'That's a ridiculous selection' - Healey and Stringer pick their 2025 Lions XV

On the eve of the Guinness Six Nations, former British & Irish Lion Austin Healey and Ireland legend Peter Stringer has selected their 2025 Lions XV over a year early.

Peter Stringer: 1. Andrew Porter, 2. Dan Sheehan, 3. Tadgh Furlong

I'm going to be biased and go for an Irish front row: Porter, Sheehan and Furlong. Furlong certainly has to play his way in, in terms of that form. A couple of years ago he was unbelievable. Looking at it now, I think the combination of those three in that scrum and the dynamism of Dan Sheehan has been phenomenal, and just the power of the other two guys. So I’ll go with those three.

Austin Healey: 1. Andrew Porter, 2. Dan Sheehan, 3. Tadgh Furlong

I too am going to be biased, and I’ve gone for the same front row! My middle name is Sean. That’s the Irish in me!

SECOND ROW

Healey: 4. Joe McCarthy, 5. Maro Itoje

I’ve gone for McCarthy and Itoje. I think people will think, ‘Hold on a sec, he could have some of the other second rows around’. But when Itoje’s on his game and I think when he's in the Lions shirt… He's had a bit of an illness, he's claimed, over the previous couple of seasons. McCarthy we spoke about earlier – he is going to be one hell of a player. He’s so young and so talented. And that's a tough position. There’s load of strength there. Thankfully you asked me to do this before we did this call because it is so hard to select.

Stringer: Tadhg Beirne, 5. Maro Itoje

I couldn't argue with that. I picked Itoje and I picked Tadhg Beirne in the second row. Just looking at the combination of the back row, you could easily have had McCarthy in there as second row, but I just went with Tadhg Beirne. The more I watch him up close and see the detail of how effective he is in that second-row position, I think he's phenomenal.

Ireland players, from left, James Lowe, Dan Sheehan and Joe McCarthy after their side's defeat in the Steinlager Series match between the New Zealand and Ireland at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

BACK ROW

Stringer: 6. Courtney Lawes, 7. Ben Earl, 8. Caelan Dorris

Back row I’ve gone for Lawes, I’ve gone for Caelan Dorris at No.8 and I’ve gone for Ben Earl at open-side. Just looking at Van der Flier when he’s come back since the World Cup, he’s been a bit off the boil. You could put O’Mahony in there. But Courtney Lawes and Ben Earl during the World Cup – for me they were just phenomenal. And Caelan Dorris at No.8 is absolute star at the moment and for the foreseeable future.

Healey: 6. Courtney Lawes, 7. Josh van der Flier, 8. Caelan Dorris

Well, that's a ridiculous selection to be honest. I’ve gone for Courtney Lawes at 6, bringing him out of retirement from international rugby. I’ve gone for Dorris at 8 and Van der Flier at 7. Obviously we should be on the selection panel. It would be very, very quick and we could go straight to the pub! I think Van der Flier over Ben Earl. I’d bring Ben Earl off the bench as impact. And also you have to think about who you're playing against. I wouldn't potentially have picked that team if I wasn't playing against Australia.

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

HALF BACKS

Healy: 9. Jamison Gibson-Park, 10. Finn Russell

Gibson-Park and Finn Russell. It’s easy. I say easy, it's probably going to be Owen Farrell because you've got to pick his son. Otherwise, Christmas Day is going to be an absolute nightmare for the next couple of decades, isn't it? I think Farrell will be there some place. But the Lions needs to be exciting this time. I think it's been boring the last few trips to watch as a fan, and if you want excitement, you want Finn Russell. And if you’ve got Finn Russell you want the ball in his hands quickly, and Gibson-Park is the best at that.

Stringer: 9. Jamison Gibson-Park, 10. Finn Russell

Easy, easy, easy. I’d go with the same. Gibson-Park, since he's come into that Irish side, massively impressed by him. Everything he does, his energy, his work rate, the way he reads the game, controlling tempo, knows when to go, his vision. And also with Finn, I think he's that kind of maverick, but he's she's shown a lot of maturity in the last number of months.

Finn Russell of Bath Rugby passes the ball whilst under pressure from Tomos Williams of Cardiff Rugby during the Investec Champions Cup match between Cardiff Rugby and Bath Rugby at Cardiff Arms Park on December 16, 2023 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Every time I've seen him play for Bath recently, Spencer and Finn Russell, the half-backs have just controlled things. The top half-back pairing for me in the Premiership at the moment. And I’ve just been really impressed with, not only that kind of control of the game that he has, but also defensively just getting stuck in is something that you wouldn't have expected from him in the past. He doesn't shy away from anything coming down his channel. He's been putting his body on the line, which is something that you need to do as an international 10 and potentially a Lion as well in that position. So it was easy for me.

