Northampton’s 20-year-old tyro Henry Pollock will tour Australia with the British and Irish Lions this summer, but former England captain Owen Farrell, the son of head coach Andy, misses out.
Pollock’s inclusion marks a warp-speed rise to the top of the game. The flanker, who only turned 20 in January, had played only one Premiership game before the start of this season.
Farrell, a three-time tourist in the past, has only just returned to fitness with French side Racing 92 but the 33-year-old had aspirations to represent the Lions once more.
Elsewhere, Ireland’s first-choice fly-half Sam Prendergast misses out with Scotland’s Finn Russell and England pair Fin Smith and Marcus Smith preferred as stand-off options.
Scrum-half Tomos Williams and flanker Jac Morgan are the only two Wales players included, an all-time low for a Lions tour.
Ireland captain Caelan Doris, who was a near-certainty to be picked and a captaincy contender, will miss the tour after suffering a shoulder injury in Leinster’s Champions Cup semi-final defeat by Northampton last weekend.
England skipper Maro Itoje was confirmed as captain of the 38-strong party, completing a late-career rise as a leader.
More to follow.
