BACK THREE
LEFT WINGERS
Starting XV – James Lowe (Ireland and Leinster)
Non Test – Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (England and Exeter Chiefs)
Slotting in on the left wing of our Test match Lions XV is James Lowe, with the Leinster man out to hit his top stride against the Wallabies, just as he has been for his province and national team. With 17 tries to his name in the 2023/24 season, Lowe continued to set the bar for the Northern Hemisphere’s wingers, with his efforts including four tries in the successful 2024 Six Nations campaign. The former Maori All Black remains a cut above the rest upon the left wing, with an expected call-up in store for his first run with the British & Irish Lions.
In support of Lowe as the back-up left wing option, Manny Feyi-Waboso has made quite the name for himself in such a short space of time. A call-up to the 2025 British & Irish Lions would be the fast-tracked cherry on the cake for the Exeter Chiefs and England speedster, who was playing for Taunton Titans when the Lions last went on tour. Having become one of the most talked about Premiership prospects down in Devon, Feyi-Waboso made his England debut against Italy in the 2024 Six Nations, and continued his upward trajectory with three tries on the Summer tour of Japan and New Zealand.
RIGHT WINGERS
Starting XV – Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland and Edinburgh)
Non Test – Josh Adams (Wales and Cardiff Rugby)
Now, a matter of disclaimer is necessary for the next installment, as we understand that Duhan van der Merwe is in fact more predominantly a left wing. However, the South African born titan simply cannot be ignored, with his hat-trick hero performance against England in the 2024 Six Nations exemplary of what the Edinburgh man can do when he is at his very best. Unstoppable when he hits his top gear, the Scottish equivalent to the late, great Jonah Lomu has already been a Lion once before upon the 2021 tour of his homeland.
Van der Merwe has started on the right wing 15 times throughout his career, which spans the Bulls, Worcester Warriors and most recently in the Scottish capital. There would be outcry if the 29-year-old was left out of the Lions tour next year, and he takes a leading role in our squad selection. Wales wing Josh Adams is next up, in what was a very tough call between the Cardiff man and Northampton Saints flyer Tommy Freeman.
However, like van der Merwe, Adams has proven himself on the Lions stage before, and actually holds the record for most tries in a single match for the iconic touring side. Back in the 2021 tour of South Africa, Adams crossed over for an astonishing four tries against the Sigma (now Emirates) Lions of Johannesburg. Hopefully Adams is able to return to full fitness over the next 12 months and is back hitting his top gear with Cardiff, as he has been sufferring with a persistent knee injury since the Rugby World Cup.
Adams missed out on Wales’ latest Summer tour to Australia, and stand-alone Twickenham fixture against South Africa due to the injury, as he emptied the tank in the URC and the Six Nations throughout the 2023/24 season.
FULLBACKS
Starting XV – Blair Kinghorn (Scotland and Stade Toulousain)
Non Test – Hugo Keenan (Ireland and Leinster)
Coming to the end of the Lions Test match starting XV now, with Scotland’s sharpshooter Blair Kinghorn selected to round off the squad in the 15 jersey. It has been an exhilarating 12 months for the Scot, as he swapped the Scottish capital for Stade Toulouse mid-way through the season, and ended the year as a Champions Cup winner alongside fellow predicted Lion Jack Willis. The move to the Top 14 has only elevated Kinghorn’s game, with the high-octane flow of the sunny South of France adding extra dynamism to his performances.
Staring in a stunning Toulouse back-three that also features French maestro Thomas Ramos and Italian pocket rocket Ange Capuozzo as fullback options, Kinghorn is certainly being pushed in training to keep his role within the Occitanie region’s starting squad. Such prominence across the back-three has forced Kinghorn to develop as a wing, which only improves his option as an all-rounder for Andy Farrell’s Lions.
Supporting Kinghorn as the secondary selected out-and-out fullback is Hugo Keenan, and the Irishman has recently enjoyed an excursion of his own to better develop his all-round game. Keenan took a brief break from rugby union, and embarked back into his previous life with the Ireland rugby sevens squad, for their run in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Ireland finished sixth overall after a heart-breaking knock-out stage exit to Fiji, with Keenan running lines out wide and cutting through the centre of the park.