CENTRES

Healey: 12. Robbie Henshaw, 13. Ollie Lawrence

I've gone for Henshaw and Lawrence. Again, there's loads of people, you could have picked Ringrose in there in the 13 shirt. I just think Lawrence, he's so young still, he's just getting better and better and stronger and stronger. You put him in with good players around him, this season playing with Finn Russell, he's really excelled. You put Henshaw next to him as well, he's going to go a stage further. You've got a good back three outside that I think it brings the best out of. I think he could potentially be world class. You need a big guy in the midfield. I did think about picking Aki. I just think Henshaw is better for the Lions.

Stringer: 12. Bundee Aki, 13. Ollie Lawrence

I'd go with Lawrence in there definitely as well. He was a guy I saw at Worcester early on and is an unbelievable talent, seeing him up close and what he's done. I know he's struggling with a bit of an injury at the moment, but I picked Aki and Lawrence in the centre. Aki massively impressed me in the World Cup. He’s a guy who kind of comes in and out of form a small bit, but for big games he's always produced. He's been Ireland's go-to guy for the last number of years, Ireland's stand out player in the World Cup. Again, you could go with Henshaw. Henshaw has been struggling with a bit of injury, but two quality guys which are Aki and Lawrence for me.

Bundee Aki celebrate of Ireland in action during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between South Africa and Ireland at Stade de France on September 23, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Christian Liewig - Corbis/Getty Images)

BACK THREE

Healey: 11. James Lowe, 14. Tommy Freeman, 15. Marcus Smith

I think we've only had two disagreements so far, but I think this might lead to one more here. The back three I've gone for Lowe on the left wing. You have to have him in the team. He’s a great finisher, but also you've got his boot, which is just phenomenal. Freeman on the right wing, who I think is going to be this season's bolter in the Six Nations as well and will bolt for further forward if he keeps progressing. And then at full back, I've gone for Marcus Smith, just to take a little bit of the pressure off Russell in the game and, if he's on the same wavelength as him, those two in combination could just be dynamite in that back line. But at full back, it’s so difficult.

Stringer: 11. James Lowe, 14. Duhan van der Merwe, 15. Hugo Keenan

Yeah, I disagree. I've gone with Lowe, I’ve gone for of Gone for Duhon van der Merwe and I've gone for Hugo Keenan. Hugo Keenan, for me, is one of the first guys on the teamsheet. Seeing how he operates, backfield coverage, under the high ball, this guy never makes a mistake. Going forward, coming from a Sevens background, also has that ability to step in as first receiver. I think when a game opens up and you've got the likes of Finn Russell and Hugo Keenan alternating between sides. This guy just has this ability to take guys on, draw guys and put guys into space. So for me, he's that other playmaker. Not too much disagreement, Aus, but I think we could have picked another XV there and they could do equally as good a job.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Healey: I didn't pick Van Der Merwe because of his defensive qualities. He often gets done for one try a game. And the Lions, particularly in Australia on the tours that I’ve been on, have always come down to one defining moment. Whether that's Jonny Wilkinson throwing an intercept pass to Joe Roff or Nathan Gray knocking out Richard Hill with his elbow, which no Australian seemed to see. You need to have a tight defence first and foremost, and that's why I went for Lowe over Van Der Merwe.

Duhan van der Merwe scored a stunning 70m try for Edinburgh at Murrayfield

But there's no Welsh players in that team. So, I can only apologise, but this could be the first Lions team ever in history that hasn't had a Welsh guy in the starting 15.

Rowlands maybe in the second row, but it's so competitive in the second row. In the back row, who else could you have? Tommy Reffell, maybe, if you want a jackaler in the team? But Van der Flier does that, Ben Earl does that. It is so hard to get in this Lions squad because the Irish side is so strong. It’s never, ever been this strong.

Austin Healey's Lions XV: 

1. Andrew Porter

2. Dan Sheehan

3. Tadhg Furlong

4. Joe McCarthy

5. Maro Itoje

6. Courtney Lawes

7. Josh van der Flier

8. Caelan Doris

9. Jamieson Gibson-Park

10. Finn Russell

11. James Lowe

12. Robbie Henshaw

13. Ollie Lawrence

14. Tommy Freeman

15. Marcus Smith

Peter Stringer's Lions XV:

1. Andrew Porter

2. Dan Sheehan

3. Tadhg Furlong

4. Tadhg Beirne

5. Maro Itoje

6. Courtney Lawes

7. Ben Earl

8. Caelan Doris

9. Jamieson Gibson-Park

10. Finn Russell

11. James Lowe

12. Bundee Aki

13. Ollie Lawrence

14. Duhan van der Merwe

15. Hugo Keenan

The conversation was facilitated by Betway.