Lions vs Western Force LIVE: 2025 tour match stream, latest score and updates

Lions vs Western Force latest news

• Kick-off time: 11am BST, Optus Stadium
• How to watch: Sky Sports
• British and Irish Lions lineup
• Western Force lineup
• Score prediction

LIONS TRY!

17min: Out of nothing, Pollock bursts through the line, looks around and pops the ball up for Williams to run over.

Easy.

Lions 7-7 Western Force

15min: A distinct lack of discipline and shape from the Lions, but this is great fun so far.

Lions 7-7 Western Force

13min: Much better from Tuipulotu as the ball is turned over and Lions immediately boot it up field and back into their half for the first time since scoring.

Lions 7-7 Western Force

12min: Williams clears into touch as Force waste the opportunity.

Lions 7-7 Western Force

11min: Lions have already conceded four penalties, and Tuipulotu gets a talking to for “repeated infringements.”

Force go for touch, again.

Lions 7-7 Western Force

10min: Force go for another try, Lions’ defence stands firm until Ringrose wallops Harris, who is off the field for an assessment.

Lions 7-7 Western Force

9min: Penalty to Force and they punt for touch, about five yards out.

Lions 7-7 Western Force

8min: Such a physical start. Frantic and physical.

FORCE TRY!

5min: Perfect response from Force, who hit back straight away through their own captain, White.

Lions misjudge the flight of the ball as Force go wide, and Pietsch finds him captain to drive over.

LIONS TRY!

2min: A stunning start from Lions as captain Sheehan runs over after exchanging passes with Lowe after a big punt from Russell.

Kick-off!

1min: Underway in Perth!

Lots of mullets and moustaches on show in the Force team.

Time for a light show ahead of kick-off.

It’s nightfall in Perth as we approach 6pm local time. The Optus Stadium is packed.

Here come the teams.

Kick-off is fast approaching.

These early games are all about coach - and fans - gathering information ahead of the series start in about three weeks.

What will Farrell learn today? Hopefully something more positive than eight days ago.

Coin toss

Rival skippers ahead of kick-off.

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A peek inside the Force dressing room.

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Sheehan on Western Force

"I'm sure the Force will be 150% of what they usually are. They will be flying into it and that bit of extra hunger can produce some powerful things.

"They would have been eyeing this game up since they probably first stepped into that Western Force change room. It'll mean an awful lot to them.

"But I don't want them to think that they're going to be hungrier than us. We have to demonstrate back our own mindset."

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Andy Farrell to Sky Sports

"We are looking for a little bit more cohesion. I thought we looked pretty dangerous at times [against Argentina], but lacked a killing edge, far too many errors ... so hopefully we can put that right today.

"You look at the side and this is a different side again. There are going to be plenty of firsts all the way through this tour, so it's how we put our best foot forward when it really counts.

"[We're feeling] calmness at this stage. That's that's for sure. Hopefully, come kick off, we're ready to go."

Lions fans are arriving at the Optus Stadium.

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Dolly out, Horton in

Some breaking news from Perth, as there has been a late change to the Western Force team.

Nic Dolly is out for unspecified reasons (injury?), so Tom Horton comes onto the bench.

Head to head

The Western Force have met the Lions once before, in the opening match of the 2013 tour when they shipped nine tries in a comprehensive 69-17 loss.

The Lions also put 116 points on a Western Australia side on the 2001 tour at the WACA in Perth.

Western Force wins: 0

British and Irish Lions wins: 1

Draws: 0

A little under 90 minutes until kick-off.

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Captain's Run

Dan Sheehan took his team-mates through their paces yesterday at the Optus Stadium for the traditional Captain’s Run.

Lions assistant coach John Fogarty said: “[Against Argentina] there were a few bits around our kick-chase and on the back of our kick-chase, the scraps on the ground, little things around mentality.

“I think sometimes you come into a game, it’s a big occasion, it’s the first time, and you’re thinking – you’re in your head a little bit, not playing the game on instinct.

