What the 2025 British & Irish Lions XV could look like for tour of Australia

Now the Rugby World Cup has come to an end, naturally the next goal for almost every international player in Britain and Ireland is the Lions tour to Australia in two years' time.

To many the Lions tour will feel like a long way away given the head coach hasn't even been announced yet, but things will ramp up very quickly. The Lions will tour Australia who are in disarray on and off the field following the a horrible World Cup campaign which resulted in the Wallabies failing to get out of their pool for the first time in history.

Considering they narrowly lost a Test series to South Africa last time out the Lions will also be desperate to get back to winning ways and emulate the class of 2013 who blew the Wallabies out of the water. While it would be easy to select a Lions Test side on current form, it is a harder task to predict what will happen in a couple of years' time.

Rugby correspondent Steffan Thomas selects the side he thinks could take on Australia in 2025.

15. Hugo Keenan

Keenan has been a big reason behind the success of both Leinster and Ireland over the past few years. Many experts may well opt for England's Freddie Steward but Keenan is the better all-round player.

The Leinsterman is strong aerially and defensively, while he has a good positional sense but his attacking game is on another level. Keenan is one of the most dangerous broken field runners in the game, while he is also a smart footballer who acts as a playmaker.

In two years' time he will be 29, so should be in his prime.

14. Louis Rees-Zammit

The Wales speedster is one of the deadliest finishers in the world game at just 22, and in two years' time should be even better. Rees-Zammit has electrifying pace and has perfected the art of the chip and chase reminiscent of Wales legend JJ Williams.

He is also strong defensively and in the air, while he goes looking for work. If he can shine in a Wales side which is underpowered in comparison to many of the top nations, imagine how effective he would be in a fully tooled-up Lions Test side?

His potential is frightening.

13. Garry Ringrose

The 28-year-old has been the glue of the Ireland back-line for many seasons, but hasn't had the recognition he deserves. Ringrose is an extremely clever player who tends to glide past defenders, while he is an excellent distributor of the ball.

Defensively the Leinster star is also rock solid and makes some excellent defensive reads. He has been a big part of both Leinster and Ireland's successes and is the clear front runner to wear the Lions number 13 shirt in 2025, injuries permitting.

A class act.

12. Sione Tuipulotu

The Glasgow Warriors centre has been outstanding for Scotland over the past couple of seasons with his explosive ball carrying and dancing feet putting his adopted country onto the front foot. He is also a smart footballer with an effective offloading game who can play tight and loose depending on the game plan.

Defensively he doesn't miss much either. Tuipulotu could potentially act as an excellent foil for Ringrose and is a partnership which could flourish.

Going by the World Cup Bundee Aki would be in on form but he will be 35 in two years, while his Ireland team-mate Robbie Henshaw has been plagued by injury. Nick Tompkins is a dark horse but Tuipulotu edges it.

11. Duhan van der Merwe

The 28-year-old is a genuine world-class wing who scores tries for fun. Given he will be 30 by the time 2025 comes along he should be in a strong position to make a second Lions tour.

The Scotland star would add a serious physical edge out wide which would complement Rees-Zammit's out-and-out pace on the other wing. Van der Merwe is a seriously explosive ball carrier and would be a difficult proposition for the Wallabies to stop, especially if the Lions pack is in the ascendancy.

10. Owen Farrell

Yes, the Saracens playmaker will be 34 by the time the Lions tour comes along but if Johnny Sexton can play at a World Cup when he's 38 then this should be within Farrell's capability. He divides opinion but Farrell is arguably the best outside-half in the northern hemisphere and is a player you definitely want by your side when the chips are down.

The England international is a world-class goal kicker and his game management is second to none, while his attacking game is significantly better than it's given credit for. Whoever coaches the Lions will need his leadership ability, and while there are other options such as Finn Russell, George Ford and Marcus Smith, Farrell is in pole position.

9. Nathan Doak

This is a left-field call but the 21-year-old Ulster number nine is a serious prospect and has been lined up for big things since representing Ireland at age-grade level. Doak has been quietly impressive for Ulster in both Europe and the United Rugby Championship.

The Ulsterman has an incisive running game while his kicking and his game management is very good for a 21-year-old. Doak is also a very good goal kicker which won't harm his chances of winning international honours.

Jamison Gibson-Park has been outstanding for Ireland, and while he will have his own aspirations of going on the Lions tour, he will be 33 in two years. One would expect to see Andy Farrell start blooding Doak over the next couple of years, and if he can fulfil his potential then he could be a real bolter for 2025.

8. Caelan Doris

The Leinster and Ireland No 8 has been sensational over the past few years and was named in World Rugby's team of the year on Sunday. Doris, who can also slot in at blindside flanker, is a very dynamic ball carrier with a tidy skillset.

