"Very poor" - BBC brutally rank the five worst Lions players from 2025 tour

The BBC has taken a red pen to the squad list, handing out final grades. And for these five, let’s just say their report cards are going straight to the bin. Here's who finished at the wrong end of the ratings...

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? RUCK says: The cult hero was all smiles and mullet magic early doors – but cruel timing saw injury rob him of a proper crack. A case of what might have been, not what was.

BBC wrote: “Finished the second Test strongly but was ineffective for much of the rest of it. He was desperately off form in the third Test and, in fairness, he used some agricultural language of his own to describe his performance.”

? RUCK says: Aki usually brings the heat – but this time, he was blowing cold. Fired late in the second Test, then fizzled out again. Even he couldn’t sugarcoat it.

BBC wrote: “The tour was sleepy hollow until the news came through that Faz Jnr had been called up by Faz Snr... Pretty non-descript on the field even though he came on in two Tests. The best of it was his excellent press conference before captaining against First Nations and Pasifik.”

? RUCK says: A tour cameo that sparked more debates than points. The whole Farrell-Farrell selection circus was box office, but on the pitch? Flat. His finest moment came behind a mic, not in a scrum.

BBC wrote: “Brought in when Zander Fagerson had to withdraw... Strong scrummaging display against Argentina... but overtaken by Furlong and Will Stuart.”

? RUCK says: Started with a bang, ended with a whimper. Showed early promise, but quickly shuffled down the pecking order. Outgunned, not disgraced.

BBC wrote: “By his lofty standards, a poor tour. He had a fantastic moment when setting up Beirne for an important score in the second Test, but Lowe could not find his confidence.”

? RUCK says: Lowe usually oozes swagger. But in Oz? All the gears, none of the grind. That Beirne assist aside, this was far from vintage.

The Lions returned triumphant, but not everyone was a winner. The five names above will know themselves – this one didn’t quite click.