British and Irish Lions: Five most unfortunate players as former ‘golden boy’ overlooked and ‘greatest player’ fails to win Test cap
British and Irish Lions: Five most unfortunate players as former 'golden boy' overlooked and 'greatest player' fails to win Test cap
The final 23-man line-up of the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour has been named, with several stars set to deliver their swansong performance in Sydney.
Sadly, for many, they have missed out on what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win a Lions Test cap while others would have liked a lot more exposure in the series.
Let’s have a look at the five most unfortunate players on tour.
Marcus Smith
Four years ago, when he was called up to the Lions squad for their tour of South Africa, many predicted that Smith would be the starting playmaker for the 2025 tour of Australia. Despite boarding the plane this year, they couldn’t be more wrong. Marcus has been given very little time in the number 10 shirt, preferred instead as a versatile substitute playing roughly half of his time at full-back.
This was not the coming-of-age story that many were expecting, particularly when you consider that the once golden boy of English rugby was reduced to just a matter of minutes off the bench in the first Test, and overlooked for the second and third.
Although he’s still only in his mid-20s, his inability to secure the fly-half shirt for England due to the emergence of the young Fin Smith casts doubt over his inclusion on the next Lions tour.
Scott Cummings
His first appearance in the red of the Lions was not one that he will look back on fondly. His progress in the next few matches, however, was terrific. Besides the two opening Test starters, Joe McCarthy and Maro Itoje, it could be argued that Cummings was the standout lock within the remaining squad.
Many will forgive Andy Farrell for picking the versatile Ollie Chessum for the second Test over Cummings, but very few will accept that James Ryan was a better choice than the Scot.
At 28 years old, Cummings certainly has another tour in him, but he will have been gutted to have missed out this time around.
Garry Ringrose
One of the greatest ever players never to have worn a Lions shirt. There was plenty of debate about whether the 13 jersey would go to Ringrose or Huw Jones, but Farrell appeared content to share it; Jones took the first Test, while Ringrose was due to take the second.
Sadly, the Irish centre failed to recover from injury for the remaining two matches and, having been overlooked in previous tours, still remains without a Test cap.
He will be 34 years old the next time the tour comes along, so he could still be in contention, but due to the way he plays, age will be against him.
Mack Hansen
Near the start of the tour, Farrell told the media that Hansen embodied the “spirit” of a lion. Now, if that wasn’t a clear suggestion that the Australian-born winger could be given a Test opportunity, I don’t know what is.
Although his performances in the warm-up matches were mixed, Hansen’s work-rate and commitment to the cause were beaten by none. When you consider James Lowe’s form, Duhan van der Merwe’s inability in defence, and Tommy Freeman’s lack of impact so far, Hansen can be aggrieved not to be given an opportunity in the Test matches.
Josh van der Flier
There was an argument for the young Henry Pollock to have made this list, considering the reputation and expectation that he brings; however, at just 20 years old, he still has plenty of opportunity to become a test Lion. His older teammate Josh van der Flier, however, is at the other end of his career.
The former World Player of the Year and Ireland stalwart is arguably the greatest player in the modern era never to have won a Lions cap.
The openside flanker has been kept out of the squad by a Farrell favourite, Tom Curry, who has been devastating in the big moments, as well as the only remaining Welsh individual, Jac Morgan, who was arguably the stand-up performer in the warm-up matches.
At 32 years old, it’s hard to imagine that he will be selected for New Zealand in four years, but even if he is, very few would predict his ability to keep up with the younger players.