The Lions skipper Maro Itoje is not part of Andy Farrell's side to play the Western Force in Perth
He is the captain of the full tour but why is Maro Itoje not playing for the British & Irish Lions against Western Force?
The England and Saracens second-row is the skipper of the squad and is expected to start in the test series against Australia later in the tour.
However, Itoje will be missing from the Western Force game as coach Andy Farrell rotates his side to give the wider squad game time.
Scotland’s Scott Cummings will start alongside Ireland and Leinster lock Joe McCarthy with second-row cover provided by Ollie Chessum on the bench.
Itoje’s lock partner from last weekend’s defeat to Argentina, Tadhg Beirne, retains his place in the side, albeit shifting to flanker.
Captaincy duty will fall to Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan as he also makes his debut for the Lions.
Related: How to watch the British & Irish Lions tour wherever you are in the world
Why did Andy Farrell decide to leave Maro Itoje out?
On the decision to leave Itoje from the team, Farrell put it down to the simple reason of needing to give other players the opportunity to play through the tour and provide adequate rest.
“Like everyone else it is just a matter of giving people a chance if leaders of the squad fall over on the way you have got to have plans, so a bit of rotation,” explained Farrell.
“We have got a lot of good second rows and Maro is a team player, he knows people have to get going and people have to show their hand as well and that competition will make him and the rest of the players fight a little bit harder.
“But having said that he is the captain of the touring party and he along with everyone else who is not playing will be unbelievably supportive of his team mates this week.”
It is expected that Itoje will return to the matchday squad for the Lions’ next game, the Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Wednesday 2 July.
Read more: Here is the British & Irish Lions squad in full
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British & Irish Lions team against Western Force
Finn Russell and Henry Pollock get their first starts of the tour as Dan Sheehan captains the side in the absence of tour skipper Maro Itoje
Sione Tuipulotu and Tadhg Beirne (who shifts to six) are the only surviving starters from the defeat to Argentina pic.twitter.com/1q6UQMvJ8l
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11 Irishmen make up the bulk of the matchday Lions 23 to play Western Force.
Sheehan is captain and is joined by fellow Leinster forwards Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy and Josh Van der Flier in the pack.
Finn Russell starts at fly-half with Garry Ringrose partnering Sione Tuipulotu in the centres.
- Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh & Scotland)
- Dan Sheehan (c) (Leinster & Ireland)
- Tadhg Furlong (Leinster & Ireland)
- Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors & Scotland)
- Joe McCarthy (Leinster & Ireland)
- Tadhg Beirne (Munster & Ireland)
- Josh Van der Flier (Leinster & Ireland)
- Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints & England)
- Tomos Williams (Gloucester & Wales)
- Finn Russell (Bath & Scotland)
- James Lowe (Leinster & Ireland)
- Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors & Scotland)
- Garry Ringrose (Leinster & Ireland)
- Mack Hansen (Connacht & Ireland)
- Elliot Daly (Saracens & England)
Replacements: 16. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster & Ireland), 17. Andrew Porter (Leinster & Ireland), 18. Will Stuart (Bath & England), 19. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers & England), 20. Jack Conan (Leinster & Ireland), 21. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints & England), 22. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors & Scotland), 23. Marcus Smith (Harlequins & England)
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