Western Force team v B&I Lions: Six current Wallabies start as Kurtley Beale suffers heart-breaking setback while two club greats bow out
Western Force scrum-half Nic White and full-back Kurtley Beale.
The Western Force matchday 23 has been named to face the British and Irish Lions in Perth, with six current Wallabies included.
Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Nic White, Dylan Pietsch and Ben Donaldson are all in the run-on side, ahead of linking up with the Wallabies on Sunday.
Donaldson answers Force SOS
Donaldson has been drafted into the squad at full-back after Kurtley Beale was ruled out, having suffered a hamstring strain at training on Tuesday, the Force confirmed.
The playmaker was not initially released from Joe Schmidt’s squad but will travel to Perth on Wednesday to feature in the Lions‘ opening tour match.
Donaldson features alongside wingers Mac Grealy and Pietsch in the back three with former All Blacks centre Matt Proctor partnering capped Wallaby Hamish Stewart.
Veteran scrum-half White will skipper the team from scrum-half and will combine with Alex Haford.
De Crespigny, who was one of two uncapped players named in the Wallabies squad, packs down in the number seven jumper with Vaiolini Ekuasi at number eight and Will Harris completes the loose trio.
Former Wallabies lock Sam Carter will play the final game of his decorated career, having announced his retirement last month, as he starts in the second-row alongside Swain.
In the front-row, Ollie Hoskins will start at tighthead in a fairytale ending to his rugby career after re-joining the Force on loan for the game from Saracens a fortnight ago. He starts alongside hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa and tighthead Robertson in the front-row.
Finally, Nic Dolly, Marley Pearce, Tiaan Tauakipulu, Lopeti Faifua, Reed Prinsep, Henry Robertson, Max Burey, and Bayley Kuenzle have been named on the bench.
Lock Jeremy Williams, back-rower Carlo Tizzano and winger Harry Potter are all unavailable due to being in Wallabies camp ahead of Sunday week’s Test against Fiji in Newcastle.
Western Force v British and Irish Lions: TV channel, live stream and kick off time
Western Force team v British and Irish Lions
Western Force: 15 Ben Donaldson, 14 Mac Grealy, 13 Matt Proctor, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Alex Harford, 9 Nic White (c), 8 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 7 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 6 Will Harris, 5 Darcy Swain, 4 Sam Carter, 3 Ollie Hoskins, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Tom Robertson
Replacements: 16 Nic Dolly, 17 Marley Pearce, 18 Tiaan Tauakipulu, 19 Lopeti Faifua, 20 Reed Prinsep, 21 Henry Robertson, 22 Max Burey, 23 Bayley Kuenzle
Date: Saturday, June 28
Venue: Optus Stadium, Perth
Kick-Off: 7:45pm AEST, 10:45am BST
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
Assistant Referees: Paul Williams (NZR), James Doleman (NZR)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
FPRO: Glenn Newman (NZR)