WHEN ANDY FARRELL was confirmed as head coach of the Lions back in January, all the initial forecasts had his possible squad jam-packed with Irish players.
Those predictions only grew in force when his Ireland team went on to defend their Six Nations title, with a couple of newer faces like Jack Crowley and Joe McCarthy putting their hands up too.
And yet, if you asked Irish fans in the immediate aftermath of last weekend’s defeat to New Zealand how many of their players will tour Australia with the Lions next year, they might have been less bullish.
That’s not even taking into account the Irish fans who would prefer their key players not to go on the Lions tour at all. These tours are financial beasts that line the pockets of the IRFU and the other home unions, as well as the players involved, but they’re not every supporter’s cup of tea.
A new profit-share agreement between the Lions and the players means those involved in next year’s tour will pocket a record fee of up to €120,000 per player. Whatever about the honour of being chosen as a Lion, that financial incentive is huge so anyone eligible will be going all-out for a spot in Farrell’s squad.
As things stand, Irish players have a maximum of eight Tests left to showcase their qualities before Farrell announces his squad in April or May.
While club rugby also counts and the likes of Jack Willis, Blair Kinghorn, and Owen Farrell could be picked despite playing in France, there’s no doubt that excellent form on the international stage is the strongest currency.
At this stage, there are a few Irish players who look nailed-on for Lions roles barring injuries. New Irish skipper Caelan Doris is seen as a candidate for the Lions captaincy too and he’ll definitely be part of the squad for the trip to Australia.
Andrew Porter, Tadhg Furlong, and Dan Sheehan will almost certainly feature among the front row options for the Lions.
Farrell likes the dynamism that McCarthy brings in the second row so it’s hard to see him not going, while Tadhg Beirne’s longstanding world-class ability means he’ll be well in contention to tour again after being part of the 2021 group. James Ryan missed out on that trip to South Africa but has been in fine form in recent seasons.
Josh van der Flier was measured for Lions gear in both 2017 and 2021 but didn’t get a call-up for either, bouncing back from the latter disappointment by being named World Rugby player of the year in 2022. While Farrell has lots of potent options in the back row from the four nations, van der Flier has to be right in the mix.
Jamison Gibson-Park is the current frontrunner to be the Lions’ starting scrum-half, while the trio of Irish frontline centres Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, and Garry Ringrose will all be in strong contention.
Hugo Keenan has a good shot of being the starting fullback, while Farrell’s fondness for the roaming qualities of wing pair James Lowe and Mack Hansen makes them good bets to tour too.
Jack Conan, who is currently out injured, will turn 33 during the tour next year but it’s worth remembering how excellent he was in 2021, starting all three Tests for Warren Gatland’s side against the Springboks. Front rows Finlay Bealham and Rónan Kelleher also seem likely to be in consideration.
Furlong, Porter, Beirne, Iain Henderson, Conan, Conor Murray, Aki, and Henshaw were the Irishmen included in the squad last time around, although Porter was ruled out before they departed for South Africa. Kelleher trained with the Lions before they left and was then called up as injury cover during the tour.
At this point, it seems likely that Ireland will have a greater representation in the 2025 tour but much can change over the course of five or six months in rugby.
Bolters will emerge and form will be an important factor, as will the flexibility of a Lions squad that plays 10 games in the space of six weeks.
From the Irish camp, one man to watch is Jamie Osborne, who is on the bench again for tonight’s clash with Argentina. The 22-year-old was excellent at fullback for Ireland in their second-Test win against South Africa in June, has started this season superbly for Leinster, had a snappy cameo off the bench against the All Blacks, and can play at 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. He could rise all the way into the Lions squad.
If Ryan Baird can deliver more of the explosive form he showed last season with Leinster and Ireland, he should be in the mix. Now 25, it still feels like Baird has yet to truly hit the consistent heights his athleticism suggests are possible but he can do things other players simply can’t.
The Irish out-half battle promises to be intriguing for the rest of this season, with Farrell set to give 21-year-old Sam Prendergast his debut off the bench tonight. The Ireland boss is said to be a big fan of the Leinster man’s mentality and skillset.
Crowley is the man in possession of the number 10 shirt, having steered Ireland to their Six Nations title this year, so he’ll be determined to show that he’s still the top dog and book a place on the Lions tour. Ciarán Frawley had major momentum until last weekend and will now set about getting it back.
Farrell will be watching those out-halves and the rest of the Irish players from afar during the Six Nations as he steps away and Simon Easterby takes charge. Again, not all Irish fans are convinced that Farrell leaving temporarily is the best thing for their team.
It might still seem some way off and there are more pressing matters at hand tonight for Farrell and co, but the chances for players to convince the boss of their Lions credentials are ticking away.
Fewer and fewer of them if performances like last week don’t radically improve.
@Des Lamont: Give them a break they win more than they lose
@Shawn: that’s the attitude that keeps us where we are. 1/4 finalists