Pollock handed first Lions start as Andy Farrell names team for tour opener
Less than 12 months ago, Henry Pollock was playing in the World U20 Championship for England
©Photo by Carl Fourie/World Rugby
Henry Pollock will make his first British & Irish Lions start this Saturday, after the 20-year-old was named at number eight against Western Force.
The exciting England back-rower is among a host of fresh faces selected for the clash in Perth, with head coach Andy Farrell placing trust in the Northampton youngster to bring pace and energy to the Lions pack.
Pollock, who has turned heads with his rapid rise this season, is one of eight players making their Lions debuts in the starting XV. He’ll line up alongside the experienced Tadhg Beirne in the back row, with the Ireland forward set for his second consecutive appearance following his try in last week's clash against Argentina.
Another first-time Lion, Leinster hooker Dan Sheehan, will captain the side. In total, eight Irish players start, with Sheehan joined by fellow countrymen Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Tadhg Furlong, James Lowe, Joe McCarthy, Josh van der Flier and the aforementioned Beirne.
The bench includes four more debutants: England’s Ollie Chessum and Will Stuart, Scotland’s Huw Jones, and Ireland’s Andrew Porter.
Finn Russell starts at 10 in an exciting half-back pairing with Tomos Williams, but there is no place in the squad for Jamison Gibson-Park or James Ryan, both of whom are still recovering from minor injuries.
Farrell praised the squad’s preparation, saying: “We’ve had a good week of training, managed the travel and time zones well, and we’re ready to go. Dan Sheehan has a great honour leading the side on debut, and for young players like Henry Pollock, this is a chance to show what they can bring to the Lions jersey.”
As for Western Force, they will field a strong side, including six players named in the Australia squad.
Ben Donaldson has been drafted in to replace Kurtley Beale, who suffered a hamstring injury in training, while Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Nic White, and Dylan Pietsch are also set to feature before joining the Wallabies on Sunday.
British and Irish Lions: Daly, Hansen, Ringrose, Tuipulotu, Lowe, Russell, Williams; Schoeman, Sheehan, Furlong, Cummings, McCarthy, Beirne, Van der Flier, Pollock
Replacements: Kelleher, Porter, Stuart, Chessum, Conan, Mitchell, Jones, M Smith
