Predicted Lions First Test Team (Based On The Latest Odds)

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The 2025 Six Nations Championship gets underway in less than a week and whilst there is inevitably plenty of excitement surrounding this year's tournament, players and fans of all four home nations will be forgiven for looking beyond the Six Nations. More than half an eye will be on this summer's British & Irish Lions tour of Australia and the Six Nations offers Lions hopefuls a final opportunity to book their spot on the plane heading down under.

Whilst the next six or seven weeks will inevitably see a couple of dark horses stake a claim for a place in Andy Farrell's squad, many spots are already more or less locked in. Using the latest odds from betting news and tips site betting.bet, we have put together the team of fifteen expected to start the first Test on July 19th.

Backs

Hugo Keenan has emerged as one of the best full-backs in world rugby and looks to have nailed down the number 15 shirt for the British & Irish Lions. Keenan could team up in the Lions backline by a couple of Leinster and Ireland teammates with James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park tipped to be named at wing and scrum half respectively. At odds of 1/7 to start at scrum half in the first Lions Test, Gibson-Park's odds are the shortest of any would-be Lions starter.

The Irish contingent could be joined in the backs by a quartet of Scotland internationals including the nation's all-time record try scorer, Duhan van der Merwe and Glasgow Warriors trio Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu and Finn Russell. Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu will miss the Six Nations through injury but should have enough credit in the bank to get hold of the Lions' number 12 shirt in his native Australia this summer. His partnership with clubmate Huw Jones could see Jones get the nod at 13 but Ireland's players' player of the year from last year, Bundee Aki would count himself unfortunate to miss out on a starting berth this summer.

Forwards

We could see an all-Leinster front row line up in Brisbane on July 19th with Ireland's Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong tipped to start the first Test. Dan Sheehan is arguably the best hooker in the northern hemisphere whilst Tadhg Furlong provides considerable Lions experience having started their last six Tests across tours of New Zealand and South Africa.

Maro Itoje will fly the flag for England down under this summer as possibly their only Lions Test starter. Itoje has been confirmed as England's new captain ahead of the Six Nations and the Saracens lock has been tipped by many to also captain the Lions this year. Maro Itoje is the 2/7 favourite to start the first Test. Joe McCarthy enjoyed a breakthrough year for Ireland in 2024 but the 23-year-old may miss out on a place in a Lions team bursting with talent in the second row. McCarthy's Ireland teammate James Ryan could get the nod alongside Maro Itoje.

If the latest odds are to be believed we could see seven of the eight positions in the Lions scrum occupied by Ireland internationals. Tadhg Beirne was named at lock in the 2024 World Rugby Dream Team of the Year but is equally capable at blindside flanker. We're expecting Beirne to slot into a strong looking back row against Australia alongside compatriots Josh Van der Flier and Caelan Doris. Josh Van der Flier was named World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year in 2022 whilst Ireland captain Caelan Doris was the only player from the northern hemisphere nominated for the award in 2024.

British & Irish Lions XV Odds

(Courtesy of William Hill)

15. Hugo Keenan (2/7)

14. Duhan van der Merwe (1/3)

13. Huw Jones (5/6)

12. Sione Tuipulotu (8/13)

11. James Lowe (4/7)

10. Finn Russell (2/7)

9. Jamison Gibson-Park (1/7)

1. Andrew Porter (1/2)

2. Dan Sheehan (3/10)

3. Tadhg Furlong (8/13)

4. Maro Itoje (2/7)

5. James Ryan (8/13)

6. Tadhg Beirne (5/4)

7. Josh Van der Flier (1/4)

8. Caelan Doris (4/11)

British & Irish Lions Tour Schedule

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