“That’s why this week has been so important, getting a bit more cohesive, and a bit more in sync, so when we come to game day we can work on instincts and stuff like scraps on the ground and kick-chase, and all these things become a bit more natural to us.”

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Hansen wary of Force threat

Mack Hansen knows what is awaiting the British and Irish Lions' after being present as a spectator for the Brumbies' famous upset of the tourists on their last visit to Australia.

"I was at that Brumbies game with my dad and brother and the Brumbies beat the Lions, so these things do happen," he said.

"We were sitting behind the goalposts watching it. It was mad. You don't expect anyone to actually do it, but I talked to guys after that and they'd been pumped up for the game for weeks, working towards it.

"They saw it as the be-all and end-all. Also, guys are playing to try to get into the Wallabies as well, so there's still a lot on the line for a lot of these teams.

"None of the games are going to be easy. Everyone wants to win - it's not just us that want to win.

"We want to win every game but the Force aren't saying 'all right boys, let's go out and lose by 40'. They'll be coming out thinking 'we can cause an upset'. They've only got one game, then they're on holiday.

"There will be this, then they'll have 10 toes up for the next five weeks, so I'm sure they're going to give it their all.

"When you get that time after time after time after time for however long we're here, it will take its toll on us, but that's a good thing. It makes us better and it makes the game more exciting."

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Sheehan in as skipper

Maro Itoje led the Lions against the Pumas in Dublin but the England captain has been stood down today, with Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan being placed in charge with Scott Cummings and Joe McCarthy forming the second row partnership.

"It's a matter of giving people a chance. If leaders of the squad fall over along the way you have got to have plans," Andy Farrell said.

"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. That competition will make him and the rest of the players fight a little bit harder."

Finn Russell, the early favourite to take the fly-half duties for the first Test against the Wallabies on July 19, makes his first appearance of the tour, forming a half-back partnership with Tomos Williams.

"Finn's game understanding and game control are top drawer. He has an ability to see space that allows him to think quicker than most," Farrell said.

Hugo Keenan, Jamison Gibson-Park and James Ryan are all expected to recover from minor injuries in time for Wednesday's clash with the Reds while Toulouse full-back Blair Kinghorn should arrive into camp on Monday.

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Pollock is no 'pest'

Andy Farrell insists Henry Pollock has the temperament to thrive on the biggest stage after giving the England star his first start for the British and Irish Lions.

Pollock made his Lions debut as a replacement in the 28-24 defeat by Ireland that opened the tour and has now been promoted to number eight for Saturday's first fixture on Australian soil against Western Force in Perth.

At 20 years old the swaggering Northampton back row is the squad's youngest player and less than six months ago he was playing in the Under 20 Six Nations.

Maro Itoje described his England team-mate as a "pest" when he was called into the senior camp during the Championship and Farrell has urged him to remain fearless.

"Henry's not been a pest, definitely not! He's been great," said Farrell. "He's hungry to learn and that's perfect because you can see that he's got a real point of difference.

"He sees things quickly and acts upon that. His line running is pretty good. His awareness of space, how sharp he is in his mind and his athletic abilities are up there with the other lads in the squad.

"He's hungry to make a difference the whole time. But he also understands what parts of his game he needs to improve. He's got a great attitude.

"He's certainly not overawed. I mean, I love that. You want kids to be themselves and he's just being himself. He doesn't know any different.

"But he's a humble kid as well. He doesn't think he's got it all, far from it. You want people with confidence and belief because that helps when he takes the field.

"He's a Lion just like the eldest player. There's no difference whatsoever. His character is infectious to everyone. He's a great lad."

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Western Force vs British and Irish Lions prediction

Perhaps we should not have been surprised to see the Lions edged out by Argentina, whose status as 7-1 underdogs for victory in Dublin seemed ridiculous despite missing a number of France-based stars, particularly when you consider that they beat all of New Zealand, South Africa, France and Australia in 2024 and are currently ranked fifth in the world - three spots ahead of the Wallabies.

