Jonny Wilkinson Snubs Marcus Smith in Lions Verdict – Backs Shock Rival for No.10!
Rugby NewsThursday, 10 April 2025 at 12:22
– and his picks are bound to raise a few eyebrows.
With just a month to go until Andy Farrell names his squad, the battle for starting spots on the British & Irish Lions tour is reaching fever pitch.
As contenders stake their claim across Europe’s top competitions, one legend has now weighed in on the biggest selection debate of them all – who wears the coveted No.10 jersey in 2025?
Competition: Get a Chance to Watch the Lions in Australia
Speaking on during the 2025 Six Nations, Jonny Wilkinson explained why Fin Smith’s performance against Scotland had particularly impressed him.
He highlighted the England fly-half’s patience and composure, calling it a “powerful” aspect of his game.
Wilkinson said: “I think early on in my career, I would have just been too exuberant and too kind of keen to just fly around the place to have had the kind of composure and calm and the vision and what have you.
“And then at other times later on in my career, I would have been too keen, like you said, to try and make something happen.
“But he found that balance between the two, having the patience, the poise, and the trust just in his team to wait. And I think that’s quite powerful.”
Despite his admiration for Smith, Wilkinson believes Lions head coach Andy Farrell may opt for Ireland’s Sam Prendergast instead, citing the fly-half’s familiarity with Farrell’s style of play.
He explained: “I don’t know Andy Farrell’s preferences.
“I know Owen [Farrell] really quite well and sort of had a connection, I guess, with Johnny Sexton and seeing how he’s played his Ireland team in the past, what kind of teams he’s had and how that’s functioned with a game plan he likes.
“We’ve seen what he’s done with Ireland. We haven’t been able to see what he’s done with, you know, at this point, another team. What would he do with a team if he had different players?
“As we know, his Ireland team seems to be enormously strong at running these great lines, great movement in the backs, but ruthless, direct team. So I would hazard a guess that that’s the kind of look he’ll go for with the Lions.”
With Ireland dominating the northern hemisphere, could Farrell stick with what he knows? The race for the Lions' No.10 jersey is far from settled.
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Dan Biggar names bold Lions XV – with big England omissions
Wales legend Dan Biggar has officially called time on his playing career, but not before dropping a blockbuster British & Irish Lions XV on The Rugby Pod
The 112-cap fly-half, who steered Wales through some of their finest Six Nations and World Cup moments, appeared on Jim Hamilton’s podcast this week and revealed his Lions dream team. Spoiler alert: there's no room for the likes of Owen Farrell, Johnny Sexton, or even himself.
Here’s how Biggar’s team shaped up…
Front-row firepower: Porter, Sheehan & Furlong
1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong
It’s an all-Irish affair in the front row, with Biggar backing Leinster's dominant trio to boss the scrum. Furlong remains the Rolls-Royce of tightheads, while Sheehan and Porter provide dynamism in the loose.
Big boys in the boiler room: Itoje & Beirne
4. Maro Itoje
5. Tadhg Beirne
5. Tadhg Beirne
England’s Maro Itoje gets the nod despite some inconsistent recent form, with Biggar clearly still valuing his disruptive brilliance. He’s paired with the ever-reliable Beirne – a turnover machine and Lions Test starter in 2021.
Breakdown beasts: Curry, Van Der Flier & Doris (c)
6. Tom Curry
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris (captain)
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris (captain)
This back row is pure chaos – in the best possible way. England’s Tom Curry returns to the fray, Ireland’s Van der Flier adds World Player of the Year pedigree, and Doris, who’s fast becoming a modern-day great, takes the armband. A fearless choice.
Livewire half-backs: Gibson-Park & Russell
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
10. Finn Russell
10. Finn Russell
Gone are the days of conservative Lions 9-10 combos. Biggar’s gone full jazz here. Gibson-Park brings the zip, and Russell… well, Russell brings the flair. The Scotland maestro’s creativity earns him the No.10 jersey over Biggar himself – no ego here.
Fire on the flanks: Lowe & Kinghorn
11. James Lowe
14. Blair Kinghorn
14. Blair Kinghorn
Two versatile Scots fill the wing slots, with Kinghorn’s blend of size and speed complementing Lowe’s relentless work rate and booming left boot. Biggar clearly values adaptability out wide – and a bit of flair never hurts.
Caledonian connection in midfield: Tuipulotu & Jones
12. Sione Tuipulotu
13. Huw Jones
13. Huw Jones
The Glasgow Warriors pairing have formed one of the deadliest centre combos in rugby, and Biggar’s kept them together. It’s a bold call, but one based on form and synergy rather than reputation alone.
Rock-solid fullback: Hugo Keenan
15. Hugo Keenan
No surprise here – Keenan has been Ireland’s Mr Consistent, and Biggar trusts him to be the safety net at the back. His positioning, aerial ability and counter-attacks make him a nailed-on pick.
The bench: a mix of muscle and mischief
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Zander Fagerson, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Jac Morgan, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith
It’s a stacked bench with serious impact. Genge and Fagerson bring brute force, while Earl and Morgan cover the back row with pace and punch. Marcus Smith adds some stardust, and Mitchell offers serious tempo at scrum-half.
Can You Name These 10 Legendary British & Irish Lions?
Test your rugby knowledge and see how many of these iconic Lions players you can name! You’ve got 4 minutes on the clock—think fast!
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