Live stream of Lions squad announcement as Scottish contingent await fate and captain is named

2025 British & Irish Lions captain for the tour of Australia, Maro Itoje. | ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Andy Farrell will name his British & Irish Lions squad for the summer tour of Australia imminently and you can watch the announcement live here.

The head coach will unveil a squad of between 37 and 40 players at the lunchtime event at the O2 venue in London in front of 2,000 paying Lions supporters.

A number of Scots are expected to be included, with the likes of Finn Russell and Blair Kinghorn firm favourites to be called up. Eight Scots were selected for the last Lions tour, to South Africa in 2021.

2025 British & Irish Lions captain for the tour of Australia, Maro Itoje. | ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Others from Gregor Townsend’s squad who are in contention include Zander Fagerson, Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones of Glasgow Warriors, and Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman and Darcy Graham of Edinburgh.

Maro Itoje has been confirmed by Farrell as the tour captain. He is the first English skipper of the British and Irish Lions since Martin Johnson in 2001. Itoje led England to second place in this year’s Six Nations in his maiden spell as starting skipper.

Caelan Doris had been the front-runner to be captain but injured his shoulder in Leinster’s Champions Cup semi-final loss to Northampton last weekend and surgery is likely to rule the Ireland No 8 out of the entire trip.

“It feels amazing to be named Lions captain,” said Itoje.

"I’m deeply honoured, humbled and I will do my best to do the role justice. I am very much looking forward to the challenge ahead, it’s going to be a great Tour.

"I know the appetite amongst the players is extremely high, everyone is hungry to be a Lion and I can’t wait to play my role.”

Finn Russell in action for the British and Irish Lions during the 2021 tour of South Africa. | Getty Images

The 2025 Lions have a 10-fixture itinerary that opens against Argentina in Dublin on June 20 and culminates in a three-Test series against the Wallabies. The first match on Australian soil is against Western Force in Perth on June 28. The Test matches are on July 19 and 26 and August 2, in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, respectively.

The Lions are seeking their first Test series victory since 2013 when they last toured Australia.