Maro Itoje set for Lions captaincy with squad named on Thursday

Maro Itoje is expected to be named the first English captain of the British and Irish Lions since Martin Johnson in 2001 when the squad for this summer’s tour to Australia is announced on Thursday.

Itoje became the frontrunner for the role after leading England with distinction during the Six Nations, guiding the team to a runners-up finish in his maiden spell as starting skipper.

Simplifying the decision to place the 2017 and 2021 Lions tourist in charge is the shoulder injury sustained by his main rival for the post Caelan Doris, with surgery likely to rule the Ireland number eight out of the entire trip.

Head coach Andy Farrell will unveil a squad of between 37-40 players at a lunchtime event at indigo at The O2 in London that will be watched by a crowd of 2,000.

The captain alone will be present on stage with players only finding out if they will be part of the 10-fixture tour that opens against Argentina in Dublin on June 20th when the names are read out on Sky Sports.

Two stars in particular will cause a stir if they are included – Owen Farrell and Henry Pollock.

Farrell has endured an injury-hit debut season at Racing 92, his form has been patchy when he has played and he has not appeared for England since the 2023 World Cup, but as a three-time Lions tourist and proven Test operator his appeal is obvious.

Everything Pollock touches, meanwhile, turns to gold with the 20-year-old England flanker proving in Northampton’s Champions Cup victory over Leinster on Saturday – a game that was of international standard – that he can mix it with his rivals for Lions selection.

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