Some will question if the Lions have already faced their toughest challenge of the whole summer, though Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Co will have something to say about that.

While it was understandably disjointed at times from a side playing together for the first time after only a couple of weeks of training, there were positives to take from the game, though Farrell’s strong reaction to the defeat - where he questioned his team’s hunger and lamented their error count - will have left his players with no confusion over the significant lift in standards that he expects.

Not since 1971 had the Lions lost the opening game of a tour, and that famous side went on to make history as the only one (still) to have won a Test series against the All Blacks in New Zealand.

While the scoreline should be much closer than the last time the Lions visited the Western Force, a comfortable defeat surely still beckons for the lowest of Super Rugby’s Australian quartet.

Lions to win, by 20 points.

Western Force lineup

Western Force XV: Donaldson; Grealy, Proctor, Stewart, Pietsch; Harford, White; T Robertson, Paenga-Amosa, Hoskins; Carter, Swain; Harris, Champion de Crespigny, Ekuasi

Replacements: Dolly, Pearce, Tauakipulu, Faifua, Prinsep, H Robertson, Burey, Kuenzle

Western Force team news

There has been a war of words escalating this week between Lions CEO Ben Calveley and Australia head coach Joe Schmidt regarding the latter’s reluctance to release Wallabies players back to their Super Rugby franchises for these tour matches.

The likes of Nick Champion de Crespigny, Dylan Pietsch, Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain and Nic White were all made available and start this game, with Ben Donaldson also rushing back to feature after a hamstring injury suffered by former Australia stalwart Kurtley Beale, who inadvertently cost the Wallabies a First Test win over the Lions in Brisbane 12 years ago when he slipped while kicking a last-gasp penalty.

Carlo Tizzano, Harry Potter and usual Force captain Jeremy Williams all remain in Australia camp though, part of the ring-fenced group preparing for their only warm-up match against Fiji in Newcastle on July 6.

Simon Cron’s team also features other Wallabies experience in the likes of Sam Carter and Hamish Stewart, plus ex-All Blacks centre Matt Proctor. Former England hooker Nic Dolly is on the bench.

(AFP via Getty Images)

British and Irish Lions lineup

British and Irish Lions XV: 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

Lions team news

Andy Farrell is boosted by having most of the players who were not considered for selection against Argentina fully integrated into the squad now after they joined up late following their appearances in the respective Premiership and URC finals.

He makes 13 changes to the side beaten by Argentina, with Henry Pollock picked to start at number eight and Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan made captain on his Lions debut, with regular tour skipper Maro Itoje not in the squad.

Only Sione Tuipulotu and Tadhg Beirne retain their starting places from Dublin, with the former moving from 13 to 12 and the latter shifting from lock to blindside flanker.

Jamison Gibson-Park, Hugo Keenan and James Ryan are all absent as they they deal with knocks.

Blair Kinghorn, the Lions’ only France-based player, will not be available until likely the third game of the tour against the Waratahs in Sydney on July 5 after Toulouse’s progress back to the Top 14 final.

(AFP via Getty Images)

How to watch Western Force vs British and Irish Lions

TV channel: Live coverage of the game is available via Sky Sports, who have exclusive broadcasting rights to the Lions tour again in the UK in 2025. The broadcast begins at 10am BST on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action.

Live stream: Those with a Sky Sports subscription can also watch the action unfold live online via the Sky Go app, while it’s also available via Now TV.

Welcome

Good morning and welcome to the London Standard’s LIVE coverage of Western Force vs The British and Irish Lions!

It is the first test for the Lions since arriving in Australia, and comes a week after a concerning defeat to Argentina in Dublin.

Improvement will be needed, and fast. And this Force side will not be accommodating hosts.

Kick-off is at 11am BST. Stick with us.