2. Fin Baxter (Harlequins)
Our second entry is one of the fastest-rising forwards across the English game, as Harlequins prop Fin Baxter continues to push on from strength to strength. The loose-head has come a long way from his Harlequins debut in 2020, having also cut his teeth in the Championship with Quins’ partnership club London Scottish.
Baxter endured a baptism of fire upon his England call-up, as he was flung into the fray against the All Blacks this past Summer. The 22-year-old was on the bench as his club and country mentor Joe Marler led in England’s starting pack against the All Blacks, but Marler would depart after 17 minutes, when the full weight of Tyrel Lomax bared down upon his foot and broke bone. Baxter had no time to waste, and stepped up to the plate in England’s narrow defeat to New Zealand in Dunedin.
Baxter’s first England start followed the following week, as he kicked on to take up the one shirt for the re-match at Eden Park. Despite being so early in his career, Baxter has already experienced the brightest lights of the biggest stages, with a Lions call-up the next obvious progression. The 2021 tour saw Gatland initially name Rory Sutherland, Mako Vunipola and Andrew Porter as the loose-head options. Three loose-heads would again be expected for the upcoming tour to Australia.
Like any ambitious Lions player, Baxter faces fierce competition for a Lions tour involvement. Beginning with his fellow countrymen, both Ellis Genge and Joe Marler would be eager to head to Australia, as would Ireland’s Andrew Porter, who missed out on the 2021 tour with an untimely toe injury, after being originally pencilled in. Rory Sutherland and Pierre Schoeman enter the ring from Scotland, with Wales’ Gareth Thomas and Corey Domachowski presenting the leading loose-heads from across the Severn Bridge.
3. Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins)
We stick with Harlequins for our next entry, with another one of Danny Wilson’s players putting themselves forward as an outside shout for the British & Irish Lions. The men in the famous quarters could well lose the likes of Marcus Smith, Leigh Halfpenny and Joe Marler to the Lions next June, with Chandler Cunningham-South doing all he can to join the fray of club-mates looking to head down under to Australia.
Cunningham-South could cap off a whirlwind five years with a Lions tour inclusion, as the back row has come a long way since the collapse of London Irish. The hard-hitter’s talents were well regarded around West London, and Cunningham-South did not have to wait long until he was snapped up out of free agency by Harlequins. The momentum continued to roll for the 21-year-old, who earned his England debut in the 2024 Six Nations.
Cunningham-South was included amongst four other debutants, who earned their maiden Test caps in the opening round in Rome. However, out of the likes of Fin Smith, Ethan Roots and Fraser Dingwall, Cunningham-South and Manny Feyi-Waboso are the front-runners for a spot in the Lions tour. Whilst we will address the competition faced by Feyi-Waboso shortly, Cunningham-South’s back row counterparts read as a solid list of Lions candidates.
The rival contenders begin with his fellow England teammates, with Sam Underhill, Ben Earl and Tom Curry all vying for a spot upon the Lions tour. Ireland through in some serious firepower, with Caelan Doris and Josh van der Flier, with Jac Morgan of Wales and Scotland’s Andy Onyeama-Christie hoping to return from a horror of an ankle injury. Cunningham-South is certainly an outsiders pick, but with profound ability across the flanks and at number eight, he is a versatile multi-tool man to have in Andy Farrell’s ranks.
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