“15 Join the Pride” – Farrell Bolsters Lions Squad Ahead of Argentina Clash
Rugby NewsMonday, 16 June 2025 at 10:50
British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell has welcomed 15 new arrivals into camp today following the conclusion of domestic finals – giving the touring squad a major injection of firepower ahead of Friday’s 1888 Cup opener against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium.
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Fresh off Premiership and URC final duties, the new additions include Bath duo Finn Russell and Will Stuart, Leicester’s Ollie Chessum, and a heavy-hitting 12-man Leinster contingent, featuring the likes of James Lowe, Hugo Keenan, Josh van der Flier and Jamison Gibson-Park, who has now been cleared to join after missing the URC final through injury.
The 15 will take part in their first full training session on Tuesday, with Farrell looking to sharpen combinations ahead of the first fixture on Friday night (kick-off 8pm).
Still to come: Blair Kinghorn remains on Top 14 duty with Toulouse and is the final squad member yet to report for camp.
Meanwhile, Jamie George and Asher Opoku-Fordjour will train with the squad today at UCD before returning to club responsibilities.
? FULL LIONS SQUAD – 2025 TOUR
FORWARDS
- Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Ireland)
- Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Ireland) #838
- Ollie Chessum (Leicester/England)
- Jack Conan (Leinster/Ireland) #839
- Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale/England) #851
- Scott Cummings (Glasgow/Scotland)
- Tom Curry (Sale/England) #853
- Ben Earl (Saracens/England)
- Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Ireland) #818
- Ellis Genge (Bristol/England)
- Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) #825 (Captain)
- Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Ireland)
- Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Ireland)
- Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales)
- Henry Pollock (Northampton/England)
- Andrew Porter (Leinster/Ireland)
- James Ryan (Leinster/Ireland)
- Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Ireland)
- Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh/Scotland)
- Will Stuart (Bath/England)
- Josh van der Flier (Leinster/Ireland)
BACKS
- Bundee Aki (Connacht/Ireland) #837
- Elliot Daly (Saracens/England) #822
- Tommy Freeman (Northampton/England)
- Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster/Ireland)
- Mack Hansen (Connacht/Ireland)
- Huw Jones (Glasgow/Scotland)
- Hugo Keenan (Leinster/Ireland)
- James Lowe (Leinster/Ireland)
- Alex Mitchell (Northampton/England)
- Fin Smith (Northampton/England)
- Garry Ringrose (Leinster/Ireland)
- Finn Russell (Bath/Scotland) #835
- Marcus Smith (Harlequins/England) #855
- Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow/Scotland)
- Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh/Scotland) #841
- Tomos Williams (Gloucester/Wales)
? Next up:
Lions vs Argentina
? Aviva Stadium, Dublin
? Friday
? Kick-off: 8pm
? 1888 Cup
Lions vs Argentina
? Aviva Stadium, Dublin
? Friday
? Kick-off: 8pm
? 1888 Cup
Let the roar begin.
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2/10: 5 Big-Name Underperformers from the Premiership Final
Bath finally broke their 29-year title drought with a nervy 23-21 win over Leicester Tigers, wrapping up a historic 2024/25 treble. But while the blue, black, and white were partying, some big names had a day to forget...
Honourable Mention: Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
? A brief cameo turned sour as the veteran prop bowed out of professional rugby with a cl. Rugby Pass called it
"a tragic way to finish his career."
Rating: 2/10
Rating: 2/10
#1. Joe Cokanasiga (Bath)
? Big Joe's big slip-up
He found himself in good positions but couldn’t make them count. Handling errors crept in, undermining his usual wrecking-ball threat.
"Unusually mistake-filled… unable to hold the ball," noted RUCK.
Rating: 5/10 (Planet Rugby), 6/10 (RUCK)
He found himself in good positions but couldn’t make them count. Handling errors crept in, undermining his usual wrecking-ball threat.
"Unusually mistake-filled… unable to hold the ball," noted RUCK.
Rating: 5/10 (Planet Rugby), 6/10 (RUCK)
#2. Adam Radwan (Leicester Tigers)
? Nowhere to run
Radwan had flashes of pace, but spent much of the match marooned in heavy traffic. His defensive work didn’t help either.
"Bath dominated in the air and Radwan also missed quite a few tackles," Planet Rugby observed.
Rating: 5/10
Radwan had flashes of pace, but spent much of the match marooned in heavy traffic. His defensive work didn’t help either.
"Bath dominated in the air and Radwan also missed quite a few tackles," Planet Rugby observed.
Rating: 5/10
#3. Handré Pollard (Leicester Tigers)
? The pass that broke the Tigers
Started brightly, directing play with authority, but his second-half unravelled. A stray pass to Russell led to a decisive Bath try, and he missed a crucial kick at goal.
"Blew white hot and ice cold," summed up Planet Rugby.
Rating: 5/10 (Planet Rugby & Rugby Pass)
Started brightly, directing play with authority, but his second-half unravelled. A stray pass to Russell led to a decisive Bath try, and he missed a crucial kick at goal.
"Blew white hot and ice cold," summed up Planet Rugby.
Rating: 5/10 (Planet Rugby & Rugby Pass)
#4. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
? Grounded under pressure
The safest hands in England were tested—and cracked. Bath’s tactical kicking drew him out of position, and a few spilled catches followed.
"Not his imperious best under the high ball," said Rugby Pass.
Rating: 4/10
The safest hands in England were tested—and cracked. Bath’s tactical kicking drew him out of position, and a few spilled catches followed.
"Not his imperious best under the high ball," said Rugby Pass.
Rating: 4/10
#5. Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers)
? Breakdown? Break-gone.
Normally a menace at the ruck, Reffell struggled to assert himself and racked up penalties instead. Bath kept him largely out of the contest.
"Found himself on the wrong side of Dickson’s whistle… not Leicester’s afternoon at the breakdown."
Normally a menace at the ruck, Reffell struggled to assert himself and racked up penalties instead. Bath kept him largely out of the contest.
"Found himself on the wrong side of Dickson’s whistle… not Leicester’s afternoon at the breakdown."
Quiz! Can you name every club that has played in the Premiership?
London Welsh were the last new team to play in the Gallagher Premiership back in 2011 – can you name the others?
You have five minutes to name every club to have played in the Gallagher Premiership, all 28 of them, since the division was established back in 1987.
Good luck, and let us know how you do
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