Rising star Henry Pollock, just 20 years old, has been named in the British and Irish Lions squad for the upcoming tour of Australia, while veteran Owen Farrell, son of head coach Andy Farrell, is left out amid his return from injury.
Ireland captain Caelan Doris is ruled out due to a shoulder injury, and only two Welsh players—Tomos Williams and Jac Morgan—make the cut, a modern-era low. Maro Itoje will lead the 38-man squad, which includes eight Scots, 13 English, and 15 Irish players, with Leinster contributing a record 12 squad members. Notable omissions include George Ford, Robbie Henshaw, and Jamie George.
Lions squad to tour Australia
Backs:
- Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland)
- Elliot Daly (Saracens/England)
- Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England)
- Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
- Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby/Ireland)
- Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
- Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
- Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland)
- James Lowe (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
- Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England)
- Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
- Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland)
- Fin Smith (Northampton Saints/England)
- Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England)
- Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
- Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland)
- Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby/Wales)
Forwards:
- Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland)
- Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England)
- Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
- Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks/England)
- Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland)
- Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England)
- Ben Earl (Saracens/England)
- Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
- Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
- Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England)
- Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) (capt)
- Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
- Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
- Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales)
- Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England)
- Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
- James Ryan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
- Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland)
- Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
- Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England)
- Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
