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Australia 2025.
Ireland has dominated the picks of rugby fans for this year’s Lions Tour, with a notable nine players being selected in the starting XV – far more than any other nation involved.
Ahead of this year’s highly anticipated tour to Australia – and ahead of Lions coach Andy Farrell naming his official squad on May 8 – rugby news site RugbyPass polled its 2.2 million Instagram followers, asking them to choose their preferred players for each position for the Lions XV.
Following a huge vote and much debate, the results have seen an array of Ireland’s best taking the lion’s share of the team. Scotland is the second-most represented nation with four picks in the side, with its stars dominating the backline.
However, only a single player each from England and Wales have made it into the fans’ final XV.
The side features an all-Ireland front row in the shape of Andrew Porter at tighthead with Dan Sheehan at hooker and Tadhg Furlong completing the front three at loosehead. Other Irish players making up the pack include: Tadhg Beirne in the second row, Josh van der Flier at openside flanker, Ireland captain Caelan Doris at No.8, and Jamison Gibson-Park at scrum half.
Bundee Aki is chosen inside centre, and lastly James Lowe on the right wing.
Outside the Irish contingent is England skipper Maro Itoje, who has been picked in the second row. Welsh captain, Jac Morgan – one of the bright sparks in an otherwise dismal Six Nations for Wales – is chosen at blindside flanker.
Scotland captain, Finn Russell – another who has featured on the last two Lions tours – is at fly-half.
Outside centre is Huw Jones, who will be vying for a place on the tour after a strong Six Nations campaign. His Scotland teammate, Duhan Van der Merwe, is the fans’ pick on the left wing, while Blair Kinghorn is chosen at fullback.
Whether or not the RugbyPass fanbase’s selections become the reality for the first Test of course remains to be seen, but we will have a better indication of how accurate the XV is looking when the official squad is announced at London’s O2 Arena on Thursday, May 8.
RugbyPass ran this poll across March and April, asking its 2.2 million followers to vote for their preferred choice for each position in the starting XV in the British & Irish Lions squad for the upcoming tour. A selection of eligible players was listed for each position, and fans were encouraged to make their selections via RugbyPass’ IG broadcast channel.
RugbyPass Fans Lions XV
15. Blair Kinghorn (SCO)
14. James Lowe (IRE)
13. Huw Jones (SCO)
12. Bundee Aki (IRE)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (SCO)
10. Finn Russell (SCO)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (IRE)
1. Andrew Porter (IRE)
2. Dan Sheehan (IRE)
3. Tadhg Furlong (IRE)
4. Maro Itoje (ENG)
5. Tadhg Beirne (IRE)
6. Jac Morgan (WAL)
7. Josh van der Flier (IRE)
8. Caelan Doris (IRE)
