Tomos Williams will get his chance to push his British & Irish Lions credentials when he opposes the current Wallabies scrum half Nic White in the first tour game on Australian soil in Perth on Saturday 28 June.
White is one of six Wallabies in the Western Force line-up for a game in which Andy Farrell’s Lions will be seeking to get back on track after losing their opening game 28-24 against Argentina in Dublin last weekend.
Williams was an impressive second half replacement for England’s Alex Mitchell at the Aviva Stadium and swaps places with him for the Perth fixture. Ireland’s Jamison Gibson-Park, the other scrum half in the tour party, has yet to be cleared to play after injury.
The half-back pairing against the Pumas was the Northampton Saints and England pairing of Mitchell and Fin Smith. Williams gets first shot at partnering Scotland skipper Finn Russell.
Ireland and Leinster hooker Dan Sheehan has been handed the captaincy for his first game in a Lions jersey, along with three more clubmates. Garry Ringrose starts at centre alongside Sione Tuipulotu, James Lowe partners Mack Hansen on the wing, Joe McCarthy packs down with Scott Cummings in the second row and Josh van der Flyer is in the back row.
Four more players will get their first chance off the bench against Western Force at Optus Stadiium – England lock Ollie Chessum, Scotland centre Huw Jones, Ireland prop Andrew Porter and England prop Will Stuart.
“We’ve 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,” said Lions head coach Andy Farrell.
“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.”
The Lions have never lost in Perth and won 69-17 on their last visit in 2013. On that occasion Leigh Halfpenny converted all nine tries.
It was an even bigger score back in 2001, when Scott Quinnell grabbed the first try on tour after only two minutes in a record 116-10 triumph. The Wales back row man went on to score a hat-trick.
“It wasn’t the result they wanted against Argentina, but that means nothing. Winning the Test series is what this tour is all about,” said Quinnell.
We were unfortunate in 2001. We slipped up in the second half of the second Test. I hope they get the chance to look back on a series win, just like 2013 when we had 10 Welshmen in the starting line-up for the third Test.
“I was working pitchside in Sydney that night and it was just a wonderful experience. The first Test win in 2001 at The Gabba ranks right up there as one of the best games in which I ever played.
“We won that game in the stands. Australia is an incredible sporting nation but I think we changed the way they thought about their support after that day.
“The Aussie fans were overwhelmed by a sea of red that included about 35,000 Lions fans. I walked around Brisbane the day before the game and I simply couldn’t believe the number of red jerseys I saw.
“The week after in Melbourne the Aussies were flying planes with banners urging their fans to ‘wear gold for Australia’ and giving away scarves. I’m going to Brisbane for the first Test and it will be another special occasion for me.”
British & Irish Lions v Western Force
Optus Stadium, Saturday 28 June – KO: 11:00 BST15. 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) #8661. Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby / Scotland) #868
2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby / Ireland) CAPTAIN
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) #865Replacements
16. Ronan 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