be well lubricated. The Irish scrum coach and Welsh strength and conditioning guru each get them going with some entertaining, but ultimately inconsequential, patter, before they and the hosts depart the stage with full live coverage set to begin imminently. Lions chief executive Ben Calveley has also said a few words.
Elliot Daly to be selected?
13:35 , Luke BakerReports are suggesting that Elliot Daly will be included in Andy Farrell’s squad, which will be announced in about 25 minutes’ time.
The versatile England back went on tour in 2017 and 2021, playing five Tests, so has huge experience.
He impressed in limited minutes for England during the Six Nations but this would still count as a surprise if it’s true
British and Irish Lions squad announcement
13:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle at the O2 ArenaGood afternoon from inside the Indigo venue at the O2, where the live show is just starting - and it’s an inauspicious opening, with host Ugo Monye’s microphone not working. A drunken rendition of Jerusalem from a few in the crowd reflect an audience that have been braving the sky-high drink prices here - though have shelled out a pretty penny for a ticket to these proceedings, they clearly want to enjoy it.
The Wallabies on the rise...
13:25 , Harry Latham-Coyle12 months ago, there were fears of a thoroughly uncompetitive Lions series, with the Wallabies down in the doldrums after the disastrous second tenure of Eddie Jones. But veteran coach Joe Schmidt - who has agreed to stay on until the middle of next year before handing over to Les Kiss - has got Australia playing a tune again, with an encouraging November tour providing reasons for optimism ahead of a huge year.
With a World Cup in the country also firmly on the horizon, let us hope that the Wallabies can provide a real challenge to the touring party come July.
What happened last time?
13:20 , Harry Latham-CoyleThe 2021 British and Irish Lions tour is not one that will be remembered fondly, occurring as it did under severe Covid restrictions with fans unable to attend and the players going stir-crazy cooped up in South African hotels. An unedifying squabble triggered by the leaking of a video made by Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus also overshadowed the series, with his criticism of referee Nic Berry resulting in a significant ban. South Africa eventually prevailed 2-1 after three attritional Tests.
British and Irish Lions - list of recent captains
13:10 , Harry Latham-CoyleIf Maro Itoje is confirmed as Lions captain this afternoon, he will be the first Englishman to lead the squad since Martin Johnson in 2001. Here’s a list of recent skippers of the Test team:
2021 & 2013 Alun Wyn Jones (Lion #761, Wales) v South Africa & Australia
2017/2013 Sam Warburton (Lion #800, Wales) v New Zealand & Australia
2017 Peter O’Mahony (Lion #832, Ireland) v New Zealand
2009 Paul O’Connell (Lion #738, Ireland) v South Africa
2005 Gareth Thomas (Lion #747, Wales) v New Zealand
2005 Brian O’Driscoll (Lion #697, Ireland) v New Zealand
2005 Michael Owen (Lion #726, Wales) v Argentina
How Richard Wigglesworth earned surprise British and Irish Lions coaching call
12:25 , Harry Latham-CoyleGiven it is barely two years since he concluded his own coaching career - and plenty of England fans were calling for his head early in the Six Nations - the rapid rise of Richard Wigglesworth also merits mention. The England attack coach and former scrum half and Andy Farrell go way back - but his coaching qualities are clear.
How Richard Wigglesworth earned surprise British and Irish Lions coaching call
Collaborative British and Irish Lions coaching team offers intriguing selection hints
11:45 , Harry Latham-CoyleOf course, it’s not just Andy Farrell who will have been making the big decisions yesterday. The British and Irish Lions boss unveiled a collaborative coaching team a couple of months ago that nonetheless offered some intriguing selection clues...
Collaborative Lions coaching team offers intriguing selection hints
Five key questions for Andy Farrell ahead of British and Irish Lions squad announcement
11:00 , Harry Latham-CoyleThe back-row shake-up is one of five key questions we have for the British and Irish Lions boss ahead of today’s proceedings - find out the rest below:
Five key questions for Farrell ahead of British and Irish Lions squad announcement
Who is Henry Pollock? How England’s young sensation bolted into Lions contention
10:45 , Harry Latham-CoyleCaelan Doris’s injury places further focus on the back-row options at the disposal of Andy Farrell - and there are plenty of them! One player who has come from the outside right into the forefront of the conversation is Henry Pollock, a young gun who continues to thrive on some of rugby’s biggest stages...
Who is Henry Pollock? How England’s young sensation bolted into Lions contention
Caelan Doris could miss out after shoulder surgery
10:20 , Harry Latham-CoyleThere are a number of major injury worries for Andy Farrell, chief among them Caelan Doris - a possible captaincy contender, the Ireland No 8 now looks likely to miss the tour after shoulder surgery. One suspects that Maro Itoje would have been the likely leader anyway, but it is a real shame for Doris, such an excellent player.
Caelan Doris set for operation on shoulder in British and Irish Lions injury scare
Maro Itoje on the Lions, leadership and politics: ‘I’ll return to No 10 one way or another’
10:00 , Harry Latham-CoyleMaro Itoje is a fascinating figure, and incredibly engaging company. In October, I sat down with the England lock to talk the Lions, leadership and a possible political future:
Maro Itoje on politics: ‘I’ll return to No 10 one way or another’
Maro Itoje set to be named as British and Irish Lions captain
09:30 , Harry Latham-CoyleWhile most of the players are in the dark over their selection status, the British and Irish Lions captain is now fully aware of his place. Maro Itoje is set to be unveiled as the 2025 skipper after an outstanding Six Nations as leader of England.
British & Irish Lions 2025: Predicting the squad to tour Australia
08:30 , Harry Latham-CoylePicking a Lions squad is a thoroughly unrewarding exercise, the player pool simply too large and selection too small to avoid leaving out a worthy candidate or seven. Still, I’ve had a go at being Andy Farrell and predicting the 38-man squad he may pick...
British & Irish Lions 2025: Predicting the squad to tour Australia
