Sky Sports pundit could be called up to the Lions squad for next match

Rugby News
Saturday, 28 June 2025 at 21:59
lions redux from scratchjpg
Welsh scrum-half Tomos Williams was good off the bench in the defeat by Argentina a week ago and he was building wonderfully on that performance against the Force, scoring twice, before he came off with what is being called a "tight hamstring".
RUCK’s Lions content is powered by ISUZU.
How tight? Head coach Andy Farrell tried to play a straight bat in the aftermath. "You don't know until you know, and we'll only know in the morning anyway," said Farrell about the severity of the injury.
Might he fly out Scotland's Ben White, who is nearby in Auckland with Gregor Townsend's team on their three-match tour of the South Pacific? Jack van Poortvliet is another contender but he's a long way away with England in Argentina. 
One out of the box contender could be Sky Sports pundit Conor Murray. He was still playing for Ireland up until the 2025 Six Nations and is currently a free agent looking for a new club.
"You have to let these things settle down and see what the outcome is, giving it a little bit of space, added Farrell. "I've not got a clue. There's a little bit of concern there, but you can only deal with what you can deal with in the here and now, so fingers crossed."
Jamison Gibson-Park is fit and should start in Brisbane on Wednesday. Alex Mitchell makes it two fully fit scrum-halves. The question here is whether Williams is going to need some time to recover but can stay on tour or is completely out. Either scenario surely means a call to Auckland.
Having only two fit scrum-halves for a period of time is not sensible, especially when one of them, Ireland's Gibson-Park, is only just recovering from injury himself. 
One game down in Australia and the spectre of injury has already hit. Hopefully, Williams, one of only two Welsh players, is fine. He's a man in rich form, clearly capable of putting the heat on Gibson-Park, the frontrunner for the nine jersey in the Test series.

EDITORS PICKS:

"Absolute Disaster" - Four Lions players who flopped against Western Force

Here are four Lions who failed to fire, with scores and quotes from the top rugby outlets.

1. Tadhg Beirne –

RUCK 5 | RugbyPass 6 | Express 5
RUCK: “He really struggled up against the Forces’ pace to the game and gave away some silly penalties in and around the breakdown.”
RugbyPass: “Busy in the tight but appeared to be on the wrong side of Ben O’Keeffe’s whistle early on, giving away two breakdown penalties.”
Express: “Needless penalties in first half before being replaced in second.”
Beirne’s move to the back row didn’t pay off. He looked off-rhythm early and conceded costly penalties that gave the Force momentum. Not the kind of calm leadership expected from such an experienced Lion. Discipline will be non-negotiable in the Tests — and Beirne knows it.

2. Pierre Schoeman –

RUCK 5 | Planet Rugby 5 | Telegraph 4
RUCK: “Really struggled under the pressure at the scrum... a passenger struggling with the Forces’ physicality.”
Planet Rugby: “Struggled in the scrums but was busy around the park.”
Telegraph: "The Force put the Lions scrum under serious pressure which leaves his position vulnerable after Ellis Genge’s strong performance last week."
Schoeman found the going tough up front, especially in the first half. He offered his usual work rate in loose play, but the Force repeatedly got the better of him at the scrum — and that pressure filtered through the Lions' entire pack. Didn't show the presence he had against Argentina.

3. Tadhg Furlong –

RUCK 5 | Planet Rugby 5 | Telegraph 4
RUCK: “Struggled in the physicality department… lost the battle at set piece and was on the back foot for the majority of the game.”
Planet Rugby: “Not nearly as dominant in the scrums as he was a week ago… managed to get through a decent amount of defence work.”
Telegraph: "Would have hoped for a more dominant performance against a converted loosehead in Tom Robertson. Got through a lot of tackles and some soft hands in phase play."
Another surprise dip. Furlong, usually a reliable anchor at the set piece, had an unusually shaky night. While his hands and defence were solid, the Lions needed dominance — not damage control — from the veteran tighthead. He’ll be under pressure to bounce back quickly.

4. Scott Cummings –

RUCK 4 | RugbyPass 5.5 | Express 5 | Balls.ie 5
RUCK: “At the forefront of the Lions’ biggest Achilles heel, which was kick-off restarts… maybe played himself out of test contention.”
RugbyPass: “Failed to reclaim the restart… and the second-half kick-off too.”
Balls.ie: “Targeted for restarts and struggled there.”
Express: “Line-out worked but didn’t see much carrying.”
Telegraph: "An absolute disaster at the restarts where he was mercilessly targeted by the Force."
A frustrating night for the Scottish lock. Missed two restarts — one of which directly led to the Force’s only try — and gave away a soft penalty near his own line. Made plenty of tackles, but his aerial work and general impact left a lot to be desired. A golden opportunity missed.

QUIZ: Can you name the 2013 British & Irish Lions squad?

Think you’re a true rugby nut? It's time to put your Lions knowledge to the test.
12 years have passed since Warren Gatland’s men roared to a famous series win over Australia, but how well do you really remember the iconic 2013 British & Irish Lions squad?
From legendary leaders to surprise selections, we’ve lined up every player from that unforgettable tour. All you have to do is name them. No pressure, right?
Take the quiz below and prove your rugby brain still bites.
? Scroll down and get cracking – how many can you get without cheating?
loading

Loading