Lions legend Willie John McBride has hit out at the 2025 British & Irish Lions squad, blasting the inclusion of too many foreign-born players.
The iconic second-row, who famously captained the tourists to a historic series win over South Africa in 1974, didn’t mince his words when speaking to South African publication Rapport.
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“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But here’s the twist: a World Rugby law change may mean McBride’s concerns could soon be outdated.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.
EDITORS PICKS:
Meet the rugby WAGS of the Irish Lions ahead of Australia tour
From long-time loves to glamorous newcomers, these WAGs (wives and girlfriends) are a stylish and supportive presence behind the players.
Here’s your guide to the women standing beside the Lions as they head Down Under.
IRISH LIONS RUGBY WAGS
Patti Gibson-Park – Family First, Irish Roots, and Jamison’s Biggest Support (Jamison Gibson-Park)
Becoming an Irish citizen was an easy call for Jamison Gibson-Park — thanks to the strong family life he and wife Patti have built here.
Together they’re raising three kids — Jai, Isabella, and Iris — and Jamison says settling in Ireland has made all the difference. “My family is unbelievably well settled, which makes my job easier. I can just focus on doing my thing,” he told EVOKE.
Grateful for their new home, Jamison was more than happy to make Ireland official.
Ellen Ringrose – The Childhood Sweetheart (Garry Ringrose)
Garry Ringrose and Ellen Beirne tied the knot in June 2023 at the dreamy Virginia Park Lodge in Cavan.
Speaking to EVOKE, the Irish centre couldn’t stop gushing: “Ellen is the best… she’s a huge support, especially in the not-so-good times.” Childhood sweethearts to power couple status achieved.
Sarah Bealham – Marbella “I Do’s”, Motherhood, and Bealham’s Biggest Win (Finlay Bealham)
2024 was a year to remember for Finlay and Sarah Bealham, as they welcomed their first child — a baby boy named Joaquin — right in the middle of Ireland’s Six Nations camp.
The loved-up pair said “I do” back in August 2022 at the stunning Finca la Concepcion in Marbella, a year on from Finlay’s romantic proposal in Puerto Banús.
Katherine Egan – Medicine, Hockey, and Sheehan’s No.1 (Dan Sheehan)
Dan Sheehan’s long-term girlfriend Katherine Egan is as accomplished as they come. A hockey player for UCD and a Medicine student — she’s got brains, brawn, and ambition to spare.
She’s even studied in the U.S., proving she’s just as at home overseas as Dan might be on tour.
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