BACK ROW
BLINDSIDE FLANKERS
Starting XV – Jamie Ritchie (Scotland and Edinburgh)
Non Test – Jac Morgan (Wales and Ospreys)
Onto the contenders for the fabled Lions back row, and we begin our breakdown on the blindside of the scrum. We’ve picked Jamie Ritchie to take the Lions six shirt, as the Scotland captain brings the awe-inspiring leadership to the pack, with plenty of big match experience coming in his 53 Scotland caps. Ritchie took over the role of Scotland captain from Stuart Hogg, after the fullback hung up his boots in October 2022.
Ritchie missed out on the 2021 Lions tour, with the likes of Sam Simmonds and Justin Tipuric preferred to the flying Scotsman. Now with Tipuric retired from Test match rugby, and Simmonds off his best pace after a slow season in Montpellier it could be time for Ritchie to take the spot upon the blindside. This would also see Ritchie surpass the beloved Scotsman Hamish Watson, for a place in the Lions squad. As much as it pains us, we see no place for the ‘Mish’ on the 2025 tour.
Another reason for the Watson exclusion, is the rising to prominence of Welsh back-row Jac Morgan. The Ospreys man was given the opportunity to lead his country throughout recent Six Nations and Autumn fixtures, and the young flanker did not let his countrymen down. Billed as the next heir to Justin Tipuric, Morgan is equally adept upon both flanks like his predecessor, yet does not done the iconic blue headgear of the Ospreys icon.
Instead, Morgan is out to cement his own legacy, with a stunning performance against England in the run up to the 2023 Rugby World Cup being his breakthrough in a Welsh jersey. Plenty of time has passed since Morgan’s initial emergence, and the Jac Morgan could well be the back-up blind-side, should Andy Farrell confer with former Lions head coach Warren Gatland, on how Morgan has been impressing for Wales.
OPENSIDE FLANKERS
Starting XV – Josh van der Flier (Ireland and Leinster)
Non Test – Jack Willis (Ex-England and Stade Toulousain)
The openside flank is the first position to showcase an interesting loophole that is unique to the Lions, as despite being based overseas, Jack Willis could make his international return on the tour to Australia. The former Wasps man has been incredible for Toulouse, as he picked up the Top 14 and Investec Champions Cup title in an unforgettable 2023/24 season. Willis overshadowed an all-Ireland back-row in the Champions Cup Final, as his french club handed Leinster yet another loss in the tournament finale.
However, one element that Willis does not have that in our eyes is keeping him out of the starting Lions XV, is a lack of recent international experience. Willis last played for England at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, but suffered an unfortunate injury towards the tail end of the tournament, that forfeited his place in the bronze medal final to Bath’s Sam Underhill. We can see Ireland back row Josh van der Flier come in ahead of Willis, with the Leinster man routinly amongst the top performers, as Andy Farrell’s Ireland achieved back to back Six Nations titles in 2023 and 2024.
A third consecutive Six Nations title could well be on the cards for Ireland next February and March, as the men from the Emerald Isle looked like world beaters on their recent Summer excursion to South Africa. A win and a loss against the reigning World Champions South Africa, van der Fleir played an important part in his side’s series draw against the back-to-back Rugby World Cup winners. With such a high standard set, Australia look like a side that van der Flier could dominate upfront, and Farrell would love to utilise his Irish heavy hitters.
NUMBER EIGHTS
Starting XV – Ben Earl (England and Saracens)
Replacement – Caelan Doris (Ireland and Leinster)
It was an incredibly close call to decide the starting number eight for the 2025 Lions, yet we’ve decided to opt for England’s Ben Earl to take the jersey. A fully fit match day squad would then see Caelan Doris in the 20 shirt, with the game plan set for his involvement off the bench. This would then shift Earl across to the flank, with either Jamie Ritchie or Josh van der Flier departing in his place.
We’ve gone with Earl because the Saracen’s white-hot form has continued to burn at a scorching heat, since it was ignited in the 2023 Six Nations. Comfortably amongst the England’s top performers in each Test, Earl’s drive to become the best player in the world has racked up consistently incredible displays, throughout the 2023 Rugby World Cup, 2024 Six Nations, and more recently on tour in Japan and New Zealand. Earl went toe-to-toe with Ardie Savea in Dunedin and Auckland, and did not look out of place against the World Rugby Men’s Player of the Year.
Contrastingly, whilst there is no denying the fact that Caelan Doris has been in superb form for Ireland throughout their recent Six Nations title wins, the number eight was a step off the pace for the recent Summer tour of South Africa, with his ‘croc roll’ offence taking the headlines over any top performances. If the match day squad was set to be chosen today, we would expect Andy Farrell to select Earl. Yet thankfully for Doris, the Leinster back row has little over 300 days to remind his Ireland coach of his very best, to earn the coveted British & Irish Lions number eight shirt.
UTILITY FORWARDS
Lock & Back Row Cover – Courtney Lawes (Retired England and Brive)
Back Row Cover – Aaron Wainwright (Wales and Dragons)
Never say never when it comes to the world of rugby. Just a matter of minutes after Courtney Lawes won the 2023/24 Premiership Rugby title with Northampton Saints, the legendary forward expressed how he would relish the opportunity to be apart of the famous touring team despite ending his England career.
Lawes spoke to the reporting media at Twickenham Stadium and said; “If I got another Lions call I would probably do that, I would get to complete the set, I have done two (New Zealand 2017 and South Africa 2021) and doing Australia, which is one of my favourite places to tour, would be cool.” However, question marks remain given the quality of Lawes opposition for the 2024/25 season, and whether he would be ready to return to Test match rugby after plying his trade with Brive in the French Rugby Pro D2.
Alongside Lawes, we have also left a space amongst the utility backs for Wales’ battler Aaron Wainwright. Should Farrell be forced to pick between Lawes and Wainwright, you would expect the Dragon to get the go ahead, given the calibre of his opposition in the URC and with Wales at Test match level. Capable to cover both flanks and provide a battering ram option as a pick-and-go eight man, having Wainwright on the tour would add an insurance policy to Andy Farrell’s loose forwards, once the injuries and fatigue of an exhaustive month overseas add up.