South African blood, in the front row and out wide on the wing, will fuel the British & Irish Lions tour of Australia in July. Congratulations Pierre Schoeman and Duhan van der Merwe.
In the rugby world on Thursday, #Lions2025 was all the rage. It was the rugby top trending subject on all social media platforms.
There will be plenty of debate about a handful of players that did not make the initial squad, but if history is the gauge, then many of those names may still feature prominently in the back end of the nine-match, three-Test series.
Injuries prove a bugger on two-month tours.
South African, English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh fans were deprived of the glory of a Lions tour in 2021 when Covid forced all tour and Test matches to be played behind closed doors.
Australians know from previous experience the potency of 40,000 travelling Lions supporters, known as the Red Wave.
Van der Merwe, whose professional career started at the Bulls in Pretoria, was a bolter choice for the 2021 tour and quickly established himself as the first choice Test winger.
There was a feeling that a recent injury may scupper his chances, but Lions coach Andy Farrell has recognised Van der Merwe’s Six Nations form and early club performances in giving him the maximum time to recover.
Schoeman joins Van der Merwe (Scotland), Mike Catt (England), Matt Stevens (England), Brad Barritt (England), CJ Stander (Ireland) and Allan Dell (Scotland) as South African-born and raised players who sought international careers among the home unions and became members of the esteemed British & Irish Lions family.
Van der Merwe, along with Ireland’s New Zealand-born and raised James Lowe, will compete for the Test No 11 jersey in Australia, while the in-form Northampton Saints and England winger Tommy Freeman was a popular choice on the right wing.
The biggest cheer was for Freeman’s Saints and England teammate Henry Pollock, who, at just 20 years of age, has delighted at club and international level.
Freeman, the scorer of a hat-trick of tries in Saints’ stunning 37-34 Investec Champions Cup semifinal win against Leinster last weekend, and Pollock, whose 18 tackles and 21 defensive rucks were the most of any player in the semifinals, which also includes Bordeaux’s beating of Toulouse, produced peak performances at just the right moment in Dublin.
Pollock made 59 metres, which was the most by a forward in both semifinals. It was a performance described as #Lionhearted up north, and a few days later that performance was rewarded.
Schoeman, who traded the Bulls for Edinburgh, has been consistent at club and international level (for Scotland), and the selection of him and Van der Merwe means there are as many Afrikaans-speaking players in the Lions squad as there are Welsh.
Ireland dominate squad selection with 15 players, followed by England’s 13 and Scotland’s eight. Jack Morgan of Wales was expected to make the squad, but it is a surprise even two Welsh players were named given the current Welsh national team’s 17-Test losing streak.
The Vodacom United Rugby Championship has the most representation with 22 players, 14 are from the (English) Premiership and Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse) is the only Top 14 player picked.
His Toulouse teammate, fantastic flanker Jack Willis, was among the surprise omissions, which included England’s starting hooker and co-captain Jamie George and French-based former England captain Owen Farrell, the son of coach Andy.
Farrell has battled with injuries in the Top 14, but I was among those who thought he would have been picked on historical form and not overlooked because of an injury-disrupted first season in France.
Leinster predictably have the most single club representation with 12 players. The squad is made up of players from 15 clubs, with Glasgow Warriors (4) and Northampton Saints (4) making up the top three podium.
Seven of the squad were born and raised outside the four home unions, and started their professional careers in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Their international debuts came for Scotland (3) and Ireland (4).
Schoeman joins Van der Merwe (Scotland), Mike Catt (England), Matt Stevens (England), Brad Barritt (England), CJ Stander (Ireland) and Allan Dell (Scotland) as South African-born and raised players who sought international careers among the home unions and became members of the esteemed British & Irish Lions family.
England’s lock Maro Itoje, whose parents are Nigerian, captains the Lions.
*British and Irish Lions 2025 tour schedule
Friday, June 20
v Argentina
Dublin
Saturday, June 28
v Western Force
Perth
Wednesday, July 2
v Queensland Reds
Brisbane
Saturday, July 5
v NSW Warratahs
Sydney
Wednesday, July 9
v ACT Brumbies
Canberra
Saturday, July 12
v Invitational AUS-NZ
Adelaide
Saturday, July 19
v Australia (first Test)
Brisbane
Wednesday, July 22
First Nations & Pasifika XV
Melbourne
Saturday, July 26
v Australia (second Test)
Melbourne
Saturday, August 2
v Australia (third Test)
Sydney
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.