Maro Itoje poised to lead Lions in 2025 Australia tour

England lock Maro Itoje is widely expected to be confirmed as the captain of the British & Irish Lions for the highly anticipated 2025 tour of Australia.

The official announcement, which will include the full squad and captaincy decision, is scheduled for Thursday at the O2 Arena in London.

Itoje has increasingly grown into a leadership role, most recently captaining both Saracens and England, and is expected to become the first Englishman to lead the Lions in 24 years.

His candidacy has been further strengthened following the injury to Irish forward Caelan Doris, who had been viewed as a major contender for the Lions captaincy. Doris is set to undergo shoulder surgery, ruling him out of consideration for the tour and potentially leaving a leadership vacuum that Itoje is expected to fill.

Should Itoje be appointed, he would become just the third English player to lead the British & Irish Lions since 1936, joining the ranks of Bill Beaumont and Martin Johnson. It would mark a historic moment not just for Itoje, but for English rugby as a whole.

Once considered reserved in demeanour, Itoje has evolved into a commanding and respected figure on and off the pitch. During the 2025 Six Nations, he led England with distinction, guiding the team through several hard-fought victories and showcasing his ability to remain composed under pressure.

His leadership style is marked by tactical discipline, physical dominance, and an ability to rally his teammates. Peers and coaches have praised his ability to lift team morale and deliver consistent performances, even under intense scrutiny.

Following the end of this year's Six Nations, England boss Steve Borthwick said of Itoje: “I think Maro’s been absolutely outstanding. He leads by example and he’s stepped up his game. He’s improved in many areas in this campaign. I’d be fully confident in Maro to lead the Lions should Andy ask him.”

Coach Farrell is expected to name a 40-strong squad which comes with the usual Lions intrigue. Whether he will turn to his son Owen for experience at 10 or maybe even Sale's George Ford, who has been superb in the Sharks' bid for the Premiership play-offs, we'll have to wait and see.

Then what about Northampton's Fin Smith, who got the better of Leinster’s Sam Prendergast in last weekend's epic Champions Cup semi-final, while new England star Henry Pollock seems to be the talk of the town at the moment.

The British & Irish Lions tour to Australia is set to begin on 20 June, with the first Test match against the Wallabies scheduled for 19 July.