A Lions standby list: Who’s in the frame for potential late call-ups?

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Andy Farrell’s 2025 British and Irish Lions squad has been confirmed, but as is always the case, injuries will cause disruption and changes between now and the start of the tour.

Indeed, there are a litany of examples of players called up late to previous Lions tours having initially missed out and played their way into Test selection – sometimes even as central performers.

In 2013, English prop Alex Corbisiero missed out on the original 37-man Lions squad to travel to Australia. After an ankle injury to Irishman Cian Healy, Corbisiero was called up and ended up starting in both the victorious first and third Tests vs the Wallabies as a standout player – scoring the crucial opening try in the series decider.

Four years previously in 2009, England back-row Tom Croft missed out on another 37-man Lions squad, but was called up after Alan Quinlan’s suspension. Injuries to Stephen Ferris and Ryan Jones saw Croft involved in all three Tests against the Springboks, and he went on to put in marvellous performances as one of the players of the tour, scoring two tries in the first Test while demonstrating immense appetite around the park and devastating pace to his carrying.

Later that year, Croft was nominated for World Player of the Year such had been the quality of his performances. From out of the Lions picture altogether to one of the best in the world – it just goes to show.

As such, we’ve taken a look at which players are potentially on standby for late Lions call-ups to Australia in 2025…

Owen Farrell – a better chance than not potentially?

A few months back, very few people had Owen Farrell realistically in the Lions 2025 conversation. Yet, the lack of clarity between the unions over who their leading fly-half is – aside from Scotland, whose first choice is clearly Finn Russell – opened the door for an experienced option such as Farrell to tour.

In fact, the poor form of Ireland’s Sam Prendergast and, to a lesser extent, England’s Marcus Smith, led some to believe Farrell was going to travel as a third fly-half in the mix with Russell and the outstanding talent that is Fin Smith.

In the end, Andy Farrell resisted the temptation to include his son, avoiding potentially awkward conversations around nepotism in doing so too – let’s remember, Owen Farrell has hardly lit up the Top 14 with Racing 92 this season and hasn’t played Test rugby since 2023 – but one of the big takeaways from last Thursday’s squad announcement was Farrell senior’s comments in relation to junior.

“He was in the conversation obviously, an experienced player like that, going for his fourth Tour,” Farrell told reporters. “You cover all bases that’s for sure in terms of the leadership qualities and all of that.

“There’s 38 picked, which leaves a couple of slots open for us down the track if and when needed. Owen, like a few other guys, would be in that bracket.”

There are always injuries before and during a Lions tour, and always players called up to join the party late. Based on the above comments from the head coach, it would appear highly likely should anything happen to the selected Lions fly-halves in terms of injuries, Farrell would be the next cab off the rank.

Indeed, it could even be argued his ability to play inside-centre may see him called up ahead of the likes of Robbie Henshaw if any of the midfield options go down too – the Ireland centre has been a fantastic player over the years, and is already a two-time Lion (2017, 2021 – the latter as one of the best players in the world), but he can’t have had much argument with his omission due to a drop in form.

In terms of other potential fly-halves on stand-by, Prendergast’s defensive weaknesses have surely ruled him out, but much of the Lions coaching staff (Farrell, Simon Easterby, Andrew Goodman, Johnny Sexton) have been those responsible for fast-tracking the 22-year-old into Test rugby before many observers felt he was ready, so who knows.

George Ford and Jack Crowley would be more than capable recruits should there be further fitness issues within the Lions squad, but neither’s face seems to fit currently.

Jamie George, Jack Willis waiting by their phones this summer?

In the forwards, if you were to pick out two players who were perhaps closest to making it they were hooker Jamie George and back-row Jack Willis.

Ireland’s Dan Sheehan appears the out-and-out Lions first-choice hooker, but George proved for England during the Six Nations he can have a fantastic impact off the pitch, allied to his reliable set-piece delivery.

