Sir Clive Woodward makes surprise Lions call with bold Finn Russell inclusion for 2025 tour

04/20/2025 02:30 PM

Sir Clive Woodward has revealed his preferred British & Irish Lions match day squad to take on the Wallabies in the opening Test of the 2025 series – and it's a squad heavily dominated by Irish and Scottish stars.

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The 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning coach, who oversaw the Lions’ ill-fated 2005 tour of New Zealand, believes Andy Farrell should select eight Irish players in his starting lineup, alongside four Scots and just three Englishmen. Meanwhile, Wales' only representatives are confined to the bench.

Surprise selections in Woodward's pack

One of the more eye-catching aspects of Woodward's selection is his preference for players who missed the Autumn Nations Series entirely. Ireland's Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong were sidelined through injury, while Jack Willis was unavailable due to England's selection policy for overseas-based players.

Despite these absences, Woodward is convinced they should start in Brisbane on 17 July, joining an Irish-dominated pack that also includes Andrew Porter, Joe McCarthy, Josh van der Flier and his chosen Lions captain, Caelan Doris.

Scotland's backline dominance

While Ireland dominates the pack, Woodward has turned to Gregor Townsend's Scotland for the majority of his backline selections. Blair Kinghorn, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe and Finn Russell all make his starting XV, with only two Irish backs—Garry Ringrose and Jamison Gibson-Park—earning spots.

England's sole backline representative is Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who has made an instant impact at Test level.

Wales players only make the bench

Despite boasting some standout performers in recent years, no Welsh players made Woodward's starting XV. Instead, Dewi Lake, Jac Morgan and Tomos Williams are named among the replacements, alongside two English, two Irish, and one Scottish player.

Clive Woodward's British & Irish Lions XV

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).

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5 Big-Name Stars Set to Miss Out on the Lions Squad – Including Finn Russell!

With the 2025 British & Irish Lions squad announcement just around the corner, the rumour mill is already in overdrive. Andy Farrell's selection promises to be one of the boldest in recent history—and not everyone is safe.

While some players have all but booked their tickets to Australia, others are sweating bullets. Whether it's poor form, fierce competition, or a coach with long memories, a few major names could be on the chopping block.

Here are five shock omissions we think are on the cards—and why their Lions dreams might be dead before the squad is even named…

1. Russell’s Rollercoaster Could Crash Early

Finn Russell (Scotland)

Moments of magic? Always. But consistency? Not so much. Russell's 2025 Six Nations was a mixed bag at best. A missed conversion against England and a disastrous showing versus France have left serious questions about his big-game temperament.

Add in the appointment of Johnny Sexton as Lions assistant coach, and things start looking bleak. In his autobiography, Sexton slammed Russell's 2021 selection as a media-driven hype job—and he hasn't softened since.

"If you want someone reliable in the trenches, you go with Owen Farrell," Sexton recently told The Times, taking a not-so-subtle dig at Russell's "flashy" style. He even spared Marcus Smith, calling him a "generational talent." Finn? Not so lucky.

2. Ringrose Running Out of Time

Garry Ringrose (Ireland)

Not long ago, Ringrose looked like a nailed-on Lion. But a rocky Six Nations campaign could have sunk his chances. He was solid in Ireland's first couple of games, then saw red against Wales and missed the crunch clash with France. His return against Italy? Ropey.

He's still a classy operator on his day, but with Farrell spoiled for choice in the midfield, Ringrose may find himself edged out by younger, more in-form options.

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