After months of speculation, we finally know which players will form the British & Irish Lions’ first Test squad but here are three players that can count themselves unlucky to have missed out.

Andy Farrell has named his side to face the Wallabies in Brisbane on Saturday with Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry in the back-row and an all-Scottish 10-12-13 combination.

Related: Wallabies name their side to face Lions with two big injury blows and one surprise debutant chosen by Joe Schmidt

The matchday 23 were presented with their jerseys by family members in front of the entire travelling party of close to 100 people but those that missed out will be desperate to force their way back in for the second Test in Melbourne.

While there weren’t too many surprises in Farrell’s Test side with many of the tight calls made easier by injuries, there are still several players who were extremely unfortunate not to make the cut…

Three unlucky players from the British & Irish Lions’ wider squad

The No 7 debate – Morgan, Van der Flier and Pollock

It’s unlikely to have escaped you that Jac Morgan is the only Welshman remaining on tour after Tomos Williams’s injury and Farrell admitted he could not have done more to force his way into the side.

When asked how close Morgan came to making it in, he said: “As close as you could imagine. Look, you’re gutted for players like that and Josh (van der Flier) as well, and Henry (Pollock) as well, because they’re playing good rugby and could easily be in this side on Saturday, but I suppose that shows the good place that we’re at as a group.”

His omission means for the first time since 1896, there will be no Wales player in a Lions Test squad. Bearing in mind, there were ten players in Warren Gatland’s starting XV in the last match the Lions played down under…

As Farrell mentioned, we are also including former World Rugby Player of the Year Josh van der Flier and breakthrough superstar Henry Pollock in the unlucky crew because it was just so tight to call. While missing out on the squad entirely, will have been a hammer blow for the two back-rowers, they did have the chance to visit the Great Barrier Reef along with Duhan van der Merwe which at least should’ve provided some distraction from their disappointment.

Read more: Full Lions Test squad for first Test against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday

Owen Farrell

On paper it just doesn’t make sense. A turgid season in France hit by injury and instability, a few months without any action after a concussion and no international rugby since the 2023 Rugby World Cup. But in the short window we saw of Owen Farrell off the bench in the AUNZ victory in Adelaide, he looked back to his sharp former self.

A late call-up after Elliot Daly’s injury, Farrell is the only man in the playing group to have experienced a Lions series win after helping the 2013 group to glory on these shores. That invaluable Test-match knowhow and his ability to deputise at ten and 12 had many people talking up his chances of a bench spot.

Alas, it wasn’t to be. Perhaps injuries to Mack Hansen and Blair Kinghorn went in the favour of Marcus Smith and his ability to provide full-back cover. Farrell instead looks set to get some more minutes in the Melbourne midweeker against the First Nations & Pasifika XV on Tuesday. Don’t be surprised if he backs up in the second Test at the MCG that weekend either.

Related: How to watch Australia v British & Irish Lions: Live streams, TV channels for the first Test in Brisbane

Finlay Bealham

Like Farrell, Finlay Bealham was an injury replacement from the original squad. Zander Fagerson’s calf injury gave the Connacht and Ireland tighthead the chance to join up with the group before the Argentina game. His performances since have made it look like a rash decision to leave him out of the original mix.

It clearly means a lot to the Canberra-born and raised forward. Andy Farrell has spoken of how he cried down the phone when he broke the news that he was being called-up. That emotional energy has super charged his performances but he is just unlucky that Tadhg Furlong is one of the great players in his position and Will Stuart is off the back of a career-best season.

Bealham has built a bromance with England prop Ellis Genge on tour and will have to settle for cheering on his new buddy after missing out on the 23 with Furlong to start and Stuart on the bench.

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