David Campese: Five takeaways from British & Irish Lions squad as Henry Pollock set for ‘superstar’ status and the one selection I can’t work out
David Campese on today's British & Irish Lions squad announcement.
Following the 2025 British & Irish Lions squad announcement in London, here’s Wallabies legend David Campese’s five takeaways from the selection.
Form and experience rewarded
Firstly, as an overarching thought, I’m delighted that Andy Farrell has picked a British and Irish Lions team that look brilliantly equipped and committed to playing attacking, high pace rugby.
I think that the squad he’s picked an incredibly fair and pragmatic 38; for sure, there’s always one or two debates to be had, but by and large, the men he’s picked are pretty much amongst the best in their positions in the Home Unions.
A word for Maro Itoje; for some nine years this guy has delivered consistency that’s nearly unheard of at Test level. People say ‘he’s quiet’ then you look at the stats and his numbers are ridiculous. England are so confident in his lineout work they only play two primary jumpers, yet last season had the best lineout in Six Nations – that’s how good Maro is. A world class player who is the first name on the sheet.
The theme across the squad is one of speed and mobility. That’s the way to play in Australia, and it’s also the way to get bums on seats in a highly competitive space Down Under, where League and Aussie Rules tend to dominate. The team is predictably based around Ireland and England and rightly so, but given the number of Irish players selected, Farrell must be pleased there’s no quarter final stage scheduled in the Lions series!
It’s key that the Lions entertain here; that’s what the Aussie public expect, and I’m really pleased Andy’s selected a team that has the star quality to do exactly that.
Players that excite me
We have to start with this young lad Henry Pollock. Wow! What a talent, what a character. He’s there for sheer X-factor, something he’s brought to every match and every team he’s played in. His performance against Leinster on Saturday was the stuff of dreams and as a bench replacement, I’m pretty sure he could play anywhere in the back-row or three quarters, such is his gas. This kid is box office, make no mistake, and he’ll become a superstar by the end of the tour.
The three 10s are all magnificent entertainers too. I think there’s a perfect balance between solidity and impudence in all three, with the Fin(n)s the likely Test starters and Marcus Smith offering explosion off the bench. With the trio of half-backs the Lions have picked, every single one are crackerjack, and whoever is the Test 10 will get an armchair ride.
In the backline, one selection that really surprised me was Mack Hansen, pretty much regarded as a plodding journeyman over here, and a man with an average strike rate at Test level, has been selected over Darcy Graham. I can’t work that out, and despite what I’ve said about a side with speed, I do think that the wings are one real gas flyer short of where I’d like to see them.
Notwithstanding that, Freeman and one of Duhan van der Merwe or James Lowe on the wings will cause havoc, especially if, as I suspect, we see the brilliance of Toulouse’s Blair Kinghorn at 15.
Forward riches
It’s interesting that Andy has gone with only three out-and-out specialist locks, with Chessum, Itoje and Beirne all highly capable of playing in the back-row at Test level, something they’ve all done regularly, again hinting at mobility at the core of the Lions plans. I am perhaps surprised that Joe McCarthy made the cut given he’s prone to indiscipline, but with George Martin out the Lions needed that big enforcing unit.
In the back-row, the biggest call was the omission of Jack Willis and I suspect that this may have changed over the weekend when Jack struggled against UBB and Pollock produced a match-winning performance. I may have gone towards Taulupe Faletau for balance over Jack Conan or Jac Morgan but he’s only just back from injury. However, the pace in that back-row with Van der Flier, Morgan, Earl and Pollock leading those sprints is simply remarkable, although it’ll be interesting to see if there’s enough height to win tail lineout ball and where that height comes from. That’s why I’d have erred towards Taulupe, already a Lions legend and someone who, at his best, is absolutely world class. I suspect the Test back-row will see Tadhg Beirne at six with Earl and Curry at eight and seven, but we will see.
Maro Itoje named British and Irish Lions captain ending 24-year drought
Up front, I believe you’ll see units used. Now, Test rugby is very much a 23-man game and the starting front-row is as important as the finishing front-row. For my money, I’d start with the Irish lads as a known unit and finish with the English lads. Makes perfect sense and you don’t have to split up guys who know each other.
Marginal calls
I’ve mentioned a few marginal calls above, but it’s interesting that only one French-based player has been selected, despite the claims of Ribbans, Willis, Owen Farrell, Lawes, Tuilagi and others. I think this is the right call – Test teams need time together and with the Top 14 final scheduled for 26th June, it’s impossible to fast track – and that goes more for forwards than backs. I sense Kinghorn is less of a gamble as the Test side will feature a lot of Scots in the backline, and he knows their systems well, so for Farrell, that’s low risk.
With regards to Owen Farrell, Andy has made the right call. There’s no pressure now on himself, nor is there on Owen who can’t buy a run of form at the moment. Should a 10 or 12 go down, then he’s a banker to come in, but on form and fitness, not to mention squad and personal pressure, Andy has got this one spot on.
I have mentioned Faletau and Graham above, but I also think Tom Willis, a proper old school eight is hugely unlucky to miss out – I’d have taken one of them over Conan but Farrell knows the Leinster eight well. Whichever way you cut it, that shirt was Caelan Doris’s to fill, and it’s awful for the Irish skipper that history has repeated itself in terms of his Lions misfortune. He will be greatly missed.
Jac Morgan is in, but this is a guy who has only won one Tier One Test in his career and won nothing at domestic level. For sure, he’s hugely talented, and I hope that this tour gives him a platform to demonstrate how good he is, as currently he’s going through Parisse syndrome – a standout player in a dismal side.
Final thoughts
One of the things that’s not been discussed is the likely back-ups to the chosen 38. I would have been minded to get Fraser Dingwall in there in the initial selection. He’s a glue player alongside Fin Smith and Alex Mitchell and I feel he’s been hugely unlucky not to get in – but I wouldn’t have picked him over and above any of the centres Farrell has taken. I do think, however, Dingwall will get on the tour at some point as injuries have a nasty habit of changing Lions. Others that I think will be on standby include the marginal calls I’ve mentioned, together with perhaps Scots Grant Gilchrist, Jamie Ritchie and Rory Darge, all desperately unlucky to miss out. From England, I suspect Ben Spencer, someone unloved by England but outstanding for Bath, Sam Underhill and Immanuel Feyi -aboso will all have Farrell’s number, whilst from Ireland, Jimmy O’Brien and Robbie Henshaw would never let the Lions down if needed.
Despite the number of Irishmen selected, I believe the Test backline will be heavily influenced by Scotland, with the forwards rightly coming from England and Ireland.
It’ll be a wonderful series and I’ll be commented on it throughout on Planet Rugby – see you there!
David Campese‘s Lions Test 23
British & Irish Lions: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Jamison Gibson Park, 8 Ben Earl, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Tom Curry, 5 Tadhg Beirne, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ollie Chessum, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Henry Pollock, 21 Tomos Williams, 23 Marcus Smith
