Maro Itoje Named Captain as British & Irish Lions Reveal 2025 Australia Tour Squad
Maro Itoje Takes the Helm Ahead of Anticipated Lions Tour
Few rugby appointments spark as much conversation as the naming of a British & Irish Lions captain. Now, with the 2025 tour to Australia looming, Maro Itoje steps into the spotlight. Andy Farrell, the Lions’ head coach, made the call after months of speculation. It’s a move that oozes intent: Itoje isn’t just another big name—he’s the towering Saracens lock famed for relentless work around the field and his knack for rallying teammates when the noise gets deafening.
This year, the Lions went all-in on diversity, picking 38 players from across England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. What makes the list pop? Scotland’s contribution. Eight Scots have made the cut, a haul that signals how much the landscape has shifted. Remember when just a handful used to make the trip? Now, there’s a real tartan thread weaving through the squad, thanks to breakthrough names like Scott Cummings in the forward pack, and backs Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones, and Blair Kinghorn. All four are set for their Lions debut, bringing spark, pace, and a taste for open, attacking play.
As for Itoje, Farrell made no secret of why he’s the right choice. ‘He makes people feel seen,’ said Farrell, and in rugby terms, that means a player who can unite a patchwork team in the pressure cooker of a Lions tour. Itoje has always played with authority, but it’s his ability to empower others that sets him apart. There’s an expectation he’ll bring the same blend of grit and empathy that’s made him a standout at club and international level.
Tour Itinerary: Tough Tests and Big Expectations
The adventure begins in Dublin on June 20, when the Lions face Argentina in a one-off warm-up. That’s not just a training exercise—they’ll need to be sharp straight out of the gate. Next comes the main event: a ten-game slog through Australia, highlighted by three Test matches against the Wallabies in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. For fans, it’s a loaded schedule that drips with nostalgia and pressure. Australia holds bad memories—the Lions haven’t always found success on its sunburnt fields. Still, the last time they toured there in 2013, they walked away with the series win, an achievement this squad will aim to repeat.
This tour isn’t just about rekindling old rivalries or settling scores. With Maro Itoje at the front, the Lions have a leader built for the modern game—one as comfortable cajoling fresh faces as he is fronting up to Australia’s brutes. The inclusion of so many Scottish talents is also refreshing, hinting the team is serious about playing expansive, unpredictable rugby rather than just battering through opponents.
The full fixture list promises plenty of opportunities for new stars to emerge and reputations to be made. For fans across all four nations, the next few months will be spent dissecting every squad announcement, warm-up result, and injury report. The hope? A tour that ends in another famous series victory, fuelled by fresh faces, fierce leadership, and the unmistakable roar of the Lions abroad.