Sir Clive Woodard picks his Lions XV – Marcus Smith snubbed
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Legendary England coach Sir Clive Woodward, the genius behind England’s historic 2003 Rugby World Cup victory, has revealed his selection for the ultimate British & Irish Lions XV.
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To the surprise of some, Woodward has placed an Irish star in charge of leading the squad against the Wallabies.
Woodward's captain choice for the Lions? Ireland's powerhouse No.8, Caelan Doris. Explaining his decision, Woodward noted in his Mail Online column:
“The 2025 Six Nations will be the acid test for Lions selection. However, based on the Autumn Nations Series I would opt for Irish No.8 Caelan Doris as my Lions captain.
`’He would form part of a strong Irish contingent in my team. I would urge Farrell to double down on this and not be tempted to select a captain from another nation just for a sense of appeasement.”
A tough state for English rugby
Woodward also didn't hold back when discussing the current state of the game in England:
“The brutal reality is that in the last four weeks, only a handful of England players have put their names up to be Lions starters. It sums up the state of English rugby both on and off the pitch. I don't think there have been many players across the home nations who have really made themselves Lions certainties, which is a worry.”
Scotland to step up?
While English players may struggle, Woodward sees a bright future for Scotland in the Lions mix:
“In previous tours, Scotland have had underwhelming representation. But I'm sure that will change in Australia next year. Their captain Sione Tuipulotu is by far the best inside centre available. I thought his midfield combination with Huw Jones went really well. Gregor Townsend and Steve Tandy were on the last Lions tour of South Africa as assistant coaches, and I think they should certainly be in the frame again. To me, Scotland look a very good team. They brushed Australia aside, and don't forget, the Wallabies beat England and hammered Wales.”
Rugby's intellectual property challenge
Woodward also addressed a unique challenge of Lions tours, one that has long been debated:
“It is close to impossible, in my opinion, to escape the feeling you are giving away some of your rugby intellectual property by passing on your knowledge to coaches and players from other teams.”
Sir Clive Woodward’s Lions team to face Australia
15 – Blair Kinghorn (Scotland)
14 – Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (England)
13 – Garry Ringrose (Ireland)
12 – Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland)
11 – Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland)
10 – Finn Russell (Scotland)
9 – Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland)
1 – Andrew Porter (Ireland)
2 – Dan Sheehan (Ireland)
3 – Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)
4 – Maro Itoje (England)
5 – Joe McCarthy (Ireland)
6 – Jack Willis (England)
7 – Josh van der Flier (Ireland)
8 – Caelan Doris (Ireland, captain)
Replacements: Dewi Lake (Wales), Ellis Genge (England), Zander Fagerson (Scotland), Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Jac Morgan (Wales), Tomos Williams (Wales), Marcus Smith (England), James Lowe (Ireland).
EDITORS PICKS:
- Leicester issue worrying update on England forward Ollie Chessum
- Andy Farrell confirms he will step down as Ireland head coach this weekend
- World Rugby confirms FOUR 'fan-focused' law changes for 2025 Six Nations
- Gloucester name their asking price for number 8 Zach Mercer
- BBC 'priced out' of Six Nations, will likely go behind paywall next year
Can you name the entire British & Irish Lions squad from their tour of New Zealand in 2005?
The British & Irish Lions’ tour of New Zealand in 2005 remains one of the most talked-about campaigns in rugby history.
Despite facing a formidable All Blacks side, the squad was packed with legendary talent representing England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
From unforgettable tries to moments of controversy, this tour had it all—and it's time to see just how much you remember!
Can you recall every player who pulled on the famous red jersey during that iconic tour? Dive into this quiz to test your Lions knowledge and relive a piece of rugby history!
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