Australia rugby union legend David Campese admitted he ‘can’t work out’ why one current Scotland star has failed to make the British and Irish Lions squad that will tour down under this summer. The is an eight-strong contingent of Scots that have been named in Andy Farrell’s initial selection with Glasgow Warriors quartet Scott Cummings, Zander Fagerson, Huw Jones and Sione Tuipuloto leading the way. Toulouse’s Blair Kinghorn and Bath Rugby’s Finn Russell look set to be handed key roles in the three-test series and they are joined by Edinburgh Rugby duo Pierre Schoeman and Duhan van der Merwe, who both gave emotional responses when their selections were confirmed. However, the absence of a third Edinburgh star has provoked a bemused reaction from Campese after he queried why wing star Darcy Graham had failed to make the cut and believes the decision means the Lions options out wide are ‘short of where he’d like to see them’ ahead of the tour. He told Planet Rugby: “In the backline, one selection that really surprised me was Mack Hansen, pretty much regarded as a plodding journeyman over here, and a man with an average strike rate at Test level, has been selected over Darcy Graham. I can’t work that out, and despite what I’ve said about a side with speed, I do think that the wings are one real gas flyer short of where I’d like to see them. Notwithstanding that, Freeman and one of Duhan van der Merwe or James Lowe on the wings will cause havoc, especially if, as I suspect, we see the brilliance of Toulouse’s Blair Kinghorn at 15.” There was further disappointment for a number of Scotland internationals hoping to land a place in Farrell’s initial squad. Despite some eye-catching performances for club and country, Grant Gilchrist, Jamie Ritchie and Rory Darge were all absent when the squad was announced last week - and Campese believes there is a chance the trio could yet make the standby list and have a chance to make the final tour squad. He added: “I would have been minded to get Fraser Dingwall in there in the initial selection. He’s a glue player alongside Fin Smith and Alex Mitchell and I feel he’s been hugely unlucky not to get in – but I wouldn’t have picked him over and above any of the centres Farrell has taken. I do think, however, Dingwall will get on the tour at some point as injuries have a nasty habit of changing Lions. Others that I think will be on standby include the marginal calls I’ve mentioned, together with perhaps Scots Grant Gilchrist, Jamie Ritchie and Rory Darge, all desperately unlucky to miss out.” 20/06/2025 - The Lions v Argentina (Aviva Stadium, Dublin) 28/06/2025 - Western Force v The Lions (Optus Stadium, Perth) 02/07/2025 - Queensland Reds v The Lions (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane) 05/07/2025 - NSW Waratahs v The Lions (Allianz Stadium, Sydney) 09/07/2025 - ACT Brumbies v The Lions (GIO Stadium, Canberra) 12/07/2025 - Invitational AU & NZ v The Lions (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide) 19/07/2025 - Wallabies v The Lions (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane) 22/07/2025 - First Nations & Pasifika XV) v The Lions (Marvel Stadium, Melbourne) 26/07/2025 - Wallabies v The Lions (MCG, Melbourne) 02/08/2025 - Wallabies v The Lions (Accor Stadium, Sydney) Your next Rugby Union read: Former Scotland and British & Irish Lions great Sir Ian McGeechan confirms prostate cancer diagnosis