UTILITY BACKS
Replacement – Fly Half & Fullback Cover – Marcus Smith (England and Harlequins)
Injury Support – Fly Half and Fullback Cover – George Furbank (England and Northampton)
The final two places on the plane to Australia goes to two England players, with both Marcus Smith and George Furbank out to provide appropriate cover at 10 and fullback. With four fly halves already selected for the trip ‘Down Under’, Smith has fierce contention and could well be relegated amongst the replacement ranks akin to the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The hot-shot Harlequin looks like a suitable option for the 23 jersey, to elevate the attack with his brand of match-winning dynamism, and tap into that weaponry which defeated the Wallabies on the 2022 England tour.
There are various scenarios for Smith’s inclusion as the Lions’ versatile 23, beginning with an out-right swap at 10 or 15. If Owen Farrell was on the pitch, Smith could push the Saracen out to centre if a midfield replacement was required, and could be used to rotate the back three by moving the versatile Blair Kinghorn or Hugo Keenan out to the touch-lines. Whilst on paper the additional fly half looks like an overcrowded kicking contest, once the game plan is assessed the inclusion of Marcus Smith speaks for itself, especially given his prior success in Australia.
George Furbank takes up a similar role, yet the Northampton Saints man would be called into action as a ‘first reserve’. Whilst it can be difficult for a player to travel across the world and tour with prior knowledge of minimal game time, a true professional like Furbank always puts his team first. Such selflessness and adaptability across the back-line has seen Furbank flourish for England in the past year, as Borthwick brought him back into the set-up after just two matches in two years under Eddie Jones.
Whilst Furbank recovers from a problematic back injury he sustained in New Zealand, there is plenty of time between now and the selection deadline for the 2025 Lions tour. When Furbank returns to the Saints, the green, black and gold back-line will be banded back together, as the reigning Premiership champions look to defend their crown, and impress Andy Farrell in the process.
PREDICTED 2025 BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TEAM TO FACE AUSTRALIA
(TEST MATCH SQUAD)
1. Andrew Porter (Ireland and Leinster)
2. Jamie George (England and Saracens) (Captain)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Ireland and Leinster)
4. Maro Itoje (England and Saracens)
5. James Ryan (Ireland and Leinster)
6. Jamie Ritchie (Scotland and Edinburgh)
7. Josh van der Flier (Ireland and Leinster)
8. Ben Earl (England and Saracens)
9. Ben White (Scotland and RC Toulon)
10. Finn Russell (Scotland and Bath Rugby)
11. James Lowe (Ireland and Leinster)
12. Bundee Aki (Ireland and Connacht)
13. Garry Ringrose (Ireland and Leinster)
14. Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland and Edinburgh)
15. Blair Kinghorn (Scotland and Stade Toulousain)
REPLACEMENTS
16. Dan Sheehan (Ireland and Leinster)
17. Ellis Genge (England and Bristol Bears)
18. Zander Fagerson (Scotland and Glasgow Warriors)
19. Dafydd Jenkins (Wales and Exeter Chiefs)
20. Caelan Doris (Ireland and Leinster)
21. Alex Mitchell (England and Northampton Saints)
22. Owen Farrell (Ex-England and Racing 92)
23. Marcus Smith (England and Harlequins)
PREDICTED 2025 BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TEAM FOR NON TEST MATCHES
1. Pierre Schoeman (Scotland and Edinburgh)
2. Dan Sheehan (Ireland and Leinster)
3. Finlay Bealham (Ireland and Connacht)
4. George Martin (England and Leicester Tigers)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Ireland and Munster)
6. Jac Morgan (Wales and Ospreys)
7. Jack Willis (Ex-England and Stade Toulousain)
8. Aaron Wainwright (Wales and Dragons)
9. Alex Mitchell (England and Northampton Saints)
10. George Ford (England and Sale Sharks)
11. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (England and Exeter Chiefs)
12. Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland and Glasgow Warriors)
13. Henry Slade (England and Exeter Chiefs)
14. Josh Adams (Wales and Cardiff Rugby)
15. Hugo Keenan (Ireland and Leinster)
REPLACEMENTS
16. Dewi Lake (Wales and Ospreys)
17. Ellis Genge (England and Bristol Bears)
18. Zander Fagerson (Scotland and Glasgow Warriors)
19. Scott Cummings (Scotland and Glasgow Warriors)
20. Courtney Lawes (Ex-England and Brive)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland and Leinster)
22. Jack Crowley (Ireland and Munster)
23. George Furbank (England and Northampton Saints)