A chilly Sunday afternoon in Rodney Parade 20-months ago sounds like the opening to a story that will be long on mud and short on glamour but after Dan Sheehan was chosen to captain the British & Irish Lions against Western Force at the Optus Stadium on Saturday (11am Irish time), the day in question has been afforded a little more gravitas.
On November 12th, 2023, Sheehan captained Leinster for the first time in a 33-10 victory over the Dragons, the hooker one of five try scorers on the day. For a self-confessed shy kid, it was a notable landmark in his transition to leader. What Leinster head coach Leo Cullen saw then, Andy Farrell followed up on in February when he asked Sheehan to lead Ireland against Wales in the Six Nations in the absence of the injured Caelan Doris.
There is a similarity to both occasions in that Cullen and Farrell had access to more established leaders and captains but instead chose the 27-year-old hooker, decisions that opened a path to this latest honour. Neither coach required the powers of soothsayer to divine Sheehan’s qualities; they recognised that he had the leadership skills to supplement those of a player.
Tom Court - Ireland's accidental Lion
Conor Murray was the last Ireland player to captain the Lions when he led the tourists against South Africa A four years ago. Ulster secondrow Iain Henderson also captained the Lions during that tour, in the first of two matches against the Sharks.
Sheehan’s 45 tries in 73 matches for Leinster and 15 in 32 Tests for Ireland are numerical touchstones of a player who is arguably the most accomplished hooker in world rugby. On Saturday in Perth, he will be surrounded by a sea of familiar faces as the Lions Tour begins in earnest. There are 11 Irish players in the matchday 23, eight of which are Leinster team-mates of Sheehan.
Three more, Hugo Keenan, Jamison Gibson-Park and James Ryan were not available for selection due to injury, while Scotland’s Blair Kinghorn is still with Toulouse as they play Bordeaux-Bègles in the French Top 14 final this weekend.
Farrell retains just two of the starting team beaten by Argentina in Dublin last week, centre Sione Tuipulotu and Tadhg Beirne, with the Munster captain shifting from secondrow to backrow.
Scott Cummings, Tadhg Furlong, Henry Pollock, Pierre Schoeman, Elliot Daly, Mack Hansen and Tomos Williams are elevated to starting roles having started on the bench against the Pumas. Having started against Argentina, Alex Mitchell and Marcus Smith make way.
Hansen starts on the right wing while James Lowe is named on the other flank. Tuipolotu moves to his more familiar role of inside centre having played at 13 against the Pumas, while the introduction of Garry Ringrose at outside centre not only provides a more natural balance to the midfield but also a playing familiarity with the two wings.
Daly’s versatility sees him named at fullback in the continued absence of Keenan and Kinghorn. Scotland’s Finn Russell takes over the 10 jersey in a halfback combination alongside Tomos Williams. Farrell will demand more assured handling from his backline than was demonstrated in the warm-up game in Dublin, where too many passes were forced or lacked accuracy.
It will be interesting to note how Russell’s intuitive flair blends into the collective patterns. The presence of his Scottish sidekick Tuipulotu should bring cohesion to aspects of the game on both sides of the ball in much the same way as the Irish trio of Ringrose, Lowe and Hansen in the backline know each other’s games well in the Test match environment.
Sheehan will have Tadhg Furlong for company after the tighthead prop returned from a calf injury in a second-half cameo against Argentina. Pierre Schoeman completes the frontrow. Leinster lock Joe McCarthy partners Scott Cummings in the secondrow, while Beirne’s relocation to the six jersey suggests that consideration has been given to their lineout woes against the Pumas.
Josh van der Flier and the effervescent Henry Pollock ensure the backrow is long on athleticism, with all three capable of being a scourge at the breakdown. On the bench, Rónan Kelleher retains his role as replacement hooker, Andrew Porter is set for a Lions debut and Jack Conan is an old hand in the famous red shirt having played for the Lions during their last Tour in South Africa.
Will Stuart, fresh from Bath’s victory in the English Premiership, and Scottish centre Huw Jones complete the replacements.
Meanwhile, Wallabies sextet Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Nic White, Dylan Pietsch and Ben Donaldson are all in the starting XV ahead of linking up with the national team on Sunday.
Donaldson’s inclusion comes after Kurtley Beale was ruled out having suffered a hamstring strain at training on Tuesday. Donaldson travelled to Perth on Thursday afternoon. Former Wallabies and Ulster lock Sam Carter will also start in the final game of his career.
Captain Jeremy Williams, home-grown back-rower Carlo Tizzano and winger Harry Potter are all unavailable due to being in Wallabies camp ahead of Sunday week’s Test against Fiji in Newcastle.
LIONS: Elliot Daly (Saracens/England); Mack Hansen (Connacht/Ireland), Garry Ringrose (Leinster/Ireland), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), James Lowe (Leinster/Ireland); Finn Russell (Bath/Scotland), Tomos Williams (Gloucester/Wales); Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh/Scotland), Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Ireland, capt), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Ireland); Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/ Scotland), Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Ireland); Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Ireland), Josh van der Flier (Leinster/Ireland), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England).
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher (Leinster/Ireland), Andrew Porter (Leinster/Ireland), Will Stuart (Bath/England), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England), Jack Conan (Leinster/Ireland), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland), Marcus Smith (Harlequins/ England).
WESTERN FORCE: Ben Donaldson; Mac Grealy, Matt Proctor, Hamish Stewart, Dylan Pietsch; Alex Harford, Nic White (capt); Tom Robertson, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Ollie Hoskins; Sam Carter, Darcy Swain; Will Harris, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Vaiolini Ekuasi.
Replacements: Nic Dolly, Marley Pearce, Tiaan Tauakipulu, Lopeti Faifua, Reed Prinsep, Henry Robertson, Max Burey, Bayley Kuenzle.
