Would you pay $135 to watch a squad get named? Welcome to Lions mania

The Age08-05-2025

Former Wallabies captain James Horwill, who skippered Australia against the Lions in 2013, was playing for Harlequins in London when the 2017 squad was named.
'So we were all sitting there in the team room watching the TV with the guys who are hoping to make it, or being talked about as possibilities,' Horwill said.
'We had lots of England guys, and they were doing well at that stage. And Jamie Roberts as well. But he didn't get selected, and a few others didn't as well. It's pretty brutal. You're just there as a teammate and giving congratulations to some guys, and being there to support others.'
Australian fans can watch on the Lions' YouTube channel from 10.30pm.
How is the squad selected?
Lions coach Andy Farrell and his staff will lean heavily on performances in the most recent Six Nations, but plenty of weight will also be given to form and combinations that have been delivering at Test level for the past few years.
Farrell, who took over from Joe Schmidt as head coach of Ireland, has a mix of assistants from the unions: John Dalziel (Scotland), Simon Easterby (Ireland), John Fogarty (Ireland), Andrew Goodman (Ireland), Johnny Sexton (Ireland) and Richard Wigglesworth (England).
But most expect the dominance of Irish figures on his staff to be mirrored in the squad, which is likely to contain 37 players, in the first instance.
Ireland finished third in the Six Nations this year, behind France and England, but they won in 2023 and 2024 and were also ranked No.1 in the world at times during those two years.
'They have still been the best team in the home nations over the last four years,' Horwill said.
'And four of Farrell's assistant coaches are Ireland guys … so I still think there is going to be a strong green tinge to the squad. Wales will be lucky to have more than one or two, and Scotland will have a decent handful.
'But the majority of the squad will be English and Irish, is my gut feel.'
It is also essential for Farrell to consider players who are good tourists, who can create a happy camp alongside their ability to compete for a Test spot.
Are there any 'Aussie' Lions?
There have only been six Australian-raised players selected for the Lions since 1889: Alec Timms (1889), Tom Richards (1910), Ian Smith (1924), Brent Cockbain (2005), Nathan Hines (2009) and Tom Court (2013).
But four more could be named in this year's squad.
Former Melbourne Rebels centre Sione Tuipulotu is considered a lock by most pundits. Now Scotland captain, Tuipulotu missed the Six Nations after tearing a pectoral muscle but is due back on the field shortly. Brumby-turned -Ireland winger Mack Hansen is also a strong chance.
Former Wallaby and now Scotland flanker Jack Dempsey is an outside shot to win selection, and Canberra-raised Ireland prop Finlay Bealham is also in the conversation.
The topic of foreign-born or raised players in the Lions squad is sure to get some airtime in coming months. There could be a record number of Lions players who are eligible for their nations via grandparents or residency: James Lowe (Ire-NZ), Jamison Gibson-Park (Ire-NZ), Bundee Aki (Ire-NZ), Pierre Schoeman (Sco-SA), Duhan van der Merwe (Sco-SA), David Ribbands (Eng-SA) and the aforementioned Aussies.
Will there be any bolters?
There is always a classic bolter in a Lions squad, and the name on everyone's lips is Henry Pollock, a flashy young back-rower at Northhampton who has caught fire at exactly the right time.
The Saints rookie has been scoring tries befitting a winger, and was outstanding in their Champions Cup semi-final win over Leinster last week.
Another 'bolter' at the centre of much discussion is at the other end of the experience scale: Owen Farrell.
Though Farrell retired from Test rugby for England, the 33-year-old is still playing for Racing 92 in France and many believe he will get a call up from coach – and dad – Andy Farrell.
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Who will be the captain?
The consensus was Farrell would make his choice for captain between Ireland skipper Caelan Doris and England veteran lock Maro Itoje.
That pick appears more straightforward now, however, after news emerged this week that Doris injured a shoulder for Leinster and requires surgery. He hasn't yet been ruled out, but the prognosis isn't good, and Itoje should now be a walk-up start for the captaincy.

