AFTER THE LIONS seemed to run out of steam in their bid for a series clean sweep against the Wallabies, Andy Farrell was asked if he reckons too much is being asked of these players with the season running into August.
Farrell nodded to Tadhg Beirne beside him as he answered.
“I think you ask the player here,” said Farrell. “Some were saying he shouldn’t have played in the first Test, and then he gets player of the series.
“He seemed fresh enough to me. That’s what the shirt does for you.
“In regards to the minutes played, I suppose everyone is always looking at that kind of scenario. I’m sure World Rugby are going to be all over that.”
The next question to Farrell was about whether he, as Ireland’s head coach, will be making sure that the Irish players who were involved in this tour will be getting plenty of rest in the months ahead.
“We look after our boys pretty well,” said Farrell, “and rightly so.”
Irish rugby is well-known for the effective management of its players. The top players appreciate this and it’s one of the reasons they tend not to move abroad.
There’s no doubt that most of the Irish Lions will be very lightly raced in the early stages of the 2025/26 season. We’re unlikely to see much of them before Ireland launch into a four-game autumn campaign that starts with a trip to Chicago to face the All Blacks on 2 November.
Dan Sheehan featured prominently for the Lions. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Leinster had 14 players involved in the Lions tour, Connacht had three of their biggest stars on tour, and Munster captain Beirne played more minutes than anyone during the Lions’ campaign.
Beirne played a whopping 507 minutes of a possible 800, with Huw Jones [455], Tommy Freeman [428], Maro Itoje [420], Finn Russell [419], and Jack Conan [414] the only others to go beyond the 400-minute mark.
So how did the Irish players’ workloads compare to other Lions in their positions?
One thing to note is that Leinster, Bath, and Leicester players weren’t involved in the opening defeat against Argentina – Rónan Kelleher aside – given that their clubs played in the URC and Premiership finals the weekend before.
Each player’s involvements are listed as minutes / appearances
Hooker
Dan Sheehan – 348 / 6 Rónan Kelleher – 209 / 8 Luke Cowan-Dickie – 165 / 4 Jamie George – 74 / 1 Ewan Ashman – 6 / 1
Ireland hooker Sheehan started all three of the Tests, with Kelleher coming off the bench in all three. Kelleher’s main role was as a replacement hooker, with just one start for the Lions during this campaign.
England’s Cowan-Dickie suffered a head injury in the final pre-Tests warm-up game against the AUNZ XZ and didn’t feature again, with Jamie George and Ewan Ashman called in as cover.
Ireland loosehead Andrew Porter. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Ireland’s Porter and England’s Genge fairly evenly split the workload in the three Tests, having clearly earned status as the frontline loosehead duo.
Scotland’s Pierre Schoeman was heavily used in the non-Test games, while his compatriot Rory Sutherland briefly joined the squad for the final midweek game against the First Nations & Pasifika XV.
Tighthead prop
Tadhg Furlong - 328 / 7 Finlay Bealham – 223 / 5 Will Stuart – 221 / 7 Thomas Clarkson - 29 / 1
Remarkably, Ireland tighthead Furlong played nearly as many minutes in this Lions campaign as he did across the course of the entire season with Leinster and Ireland.
Due to his hamstring and calf troubles, Furlong managed just 373 minutes this season for province and country, but he put those issues behind him to rack up 328 minutes for the Lions.
Fellow Irishman Bealham wasn’t involved in the Tests but had a busy time during the warm-up games, while England’s Stuart backed Furlong up in all three Tests and Ireland’s Clarkson made one midweek appearance after being drafted in as cover.
Second row
Maro Itoje - 420 / 6 Ollie Chessum – 313 / 6 James Ryan - 264 / 6 Scott Cummings - 239 / 5 Joe McCarthy - 209 / 4 Gregor Brown - 26 / 1
Itoje would likely have played every minute of the three Tests but for his first-half head injury last weekend. He was missed by the Lions after departing.
James Ryan worked his way back from injury to feature in the Tests. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Ireland’s McCarthy would also have had a much higher tally of minutes but for his foot injury in the opening Test, which he started.
