"It's easy" - Austin Healey selects his 2025 Lions XV with Marcus Smith at full-back

Sky Sports has secured exclusive broadcasting rights for the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour, promising viewers live coverage of all three Tests and six warm-up matches.

In light of this, the hypothetical scenario emerges: if Lions head coach Andy Farrell were to assemble his squad today, who would make the cut for the journey Down Under?

Below, Healey picks his 2025 Lions XV with five England players included in the team.

Healey said: "My middle name is Sean. That’s the Irish in me!"

Healey said: "I’ve gone for McCarthy and Itoje. I think people will think, ‘Hold on a sec, he could have some of the other second rows around’. But when Itoje’s on his game and I think when he’s in the Lions shirt… He’s had a bit of an illness, he’s claimed, over the previous couple of seasons.

"McCarthy we spoke about earlier – he is going to be one hell of a player. He’s so young and so talented. And that’s a tough position. There’s load of strength there."

He said: "Well, that’s a ridiculous selection to be honest. I’ve gone for Courtney Lawes at 6, bringing him out of retirement from international rugby. I’ve gone for Dorris at 8 and Van der Flier at 7. Obviously we should be on the selection panel.

"It would be very, very quick and we could go straight to the pub! I think Van der Flier over Ben Earl. I’d bring Ben Earl off the bench as impact. And also you have to think about who you’re playing against. I wouldn’t potentially have picked that team if I wasn’t playing against Australia."

He said: "Gibson-Park and Finn Russell. It’s easy. I say easy, it’s probably going to be Owen Farrell because you’ve got to pick his son. Otherwise, Christmas Day is going to be an absolute nightmare for the next couple of decades, isn’t it? I think Farrell will be there some place.

"But the Lions needs to be exciting this time. I think it’s been boring the last few trips to watch as a fan, and if you want excitement, you want Finn Russell. And if you’ve got Finn Russell you want the ball in his hands quickly, and Gibson-Park is the best at that."

He said: "I’ve gone for Henshaw and Lawrence. Again, there’s loads of people, you could have picked Ringrose in there in the 13 shirt. I just think Lawrence, he’s so young still, he’s just getting better and better and stronger and stronger. You put him in with good players around him, this season playing with Finn Russell, he’s really excelled.

"You put Henshaw next to him as well, he’s going to go a stage further. You’ve got a good back three outside that I think it brings the best out of. I think he could potentially be world class. You need a big guy in the midfield. I did think about picking Aki. I just think Henshaw is better for the Lions."

He said: "The back three I’ve gone for Lowe on the left wing. You have to have him in the team. He’s a great finisher, but also you’ve got his boot, which is just phenomenal. Freeman on the right wing, who I think is going to be this season’s bolter in the Six Nations as well and will bolt for further forward if he keeps progressing.

"And then at full back, I’ve gone for Marcus Smith, just to take a little bit of the pressure off Russell in the game and, if he’s on the same wavelength as him, those two in combination could just be dynamite in that back line. But at full back, it’s so difficult."