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A beautiful defensive mind: How Stephen Crichton can mark two players at once

The Age

42 minutes ago

The Age

A beautiful defensive mind: How Stephen Crichton can mark two players at once

'And I see it every day at training. I'm the one he makes look bad when we run left [edge] against right [edge] drills. It gets very old, very quickly trying to pick Critta's defence apart, he's just so good.' As Crichton slowly, patiently explains the nuances of his craft, you get some sense of just how he pulls off grand final winning intercepts, leads a defensive revolution at Canterbury and marks two elite Origin opponents at once. All while giving away very little, which must be how opposition playmakers feel, even when they seemingly hold all the cards with one-man advantage. The enemy: A different cue for every player The best NRL ball players will bluff defenders with eye contact – locking eyes with an opponent or darting their own one way and passing another. They'll do it with body language, dummying and squaring hips and shoulders to hold a defensive line at bay, or drawing them into an ill-timed rush. Crichton, in response, keeps his powder dry. Not least with a recorder under his nose. 'Oh no, no I can't tell you that, man,' the Bulldogs skipper laughs. 'But to be honest, it's a little bit of everything, and mostly, a lot of extra work in terms of knowing the players you're up against. There's no set piece or single bit of body language or cue that I look for, because every player's different, right? 'Kalyn Ponga is such a different threat to Daly Cherry-Evans. You can't defend them the same way. 'If you try to defend things the same way every time, you're pre-empting it and offering the attack the chance to pick you apart. I guess being predictable goes both ways.' The genetics and grounding: 360 degrees and dinner plate hands Crichton's rare athleticism – he stands at 193cm and weighs 99kg – plays a significant, imposing role in defence. Physically, he can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the game. The 24-year-old's first coach at Penrith, Ben Harden, encouraged Crichton's juggling of AFL (he trialled with GWS Giants), basketball (again, he trialled for the Australian schoolboys side) and rugby league as a teen. The grounding in 360-degree games undoubtedly helped build the spatial awareness Crichton prizes highly. 'Knowing what's happening around each player, how much room they have to move, that spatial awareness is really important and something you can learn,' he says. 'That's a big focus for me at training – knowing what's going on around me. It's something Ciro [Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo] drills home as well.' Burton adds: 'Don't forget those big lanky arms and dinner plate hands. 'He's got an extra foot on other defenders that you have to think about when you're passing.' The decisions: Hold 'em, fold 'em Zeroing in on the 10 minutes of Origin I when Crichton held the Blues right wing on his own, his ability to make the right call stood plain as day. Just as it has countless times already for first Penrith, NSW and now Canterbury. Ciraldo's defensive systems at both clubs have been founded on having options A, B and C to respond to attacking shapes and curveballs – be it a line break, dropped ball or missed tackle. Crichton defends like he has these responses written down his arm. And invariably, makes the right call on which defence to deploy. 'I try and see the play coming from as far out as possible,' he says. 'And if you can rush in and stop an attacking play before it gets too dangerous, then you do. 'But it takes a lot of trust and understanding of what the defenders either side of you are going to do as well. And that doesn't mean you always react as soon as you see a play. 'You might wait until the right time to make your move, too – it could be right up until the play rolls out, and then you're sliding and using the sideline as an extra defender or holding up until your teammates get there to help'. Queensland's two best attacking opportunities against the 12-man Blues went in such fashion. With Zac Lomax noting 'Nathan Cleary, Liam Martin and Stephen Crichton have defended alongside each other forever', Crichton's faith in Cleary had him back-pedalling when Ponga and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow came calling in the 54th minute. Rather than rushing in to shut down play, Cleary is trusted to handle Tabuai-Fidow as time and space dwindle while Crichton covers winger Valentine Holmes as well. When a similar shape unfolds a moment later from a Maroons scrum, Crichton is this time up and forcing a mistimed pass from Cameron Munster. Holmes is then held up as he tries to find the turf, and six NSW teammates end up playing stacks on as the veteran flyer is shoved into touch. Queensland – with a one-man advantage but their attack severely out-of-sorts – don't come calling again. The intercepts: A false economy Crichton has previously pinpointed a one-on-one trouncing he copped from one-time teammate Waqa Blake in 2020 as the turning point for his defensive focus. With video rolling of Blake swatting Crichton away, he and Ciraldo identified there and then what it would take to make him the game's best defensive centre. The same process was behind the 2021 grand final intercept that will keep Cody Walker awake at night for as long as it is remembered. 'People remember the intercepts and think of me as 'the intercept guy',' Crichton says. 'But to me, you can't really defend thinking 'intercept'. That brings you undone. Intercepts happen in a rush and are really a bit of [an] all or nothing gamble. And if you defend that way looking for it, you're going to get nothing most of the time. 'You go looking for the intercept, you're telegraphing and showing what you're doing. And that's when they skin ya. You've shown your cards too early.