Andy Farrell names his Lions squad but leaves door open for son Owen and others

Irish Daily Mirror

08-05-2025

Andy Farrell has left the door open for two more British and Irish Lions call-ups after a record 15 Irish players made the squad for the tour of Australia.
Head coach Farrell, who is on sabbatical from the same role with Ireland, has leaned heavily on his Ireland contingent, who make up the largest group of the four nations involved.
England have 13 players travelling - including skipper Maro Itoje and 20-year-old bolter Henry Pollock - Scotland have eight and Wales two.
But there was disappointment, too, for a number of Ireland frontliners - not least Caelan Doris, who Farrell said was "in the mix" for the Lions captaincy and is "devastated" that a shoulder injury suffered in Saturday's Champions Cup loss to Northampton has ruled him out of the tour.
Also just missing the cut are 22-year-old out-half Sam Prendergast - he was "100% in our thoughts", insisted Farrell, and centre Robbie Henshaw.
However second row James Ryan, winger Mack Hansen and hooker Rónan Kelleher were seen as possible rather than probable inclusions beforehand and all three made the cut. Leinster lead the way with 12 players selected, while Connacht have two picks and Munster have one.
Farrell has not included his son, Owen, who has endured an injury-hit season with Racing 92. However the Lions supremo admitted that there was still time for him and others to make a claim, with room for a couple of others for the 10-game, 12-week marathon.
It begins with a warm-up in Dublin's Aviva Stadium on June 20 and ends with the third Test against Joe Schmidt's Australia in Sydney on August 2.
'There's 38 picked, which leaves a couple of slots open for us down the track if and when needed," said Farrell. "Owen, like a few other guys, would be in that type of bracket.
'It leaves a bit of wiggle room, because obviously it's six weeks before we leave these shores anyway, so there's all sorts of things that could happen.
'Fingers crossed to the players that are selected, they don't, but we've left ourselves some wiggle room to be able to see how people progress because there are a few guys that are trying to play back into fitness form, etc, you know. So we'll see what we've got and if or when that's needed, we'd like to call them. It's definitely going to happen. It always does."
Johnny Sexton, who is travelling to Australia as part of Farrell's Ireland-heavy coaching staff, reiterated the point. "It's a huge day for all the players and their families, and I've been on both sides of it, when it's one of the best days in your career and I've been in the place where it's probably one of the worst days in your career," said Sexton.
"So look, it's a very special day that they'll remember forever but the one thing I would say is that if you're not picked, there's still plenty of rugby to be played.
"(Alex) Corbisiero came out to Australia and won us the series and wasn't in the initial squad, so I'm sure everybody will be trying to prove their point over the next few weeks. But all the best to the lads, it's a very exciting squad."