Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'One of the most famous players that didn't tour' picks 2025 Lions XV

Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje and Conor Murray of the British & Irish Lions look dejected during the 3rd test match between the South Africa Springboks and the British & Irish Lions at Cape Town Stadium on August 07, 2021 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Former England internationals Danny Care and Mark Atkinson have picked eight Englishmen in their ideal British and Irish Lions starting XV to face Australia in the first Test next year.

ADVERTISEMENT

The pair thrashed out their best XV on the Hits Differently podcast recently, with six Irishmen and one Scot also making their team.

Despite making 101 appearances for England, Care never made a Lions tour, though he was described by the one-cap Atkinson as “one of the most famous players that didn’t tour”.

Video Spacer

Spiff Sedrick on what makes Ilona Maher an authentic superstar

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 1:35
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 1:35
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    Spiff Sedrick on what makes Ilona Maher an authentic superstar

    Finn Morton spoke with USA Seven’s star Alex “Spiff” Sedrick about the impact of teammate and now superstar, Ilona Maher. Catch up on comprehensive coverage of the Women’s game on RugbyPass TV

    Watch now

    A theme throughout the team is a battle between Irish and English players, with two English players getting the nod in the front-row. There is an Anglo-Irish propping combination of Ellis Genge and Tadhg Furlong, with Care saying the Bristol loosehead brings “raw power” and “wants to hurt people”, while the Leinster star “changed the game in terms of tighthead props”.

    England captain Jamie George got the nod in the No 2 shirt, though it appeared to be a flip-of-a-coin between him and Dan Sheehan, with Care describing them both as “world-class”.

    Fixture
    British & Irish Lions
    Australia
    19 - 27
    Full-time
    British & Irish Lions
    All Stats and Data

    There is once again and Irish and English combination in the second-row, with Atkinson describing the No 4 position as the “easiest position to pick right now”. Maro Itoje was selected to partner Munster’s Tadhg Beirne in the second-row, with the Saracen tipped to return for his third tour.

    There was a greater debate when selecting the back-row, however, with the duo eventually settling on a trio of Courtney Lawes, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris, who was selected as captain. Though Lawes retired from Test rugby after last year’s World Cup, and is currently playing in France’s Pro D2, Atkinson said “if we see the same Courtney as at Saints last season, still performing, I find it hard to leave him out of any team.”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Ireland’s Jamison Gibson-Park was understandably selected at scrum-half by Care, who described him as “the best scrum-half at the moment,” but added that he is “closely followed by Alex Mitchell”. The Ireland and Leinster star has been picked to partner England No 10 Marcus Smith, who will compete with Scotland’s Finn Russell, as “the gameplan doesn’t change” with both attacking players vying to start.

    The pair settled on a powerful centre combination of Bundee Aki and Ollie Lawrence. Atkinson, a former centre, was effusive in his praise for the Ireland No 12, saying “he’s come from being a very, very, okay player… then suddenly, about four years ago, it was like overnight he became world-class,” adding that both he and Lawrence are not just ball-carriers.

    There is equally plenty of power on the wings, with Duhan van der Merwe picked to partner Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. Atkinson said there “doesn’t feel like there’s anyone else to wear that shirt” other than 2021 tourist Van der Merwe, while Care said that his former England team-mate Feyi-Waboso has “got unbelievable gas, raw power, his stepping is unbelievable,” and that “he’s as close to a Cheslin Kolbe as England have got”.

    Full-back was similar to the hooker, with another flip-of-a-coin selection, with both choosing England’s George Furbank marginally ahead of Ireland’s Hugo Keenan, although, with Andy Farrell head coach, he may well go with one of his preferred players.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Danny Care and Mark Atkinson’s Lions XV (Back-ups)
    1. Ellis Genge (Andrew Porter, Joe Marler)
    2. Jamie George (Dan Sheehan)
    3. Tadhg Furlong (Kyle Sinckler)
    4. Maro Itoje
    5. Tadhg Beirne
    6. Courtney Lawes (Chandler Cunningham-South)
    7. Josh van der Flier (Tom Curry)
    8. Caelan Doris – captain
    9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Alex Mitchell, Tomos Williams)
    10. Marcus Smith (Finn Russell)
    11. Duhan van der Merwe (James Lowe)
    12. Bundee Aki
    13. Ollie Lawrence
    14. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
    15. George Furbank (Hugo Keenan)

    Related

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Classic Wallabies vs British & Irish Legends | First Match | Full Match Replay

    Did the Lions loosies get away with murder? And revisiting the Springboks lift | Whistle Watch

    The First Test, Visiting The Great Barrier Reef & Poetry with Pierre | Ep 6: The Ultimate Test

    KOKO Show | July 22nd | Full Throttle with Brisbane Test Review and Melbourne Preview

    New Zealand v South Africa | World Rugby U20 Championship | Extended Highlights

    USA vs England | Men's International | Full Match Replay

    France v Argentina | World Rugby U20 Championship | Extended Highlights

    Lions Share | Episode 4

    Trending on RugbyPass

    Comments

    6 Comments
    N
    NK 278 days ago

    Picking Genge in the starting line up is an almost funny joke. He is not the best English loosehead and I'm not even sure he's the best loosehead in Bristol Bears.

    D
    DC 283 days ago

    Who is danny care????not a flying hope that team will be chosen,typical english arrogant attitude.andy farrell will choose the best,and id imagine 8 irish players not english starting,we do want to win afterall.the boks and ireland are at the moment ranked best teams in the world,ireland be far more successful in last few years than england.when gatland was in charge he chose a lot of welsh players as they were flying high at the time,what have england achieved lately???

    E
    Ed the Duck 283 days ago

    Fantasy rugby at its worst!


    Never gonna happen though.

    J
    JH 283 days ago

    Andrew Porter

    Dan Sheehan

    Tadhg Furlonh

    Maro Itoje

    Tadhg Beirne

    Josh van der Flier

    Caelan Doris

    Jamison Gibson-Park

    Finn Russell

    Duhan van der Merwe

    Bundee Aki

    Huw Jones

    James Lowe

    George Furbank

    P
    Pn 283 days ago

    Nice! What about blindside? It'd be between JVDF and Jac Morgan for 7 for me and Kinghorn at fullback, he's been immense for Toulouse. Huw Jones definitely, need at least one ball playing centre. I suppose it's all irrelevant anyway, whatever team goes out there will likely smash the hapless Aussies!

    R
    Rob 283 days ago

    Lads the outrage click articles are getting out of control, I nearly threw up reading that team 🤢

    Load More Comments

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

    Sign up for free
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Latest Features

    Comments on RugbyPass

    TRENDING
    TRENDING Shocking state of Prem Rugby club finances revealed in business report Shocking state of Prem Rugby club finances revealed in business report