Warren Gatland names his British & Irish Lions XV from the last four tours
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Lions.
Former British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland has had a go at picking his best XV from the last four tours – and there are some notable omissions.
Gatland infamously dropped Ireland’s Brian O’Driscoll for the third Test against Australia back in 2013, and he’s gone and done it again, with 2009 tour captain Paul O’Connell also missing out.
Gatland has gone with Maro Itoje and Alun Wyn Jones in the second row, with Jonathan Davies once again taking BOD’s spot at outside centre.
Elsewhere, Johnny Sexton and Jamison Gibson-Park are at halfback with Tommy Bowe on one wing and George North on the other.
“Selecting a British and Irish Lions Test 23 from the three tours I’ve been involved with – and this most recent 2025 tour – proved far more difficult than I anticipated,” Gatland wrote in his Telegraph column.
“I found myself questioning: If the Lions had won the third Test comfortably on Saturday, would more players from this tour have made my squad? The honest answer is: Probably.”
Warren Gatland’s Lions XV
1. Ellis Genge
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Maro Itoje
5. Alun Wyn Jones
6. Tadhg Beirne
7. Sam Warburton (captain)
8. Taulupe Faletau
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
10. Johnny Sexton
11. George North
12. Jamie Roberts
13. Jonathan Davies
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Leigh Halfpenny
Replacements:
16. Jamie George
17. Mako Vunipola
18. Adam Jones
19. Courtney Lawes
20. Tom Curry
21. Mike Phillips
22. Owen Farrell
23. Elliot Daly