McCarthy’s injury opened the door for Chessum to feature more prominently, while Ireland’s Ryan recovered from injury to rack up the minutes later in the tour before he too was injured in the final Test.
Scotland’s Scott Cummings didn’t make a Test appearance, while Brown had a short stint with the squad for the FNP XV game.
Back row
Tadhg Beirne - 507 / 7 Jack Conan – 414 / 6 Tom Curry - 392 / 6 Jac Morgan – 342 / 7 Ben Earl - 304 / 7 Henry Pollock – 285 / 5 Josh van der Flier – 268 / 5
Having already had a relatively hefty workload with Munster and Ireland this season, the relentless Beirne played more minutes than any other Lions player across this 2025 campaign. He featured in the second row before playing at blindside in the Tests.
Beirne and Hugo Keenan were the only two players to play every minute of the three Wallabies Tests.
Having been the clear Test favourite at number eight, Ireland’s Conan was always likely to have a busy tour, while England’s Curry started all three clashes with the Wallabies too.
Jac Morgan featured prominently across the warm-up games and forced his way into the Test 23, but Ireland’s van der Flier would have been hoping for a busier tour. Like England’s Pollock, van der Flier didn’t feature in the Tests.
Scrum-half
Jamison Gibson-Park - 347 / 5 Alex Mitchell - 211 / 8 Ben White - 169 / 3 Tomos Williams - 79 / 2
Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Ireland’s Gibson-Park is another player who was always going to be important to Farrell’s Test plans and he played all but 15 minutes of the three games against the Wallabies.
England’s Mitchell was involved in all 10 matchday squads but didn’t come off the bench in two games, something Farrell admitted he was a bit disappointed about, given the possible achievement of playing in every fixture.
Williams of Wales was unfortunate to get injured two games into the campaign, with Scotland’s White impressing after replacing him.
Out-half
Finn Russell - 419 / 6
Fin Smith – 291 / 5 Marcus Smith - 225 / 7
Scotland’s Russell was a crucial figure in the Lions’ series success and completed the full game in both the second and third Tests, coming off in the first with cramp. The Bath out-half will surely need a good rest after a heavy season.
With Owen Farrell arriving during the tour to provide 10/12 cover, Marcus Smith only got one Test appearance off the bench while also playing at fullback on several occasions.
Meanwhile, England’s Fin Smith didn’t get a Test look-in but featured extensively during the warm-up matches.
Ireland’s Ringrose would have been higher up this list but for concussion ruling him out of all three Tests.
Ringrose was very unlucky on tour. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
In his stead, Scotland’s Jones started the three Tests at outside centre, moving to the wing during the third Wallabies clash.
Ireland’s Aki featured in the three Tests too, coming off the bench in the first before taking Tuipulotu’s place at inside centre for the second and third. England’s Farrell came in as an injury replacement for Elliot Daly and played off the bench in two Tests.
Back three
Tommy Freeman - 428 / 6 Hugo Keenan - 365 / 5 Duhan van der Merwe - 329 / 5 Blair Kinghorn - 284 / 5 James Lowe - 284 / 4 Mack Hansen - 277 / 5 Elliot Daly - 166 / 3 Jamie Osborne - 80 / 1 Darcy Graham - 16 / 1
When Ireland’s Keenan finally got up and running after injury and illness, he quickly became the big influence Farrell would have expected. Keenan and Beirne were the only two players to start and finish all three Tests.
England’s Freeman also started the three Wallabies clashes and while Scotland’s van der Merwe didn’t feature in the Tests, he was busy during the wider campaign.
Kinghorn was the late arrival on tour after the Top 14 final and then he was injured, but he ended with a Test start, replacing Lowe in the starting XV after the Ireland wing started the first two.
Hansen was unlucky to be injured for the Tests and England’s Daly was forced home early after starting strongly. Osborne joined while Kinghorn was sidelined and stayed on tour, while Graham joined briefly and was injured after an early debut try.
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Who were the Lions players Andy Farrell leaned on most?
