Western Force v British and Irish Lions - Teams and Prediction

PREVIEW: The Western Force will be the first opponent on Australian soil for the British & Irish Lions tour in 2025, just as they were 12 years ago.

The Lions will be aiming to get off to a flying start in Australia, having beaten the Force 69-17 back in 2013.

Brian O’Driscoll scored two tries that day as he captained the side alongside Manu Tuilagi in midfield, while Leigh Halfpenny indicated what was to come with a perfect 11 from 11 from the kicking tee in a 24-point haul.

The Force’s most recent season saw them finish in ninth place, missing out on the qualifying finals after a late-season slump that saw them lose their last five matches, having been fourth at one stage in the season.

The Force squad, coached by former Verblitz coach Simon Cron, has eight players in the current Wallabies squad, with five of those released back for this encounter with the Lions.

*Article continues below…

Among them is experienced scrumhalf Nic White and powerful second row Darcy Swain, although Carlo Tizzano, the record try-scorer for the Force in a single season, and flyhalf Ben Donaldson have remained with the Wallabies.

The Lions cut a bunch of frustrated figures after losing their first match of the summer, as Argentina edged to a narrow 28-24 victory in The 1888 Cup.

Head Coach Andy Farrell admitted he was disappointed with his team’s performance, insisting they should have been better than they were after a two-week training block, while captain Maro Itoje said they were not as consistent as he would have liked in an absorbing 80 minutes in Dublin.

For their first encounter on Australian soil, Farrell appointed Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan as captain.

Sheehan said he will be his “chill” self after being named captain for the British and Irish Lions’ opening Australian tour game against Western Force in Perth.

The 26-year-old Leinster star was a surprise choice to lead the side on his Lions debut, having skippered his country just once.

“It’s obviously a massive privilege and honour,” said Sheehan, who will pack down between countryman Tadhg Furlong and Scotland’s Pierre Schoeman in the front row on Saturday.

“I just need to be myself, do what I usually do. I’m quite a chill person. I feel like I’ve got an understanding of who I am and what sort of excites me.

“With the added role of being captain I don’t think it changes that much. I’ll just bring the boys with me. I’ll just let it happen.”

Dan’s first interview as Lions captain! 🦁#Lions2025 pic.twitter.com/vZgj7cD33w

— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 26, 2025

Farrell retained just two players from the side that started the 28-24 loss to Argentina in Dublin last week — flanker Tadhg Beirne and centre Sione Tuipulotu.

Among those rested is tour captain Maro Itoje, who led the side against the Pumas.

Farrell has opted to make full use of his squad in the first of nine tour matches, including Tests against the Wallabies in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

He was without the bulk of his Leinster players against Argentina and they feature heavily against Simon Cron’s Force, with nine in the matchday 23.

The Lions’ back row consists of Beirne, former World Rugby player-of-the-year Josh van der Flier and young star Henry Pollock.

Scotland ace Finn Russell starts at flyhalf, partnering Welshman Tomos Williams.

English veteran Elliot Daly takes on the fullback duties with Mack Hansen and James Lowe on the wings, and Garry Ringrose and Tuipulotu in the centre.

Cron prepared his charges for Saturday’s once-in-a-lifetime clash against the British and Irish Lions in Perth, and his message was cryptic: “Assume some things. Believe nothing. Confirm on field.”

He said players were focused, adding he would “load the gun and let them go at it.”

“It’s challenging. It is a different beast,” Cron told reporters on Thursday. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime for a lot of these guys.

“We sat as a group and had a bit of a yarn about how old you were 12 years ago, how old will you be 12 years from now.

“That’s the importance of this game and the special type of game that it is. They are under no illusion around that.”

“My expectation is they will lead the boys into it, and the other boys will follow.

“That’s what leadership is. Biggest players stepping forward on the biggest movement.”

“The biggest thing for us is to put a performance on that field that the State can be proud of.”

Ben Donaldson has joined the squad from the Wallabies camp after Kurtley Beale injured a hamstring during practice on Tuesday.

Beale is expected to be ready to play in two weeks, with Cron saying it would have been “detrimental” if they had pushed him into Saturday’s match.

Prediction:

@Rugby365: British and Irish Lions by 20 points

Teams

Western Force: 15 Ben Donaldson, 14 Mac Grealy, 13 Matt Proctor, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Alex Harford, 9 Nic White (captain), 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 6 Will Harris, 5 Darcy Swain, 4 Sam Carter, 3 Ollie Hoskins, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Tom Robertson.
Replacements: 16 Nic Dolly, 17 Marley Pearce, 18 Tiaan Tauakipulu, 19 Lopeti Faifua, 20 Reed Prinsep, 21 Henry Robertson, 22 Max Burey, 23 Bayley Kuenzle

British and Irish Lions: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Mack Hansen, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 James Lowe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Henry Pollock, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 5 Joe McCarthy, 4 Scott Cummings, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan (captain), 1 Pierre Schoeman
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

Date: Saturday, June 28
Venue: Perth Stadium, Perth
Kick-off: 18.00 (11.00 UK & Ireland time; 10.00 GMT)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Paul Williams (New Zealand), James Doleman (New Zealand)
TMO: Marius v d Westhuizen (South Africa)