Lions to keep it 'chilled' v Force

IRELAND hooker Dan Sheehan said he will be his “chill” self after being named captain for the British and Irish Lions’ opening Australian tour game against Force in Perth tomorrow at 12pm.

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

Sheehan said: “It’s obviously a massive privilege and honour.

“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.”

Head coach Andy 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.

The Force, meanwhile, will feature Wallabies Nic White, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Dylan Pietsch, Tom Robertson and Darcy Swain.

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.