Henry Pollock will make his first start for the British and Irish Lions in Saturday’s opening fixture on Australian soil against Western Force in Perth.
Pollock made his debut off the bench in Friday’s 28-24 defeat by Argentina at the Aviva Stadium and the 20-year-old rising star of English rugby – who is the youngest player in the 2025 Lions squad – features at No 8 in an early opportunity to press his claim for Test selection.
Lions captain Maro Itoje has been stood down for this weekend so hooker Dan Sheehan leads the team at Optus Stadium, having skippered Ireland for the first time against Wales in this year’s Six Nations.
Sheehan is one of five starters who will make their Lions debuts with his Ireland team-mates Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Joe McCarthy and Josh van der Flier completing the list.
There are two survivors from the side that faced the Pumas in Sione Tuipulotu and Tadhg Beirne, although on this occasion they have been switched to inside centre and blindside flanker respectively.
“Dan Sheehan gets the opportunity to lead the side against Western Force, which is a great honour for him and his family – so congratulations to Dan as he captains the side on his Lions debut,” Itoje said.
“We know the quality and experience the Force have and the opportunity to play against the Lions always brings out special performances from the Super Rugby sides, so we expect them to be at their best.”
Pollock is one of two opensides picked in the back row with Van der Flier also more accustomed to playing in the number seven jersey.
Scott Cummings and Joe McCarthy form the second row partnership against the weakest of Australia’s four Super Rugby teams while three-time Lions tourist Tadhg Furlong is given the chance to improve his match fitness.
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Tighthead prop Furlong has been struggling with a calf injury since May amid a season affected by hamstring and calf issues, forcing him to miss the entire autumn and most of the Six Nations.
Finn Russell, the early favourite to take the fly-half duties for the first Test against the Wallabies on July 19, makes his first appearance of the tour, forming a half-back partnership with Tomos Williams.
Ireland wings Lowe and Mack Hansen are included in a back three alongside England’s Elliot Daly while Marcus Smith is on the bench to provide fly-half and full-back cover.
British and Irish Lions team to face Western Force:
15. Elliot Daly (Saracens/England); 14. Mack Hansen (Connacht/Ireland), 13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/Ireland), 12. Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow/Scotland), 1.1 J Lowe (Leinster/Ireland); 10. Finn Russell (Bath/Scotland), 9. T Williams (Gloucester/Wales); 1. Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh/Scotland), 2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Ireland, capt), 3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Ireland), 4. Scott Cummings (Glasgow/Scotland), 5. Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Ireland), 6. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Ireland), 7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/Ireland), 8. Henry Pollock (Northampton/England)
Replacements: 16. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Ireland),17. Andrew Porter (Leinster/Ireland), 18. Will Stuart (Bath/England), 19. Ollie Chessum (Leicester/England), 20. Jack Conan (Leinster/Ireland), 21. Alex Mitchell (Northampton/England), 22. Huw Jones (Glasgow/Scotland), 23. Marcus Smith (Harlequins/England)
