Pollock makes Lions squad as Owen Farrell misses out

Northampton's 20-year-old forward 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.

Backs

Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland)

Elliot Daly (Saracens/England)

Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England)

Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)

Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby/Ireland)

Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)

Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)

Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland)

James Lowe (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)

Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England)

Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)

Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland)

Fin Smith (Northampton Saints/England)

Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England)

Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)

Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland)

Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby/Wales)

Forwards

Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland)

Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England)

Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)

Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks/England)

Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland)

Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England)

Ben Earl (Saracens/England)

Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)

Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)

Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England)

Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) (capt)

Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)

Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)

Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales)

Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England)

Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)

James Ryan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)

Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland)

Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)

Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England)

Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)

With the Lions squad announcement made in front of a live audience for the first time, it was Pollock's inclusion that generated the most noise from about 2,000 fans inside Indigo, a venue within London's O2 Arena complex.

His eye-catching line breaks, dogged breakdown work and confident, abrasive on-pitch persona, complete with pre-planned try celebrations, have made him the breakthrough star of the season.

After returning from winning the under-20 Rugby World Cup in South Africa last summer, Pollock has become a key part of Saints' back row, scored two tries on his England debut against Wales in March and run amok in Northampton's run to the Investec Champions Cup final on 24 May.

To fit him in among his back-row options, coach Farrell has overlooked Scotland's in-form back row Jamie Ritchie, England's Ben Curry, Toulouse's Englishman Jack Willis and Welsh Lions veteran Taulupe Faletau.

Pollock, who is the youngest player in the squad, faces considerable competition to make the Test team, but he has excelled at every level so far in his rise towards the top of the game.

"I wasn't certain, but I wouldn't say I needed convincing," said Farrell when asked whether Pollock's barnstorming performance against Leinster at the weekend had clinched his place in the squad.

"I like what I see, like all top players, he is always trying to make a difference - there is an energy and bounce about him."

Owen Farrell could yet become a four-time Lions tourist, with Andy suggesting his son could be a late addition to the squad.

He has endured a difficult first season with Racing 92 in Paris - a groin injury hampering him on the pitch and the sacking of former England coach Stuart Lancaster disrupting the set-up off it.

However, Farrell's ability to drive standards and cover both fly-half and inside centre could prompt his promotion into the Lions squad.

"Owen was in the conversation obviously, an experienced player like that, looking for his fourth tour and with his leadership qualities," said Andy Farrell.

"But it got to a point, like with a few others, where he is still trying to find his way back to fitness.

"There are 38 picked which leaves a couple of slots open for us down the track, if and when needed. Owen and a few other guys would be in that type of bracket."

Itoje had been touted as a future England captain ever since leading his country's age-grade side to the under-20s World Cup in 2014.

However, it appeared that potential would go unrealised as ex-England coach Eddie Jones questioned whether Itoje was outgoing and vocal enough to own the dressing room, while Owen Farrell filled the role as captain for both England and Saracens.

Having succeeded Farrell as Saracens captain in August, Itoje became England skipper in January and is now afforded the ultimate honour of leading the Lions.

"I'm deeply honoured, humbled and I will do my best to do the role justice," he said.

Doris, who was seen as Itoje's main rival for the job, will miss the trip to have surgery on an injury his club coach Jacques Nienaber described as "quite serious".

"As you can imagine, he is devastated," said Andy Farrell on Doris. "He would definitely have been in the mix, such an experienced player and leader.

"Sport can be cruel sometimes, but Caelan will be back bigger and stronger."