Wales scrumhalf Tomos Williams will wear the number nine jersey for the first time as the British and Irish Lions face Western Force on Saturday.

Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan captains the side and is one of five players who will make their Lions debut in Perth, with Leinster teammates Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Joe McCarthy and Josh van der Flier being the others.

There are four more Lions debutants on the bench: Ollie Chessum, Huw Jones, Andrew Porter, and Will Stuart.

Williams impressed off the bench in the Lions’ 24-28 loss to Argentina in Dublin last Friday and is handed a start in the absence of Jamison Gibson-Park who, along with Hugo Keenan, is still nursing an injury.

The youngest player on tour – Henry Pollock – will also start at number eight, alongside Irishmen Tadhg Beirne and Josh van der Flier in the back row.

Sione Tuipulotu – who started against Los Pumas at outside centre – reverts to his prefered 12 shirt, with Garry Ringrose outside him. Finn Russell will pull the strings at flyhalf, while Elliot Daly, Mack Hansen, and James Lowe make up the back three.

In the tight five, captain Sheehan will pack down with Scotland Pierre Schoeman and Ireland’s Tadhg Furling either side of him, and Scott Cummings and Joe McCarthy behind him in the second row.

Teams

Lions

Elliot Daly, Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Sione Tuipulotu, James Lowe, Finn Russell, Tomos Williams; Pierre Schoeman, Dan Sheehan (capt), Tadhg Furlong, Scott Cummings, Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, Josh Van der Flier, Henry Pollock.

Replacements

Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Jack Conan, Alex Mitchell, Huw Jones, Marcus Smith.

Western Force

Ben Donaldson, Mac Grealy, Matt Proctor, Hamish Stewart, Dylan Pietsch, Alex Hardfor, 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.

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