England star called up to the Lions, joins up next week

The Saracens and England hooker has been drafted into the British & Irish Lions squad by Head Coach Andy Farrell. He’ll link up with the team in Brisbane next week ahead of the Qatar Airways Lions Men’s Series against Australia.

George – Lion #819 – is no stranger to the famous red jersey, having toured in both 2017 and 2021. He also trained with the squad earlier this year during camps in Portugal and Dublin.

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Schoeman impressed in open play with strong carries and physicality but struggled at the scrum, conceding multiple free kicks for poor technique. His inconsistency at set-piece remains a key issue as test selection nears.

FloRugby 4/10: "Got busy in the loose as he got on the ball for some big rumbles. His shaky work at scrum time is what is holding him back, as he conceded a few free kicks for not driving straight. Schoeman offered solid carries and physicality in open play, but his inconsistency at the set-piece remains a concern as test selection draws nearer."

Cowan-Dickie combined aggressive breakdown work with costly technical flaws, including an early line-out overthrow and an injury from a reckless low tackle. His physical presence was notable, but errors undermined his impact with him now ruled out of next week's series opener.

FloRugby 4/10: "Line-out overthrow in minute four dented a decent start. Exceptionally physical around the breakdown, notably clearing out two defenders to allow Ben White's try. His injury in the 36th minute was the result of his notorious low-tackling technique, raising concerns again. A mixed bag, combining aggression with costly technical flaws."

Smith showed resilience under pressure but lacked influence overall. He missed key opportunities, including a kick and defensive lapse, and didn’t do enough to secure a bench role ahead of the First Test.

BALLS 6/10: "Overcooked an early garryowen into the AUNZ 22. Opposition were finding him on their carries, but he never backed down. Missed Tuipulotu on a strong carry. Did not do enough to rubber-stamp a bench spot for the First Test."

RUCK 5/10: "So often a reliable option at fly-half, Northampton’s Smith had an off night in Adelaide. A couple of simple missed kicks and a lack of real effect in this game mean Andy Farrell could look at his more versatile options – Marcus Smith or Owen Farrell – to back up Finn Russell in Brisbane."

Stuart’s scrummaging issues continued, drawing multiple penalties and leading to an early substitution. While his defensive effort was solid, limited impact in attack and persistent technical faults are hurting his test prospects.

FloRugby 3/10: "Similar to Schoeman, the Bath tighthead is trailing in the test pecking order due to inconsistent scrummaging. Penalised several times for collapsing or instability. Showed effort in open play, but his early substitution tells the story. Needs a statement performance to regain footing in selection talks."

BALLS 5/10: "Scrum was steady enough, without having a clear edge. Conceded a penalty for offside. Stuck 10 tackles but only made one carry, for little change."

Introduction:
Think you know your Lions legends? ?
Test your rugby knowledge by naming the players who have scored the most points for the British & Irish Lions in test matches. These are the top scorers from historic tours—can you remember them all?

You have 5 minutes.
Good luck!