Head coach Andy Farrell announced his selection
The squad for the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia has been announced—and from a Welsh point of view, it’s a quiet showing. Just two Welsh players have made the cut: scrum-half Tomos Williams and flanker Jac Morgan.
While there’s pride in seeing any red jersey represented, it’s hard to ignore how heavily the squad leans towards Ireland and England. Ireland alone contribute 12 players, including regulars like Bundee Aki, Hugo Keenan, and captaincy contenders Tadhg Furlong and James Ryan. England have 13.
Tomos Williams’ selection is well-earned. Now playing for Gloucester, the 29-year-old has been one of the few consistent bright spots for Wales over the past two years. Sharp around the fringes, quick-thinking, and increasingly solid in game management, he brings creativity and composure to a competitive scrum-half group. He’ll compete with Jamison Gibson-Park and Alex Mitchell for the starting jersey.
Jac Morgan’s inclusion comes as no surprise. The Ospreys back row has become a key figure for Wales since taking on captaincy duties, and his relentless work rate, breakdown presence and leadership stand out even in tough games. On this tour, he’ll be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Tom Curry, Ben Earl and Jack Conan. Few would bet against him earning a Test start if he maintains form.
The British and Irish Lions have unveiled their shirt for next year’s tour of Australia, revealing they will wear a darker shade of red.
The shirt also features a pattern woven into the fabric, symbolising the union of four nations, and an old-fashioned ‘grandad’ collar. This years Jersey comes with an NFC Tag on the side of the jersey, giving access to exclusive content in the Lions Clubhouse app once scanned.
Squad Breakdown by Country
15 – Ireland
13 – England
8 – Scotland
2 – Wales
What It Says About Welsh Rugby Right Now
Despite a tough couple of years for Welsh rugby, it’s still good to see two of the team make it into the Lions squad. The limited representation reflects the current challenges facing the national side, but the inclusion of Tomos Williams and Jac Morgan shows there’s still talent in the ranks. And if there’s one thing Welsh players have always done well on Lions tours, it’s rise to the occasion.
Full Squad
Forwards
Bundee Aki (Ireland/Connacht) Elliot Daly (England/Saracens) Tommy Freeman (England/Northampton) Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland/Leinster) Mack Hansen (Ireland/Connacht) Huw Jones (Scotland/Glasgow) Hugo Keenan (Ireland/Leinster) Blair Kinghorn (Scotland/Toulouse) James Lowe (Ireland/Leinster) Alex Mitchell (England/Northampton) Garry Ringrose (Ireland/Leinster) Finn Russell (Scotland/Bath) Fin Smith (England/Northampton) Marcus Smith (England/Harlequins) Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland/Glasgow) Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland/Edinburgh) Tomos Williams (Wales/Gloucester)
Backs
Tadhg Beirne (Ireland/Munster) Ollie Chessum (England/Leicester) Jack Conan (Ireland/Leinster) Luke Cowan-Dickie (England/Sale) Scott Cummings (Scotland/Glasgow) Tom Curry (England/Sale) Ben Earl (England/Saracens) Zander Fagerson (Scotland/Glasgow) Tadhg Furlong (Ireland/Leinster) Ellis Genge (England/Bristol) Maro Itoje (England/Saracens, captain) Rónan Kelleher (Ireland/Leinster) Joe McCarthy (Ireland/Leinster) Jac Morgan (Wales/Ospreys) Henry Pollock (England/Northampton) Andrew Porter (Ireland/Leinster) James Ryan (Ireland/Leinster) Pierre Schoeman (Scotland/Edinburgh) Dan Sheehan (Ireland/Leinster) Will Stuart (England/Bath)
