Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport Senior Journalist in Perth

The beautiful Optus Stadium here in Perth plays host to the British and Irish Lions this evening.

It’s weird getting used to the fact that it gets dark early as we are in the Australian winter and the floodlights are already on as the teams warm-up.

There’s building excitement as the tour feels like it’s about to take-off

Image source, BBC Sport

Stand-in Lions captain Dan Sheehan has challenged his Lions team-mates to match the passion of their hosts Western Force.

"I'm sure the Force will be 150% of what they usually are," said the 26-year-old Ireland hooker," said Sheehan.

"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."

Read more here.

Image source, Getty Images

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.

British and Irish Lions: 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.

With Lions captain Maro Itoje being rested, stand-in skipper Dan Sheehan leads the tourists on Saturday.

The Ireland hooker is one of five players in the starting line-up who will make their Lions debut in Perth, his Leinster team-mates Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Joe McCarthy and Josh van der Flier being the others.

Four more Lions are set to make their debut off the bench - lock Ollie Chessum, centre Huw Jones, and props Andrew Porter and Will Stuart.

Northampton tyro Henry Pollock will make his first start at number eight having come off the bench in the defeat by Argentina in Dublin last Friday.

The Lions have already played a match this summer, albeit on home soil in Dublin.

Andy Farrell's side lost their opening game of a campaign for the first time since 1971 with defeat by Argentina.

How will they respond in their first game on Australian soil today?

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

The British and Irish Lions have a long and vibrant history.

The story of the Lions began over a century ago in 1888 when they first toured Australia and New Zealand.

Thirty-eight tours and 137 years later, the best of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales return Down Under to write the next chapter of Lions folklore.

In tribute to Scotland and Lions legend Jim Telfer, the climb to the top of Everest for the Class of 2025 starts now...

Image source, Getty Images