Predicting the British and Irish Lions team for opening Wallabies Test
Caelan Doris, Finn Russell and Jack Willis all feature in our predicted 23-man-squad
The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia is just one year away now, and excitement is already brewing ahead of the series.
Andy Farrell takes the reins from four-time boss Warren Gatland, as the Lions go in search of their first series victory since their previous tour of Australia in 2013.
But what could the team look like for that opening Test down under? There are plenty of in-form players across the four nations, but only 23 men can take to the pitch in Brisbane. Here is our best bet at the squad for Test one a year out.
Backs
15 Blair Kinghorn: Since joining Toulouse, Kinghorn has probably been one of the form players in world rugby. The Scotland full-back was at the heart of Les Rouge et Noir’s march to a domestic and European double this season, and has actually yet to lose a fixture since making the switch from Edinburgh. He is proving to be the whole package in the backfield, with a brilliant skillset on both sides of the ball and his goal-kicking is pretty decent too.
14 James Lowe: Since making his Ireland debut in 2020, Lowe has been one of the elite wingers in Test rugby. The Leinster man is an incredibly potent finisher and is always popping up in positions to allow him to get on the scoresheet. He also possesses a genuine cannon of a left boot, and his kicking game has allowed him to become a crucial part of the Irish system.
13 Garry Ringrose: Ireland’s Ringrose was incredibly unlucky to be omitted from the 2021 touring party, but we’ve included him in our team for the first Test. He’s not played a lot of rugby this season, but when fit he is easily one of Ireland’s most important players. He is an incredibly silky player in attack, but as he proved against the Springboks can front up in defence.
12 Sione Tuipulotu: Australian-native Tuipulotu could come back to haunt his home nation in 2025, as he lines up in our Lions team. The Scotland centre is a genuine crash-ball 12, and boasts an ability to consistently get his team over the gainline. He also packs a punch in defence to compete with any back-rower.
11 Duhan van der Merwe: From one adopted Scot to another – and the first member of the 2021 Lions squad to feature in our list – Van der Merwe slots onto the wing. The Edinburgh man is a real X-factor winger, and can create a try from nothing. He blends his size and power with a lovely skillset too, and this makes him a proper handful for opposition defences.
10 Finn Russell: The third Scottish player in a row now, as two-time tourist Russell takes the reins at fly-half. Russell plays a really exciting brand of attacking rugby, but since joining Bath has added a new-found calmness to his game which has only made his typical skillset even better. Before joining Bath, he could have been accused of ‘forcing’ things in attack in an attempt to get his style going, but now he lets the game flow around him whilst still having his usual divine touches.
9 Jamison Gibson-Park: The half-back has been the lynchpin of coach Farrell’s side for the past few years, and is almost guaranteed to start at scrum-half for the Lions next year. He is the complete package at nine. His distribution skills are up there with the best in the world, and he provides Ireland with consistent quick-ball to get them on the front-foot. He also has a nice box-kick and can be a threat around the edges of the ruck with a cheeky snipe too.
Back-row
8 Caelan Doris (c): Kicking things off in the pack – and leading our side into battle – is Ireland’s Doris. He was immense in both Tests against the Springboks, and showed he is more than capable of leading the Lions tour in 2025. He is a really industrious player in both defence and attack, and he showed he can keep a calm head during tough times to inspire his side to victory.
7 Jack Willis: Whilst he might not be eligible to play for England, Willis comes straight into our Lions Test team after his monumental efforts for Toulouse in their double. He has always been a workhorse in defence and a menace at the breakdown, but he has somehow taken these aspects of his game to new heights and become an even more dominant force in this area. Willis has also added ball-carrying to his arsenal to become the all-round package in the back-row.
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6 Courtney Lawes: Brive-bound Lawes is just getting better and better with age isn’t he? He stepped away from international duty following the World Cup, but has previously said he wouldn’t turn down a call-up for the Lions tour. He added breakdown skills to his already overflowing box of tricks, which proved so pivotal to Northampton’s run to the Premiership title. Lawes has also captained both Northampton and England to great success in his career, and he would be a key part of the senior leadership group with the Lions.
Tight five
5 James Ryan: His great performance against the Springboks has thrust him into our starting XV for the opening Test. Ryan is such a consistent player, and is a true workhorse around the park. He also missed out on selection for the 2021 series, so has the chance to lay down a marker this time around.
4 Maro Itoje: It looks like Itoje is heading for his third Lions tour, as he joins Ryan in the second-row. The Saracens lock is discovering his best form in an England shirt, and was a standout player during the New Zealand series. He gets involved in most facets of the game to good effect, but is currently one of the best lineout operators in the game and this is certainly a tick in his box.
3 Zander Fagerson: Powerful Scottish prop Fagerson missed out on Test selection in 2021, but he starts in our side to face the Wallabies. The Glasgow Warriors tighthead is a really solid scrummager, and will provide a decent platform for his front-row colleagues to then attack from. He also throws himself into the ugly stuff, and is a decent operator in the tight.
2 Dan Sheehan: The Ireland star is the blueprint for the modern hooker, and should occupy the number two jersey next summer. His explosiveness and genuine speed allow him to act almost as an extra winger at times, but he causes havoc in the wide channels for both club and country. Whilst this is his main point of difference, Sheehan is also very strong in the contact area which allows him to operate in the tight spaces too.
1 Andrew Porter: Rounding off our starting team is Porter. The Ireland loosehead is a really attacking scrummager, and with Fagerson alongside him, he will be fully able to go for the jugular in this area. He also makes plenty of work for himself around the pitch, and this season has established himself as one of Ireland’s defensive enforcers.
Replacements
16 Dewi Lake: The Wales skipper has been a standout for his side this summer and will add plenty of impact from the bench.
17 Ellis Genge: The England loosehead missed the tour to New Zealand and Japan through injury, but he is such a dynamic player around the park and will cause havoc later on in the game.
18 Tadhg Furlong: He may feel hard done by to be on the bench, but his silky hands and work in the carry should have a nice effect in the latter stages.
19 George Martin: His defensive prowess and sheer physicality will work beautifully in tandem with Ryan’s own abrasive style when called upon.
20 Ben Earl: The Saracens star is such an impressive ball-carrier, and unleashing him when the game opens up could bring the best out of him.
21 Alex Mitchell: He will compliment the work of Gibson-Park nicely, as the pair play a fairly similar game.
22 Owen Farrell: A tough call to not select Marcus Smith fully, given his exploits in New Zealand, but Farrell is a top-quality fly-half and could be just the player to control the end of the game.
23 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso: Another tough call not to include him in the starting XV, but Feyi-Waboso is in red-hot form right now and fully warrants a spot in the 23.
