Leinster ace to captain Lions as Andy Farrell announces team to face Western Force with eight Irish inclusions
DAN Sheehan has been selected to captain the British & Irish Lions in the opening game of the Australia tour against Western Force in Perth.
Andy Farrell will be looking for a good response from his side following the
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The former England international was handed a shock loss in the Aviva last Friday
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This is a huge responsibility given to the 26-year-old on his Lions debut
The 2025 Lions team have already achieved an unwanted historical feat as the Lions have not lost an opening tour game since 1971.
Sheehan was absent in the Lions send off game in Dublin where Farrell's side fell to a shock 28-24 loss to Argentina.
The Dublin native will be used to the weight of the captaincy having led Ireland in the
The Irish hooker is one of five Leinster players set to make their Lions debut having been unavailable to play Argentina due to featuring in the
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Joe McCarthy, Josh van der Flier, Garry Ringrose and James Lowe are the other debutantes in the starting XV alongside Leinster teammate
Leinster prop Andrew Porter will be hoping to make his debut off the bench where he is joined by Scotland's Huw Jones and England's Will Stuart and Ollie Chessum hoping to achieve the same.
Ronan Kelleher who appeared off the bench for the Lions last week and
With this squad announcement, James Ryan and
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Farrell has put out an experimental side as he makes 13 changes from last weeks starting team and five new names are added to the bench.
It is a difficult task to balance finding his best team to face Australia in the test matches and giving appropriate rest time to his players.
'Jack Crowley he's coming for you' jokes Peter O'Mahony's wife Jess as son practices his rugby skills
Munster man
The second row sees a complete makeover from the Argentina match with Joe McCarthy partnering Scott Cummings while Maro Itoje is dropped out of the squad completely.
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Connacht winger Mack Hansen earns his first start for the Lions having made his debut off the bench in Dublin last week.
Scotland centre Sione Tuipulotu is the only familiar face in the backs as he makes the switch from outside centre to replace Bundee Aki at inside centre where he will partner Ringrose.
British & Irish Lions team to place Western Force:
Forwards:
1. Pierre Schoeman, 2. Dan Sheehan (capt), 3. Tadhg Furlong; 4. Scott Cummings, 5. Joe McCarthy; 6. Tadhg Beirne, 7. Josh van der Flier, 8. Henry Pollock.
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Backs:
15. Elliot Daly; 14. Mack Hansen, 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Sione Tuipulotu, 11. James Lowe; 10. Finn Russell, 9. Tomos Williams.
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher, 17. Andrew Porter, 18. Will Stuart, 19. Ollie Chessum, 20. Jack Conan, 21. Alex Mitchell, 22. Huw Jones, 23. Marcus Smith.
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