Farrell: 75 players still in Lions contention
03/26/2025 11:29 AM
Coach Andy Farrell says “a hell of a lot of good players” won’t make the British & Irish Lions squad for their tour of Australia in July and August.
Farrell, seconded from his role as Ireland coach, was speaking after naming his five assistant coaches for a trip that features three Tests against the Wallabies.
Ireland’s recent interim head coach Simon Easterby, who deputised for Farrell during this season’s Six Nations, joins him from the Irish set-up along with scrum specialist John Fogarty and backs coach Andrew Goodman.
England deputy Richard Wigglesworth and Scotland forwards coach John Dalziel complete Farrell’s line-up.
Farrell and his team are now looking to finalise a squad of around 37 players before an announcement on 8 May.
“We [Farrell and his assistants] came up with about 75 names or something like that,” he said. “Every single one of them deserves to be on that list.
“There’s going to be a hell of a lot of good players that don’t make the plane, and that’s exactly where we wanted to be. We want this to be as competitive as we possibly can.”
The Lions traditionally tour either Australia, New Zealand and South Africa once every four years.
There had been fears Australia, eliminated at the pool stage of the 2023 World Cup would struggle to provide tough opposition, but they have improved under Joe Schmidt.
“This was always going to be the best of the best,” said Farrell. “The Australians are always going to be tip-top shape by the time the Lions come round.
“This competition, this tour, is going to be as competitive and as exciting as any of the previous ones.”
The Lions have not won a Test series since 2013 in Australia and Farrell said his side would be looking to “right those wrongs”.
The Lions face Argentina in Dublin on 20 June before flying to Australia.
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Lions 2025 schedule:
Saturday 28 June: vs Western Force, Optus Stadium, Perth
Wednesday 2 July: vs Queensland Reds, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Saturday 5 July: vs New South Wales Waratahs, Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Wednesday 9 July: vs ACT Brumbies, GIO Stadium, Canberra
Saturday 12 July: vs Invitational Australian and New Zealand XV, Adelaide Oval
Saturday 19 July: vs Wallabies, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Tuesday 22 July: vs Melbourne Rebels, Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
Saturday 26 July: vs Wallabies, Melbourne Cricket Ground
Saturday 2 August: vs Wallabies, Stadium Australia, Sydney
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