British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell expects his side to “learn and respond” following defeat to Argentina, adding injured duo Hugo Keenan and Jamison Gibson-Park should return next week.
The Lions suffered a 28-24 defeat to the Pumas in Dublin last Friday, and next play Western Force in Perth on Saturday for their first tour match in Australia, live on Sky Sports.
Farrell announced his side for the weekend on Thursday, and has made 13 changes with Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan named captain for his Lions debut.
Keenan (calf) and Gibson-Park (glute) remain absent, but Farrell confirmed he expects both to be fit for next Wednesday’s clash with the Queensland Reds in Brisbane.
“We’ll see on Saturday how we respond. The guys that are taking the field this week are a little bit fortunate in the sense they understand how we want to get better,” Farrell said. “They’ve got to take responsibility for that, and grab hold of their chance of taking this team forward.
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Take a look at some behind-the-scenes footage from pre-match and at half-time from the British and Irish Lions’ loss to Argentina
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Sheehan reveals to Sky Sports he ‘despised’ certain British and Irish Lions players before getting to know them on tour
“I’m disappointed to lose any game, I hate losing, so does everyone else, that is why they’re in this position in the first place.
“There were plenty of positives to go with that, so it’s about taking the learnings, keep pushing forward right up until that first Test.
“They [Keenan, Gibson-Park] are very well. All being well, they should be fit for the Reds game.”
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The British and Irish Lions suffered defeat to Argentina in Dublin on Friday in their opening tour fixture
On selecting 26-year-old Sheehan as captain, Farrell said the hooker’s “calming influence” will prove ideal for the role, adding he feels the experience will make the impressive Sheehan an even better player.
“It says a lot about him. You don’t make these decisions lightly,” he said. “To have the special honour of captaining the British and Irish Lions must be amazing for Dan and his family, they will be bursting with pride.
“But it’s well earned. He will 100 per cent do the job justice by just being himself. I know for a fact, whatever he asks the players to do, there won’t be empty words, it will be things he’s willing to do himself.
“I know the responsibility will make him a better player because that’s the type of character he is, a calming influence who understands what pressure situations are like at this level. All those things put together are why he is sat beside me.”
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Sheehan told Sky Sports it’s a ‘massive honour’ and a big surprise to be named captain on his debut for the British & Irish Lions
Sheehan: I won’t overthink Lions captaincy – my family are going to miss it!
Sheehan, ahead of captaining the British and Irish Lions against Western Force, said: “It’s a massive privilege and honour. At the start of the week, I was just focusing on doing everything I could to prepare for putting the red jersey on for the first time.
“You look around the room and there are so many individuals that are more than capable of captaining this team, that eases the nerves a little bit. I don’t have to make it difficult; I just have to be myself and do what I usually do because that is what got me here.
“I’m quite a chill person, I have a good understanding of who I am and what excites me. I just sort of let these things happen, I don’t overthink it really. With the added role of being captain, I don’t think it changes that much, I just bring the boys with me and let it happen.”
“The phone call back home was something special. They are gutted they can’t be here and they’re missing the first two games, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they showed up.”
British and Irish Lions side to face Western Force – live on Sky Sports
British and Irish Lions: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Mack Hansen, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 James Lowe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Tomos Williams; 1 Pierre Schoeman, 2 Dan Sheehan, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 4 Scott Cummings, 5 Joe McCarthy, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 7 Josh van der Flier, 8 Henry Pollock.
Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Andrew Porter, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Ollie Chessum, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Huw Jones, 23 Marcus Smith.
British & Irish Lions tour of Australia on Sky Sports
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Watch the British and Irish Lions’ tour of Australia exclusively live on Sky Sports this summer
Sky Sports will exclusively show the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Tests against the Wallabies and six warm-up matches to be shown exclusively live.
