Western Force vs British & Irish Lions Tips, Predictions and Bet Builder

Last Friday's defeat to Argentina was a rude awakening for the British & Irish Lions but maybe too much has been made of the result and a backlash looks likely against Western Force on Saturday.

The pair meet in Perth with the Force fresh off a Super Rugby Pacific season that saw them finish ninth in the table, the lowest of all the Australian teams, and are without some of their Wallaby Test stars who have been kept in camp by national team coach Joe Schmidt.

Home boss Simon Cron still has Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Nic White, Dylan Pietsch and Ben Donaldson in his run-on side but the hosts look set to be outmuscled all over the pitch and the Lions can lay down a marker at Optus Stadium.

Western Force vs British & Irish Lions Tips Summary

Market	Tip	Odds
Match Result	British & Irish Lions	1/100
Best Bet	British & Irish Lions -36.5 - Alternative 2-Way Handicap	2/1
Bet Builder	Tadhg Beirne, Dan Sheehan and Henry Pollock to score tries	10/1

Key Match Stats

• The last time the Lions lost their tour opener, they went on to record their only ever series victory in New Zealand

• Western Force finished ninth of 11 teams in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific, winning only four out of 14 games

• The Lions won 69-17 when the teams met in 2013

• Tadhg Beirne scored a try against Argentina, while fellow Irishman Dan Sheehan finished the Six Nations with five scores

• Henry Pollock scored two tries on his England debut in March after coming on as a 49th-minute substitute

Western Force vs British & Irish Lions Tips Prediction

Best Bet: British & Irish Lions -36.5 Alternative 2-Way Handicap @ 2/1

Perspective and context are crucial in sport, and with hindsight, the 28-24 loss to the Pumas wasn't that bad, considering the Lions were a scratch side facing the fifth-ranked international team in the world.

Farrell's men for Saturday might be more familiar to each other due to both club and country alliances and having had an extra week to work things out on the training paddock.

The Force won their first two matches of the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific but recorded just two further victories in their following 12. 

Stars like that competition's leading try scorer this year, flanker Carlo Tizzano, are unavailable and with mismatches across the park, a comfortable Lions win is expected.

Jack Ogalbe explains:

We saw last week how tough it is for a new-look team to simply click but there is more familiarity within some of the combinations selected for Saturday's game. The Lions won by 52 points the last time they met the Force in 2013 and although they could enjoy similar dominance, the 2/1 available on them when giving away a 36.5-point start looks a sensible play.

Western Force vs British & Irish Lions Tips Bet Builder Tip

• Tadhg Beirne to score a try

• Dan Sheehan to score a try

• Henry Pollock to score a try

Pays 10/1

Tadhg Beirne went over for a try last week and is worth following again. He may also feel he owes his team as the late penalty he conceded halted the Lions' momentum when they looked in a good position for a winning score. Switching to the back-row gives him more scope to roam and the same can be said for Henry Pollock.

The Englishman also missed a crucial tackle after coming off the bench in Dublin but starts at number eight in Perth and his recent rise suggests he is destined to get over.

Dan Sheehan captains the team on his Lions debut and feels sure to score. The hooker is strong enough to bundle over in the tight but also so quick that he can confidently keep his width and often goes over unopposed in the corner.

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Jack Ogalbe adds:

Forward trio Tadhg Beirne, Dan Sheehan and Henry Pollock all have an eye for the line and, with the Lions pack likely to be on top, should each get chances to grab tries.

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Tactics, Form and Team News

It looked like Donaldson would be staying with the Wallabies, only for Kurtley Beale to suffer a hamstring strain, which has ruled him out of Saturday's match.

Retiring prop Ollie Hoskins starts the game after being loaned to the Force by Saracens for what will be his swansong, while former Australia lock Sam Carter also laces up for the final time.

With an obvious disadvantage in size and class up front, Cron's side may look to play with width.

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

Replacements: Dolly, Pearce, Tauakipulu, Faifua, Prinsep, H Robertson, Burey, Kuenzie.

The Lions have made 13 changes from the team that lost to Argentina and Farrell looks to be combining potential Test combinations with experimentation.

Sione Tuipulotu and Beirne are the sole survivors from Dublin, but both switch roles, with Tuipulotu moving from outside to inside centre, while Beirne slips into the back row having started at lock against Los Pumas.

Tuipulotu's relationship with Saturday's fly-half, Scotland teammate Finn Russell, looks likely to be renewed in the Tests, while Garry Ringrose starts outside them, with Huw Jones on the bench.

Ringrose and Jones appear to be battling it out for the outside centre shirt, while up front Sheehan captains the team and all being well, looks certain to start the first Test.

British and Irish Lions: Daly, Hansen, Ringrose, Tuipulotu, Lowe, Russell, Williams; Schoeman, Sheehan (capt), Furlong, Cummings, McCarthy, Beirne, Van der Flier, Pollock.

Replacements: Kelleher, Porter, Stuart, Chessum, Conan, Mitchell, Jones, M Smith.

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.