{"id":48744,"date":"2025-05-08T15:24:36","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T15:24:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/?p=48744"},"modified":"2025-05-08T15:24:36","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T15:24:36","slug":"maro-itoje-named-british-and-irish-lions-captain-as-andy-farrells-full-squad-revealed-for-australia-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/news\/maro-itoje-named-british-and-irish-lions-captain-as-andy-farrells-full-squad-revealed-for-australia-tour\/","title":{"rendered":"Maro Itoje Named British And Irish Lions Captain As Andy Farrell&#8217;s Full Squad Revealed For Australia Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>England skipper Maro Itoje has been named British and Irish Lions captain ahead of this summer&#8217;s tour to Australia, with the full 38-man squad announced.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A packed-out O2 Arena in London witnessed the live squad announcement as the 38 players selected for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/tag\/british-irish-lions\/\"><strong>British and Irish Lions<\/strong><\/a> tour were revealed.<\/p>\n<p>Itoje was one of two players hotly tipped to be named captain, alongside Ireland&#8217;s Caelan Doris.<\/p>\n<p>But a shoulder injury for Doris in last weekend&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/news\/champions-cup-rugby-semi-finals-how-to-watch\/\"><strong>Champions Cup semi-final<\/strong><\/a> now means he will miss the tour.<\/p>\n<p>Elsewhere, there was a call-up for young Northampton and England wonder-kid Henry Pollock.<\/p>\n<p>The 20-year-old exploded onto the international scene with two tries on debut against Wales in March, having played only one Premiership game before this season.<\/p>\n<p>There is no room on the plane to Australia for former England captain <strong>Owen Farrell<\/strong>, son of Lions head coach Andy.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_34896\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34896\" style=\"width: 560px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-34896\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/02\/Owen-Farrell-Racing-92-v-Perpignan-2024-1024x576-1-560x315.jpg\" alt=\"Highest Paid Rugby Players\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/02\/Owen-Farrell-Racing-92-v-Perpignan-2024-1024x576-1-560x315.jpg 560w, https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/02\/Owen-Farrell-Racing-92-v-Perpignan-2024-1024x576-1-924x520.jpg 924w, https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/02\/Owen-Farrell-Racing-92-v-Perpignan-2024-1024x576-1-350x197.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/02\/Owen-Farrell-Racing-92-v-Perpignan-2024-1024x576-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/02\/Owen-Farrell-Racing-92-v-Perpignan-2024-1024x576-1.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 560px) 100vw, 560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-34896\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Racing 92 fly-half Owen Farrell misses out on Lions selection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Irish fly-half Sam Prendergast also misses out, with English duo Fin Smith and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/news\/england-squad-vs-italy-six-nations-2025-marcus-smith-dropped\/\"><strong>Marcus Smith<\/strong><\/a> joining Scottish playmaker Finn Russell as the three options at ten.<\/p>\n<p>Wales captain Jac Morgan and scrum-half Tomos Williams are the only Welsh players in the squad.<\/p>\n<p>A woeful Six Nations campaign saw them lose all five games, severely harming Welsh representation.<\/p>\n<p>Toulouse fullback Blair Kinghorn is the only France-based player selected, with no Farrell or Jack Willis.<\/p>\n<p>Dan Sheehan, Ronan Kelleher and Luke Cowan-Dickie are the hookers. England&#8217;s Jamie George and Wales&#8217; Dewi Lake miss out.<\/p>\n<p>Leinster are the best-represented club side, with 12 players in the squad.<\/p>\n<h2>Maro Itoje First English Lions Captain Since 2001<\/h2>\n<p>Now leading the Lions after touring in 2017 and 2021, Maro Itoje will become the first Englishman to captain the side since Martin Johnson in 2001.<\/p>\n<p>Itoje took over the England captaincy ahead of this year&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/tag\/six-nations\/\"><strong>Six Nations<\/strong><\/a>, leading them to a second-place finish behind champions France.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The first few words from our captain, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/maroitoje?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@maroitoje<\/a> \ud83e\udee1<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Lions2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Lions2025<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WeGoBeyond?