Williams starts for Lions against Force in Australia

British and Irish Lions v Western Force

Date: Saturday, June 28th, 2018 Kick-off: 11:00 BST

The Irish Lions’ first game against the Western Force on Saturday will be played on Australian soil under the leadership of Ireland’s Dan Sheehan.

The hooker will make his Lions debut in Perth alongside his Leinster team-mates Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Joe McCarthy, and Josh van der Flier, along with five others in the starting lineup.

Ollie Chessum, center Huw Jones, and props Andrew Porter and Will Stuart are the four Lions who are expected to make their bench debuts.

Henry Pollock, a Northampton tyro, will start at number eight after coming off the bench against Argentina last Friday night.

Elliot Daly is in at full-back while head coach Andy Farrell is still without scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan, both of whom are recovering from injury, and Tomos Williams is rewarded for a strong comeback against the Pumas in Dublin with a start in the nines.

Finn Russell will start at flyhalf after making three appearances on South Africa’s tour in 2021.

Ringrose and Sione Tuipulotu, both of whom will start in succession, form a new midfield pairing for Farrell.