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THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS HAVE NAMED THEIR SQUAD FOR THE 2025 TOUR OF AUSTRALIA — AND ONCE AGAIN, THE PRESENCE OF FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS IS RUFFLING FEATHERS. _Join the RUCK’S WHATSAPP

COMMUNITY HERE and get the latest news sent straight to your messages._ Lions icon Willie John McBride — a man who captained the side to glory in South Africa back in 1974 — hasn’t held

back. The legendary lock, now 84, told South African outlet _Rapport_ that he’s “bothered” by the number of players in the squad not born in Britain or Ireland. __ > “Eight of them 

weren’t born in Britain or Ireland. That’s not > how it was in my day,” McBride said. > “Sixty years ago, you only played if you were a native. It’s > changed, and I’m not sure it’s

 for the better.” But here’s the twist: a World Rugby law change may mean McBride’s concerns could soon be outdated. RESIDENCY RULE EXTENDED — TOO LATE FOR THIS SQUAD In 2024, World Rugby

quietly extended the eligibility residency requirement from THREE YEARS TO FIVE — a significant shift that would have blocked many of the current Lions from ever qualifying. Had the rule

been in place earlier, at least FIVE players in Andy Farrell’s 2025 squad wouldn’t be wearing red this summer. That includes Ireland’s Super Rugby quartet — JAMISON GIBSON-PARK, BUNDEE AKI, 

JAMES LOWE, and MACK HANSEN— all of whom moved to Ireland as adults to play professionally. Only Hansen was already eligible upon arrival. Together, they make up HALF OF THE FOREIGN-BORN

LIONS this year. Scotland’s contingent also has a southern flavour. PIERRE SCHOEMAN, DUHAN VAN DER MERWE, and SIONE TUIPULOTU all qualified via residency or ancestry after arriving from

South Africa or Australia. Tuipulotu was eligible via his Scottish grandparent but made the switch after a career in Australia and Japan. Add in JOE MCCARTHY (born in the USA but raised in

Dublin) and MARCUS SMITH (Philippines-born but a product of the English system), and the total of non-homegrown players hits EIGHT — exactly the number McBride takes issue with. LIONS

BREAKDOWN: WHO’S REPRESENTING WHO? * IRELAND: 15 players (4 foreign-born, all capped through residency or ancestry) * ENGLAND: 13 players (1 foreign-born: Marcus Smith, but English-raised) *

SCOTLAND: 8 players (4 foreign-born, mainly South African imports) * WALES: Just 2 players — both born and bred in Cymru. ELIGIBILITY CHEATSHEET THE BIGGER PICTURE While the Lions are

proudly marketed as a showcase of home nations unity, the reality is increasingly global. And for critics like McBride, that change is jarring. But with stricter eligibility rules now in

place, the days of players arriving on a professional deal and qualifying three seasons later may be numbered. The next Lions tour might look very different. Whether that’s a step forward or

backward depends on which side of the eligibility line you stand on. LIONS WAG’S Here’s a look at some of the partners of the England, Irish and Scottish stars likely to be packing their

passports — and maybe a Lions bucket hat or two… SCOTLAND: NIKA VAN DER MERWE – MARRIED TO THE BIG MAN (DUHAN VAN DER MERWE) Nika and powerhouse wing Duhan van der Merwe tied the knot in

sunny South Africa back in January 2023. She turned heads in a chic fitted gown with a thigh-high split, topped off with a glam studded cape — a wedding as bold as Duhan’s sidestep. EMMA

CANNING – HEPTATHLETE AND SUPER MUM (FINN RUSSELL) It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Emma and magician-in-boots Finn Russell, but the pair are back stronger than ever and now proud

parents to two daughters: Charlie and Skye. Emma knows the pressure of elite sport first-hand — she’s a heptathlete, battling across seven gruelling events. Now she balances it all with

family life and Finn’s erratic brilliance. ANNABEL JONES – PUPPY LOVE AND IBIZA VIBES (HUW JONES) Huw Jones and Annabel said “I do” in Ibiza back in July 2022 after meeting in Glasgow. Huw’s

not afraid to show his romantic side, often calling Annabel his “everything.” When an injury sidelined him during the 2019 Six Nations, she bought him a fluffy Maltese poodle named Louis —

his furry lockdown lifesaver. DINA CELINA – NUTRITION QUEEN AND FUTURE MRS KINGHORN (BLAIR KINGHORN) Blair Kinghorn popped the question to nutritionist Dina during a dreamy weekend at

Gleneagles in 2023 — wedding bells will ring this August after the tour wraps. The couple made an appearance in _Six Nations: Full Contact_ on Netflix, with viewers spotting Blair stepping

in at fly-half when Finn Russell was sidelined. Dina’s backstage support? Rock solid. CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO -------------------------