Eight Scotland players named in British & Irish Lions squad for 2025 tour of Australia

The British & Irish Lions squad for the 2025 tour of Australia has been named at a special event in London with eight Scotland international selected.

Head coach Andy Farrell and British & Irish Lions chair and 2025 tour manager Ieuan Evans firstly confirmed England’s Maro Itoje as the captain for this summer’s tour with the Saracens lock joining them on stage. After a discussion, Evans took to the podium to name the forwards and then the backs who will make up the squad.

There were perhaps no major surprise selections or absences although, as is always the case with a Lions squad announcement there were some selection decisions that are sure to stir debate over the coming days and weeks. Here are the eight Scotland internationals who have been chosen for the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour:

Eight Scotland players chosen by Lions head coach Andy Farrell for 2025 Australia tour

The eight Scotland players who have been selected for the 2025 tour of Australia are:

1. Scott Cummings - Glasgow Warriors
2. Zander Fagerson - Glasgow Warriors
3. Pierre Schoeman - Edinburgh Rugby
4. Huw Jones - Glasgow Warriors
5. Blair Kinghorn - Toulouse
6. Finn Russell - Bath Rugby
7. Sione Tuipuloto - Glasgow Warriors
8. Duhan van der Merwe - Edinburgh Rugby

South African imports Pierre Schoeman and Duhan van der Merwe will represent Edinburgh Rugby on the tour with van der Merwe being selected for the Lions for a second time in his career. The only other Scotland players who have been on tour with the Lions before are stand off Finn Russell and prop Zander Fagerson.

Glasgow Warriors will be represented by four players in Fagerson as well as Scott Cummings, Huw Jones and Scotland captain Sione Tuipuloto. Fagerson, despite a recent injury, and Jones were both expected to be called up as was Tuipuloto despite missing this year’s Six Nations.

Cummings is perhaps the biggest surprise inclusion in terms of the Scottish representatives but has been consistently impressive for his club and country in recent years so his call up is well deserved. Blair Kinghorn makes up the eight Scotland players and is widely expected to start the first test at full back if fit.

British & Irish lions squad 2025

Here is the gull 2025 British & Irish Lions squad for this summer’s tour of Australia:

• Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland)
• Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England)
• Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
• Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks/England)
• Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
• Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England)
• Ben Earl (Saracens/England)
• Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
• Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
• Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England)
• Maro Itoje (Saracens/England - captain)
• Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
• Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
• Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales)
• Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England)
• Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
• James Ryan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
• Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland)
• Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
• Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England)
• Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
• Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland)
• Elliot Daly (Saracens/England)
• Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England)
• Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
• Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby/Ireland)
• Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
• Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
• Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland)
• James Lowe (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
• Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England)
• Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
• Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland)
• Fin Smith (Northampton Saints/England)
• Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England)
• Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
• Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland)
• Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby/Wales)

When is the 2025 British & Irish Lions Tour? Fixtures and dates

Before they head to Australia the Lions will play Argentina at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on June 20. Starting off with a home test is something the Lions have done in the past including prior to their last tour in 2021 when they faced Japan at Murrayfield.

They then head for the other side of the world and the tour gets underway in earnest with their first match on June 28 against club side Western Force. The first Test match against the Wallabies will be played on July 19. Here is the full schedule as things stand:

20/06/2025 - The Lions v Argentina (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)

28/06/2025 - Western Force v The Lions (Optus Stadium, Perth)

02/07/2025 - Queensland Reds v The Lions (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane)

05/07/2025 - NSW Waratahs v The Lions (Allianz Stadium, Sydney)

09/07/2025 - ACT Brumbies v The Lions (GIO Stadium, Canberra)

12/07/2025 - Invitational AU & NZ v The Lions (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)

19/07/2025 - Wallabies v The Lions (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane)

22/07/2025 - Melbourne Pre-Test (TBC) v The Lions (Marvel Stadium, Melbourne)

26/07/2025 - Wallabies v The Lions (MCG, Melbourne)

02/08/2025 - Wallabies v The Lions (Accor Stadium, Sydney)

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