The 25-year-old almost always gets his side on the front foot while he is relentless in defence and offers so much at the breakdown. You'd never rule out Wales' veteran No 8 Taulupe Faletau, but by 2025 one would expect Doris to be in clear pole position to pack down at the back of the Lions scrum.

7. Jac Morgan (captain)

Wales' World Cup co-captain was truly inspirational out in France in leading from the front while also capturing the hearts and minds of supporters. The Ospreys star will be 25 if selected to tour Australia, and the likelihood is he will be even better than he currently is, which is a scary thought.

Morgan is an openside who can do it all be it carry, win turnovers, tackle and offload. He will face stiff competition from the likes of Josh van der Flier, Tom Curry and Jack Willis but he has every chance of making this tour. Read my weekly column in our rugby newsletter

Morgan is the sort of player who lifts those around him which makes him a strong contender for the captaincy.

6. Ben Earle

Earle has had to wait patiently to get a consistent crack at international rugby but boy did he take his chance. The Saracens star was arguably England's best forward at the World Cup and was outstanding throughout, particularly during the agonising semi-final defeat to South Africa.

He may have packed down at No 8 in France but I think he's better off on the blindside and could work very well with Doris. Earle has so many strings to his bow, be it his carrying, his destructive tackling and his ability to win turnovers at the breakdown.

5. Tadhg Beirne

Beirne will be 33 in two years but he still has a lot to offer. The Ireland star is a genuine world-class player and brings a point of difference which few players possess.

Former Scarlets man Beirne is better than most world-class opensides at the breakdown, while he is a dynamic carrier both in the tight channels and the wide-open spaces. Beirne is a tremendous lineout forward, while his raw physicality is also a big plus point.

4. Joe McCarthy

Joe McCarthy may not be a household name but there's every chance he will be over the next couple of seasons. The 21-year-old Leinster lock was a member of Ireland's World Cup squad and while he many not have the experience of others, has impressed whenever he has taken the field.

McCarthy is an extremely physical lock who excels in the tight but is also very dynamic for a man of his size and power. The New York-born man is the sort of lock who does much of the unseen dirty work, while he is also an excellent lineout forward.

He has a big future in the game.

3. Tadhg Furlong

The 30-year-old will still be around in 2025 and has probably already been pencilled in for a place in the Test side. A modern-day great who is undoubtedly the best all-round tighthead on the planet.

The Leinsterman can do it all, whether it be charging 40 metres up-field, catflap offloads, destructive scrummaging and his relentless defence. If he's fit he goes and starts the Test matches as he did in 2017 and 2021.

2. Dan Sheehan

The 25-year-old was another who was named in World Rugby's team of the year on Sunday night and nobody can say he doesn't deserve it. Sheehan is an all-action hooker with incredible speed for a front-row forward. Join WalesOnline Rugby's new WhatsApp Channel here

It is not unusual to see the Leinster hooker score tries from 40-50 metres out but he doesn't shirk his duties in the tight. He is a very physical carrier who packs a punch in defence and is very good over the ball. Sheehan's throwing into the lineout is also a very strong point of his game.

1. Gareth Thomas

The man from Newcastle Emlyn is one of the most underrated props in European rugby. Thomas is a very solid scrummager who gets through a lot of work, especially in defence.

The Ospreys man made 49 tackles throughout the course of Wales' World Cup campaign, while he typically does a lot of the unseen work such as clearing out rucks and carrying in the tight. Thomas will be 32 by the time the Lions tour comes along which many would say is the perfect age for a prop.

Replacements

16. Dewi Lake

Needs to sort out his throwing in but has the potential to be world class. Lake is an extremely physical carrier who is not too dissimilar to Malcolm Marx in the way he operates at the breakdown.

17. Ellis Genge

The England loosehead is the ideal sort of player you want coming off the bench. Very explosive and dynamic who should punch a few holes into the Australia defence in the final quarter.

18. Zander Fagerson

The Scotland tighthead is a strong scrummager and who offers himself as a carrying option. Brings a lot of experience from the 2021 Lions tour.

19. Maro Itoje

The experienced England international hasn't been at his best over the past year but form is temporary and class is permanent. Was outstanding in England's narrow semi-final defeat to South Africa and his experience could prove invaluable in Australia.

20. Josh van der Flier

The former World Player of the Year is one of the best exponents of breakdown play on the planet and has the potential to wreak havoc as a second-half replacement.

21. Jamison Gibson-Park

Ireland's first choice scrum-half will be 33 in 2025 but he could be the perfect player to offer experience off the bench to close the game out.

22. Marcus Smith

An outrageous talent who should be in his prime by the time the Lions tour Australia in 2025. Smith can conjure things up out of nothing.

23. Henry Arundell

One of the most exciting back-three prospects in the world game. The hard grounds of Australia should suit his style of rugby, and he would be a handful coming off the bench when the game is broken up.