AFTER THE LIONS seemed to run out of steam in their bid for a series clean sweep against the Wallabies, Andy Farrell was asked if he reckons too much is being asked of these players with the season running into August.
Farrell nodded to Tadhg Beirne beside him as he answered.
“I think you ask the player here,” said Farrell. “Some were saying he shouldn’t have played in the first Test, and then he gets player of the series.
“He seemed fresh enough to me. That’s what the shirt does for you.
“In regards to the minutes played, I suppose everyone is always looking at that kind of scenario. I’m sure World Rugby are going to be all over that.”
The next question to Farrell was about whether he, as Ireland’s head coach, will be making sure that the Irish players who were involved in this tour will be getting plenty of rest in the months ahead.
“We look after our boys pretty well,” said Farrell, “and rightly so.”
Irish rugby is well-known for the effective management of its players. The top players appreciate this and it’s one of the reasons they tend not to move abroad.
There’s no doubt that most of the Irish Lions will be very lightly raced in the early stages of the 2025/26 season. We’re unlikely to see much of them before Ireland launch into a four-game autumn campaign that starts with a trip to Chicago to face the All Blacks on 2 November.
Leinster had 14 players involved in the Lions tour, Connacht had three of their biggest stars on tour, and Munster captain Beirne played more minutes than anyone during the Lions’ campaign.
Beirne played a whopping 507 minutes of a possible 800, with Huw Jones [455], Tommy Freeman [428], Maro Itoje [420], Finn Russell [419], and Jack Conan [414] the only others to go beyond the 400-minute mark.
So how did the Irish players’ workloads compare to other Lions in their positions?
One thing to note is that Leinster, Bath, and Leicester players weren’t involved in the opening defeat against Argentina – Rónan Kelleher aside – given that their clubs played in the URC and Premiership finals the weekend before.
Each player’s involvements are listed as minutes / appearances
Hooker
Dan Sheehan – 348 / 6
Rónan Kelleher – 209 / 8
Luke Cowan-Dickie – 165 / 4
Jamie George – 74 / 1
Ewan Ashman – 6 / 1
Ireland hooker Sheehan started all three of the Tests, with Kelleher coming off the bench in all three. Kelleher’s main role was as a replacement hooker, with just one start for the Lions during this campaign.
England’s Cowan-Dickie suffered a head injury in the final pre-Tests warm-up game against the AUNZ XZ and didn’t feature again, with Jamie George and Ewan Ashman called in as cover.
Loosehead prop
Ellis Genge - 278 /7
Pierre Schoeman - 274 / 5
Andrew Porter - 242 / 7
Rory Sutherland – 6 /1
Ireland’s Porter and England’s Genge fairly evenly split the workload in the three Tests, having clearly earned status as the frontline loosehead duo.
Scotland’s Pierre Schoeman was heavily used in the non-Test games, while his compatriot Rory Sutherland briefly joined the squad for the final midweek game against the First Nations & Pasifika XV.
Tighthead prop
Tadhg Furlong - 328 / 7
Finlay Bealham – 223 / 5
Will Stuart – 221 / 7
Thomas Clarkson - 29 / 1
Remarkably, Ireland tighthead Furlong played nearly as many minutes in this Lions campaign as he did across the course of the entire season with Leinster and Ireland.
Due to his hamstring and calf troubles, Furlong managed just 373 minutes this season for province and country, but he put those issues behind him to rack up 328 minutes for the Lions.
Fellow Irishman Bealham wasn’t involved in the Tests but had a busy time during the warm-up games, while England’s Stuart backed Furlong up in all three Tests and Ireland’s Clarkson made one midweek appearance after being drafted in as cover.
Second row
Maro Itoje - 420 / 6
Ollie Chessum – 313 / 6
James Ryan - 264 / 6
Scott Cummings - 239 / 5
Joe McCarthy - 209 / 4
Gregor Brown - 26 / 1
Itoje would likely have played every minute of the three Tests but for his first-half head injury last weekend. He was missed by the Lions after departing.
Ireland’s McCarthy would also have had a much higher tally of minutes but for his foot injury in the opening Test, which he started.