Instead, Ronan Kelleher – Ireland’s second-choice behind Sheehan – and England’s Luke Cowan-Dickie have made the squad. You would imagine, though, if any hooker drops out or a space opens up, George will be the man Farrell rings – he appears ahead of Welshman Dewi Lake in the stakes. The 34-year-old would seem to fit the mould of ideal “midweek captain” too, should a late call-up come to pass.

Former Wasps back-row Jack Willis moved to Toulouse in the Top 14 in 2022 after the sad demise of his Premiership club. His performances in the years since have been outstanding.

The 28-year-old was part of the Toulouse side which won a fabulous double last season, clinching the Champions Cup to go with a Top 14 league triumph – all while ineligible for England, of course, due to playing his club rugby outside the country.

No such rule exists for Lions selection, however, and many had Willis in the mix due to his quality. In the end, he hasn’t made it, but such a call may not be entirely down to form.

The Lions begin their tour by facing Argentina in Dublin on Friday June 20, before a first match in Australia vs Western Force in Perth on Saturday June 28. Toulouse are currently leading the Top 14 table, and should they reach the final – as expected – the date of that is also Saturday June 28.

As such, Willis (along with team-mate Blair Kinghorn, who has made the Lions squad), would miss at least two tour matches, and most likely a third with the Lions playing again shortly after on Wednesday July 2 against the Queensland Reds.

Any back-row injury later in the tour is likely to see Willis brought into the fold, by which point his club commitments will be done and dusted.

Casey, White appear scrum-half options, Graham, Murray at top of backline queue?

At scrum-half, Ireland’s Jamison Gibson-Park and England’s Alex Mitchell were both nailed on Lions selections such has been their respective form.

With scrum-half being a specialised position, the question revolved around who would take the third spot. The choice appeared to come down to Wales’ Tomos Williams and Scotland’s Ben White (another French-based player with Toulon), with Ireland’s Craig Casey an outside shot.

Williams won out to make the tour as one of only two Welshman included. If any of the scrum-hales go down injured, White or Casey will be next in line.

Into the backline, was there a player more hard done by than Scotland wing Darcy Graham? The Edinburgh livewire has proven an immense threat with ball in hand over recent years, with pace, acceleration and a stepping ability to marvel at. He has also been near-cursed with injury.

The 27-year-old would have brought a different dimension to the Lions attack, but appears to have missed out to Ireland’s Mack Hansen – who has also struggled with injuries in recent years – owing to Andy Farrell’s relationship with the Connacht wing.

If any of the Lions wing options get injured, Graham would be the first name called up, surely?

Further back, the Lions have two recognised full-backs in Ireland’s Hugo Keenan and Scotland’s Kinghorn – yet, as mentioned above, Kinghorn is likely to miss two/three tour matches as a Toulouse player.

That fact perhaps goes some way to explaining the inclusions of utility back Elliot Daly and Marcus Smith as a third-choice fly-half who can cover full-back.

Yet, if something more sinister were to happen to Keenan or Kinghorn and the Lions seek another specialist, they could do worse than look at Wales’ Blair Murray, who impressed during the Six Nations with his displays.

British and Irish Lions 38-player squad for 2025 tour of Australia

Forwards (21):

Tadhg Beirne, Ollie Chessum, Jack Conan, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Scott Cummings, Tom Curry, Ben Earl, Zander Fagerson, Tadhg Furlong, Ellis Genge, Maro Itoje (c), Ronan Kelleher, Joe McCarthy, Jac Morgan, Henry Pollock, Andrew Porter, James Ryan, Pierre Schoeman, Dan Sheehan, Will Stuart, Josh van der Flier.

Backs (17):

Bundee Aki, Elliot Daly, Tommy Freeman, Jamison Gibson-Park, Mack Hansen, Huw Jones, Hugo Keenan, Blair Kinghorn, James Lowe, Alex Mitchell, Garry Ringrose, Finn Russell, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Tomos Williams.

British and Irish Lions tour of Australia on Sky Sports

Sky Sports will exclusively show the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Tests against the Wallabies and six warm-up matches to be shown exclusively live.

This news was originally published on this post .

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