World Rugby take action to reduce number of 'foreign-born' Lions

Friday, 27 June 2025 at 19:53

byRugby Rucker

Lions legend Willie John McBride is one of many who has hit out at the 2025 British & Irish Lions squad, blasting the inclusion of too many foreign-born players.

The iconic second-row, who famously captained the tourists to a historic series win over South Africa in 1974, didn’t mince his words when speaking to South African publication

Rapport.

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“Eight of them weren’t born in Britain or Ireland. That’s not how it was in my day,” McBride said.
“Sixty years ago, you only played if you were a native. It’s changed, and I’m not sure it’s for the better.”

But here's the twist: a World Rugby law change may mean McBride’s concerns could soon be outdated.

Residency Rule Extended — Too Late for This Squad

In 2024, World Rugby quietly extended the eligibility residency requirement from three years to five — a significant shift that would have blocked many of the current Lions from ever qualifying.

Had the rule been in place earlier, at least five players in Andy Farrell’s 2025 squad wouldn’t be wearing red this summer.

That includes Ireland’s Super Rugby quartet — Jamison Gibson-Park, Bundee Aki, James Lowe, and Mack Hansen— all of whom moved to Ireland as adults to play professionally. Only Hansen was already eligible upon arrival. Together, they make up half of the foreign-born Lions this year.

Scotland's contingent also has a southern flavour. Pierre Schoeman, Duhan van der Merwe, and Sione Tuipulotu all qualified via residency or ancestry after arriving from South Africa or Australia. Tuipulotu was eligible via his Scottish grandparent but made the switch after a career in Australia and Japan.

Add in Joe McCarthy (born in the USA but raised in Dublin) and Marcus Smith (Philippines-born but a product of the English system), and the total of non-homegrown players hits eight — exactly the number McBride takes issue with.

Lions Breakdown: Who’s Representing Who?

Ireland: 15 players (4 foreign-born, all capped through residency or ancestry)
England: 13 players (1 foreign-born: Marcus Smith, but English-raised)
Scotland: 8 players (4 foreign-born, mainly South African imports)
Wales: Just 2 players — both born and bred in Cymru.

Eligibility Cheatsheet

Player	Team	Born	Homegrown?	Eligibility Route	Previous Rep
Pierre Schoeman	Scotland	South Africa	No	Residency (2021)	SA U18, U20
Joe McCarthy	Ireland	USA	Yes	Parent	—
Jamison Gibson-Park	Ireland	New Zealand	No	Residency (2020)	NZ Māori
Marcus Smith	England	Philippines	Yes	Parent	—
Bundee Aki	Ireland	New Zealand	No	Residency (2017)	—
Huw Jones	Scotland	Scotland	Mixed	Scotland Born	—
Sione Tuipulotu	Scotland	Australia	No	Grandparent	Aus Schools, U20
Mack Hansen	Ireland	Australia	No	Parent (Eligible on arrival)	Aus U20
James Lowe	Ireland	New Zealand	No	Residency (2020)	NZ Māori
Duhan van der Merwe	Scotland	South Africa	No	Residency (2020)	SA Schools, U20

The Bigger Picture

While the Lions are proudly marketed as a showcase of home nations unity, the reality is increasingly global. And for critics like McBride, that change is jarring.

But with stricter eligibility rules now in place, the days of players arriving on a professional deal and qualifying three seasons later may be numbered.

The next Lions tour might look very different. Whether that’s a step forward or backward depends on which side of the eligibility line you stand on.

Power Rankings: British & Irish Lions Tier List – Who’s Leading the Race for a Test Jersey?

This evolving tier list ranks players from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales by likelihood of starting the Lions Test matches, considering form, experience, versatility, and injury status.

We will release weekly updates throughout the build-up to the tour, reflecting changes in form, injuries, and squad developments — so stay tuned for the latest insights!

Tier Legend:

? S Tier – Near-lock for the Test XV
? A Tier – Strong favourite, very likely starter
? B Tier – In contention, bench or squad player
? C Tier – Outside shot, needs big tour to break in
? D Tier – Unlikely barring injury or drastic changes

Hookers

Player	Tier	Notes
Dan Sheehan	? S	The standout hooker; dynamic around the field and solid on set-piece.
Rónan Kelleher	? B	Reliable and strong bench option, pushing for Test starts if form holds.
Luke Cowan-Dickie	? C	Experienced, but behind the Irish duo in pecking order.

Props

Loosehead

Player	Tier	Notes
Ellis Genge	? A	Outstanding performance against Argentina pushes him ahead of Porter.
Andrew Porter	? B	Strong but edged out by Genge’s recent form.
Pierre Schoeman	? C	Reliable backup option.

Tighthead

Player	Tier	Notes
Tadhg Furlong	? A	Still top choice, though fitness is a factor.
Will Stuart	? B	Now ahead of Bealham, who drops to C.
Finlay Bealham	? C	Depth option behind Stuart.

Second Row

Player	Tier	Notes
Maro Itoje	? S	The clear Test starter and captain; dominant on all fronts.
Tadhg Beirne	? A	Versatile lock/blindside with great skillset.
Joe McCarthy	? B	Rising star with big potential.
Ollie Chessum	? B	Mobile and aggressive, pushing for Test role.
James Ryan	? C	Injuries and dips in form have slowed him down.

Back Row

Player	Tier	Notes
Tom Curry	? A	If fully fit, a starting candidate for back row.
Ben Earl	? B	Solid contender but competition fierce.
Josh van der Flier	? B	World-class but form is slightly inconsistent recently.
Jac Morgan	? B	Welsh leader, in the mix for bench or rotation.
Jack Conan	? C	Experienced but behind younger options.

Scrum-halves

Player	Tier	Notes
Jamison Gibson-Park	? A	Likely starting 9 if fit.
Tomos Williams	? B	Promoted ahead of Alex Mitchell based on impact and experience.
Alex Mitchell	? C	Solid but currently third in pecking order.

Fly-halves

Player	Tier	Notes
Finn Russell	? S	Clear Test starter with creativity and control.
Fin Smith	? A	Emerging star, surpassing Marcus Smith as main backup.
Marcus Smith	? C	Has struggled at fullback; Test fly-half spot unlikely.

Centres

Player	Tier	Notes
Bundee Aki	? A	Midfield mainstay.
Huw Jones	? B	Now ahead of Ringrose for his attacking prowess.
Sione Tuipulotu	? B	Versatile and strong option, deserving of B tier status.
Garry Ringrose	? C	Dropped slightly due to injury/form.

Wings

Player	Tier	Notes
Duhan van der Merwe	? S	Test starter.
James Lowe	? A	Reliable threat.
Tommy Freeman	? B	Moves ahead of Hansen due to recent form.
Mack Hansen	? C	Slight drop due to injuries/form.

Fullbacks

Player	Tier	Notes
Blair Kinghorn	? A	Now ahead of Keenan, though may join squad later due to club commitments.
Hugo Keenan	? B	Slightly edged down but still a strong option.
Elliot Daly	? D	Utility back role.

Can You Name Every 2021 British & Irish Lions Player?

Think you remember the 2021 Lions tour of South Africa? It’s been a few years since that brutal, bruising, and controversial Test series — but true rugby heads never forget.

42 players were named in Warren Gatland’s final squad
The Lions won the First Test 22-17, but the Springboks hit back to win the series 2-1
The decider? A gritty 19-16 Springbok victory that still stings for many fans

Now it's time to test your memory.

How many of those 42 Lions can you name?
No hints. No positions. Just rugby IQ.
You’ve got 5 minutes.

Take the quiz, scroll down, and start typing.
Let’s see what you’re made of.

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