McCarthy’s injury opened the door for Chessum to feature more prominently, while Ireland’s Ryan recovered from injury to rack up the minutes later in the tour before he too was injured in the final Test.
Scotland’s Scott Cummings didn’t make a Test appearance, while Brown had a short stint with the squad for the FNP XV game.
Back row
Tadhg Beirne - 507 / 7
Jack Conan – 414 / 6
Tom Curry - 392 / 6
Jac Morgan – 342 / 7
Ben Earl - 304 / 7
Henry Pollock – 285 / 5
Josh van der Flier – 268 / 5
Having already had a relatively hefty workload with Munster and Ireland this season, the relentless Beirne played more minutes than any other Lions player across this 2025 campaign. He featured in the second row before playing at blindside in the Tests.
Beirne and Hugo Keenan were the only two players to play every minute of the three Wallabies Tests.
Having been the clear Test favourite at number eight, Ireland’s Conan was always likely to have a busy tour, while England’s Curry started all three clashes with the Wallabies too.
Jac Morgan featured prominently across the warm-up games and forced his way into the Test 23, but Ireland’s van der Flier would have been hoping for a busier tour. Like England’s Pollock, van der Flier didn’t feature in the Tests.
Scrum-half
Jamison Gibson-Park - 347 / 5
Alex Mitchell - 211 / 8
Ben White - 169 / 3
Tomos Williams - 79 / 2
Ireland’s Gibson-Park is another player who was always going to be important to Farrell’s Test plans and he played all but 15 minutes of the three games against the Wallabies.
England’s Mitchell was involved in all 10 matchday squads but didn’t come off the bench in two games, something Farrell admitted he was a bit disappointed about, given the possible achievement of playing in every fixture.
Williams of Wales was unfortunate to get injured two games into the campaign, with Scotland’s White impressing after replacing him.
Out-half
Finn Russell - 419 / 6
Fin Smith – 291 / 5
Marcus Smith - 225 / 7
Scotland’s Russell was a crucial figure in the Lions’ series success and completed the full game in both the second and third Tests, coming off in the first with cramp. The Bath out-half will surely need a good rest after a heavy season.
With Owen Farrell arriving during the tour to provide 10/12 cover, Marcus Smith only got one Test appearance off the bench while also playing at fullback on several occasions.
Meanwhile, England’s Fin Smith didn’t get a Test look-in but featured extensively during the warm-up matches.
Centre
Huw Jones – 455 / 7
Bundee Aki – 388 / 6
Sione Tuipulotu – 378 / 5
Garry Ringrose - 213 / 4
Owen Farrell - 172 / 4
Ireland’s Ringrose would have been higher up this list but for concussion ruling him out of all three Tests.
In his stead, Scotland’s Jones started the three Tests at outside centre, moving to the wing during the third Wallabies clash.
Ireland’s Aki featured in the three Tests too, coming off the bench in the first before taking Tuipulotu’s place at inside centre for the second and third. England’s Farrell came in as an injury replacement for Elliot Daly and played off the bench in two Tests.
Back three
Tommy Freeman - 428 / 6
Hugo Keenan - 365 / 5
Duhan van der Merwe - 329 / 5
Blair Kinghorn - 284 / 5
James Lowe - 284 / 4
Mack Hansen - 277 / 5
Elliot Daly - 166 / 3
Jamie Osborne - 80 / 1
Darcy Graham - 16 / 1
When Ireland’s Keenan finally got up and running after injury and illness, he quickly became the big influence Farrell would have expected. Keenan and Beirne were the only two players to start and finish all three Tests.
England’s Freeman also started the three Wallabies clashes and while Scotland’s van der Merwe didn’t feature in the Tests, he was busy during the wider campaign.
Kinghorn was the late arrival on tour after the Top 14 final and then he was injured, but he ended with a Test start, replacing Lowe in the starting XV after the Ireland wing started the first two.
Hansen was unlucky to be injured for the Tests and England’s Daly was forced home early after starting strongly. Osborne joined while Kinghorn was sidelined and stayed on tour, while Graham joined briefly and was injured after an early debut try.
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