LUKE Cowan-Dickie is set for his first start Down Under after being named in the British & Irish Lions starting line-up for Saturday’s clash with the NSW Waratahs in Sydney (11am, BST).

The Cornishman, who came off the bench in Wednesday’s win over the Queensland Reds, has been picked in a front-row trio that also comprises Scotland’s Pierre Schoeman and Ireland’s Finlay Bealham.

With the days counting down until the first Test against Australia on Saturday, July 19, Cowan-Dickie will be hoping a big performance in this latest run-out will put him in with a shout of featuring for Andy Farrell’s Test side.

Cowan-Dickie featured in all three Test matches four years ago in South Africa, starting two of the clashes against the Springboks, scoring a try in the process.

The 32-year-old, who now plays his club rugby for Sale Sharks, is one of five England internationals named in the starting line-up, which shows 14 changes from the one that saw off the Reds in Brisbane.

Hugo Keenan will make his first appearance at full-back with wing Blair Kinghorn also making his Lions debut. Huw Jones, the only player going back-to-back from Brisbane, starts alongside his Scotland midfield partner Sione Tuipulotu for the first time on tour. The Northampton half-backs, Fin Smith and Alex Mitchell, take over from Finn Russell and Jamison Gibson-Park, while Henry Pollock is back in the line-up at blindside flanker.

Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne will skipper the side, whilst there is an inclusion on the bench for Ben White, who was called up to replace the injured Tomos Williams.

Meanwhile, Farrell has called up son Owen as a replacement for Elliot Daly, who has been forced out of the tour with a broken arm sustained against the Reds.

British and Irish Lions: Keenan; Hansen, Jones, Tuipulotu, Kinghorn, Smith, Mitchell; Schoeman, Cowan-Dickie, Bealham; Beirne (capt), Ryan; Pollock, Van der Flier, Earl. Replacements: Sheehan, Genge, Furlong, McCarthy, Cummings. Morgan, White, M Smith.