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#WeGoBeyond<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/FvsjtVJkQO\">pic.twitter.com\/FvsjtVJkQO<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; British &amp; Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/lionsofficial\/status\/1920477741658308738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 8, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Ireland captain Doris is undergoing shoulder surgery this week, ruling him out for the tour and leaving Itoje as the obvious choice for captaincy.<\/p>\n<p>He was revealed in front of a live audience on Thursday afternoon, ahead of the full squad announcement.<\/p>\n<p>Itoje said: &#8220;It feels amazing, I&#8217;m deeply honoured, humbled. I don&#8217;t really have the words.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a great honour and I&#8217;ll do my best to do the role justice.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>Only Two Welsh Players In 2025 Lions Squad<\/h2>\n<p>At one stage, it was feared that not a single Welshman would be boarding the flight to Australia next month.<\/p>\n<p>But despite a dreadful Six Nations performance and record-breaking home defeat to England in their last outing, Wales do have a couple of representatives in the Lions squad.<\/p>\n<p>Skipper <strong>Jac Morgan<\/strong> was outstanding for his country despite being on the losing side.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_48750\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-48750\" style=\"width: 560px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-48750\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/05\/jac-morgan-560x315.jpg\" alt=\"Jac Morgan Wales Rugby\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/05\/jac-morgan-560x315.jpg 560w, https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/05\/jac-morgan-924x520.jpg 924w, https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/05\/jac-morgan-350x197.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/05\/jac-morgan-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/05\/jac-morgan-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/05\/jac-morgan.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 560px) 100vw, 560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-48750\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wales captain Jac Morgan is one of just two Welshmen selected for the Lions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>He is joined by scrum-half Tomos Williams, who has been excellent for Gloucester in the <strong>English Premiership<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Williams, 30, was at home when he received news of his call-up, and admitted he &#8220;shed a tear&#8221; upon finding out.<\/p>\n<h2>Henry Pollock Rugby Hype Train Keeps Rolling<\/h2>\n<p>A selection that&#8217;s got many fans excited is the inclusion of 20-year-old Northampton Saints and England back rower <strong>Henry Pollock<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The former England U20 captain has been lighting up the Premiership all season, and won his first senior international cap in the Six Nations.<\/p>\n<p>Some questioned wether he was ready to step up to the level of the Lions, suggesting the next tour in four years time might be better for him.<\/p>\n<p>But those doubters were silenced at the weekend, as his Northampton side beat heavy favourites Leinster 37-34 in Dublin to book their place in the European Champions Cup final.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83c\udfc9 Henry Pollock with an emphatic try \ud83d\udd25<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ngrBGpesPs\">pic.twitter.com\/ngrBGpesPs<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Ultimate Rugby (@ultimaterugby) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ultimaterugby\/status\/1918721340015513665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 3, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Pollock was a key figure, scoring a brilliant individual try, and made 18 tackles &#8211; the most of any player.<\/p>\n<p>The youngster was superb in helping\u00a0his side to victory against a team containing almost the entire Ireland starting XV, as well as world class stars such as South Africa&#8217;s RG Snyman and New Zealand&#8217;s Jordie Barrett.<\/p>\n<p>Pollock will be the youngest player on tour. He will therefore be entrusted with Lions mascot &#8216;BIL&#8217;, a large cuddly Lion.<\/p>\n<p>This year&#8217;s captain Maro Itoje also had the honour of looking after BIL back in 2017.