Scottish rugby legend Gavin Hastings has named his 2025 British & Irish Lions XV, and let’s just say—there are some major shocks.
Find your local Greene King and settle in for the 2025 Six Nations!
His selection includes two England stars currently out in the cold at international level and one of them has openly stated he’d be keen to switch allegiance to Wales.
Hastings, one of Scotland’s all-time greats, has never been shy about his opinions, but this latest lineup has left fans scratching their heads.
Ollie Hassell-Collins in… but for which nation?
One of the biggest talking points from Hastings’ selection is the inclusion of Ollie Hassell-Collins on the left wing.
The former London Irish speedster has drifted out of England contention under Steve Borthwick but has recently hinted at a potential switch to Wales, thanks to his family heritage. That would make his Lions eligibility an interesting debate—could he really tour under the red jersey of Wales?
No Freddie Steward? Blair Kinghorn at 15
One of the most eye-catching omissions is England’s Freddie Steward, arguably the best defensive fullback in the game.
Instead, Hastings has opted for Scotland’s Blair Kinghorn, a dynamic but sometimes inconsistent operator in the No. 15 jersey. The selection suggests a preference for flair over solidity at the back.
A strong Irish core—but no Ryan or O’Mahony
The pack is heavily stacked with Irish talent, including four of the tight five and a dynamic back-row featuring Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris. However, notable omissions include James Ryan and Peter O’Mahony, both of whom have been key leaders for Ireland. Instead, Joe McCarthy gets the nod at lock, and Jack Willis—who is now playing in France and ineligible for England—slots in at blindside.
The Full XV:
- Andrew Porter (Ireland)
- Jamie George (England)
- Zander Fagerson (Scotland)
- Tadhg Beirne (Ireland)
- Joe McCarthy (Ireland)
- Jack Willis (England)
- Josh van der Flier (Ireland)
- Caelan Doris (Ireland)
- Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland)
- Finn Russell (Scotland)
- Ollie Hassell-Collins (England/Wales)
- Henry Slade (England)
- Garry Ringrose (Ireland)
- Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (England)
- Blair Kinghorn (Scotland)
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- Six players who FLOPPED in Round One of the 2025 Six Nations
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- Jonny Wilkinson met wife in Magaluf after split from Sky Sports presenter
Six players who FLOPPED in Round One of the 2025 Six Nations
Wales endured a nightmare start in Paris, suffering a humiliating seven-try defeat to France, as Antoine Dupont ran the show on his return to the championship. Over at Murrayfield, Huw Jones stole the spotlight with a stylish hat-trick, helping Scotland edge past a spirited Italy side. Meanwhile, Ireland’s title defence began with a comeback win over England, who at least salvaged a losing bonus point in Dublin.
With Round Two looming, we take a look at six players who flopped in the opening weekend.
#1. Ben Earl (England)
Mail Online 5/10: “Dropped restart after England’s early opener but one strong ruck clear-out showed his menace. Made way for Saracens team-mate Tom Willis.”
Rugby Pass 5/10: “The third openside in the England back row, he was eclipsed by what the Curry twins achieved and gone by the 56th minute. While a show of wheels helped lead to the penalty that got England 10-5 up just before the break, some rearguard work wasn’t up to scratch. For instance, his soft knock-on at the 7-0 restart. There were also too many missed tackles.”
#2. Josh Adams (Wales)
RUCK 5/10: “Adams hit a milestone, running out for his 60th appearance for Wales. The 29-year-old is another player who has been a welcome return for Gatland’s squad for this Championship. The Cardiff Rugby player is a scoring machine, having crossed the whitewash 21 times for 105 points. But he couldn’t make much of an impact as he never really got given the ball.”
Rugby Pass 3/10: “Huge shot on Pierre-Louis Barassi showed he was up for the fight, but that attitude boiled over at one point as he screamed at the referee. Was caught out of position by Dupont, who chipped over his head to set up Attissogbe’s opening try. Found himself similarly exposed for Les Bleus’ second try, but that was just a result of wave after wave of French pressure. Will be sick of the sight of Attissogbe’s heels and backside.”
Wales Online 5/10: “The Cardiff wing got exposed defensively on a few occasions and missed an early tackle on his opposite number Théo Attissogbé which put Wales under severe pressure”
Planet Rugby 5/10: “Was given a bit of a torrid time on his wing, although it wasn’t really his fault. Put in one big hit on defence but was then slightly embarrassed by Thomas Ramos for Louis Bielle-Biarrey’s first try.”
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The post Lions legend picks bizarre XV for 2025 tour with two England exiles picked appeared first on Ruck.
