With a number of players injured and a staggering 15 unavailable for the first match of the Lions tour – Argentina in Dublin – Andy Farrell has only taken a travelling squad of 24 players.

The squad includes the first late call-up of the tour, Finlay Bealham, who has replaced Scotland’s Zander Fagerson at tighthead after the latter picked up a calf injury.

Australian-born Bealham, who qualifies for Ireland through his grandmother, moved to Ireland in 2010 and made his international debut in 2016.

With Tadhg Furlong injured, the 33-year-old Connacht prop started every game of Ireland’s 2025 Six Nations campaign, winning his 50th cap in the defeat by France in the penultimate round.

Furlong has not played for Leinster in over a month and another injury doubt for the tour. Coupled with the fact that the only other tighthead in the original squad – Will Stuart – will be playing for Bath in the Premiership final six day before the Argentina match, the Lions have also called up England rookie Asher Opoku-Fordjour.

The 20-year-old prop, who can play at both tight and loose head, only has one cap for England, making his debut last autumn against Japan, but is very highly rated.

With only Opoku-Fordjour and Bealham travelling to Dublin, both will make their Lions debuts next Friday.

Elsewhere in the travelling party, there are injury concerns for backs Huw Jones and Mack Hansen.

Jones, who is one of four centres in the squad, has not played for Glasgow Warriors in over a month as he battles a niggling Achilles injury. With Gary Ringrose unavailable due to Leinster commitments, the Lions may be forced to play one of Sione Tuipulotu or Bundee Aki out of position at outside centre.

Hansen is also facing a race to be fit for the tour. The Ireland winger has not played any rugby in over two months due to an ankle injury, although he does travel with the squad.

Whether the two are fit to play a part next Friday night remains to be seen.

In all, the Lions will be missing potentially as many as 18 players due to injury and club commitments.

The record-breaking 12 Leinster players are all playing in the United Rugby Championship grand final at Croke Park, while the aforementioned Stuart, Finn Russell and Leicester Tigers’ Ollie Chessum are playing in the Premiership Final. Add in Blair Kinghorn at Toulouse and the Lions are without a number of potential test match players for it’s first match of the tour.

Potential Absentees

Dan Sheehan

Ronan Kelleher

Tadhg Furlong

Andrew Porter

Will Stuart

Ollie Chessum

Joe McCarthy

James Ryan

Jack Conan

Josh van der Flier

Jamison Gibson-Park

Finn Russell

Garry Ringrose

Hugo Keenan

Blair Kinghorn

Huw Jones

Mack Hansen

Potential Squad for Argentina Match

Marcus Smith; Tommy Freeman, Sione Tuipulotu, Bundee Aki, Duhan van der Merwe; Fin Smith, Tomos Williams; Pierre Schoeman, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Finlay Bealham; Maro Itoje (capt), Tadhg Beirne; Jac Morgan, Henry Pollock, Ben Earl.

Replacements

Jamie George, Ellis Genge, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Scott Cummings, Tom Curry, Alex Mitchell, Elliot Daly, Mack Hansen/Huw Jones

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