Henry Pollock will start at No 8 against the Western Force in the Lions’ first match on Australian soil with hooker Dan Sheehan captaining the side as one of eight Irish players in the starting XV.
Scotland centre Sione Tuipulotu and Irish loose forward Tadhg Beirne retain their places from the team that lost 28-24 to Argentina with Tuipulotu shifting to inside centre to form a midfield partnership with Garry Ringrose. Beirne, meanwhile, moves from the second row to blindside flanker.
Finn Russell starts at fly-half and partners Welsh scrum-half Tomos Williams who impressed as a replacement against the Pumas. Elliot Daly also shone as a replacement and starts at full-back in a back three with Irish wingers Mack Hansen and James Lowe.
Up front, Scotland loosehead Pierre Schoeman packs down alongside Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong, the tighthead who is appearing in his third Lions tour. Scott Cummings and Joe McCarthy form a heavyweight second-row combination, with Josh van der Flier completing the back row alongside Beirne and Pollock, who is just one of two English players in the starting XV.
Pollock also came off the bench against Argentina and while he has featured at No 8 for Northampton, that is not his specialist position and it is surprising that he has been selected ahead of Ireland’s Jack Conan.
