The British and Irish Lions returned to Australia for the first time in 12 years as they look to emulate their series-winning predecessors of 2013 this summer.
Their tour preparations got off to a patchy start with a 28-24 defeat by Argentina in Dublin last Friday.
However, Andy Farrell’s side hit the ground running after landing in Australia with a thumping win over the Western Force.
The players will also be boosted by their presence of their wives and girlfriends, some of whom have accompanied their other halves Down Under.
But who are the other halves of the players to have been selected for the Lions’ tour to Australia?
Read on below and meet the partners of the Lions squad hoping to win a second successive series against the Wallabies.
Mimi Fall – Maro Itoje (England, Lions captain)
Lions skipper Maro Itoje is claimed to have met Mimi Fall while the pair were modelling together in a photoshoot
Lions skipper Maro Itoje is claimed to have met Mimi Fall while the pair were modelling together in a photoshoot.
He then proposed to her while the couple were on holiday together in Nigeria and Ghana in August 2024.
Mimi revealed the engagement on social as she commented that she was now: ‘Mrs I to be.’
The pair then tied the knot last month at a glamorous ceremony in London’s exclusive Mayfair district, after which Mimi posted: ‘We cried, laughed and danced – yes I had 5 outfits because life is for living.’
Today, Mimi models for W MODEL MGMT and Boom Models Agency – while also having dedicated art and food channels on Instagram.
Emma Canning – Finn Russell (Scotland)
The couple currently live in Bath – where Russell plays his club rugby – with their two children
Star Scottish stand-off Russell is also dating a sporting talent, with his partner Emma Canning a former heptathlete.
Although the couple split for a brief period in 2021, they were able to rekindle their relationship and now share two daughters, Charlie, aged three, and Skye, aged one.
The family currently live in Bath – where Russell plays his club rugby and won a domestic treble last season.
Before having children, Emma’s potential career as a heptathlete was dealt an unfortunate setback after she suffered a stress fracture to her shin aged 19.
After the fracture had an adverse impact on her training and performance, she underwent an operation to insert a metal plate in her leg.
In 2018, she opted to have the plate removed because she was ‘training in pain’ and had ‘struggled mentally, emotionally and physically.’
Thankfully, she was able to return to competitive athletics this year.
She subsequently called out an abusive comment which read: ‘Must be invigorating to know your only talent is to be in a relationship with a talented person.’
She responded: ‘Actually – there’s room for two Scottish athletes in our relationship,’ accompanied by a video of her participating in long jump competition.
Katherine Egan – Dan Sheehan (Ireland)
Sheehan, 26, captained the Lions in their opening fixture on Australian soil against Western Force
Katherine Egan are believed to have been dating one another since at least 2017 – when they first posted a picture together.
Sheehan, 26, captained the Lions in their opening fixture on Australian soil as they swept aside Perth-based Western Force.
Dan has turned himself into a fearsome presence for both Leinster and Ireland, while Katherine has played hockey for UCD, where she is a Medicine student.
Nika van der Merwe – Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland)
Duhan van der Merwe married his partner Nika in 2023 in Duhan’s native South Africa
With Duhan van der Merwe plying his trade for Edinburgh, his partner Nika, who is a content creator, is also based in the Scottish capital.
The pair married another in 2023 in Duhan’s native South Africa. He represents Scotland having qualified on residency grounds.
A self-proclaimed ‘social media expert’, Nika is the founder of social media agency, Sound Colour Social and the women’s hiking club She Wanders.
She also regularly shares updates on her personal and professional life via Instagram, notably of her two French bulldogs, Moosie and Ziggy.
Beth Dolling – Marcus Smith (England)
A model who is based in London, Beth Dolling, 25, has been dating Smith, 26, since 2020
A model who is based in London, Beth Dolling, 25, has been dating England and Harlequins fly-half Marcus Smith, 26, since 2020.
She has appeared in numerous campaigns for online fashion retailers including PrettyLittleThing, Missy Empire and Rebellious.
Beth also regularly shares updates on Instagram to her 37,000 followers, in the form of modelling shoots and her life behind the scenes with Marcus.
Last month she posted a picture of the couple together, which read: ‘Five years together with the love of my life! Love you with my whole heart.’
In addition to being a model, Beth is also a keen singer and has occasionally shared videos of her vocals on TikTok.
Dina Celina – Blair Kinghorn (Scotland)
Blair Kinghorn left Edinburgh in 2023 to ply his trade in France for Toulouse, bringing with him his fiancée Dina Celina
Blair Kinghorn left Edinburgh in 2023 to ply his trade in France for Toulouse, bringing with him his fiancée Dina Celina.
The pair shared news of their engagement in November last year having dated one another since 2022.
The proposal took place during a getaway to the exclusive Gleneagles Hotel in central, with the pair having set a wedding date of August 25.
Dina has a BSc Honours in Nutrition from Queen Margaret University in addition to a Registered Associate Nutritionist (ANutr) qualification.
She believes that high-level gut function is the main driver of health, having previously posts videos of the anti-inflammatory meals she makes for Blair when he is injured.
Annabel Jones – Huw Jones (Scotland)
Huw and Annabel married each other in the summer of 2022 and are fast-approaching three years together
Huw and Annabel married each other in the summer of 2022 and are fast-approaching three years together as a married couple.
Huw – who has earnt his first-ever Lions call-up – previously described Annabel as ‘his everything.’
The couple regularly travel around the world with one another and often share pictures of them together on their travels.
Sophie de Patoul – Josh van der Flier (Ireland)
Sophie De Patoul is frequently seen cheering on her husband, Josh van der Flier
Sophie De Patoul is frequently seen cheering on her husband, Josh van der Flier, who won the World Player of the Year award back in 2022.
The couple married at Luttrellstown Castle that year after he had proposed in July 2021.
Ellen Beirne – Gary Ringrose (Ireland)
The pair married each other Virginia Park Lodge in Cavan in June 2023
The pair married each other Virginia Park Lodge in Cavan in June 2023 – with Ringrose set to embark on his first Lions tour despite having been a regular for Ireland for Ireland since 2016.
The Irish rugby star opened up on the pair’s marriage to EVOKE, stating: ‘Ellen is the best. She’s incredibly supportive, along with my parents and brothers and sisters.
‘In the not-so-good times when you might lose a game; they’re the ones that are picking you back up.
‘I’m incredibly lucky to have her and others in my corner. They are the ones that are there for the not-so-great times… Thankfully I have her with me, she’s a huge support.’
Nancy Neath – Will Stuart (England)
Nancy is in a relationship with England prop Will Stuart, who was one of Steve Borthwick’s standout players in the Six Nations
Nancy is in a relationship with England prop Will Stuart, who was one of Steve Borthwick’s standout players in the Six Nations.
His fine performances saw him earn a spot on the plane to Australia, where he will prove to be a valuable option both in the loose and at scrums.
His partner Nancy is a designer who specialises in table and floral scaping, which she has previously illustrated via her own Instagram posts.
The couple moved in together in 2023, with Will joking to Mail Sport at the time: “My girlfriend has moved in with me recently and has chosen a new mattress.
‘It’s a bit too soft for me so I have spent a few nights on the floor tucked up in a duvet.”
