Leading British & Irish Lions Team Chooses Itoje as Captain

Rewritten Article:

Maro Itoje will captain the British & Irish Lions on their upcoming tour Down Under, marking only the third Englishman to claim this honor in over two decades. The 30-year-old second-rower, primed for his third tour, follows in the footsteps of legendary lock Martin Johnson, who, like Itoje, led the men in red on their 1997 tour to Australia. Notably, half of all Lions skippers have been locks since 1974.

Caelan Doris, the expected captain, faces the bitter disappointment of a tour-ending shoulder injury, sustained in Leinster's heart-wrenching 37-34 defeat against the Northampton Saints in February.

The Lions squad was unveiled at a special event in London's Indigo at The O2, with Lions board chair and three-time tourist Ieuan Evans announcing the selections made by head coach Andy Farrell and his support staff. Evans, a try scorer in the iconic 1989 victory over the Wallabies, warmly congratulated Itoje on his appointment.

Andy Farrell expressed his excitement for the appointment, praising Itoje's understanding of the Lions' essence and his role in helping the team secure a Test Series victory this summer. Attired in full regalia, Itoje eagerly accepted the lauded position.

The squad is comprised of 21 forwards and 17 backs, featuring 14 Irishmen, 13 Englishmen—among them back row prodigy Henry Pollock, the squad's youngest member at 20—eight Scots, and two Welshmen. Peppered with 26 first-time tourists and nine players destined for their second Lions tour, Tadhg Furlong and Elliot Daly prepared for their third.

Farrell explained that, since their initial gathering six weeks ago, they had analyzed over 75 players of interest, ultimately prioritizing the squad balance to prepare for the grueling tour finale against the Wallabies. He remains optimistic about the group's potential, expressing his belief that they possess the capacity to achieve something extraordinary and add to the Lions' legacy.

The British & Irish Lions Squad:

Forwards:

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)
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)
Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/ Ireland)
Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/ Scotland)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/ England)
Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby/ Ireland)

Backs:

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)

Maro Itoje, having cemented his position as captain, will make his third tour with the British & Irish Lions, following in the footsteps of locks like Martin Johnson and similar Englishmen who have held the position in over two decades.
The Lions squad includes several newcomers, among them 20-year-old back row prodigy Henry Pollock, proving a balanced mix of experienced players and fresh talent.
Players like Tadhg Furlong and Elliot Daly, previously captains, are preparing for their third Lions tour, reflecting their sustained interest in the sport and the Lions' legacy.
Interestingly, 9 players are destined for their second Lions tour, joining Peppered with 26 first-time tourists and backing head coach Andy Farrell's assertion that they have the potential to achieve something extraordinary for the Investec-sponsored Lions in the upcoming sports event against the Wallabies.