News Bites

Eight Scots Roar into 2025 Lions Squad

By Martin Gray
May 8, 2025

The British & Irish Lions have named their 38-man squad for this summer’s tour to Australia – and once again, Scottish rugby is proudly front and centre, with eight players selected to don the famous red jersey.

The British & Irish Lions squad announcement took place at a packed Indigo at The O2 in London, where head coach Andy Farrell officially unveiled his 38-man squad for the 2025 tour of Australia. Among the key revelations was the appointment of England lock Maro Itoje as tour captain, confirming widespread speculation. The Saracens stalwart, already a proven leader on and off the field, will lead the Lions into a three-Test series Down Under with the weight of history and expectation on his shoulders.

The announcement also confirmed Scotland’s continued rise as a major contributor to Lions squads, with eight players selected to don the famous red jersey. Leading the Scottish representation is Finn Russell, one of only three fly-halves chosen for the tour and now a veteran of three successive Lions squads. The mercurial playmaker from Bath is joined by seven fellow internationals, four of whom will make their Lions debut.

Also returning is Duhan van der Merwe, Scotland’s prolific winger who started all three Tests against the Springboks in 2021. Zander Fagerson earns a second call-up after featuring in four non-Test matches last time out, while Scott Cummings is rewarded for strong club and international form with a maiden Lions berth in the second row.

The Scottish midfield partnership of Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu has also been recognised, offering Farrell a ready-made pairing that has sparkled in navy blue. Blair Kinghorn’s inclusion completes a potent backline contingent. The versatile Toulouse full-back is the only Lion based in France and becomes just the third Scot in the professional era to be picked while playing outside Britain.

In the pack, Pierre Schoeman joins Fagerson in the front row, continuing his remarkable journey from fan favourite at Edinburgh to Lions tourist. His selection also extends a curious but pleasing pattern – every Scottish loosehead selected for a Lions squad since 1997 has had a surname starting with “S.”

Scotland’s eight-player haul equals the highest since 1989, when Finlay Calder led nine Scots to a historic Test series win over the Wallabies. With Farrell’s side set to face Australia in three Tests, starting 19 July in Brisbane, Scottish eyes will once again be focused on Test selection, after seven players from the 2021 group achieved that honour.

There is no room in the squad for Jamie Ritchie, Jack Dempsey, or George Turner, all of whom had been discussed as potential bolters. Nor is there a place for former Lions captain Owen Farrell, whose omission was one of the day’s biggest headlines. Instead, his father has opted for an attacking blend in Russell, Fin Smith and Marcus Smith to steer the side Down Under.

The youthful inclusion of Henry Pollock, England’s 20-year-old flanker, drew the loudest cheer of the day – and while his selection caught most headlines, Scotland’s steady and sizeable presence speaks volumes about the nation’s consistency and credibility at the top level.

The tour kicks off with a warm-up match against Argentina in Dublin on 20 June, followed by nine matches in Australia, culminating in the Tests in Brisbane, Melbourne (26 July), and Sydney (2 August). For Scotland’s eight representatives, it’s another chance to make history on the biggest of stages – and perhaps emulate the class of 2013, when the Lions last tasted Test success against the Wallabies.

Scotland’s 2025 Lions Representatives: