Dan Sheehan to captain British and Irish Lions on debut against Western Force

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Hooker Dan Sheehan will captain the British and Irish Lions on debut in their opening match in Australia against the Western Force on Saturday.

Eight others could also make their Lions debut in Perth, though Ireland scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park (glute) and fullback Hugo Keenan (calf) remain sidelined until they recover.

Sheehan's Leinster teammates Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Joe McCarthy and Josh van der Flier will start in their first Lions match.

Four more could debut off the bench, including Ireland loosehead prop Andrew Porter, England tighthead Will Stuart and lock Ollie Chessum, and Scotland center Huw Jones.

Scotland center Sione Tuipulotu and Ireland forward Tadhg Beirne were the only starters retained from the 28-24 loss against Argentina last week in Dublin. But Tuipulotu has moved back to his regular position at inside center and Beirne has shifted from lock to blindside flanker.

Maro Itoje is the Lions tour captain but has been rested. Sheehan captained Ireland for the first time against Wales in the Six Nations this year.

Ireland representatives feature heavily in the 23-player squad, with eight starting and three on the bench.

Following the Pumas loss, Lions coach Andy Farrell said the squad has had a good period of training and adjusting to the time zone differences since arriving in Australia.

“We know the quality and experience the Force have and the opportunity to play against the Lions always brings out special performances from the Super Rugby sides," Farrell said. "So we expect them to be at their best.”

The Lions beat the Force 69-17 when they last met on the 2013 tour.

Lions: Elliot Daly (England), Mack Hansen (Ireland), Garry Ringrose (Ireland), Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland), James Lowe (Ireland), Finn Russell (Scotland), Tomos Williams (Wales); Henry Pollock (England), Josh van der Flier (Ireland), Tadhg Beirne (Ireland), Joe McCarthy (Ireland), Scott Cummings (Scotland), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Dan Sheehan (Ireland, captain), Pierre Schoeman (Scotland). Reserves: Ronan Kelleher (Ireland), Andrew Porter (Ireland), Will Stuart (England), Ollie Chessum (England), Jack Conan (Ireland), Alex Mitchell (England), Huw Jones (Scotland), Marcus Smith (England).

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

British Lions Head Coach Andy Farrell listens, during a media day at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, Wednesday June 18, 2025. (Brian Lawless/PA via AP)

Lions' Henry Pollock reacts after his side were defeated in the Rugby Union international match between the British and Irish Lions and Argentina, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Lions' Marcus Smith, third right, gestures, as he, and teammates walk round the pitch as they acknowledge the fan after the end of the Rugby Union international match between the British and Irish Lions and Argentina, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

Lions' Tadhg Beirne, collects the ball at a line out during the Rugby Union international match between the British and Irish Lions and Argentina, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said Sunday.

A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.

Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said, adding that air defenses shot down 17 drones over Voronezh. The city is home to just over 1 million people and lies some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The attack came the day after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and NATO.

The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side.”

Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with U.S. partners Saturday, he said.

Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday and 125 were shot down.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, shows a fragment believed to be a part of a Russian Oreshnik intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile that hit the Lviv region. (Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, listens to British Defense Secretary John Healey during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)