The Leinster and Ireland hooker, who skippered his country to Triple Crown success against Wales in February, comes in as one of 13 personnel changes to the side that played Argentina in the 1888 Cup defeat.
For Saturday’s clash with the Force at Perth’s Optus Stadium (kick-off 6pm local time/11am Irish time – live on Sky Sports Main Event & Action), head coach Andy Farrell has handed out Lions debuts to Sheehan, Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Joe McCarthy, and Josh van der Flier.
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Joining that quintet in pulling on the famous red jersey for the first time will be their Leinster and Ireland team-mate Andrew Porter, and fellow replacements, England forwards Will Stuart and Ollie Chessum, and Scotland centre Huw Jones.
Ringrose links up with Sione Tuipulotu in another new-look centre partnership, while Connacht and Ireland’s Mack Hansen gets his first Lions start in the back-three alongside Lowe and England’s Elliot Daly, who features at full-back.
There is a Scotland-Wales combination at half-back in the form of Finn Russell, fresh from his Gallagher Premiership title win with Bath, and Tomos Williams, who made an impact off the bench against the Pumas in Dublin.
There is a strong Celtic flavour to the pack which sees Tadhg Beirne, one of the Lions’ try scorers last Friday, switch to the blindside flanker role. Van der Flier dons the number 7 shirt, with England youngster Henry Pollock packing down at number 8.
McCarthy and Scotland’s Scott Cummings will man the engine room against the Super Rugby Pacific outfit, while Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong, who makes his first start since the Investec Champions Cup semi-final in early May, join forces with Pierre Schoeman in the front row.
The presence of Porter, Rónan Kelleher, and Jack Conan on the bench brings the Irish contingent in the matchday squad to eleven. Eight of them played in Leinster’s recent BKT United Rugby Championship final victory over the Vodacom Bulls.
Speaking about the group’s first few days Down Under and Sheehan’s selection as captain, Farrell said: “We have had a good week of training and all of the travel and time zone changes have been managed really well, so we are good to go.
“Dan Sheehan gets the opportunity to lead the team against the 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.
“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.”
During the 2013 tour to Australia, the Lions ran out 69-17 winners over the Force at the Subiaco Oval. Current assistant coach Jonathan Sexton crossed the whitewash early on for the Lions, while Leigh Halfpenny converted all nine of the tourists’ tries.
BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v Western Force, 2025 British & Irish Lions Tour Match, Optus Stadium, Perth, Saturday, June 28, kick-off 6pm local time/11am Irish time):
15. Elliot Daly (Saracens/England) #822
14. Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) #867
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
12. Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland) #863
11. James Lowe (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
10. Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland) #835
9. Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby/Wales) #866
1. Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland) #868
2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) (capt)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #818
4. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland) #869
5. Joe McCarthy (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
6. Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland) #838
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
8. Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England) #865
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #864
17. Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland)
18. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England)
19. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England)
20. Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #839
21. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England) #860
22. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
23. Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England) #855