<\/p>\n<h2>British And Irish Lions Squad 2025<\/h2>\n<h3>Backs<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby\/Ireland)<\/li>\n<li>Elliot Daly (Saracens\/England)<\/li>\n<li>Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints\/England)<\/li>\n<li>Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby\/Ireland)<\/li>\n<li>Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby\/Ireland)<\/li>\n<li>Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors\/Scotland)<\/li>\n<li>Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby\/Ireland)<\/li>\n<li>Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse\/Scotland)<\/li>\n<li>James Lowe (Leinster Rugby\/Ireland)<\/li>\n<li>Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints\/England)<\/li>\n<li>Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby\/Ireland)<\/li>\n<li>Finn Russell (Bath Rugby\/Scotland)<\/li>\n<li>Fin Smith (Northampton Saints\/England)<\/li>\n<li>Marcus Smith (Harlequins\/ England)<\/li>\n<li>Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors\/Scotland)<\/li>\n<li>Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby\/Scotland)<\/li>\n<li>Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby\/Wales)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Forwards<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby\/Ireland)<\/li>\n<li>Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers\/England)<\/li>\n<li>Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby\/Ireland)<\/li>\n<li>Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks\/England)<\/li>\n<li>Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors\/ Scotland)<\/li>\n<li>Tom Curry (Sale Sharks\/England)<\/li>\n<li>Ben Earl (Saracens\/England)<\/li>\n<li>Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors\/Scotland)<\/li>\n<li>Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby\/Ireland)<\/li>\n<li>Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears\/England)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Maro Itoje (Saracens\/England) (Capt)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby\/Ireland)<\/li>\n<li>Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby\/Ireland)<\/li>\n<li>Jac Morgan (Ospreys\/Wales)<\/li>\n<li>Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints\/England)<\/li>\n<li>Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby\/Ireland)<\/li>\n<li>James Ryan (Leinster Rugby\/Ireland)<\/li>\n<li>Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby\/Scotland)<\/li>\n<li>Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby\/Ireland)<\/li>\n<li>Will Stuart (Bath Rugby\/England)<\/li>\n<li>Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby\/Ireland)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The 2025 Lions and their clubs \ud83d\udd34\ud83e\udd81<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Lions2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Lions2025<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WeGoBeyond?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#WeGoBeyond<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6w50tw9oA5\">pic.twitter.com\/6w50tw9oA5<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; British &amp; Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/lionsofficial\/status\/1920481300152000651?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 8, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2>British And Irish Lions Fixtures 2025<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Friday, 20 June \u2013 Lions v Argentina, Dublin (Aviva Stadium)<\/li>\n<li>Saturday, 28 June \u2013 Lions v Western Force, Perth (Optus Stadium)<\/li>\n<li>Wednesday, 2 July \u2013 Lions v Queensland Reds, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)<\/li>\n<li>Saturday, 5 July \u2013 Lions v NSW Waratahs, Sydney (Allianz Stadium)<\/li>\n<li>Wednesday, 9 July \u2013 Lions v ACT Brumbies, Canberra (GIO Stadium)<\/li>\n<li>Saturday, 12 July \u2013 Lions v Invitational AU &amp; NZ, Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Saturday, 19 July \u2013 Lions v Australia, First Test, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Tuesday, 22 July \u2013 Lions v Melbourne Rebels, Melbourne (Marvel Stadium)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Saturday, 26 July \u2013 Lions v Australia, Second Test, Melbourne (Melbourne Cricket Ground\/MCG)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Saturday, 2 August \u2013 Lions v Australia, Third Test, Sydney (Accor Stadium)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>England skipper Maro Itoje has been named British and Irish Lions captain ahead of this summer&#8217;s tour to Australia, with the full 38-man squad announced. A packed-out O2 Arena in London witnessed the live squad announcement as the 38 players selected for the British and Irish Lions tour were revealed. Itoje was one of two [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":369,"featured_media":48745,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[661],"tags":[895,677,1296,1295,662],"class_list":["post-48744","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rugby-union","tag-british-irish-lions","tag-henry-pollock","tag-jac-morgan","tag-maro-itoje","tag-rugby-union"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Maro Itoje Lions Captain As Full 2025 Squad Revealed<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"England skipper Maro Itoje is the British &amp; Irish Lions captain ahead of this summer&#039;s tour to Australia, with the full squad announced.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48744\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Maro Itoje Lions Captain As Full 2025 Squad Revealed\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"England skipper Maro Itoje is the British &amp; 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