British and Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell will be naming his squad in front of 2,000 fans at the O2 Arena in London on May 8, mirroring F1’s season-opening launch in February.
But but when will we find out? Here’s everything you need to know.
Timings and key details
When: From 2 p.m. BST (11 p.m. AEST)
Where: O2 Arena, London
What will happen?
It is not known how many players Farrell will select, although 37 players were used in the 2021 squad and it is not expected that the Ireland coach will do any differently.
Each pick will be unveiled by former Wales wing and current Lions chairman Ieuan Evans.
When is the tour of Australia?
The British and Irish Lions begin on June 20 with a warmup game against Argentina at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. From there, they’ll travel down under for the first of six tour matches against various Australian sides before the Tests get underway.
June 20 — British & Irish Lions vs. Argentina
June 28 — Western Force vs. British & Irish Lions
July 2 — Queensland Reds vs. British & Irish Lions
July 5 — NSW Waratahs vs. British & Irish Lions
July 9 — ACT Brumbies vs. British & Irish Lions
July 12 — Australia & New Zealand Invitational XV vs. British & Irish Lions
July 19 — Australia vs. British & Irish Lions
July 22 — First Nations & Pasifika XV vs. British & Irish Lions
July 26 — Australia vs. British & Irish Lions
Aug. 2 — Australia vs. British & Irish Lions
How have the Lions fared in previous tours?
The task facing Andy Farrell is to guide the Lions to only their second tour victory in almost 30 years, their only success coming in a 2013 trip to Australia.
That summer, Warren Gatland’s side earned a 2-1 series victory — including an emphatic 41-16 win in the deciding game. However, the two succeeding Lions sides have struggled to reach the same heights.
The 2017 tour of New Zealand ended in a tie, with the All Blacks and Lions winning a game each before playing out to a 16-16 draw in the final game/
The 2021 tour of South Africa, which was played under the shadow of Covid, got off to a bright start, with the Lions enjoying a 22-17 victory, only for the Springboks to take the next two games and the seires.
Recent tours:
2021 — vs. South Africa (2-1 defeat)
2017 — vs. New Zealand (1-1-1 draw)
2013 — vs. Australia (2-1 win)
2009 — vs. South Africa (2-1 defeat)
2005 — vs. New Zealand (3-0 defeat)
2001 — vs. Australia (2-1 defeat)
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Source: espn.com