JOSH'S SHEER FORCE OF WILL

As a kid he pretended to be a Lions star now he is set to pull on jersey

- BY MICHAEL SCULLY

IT IS written in the stars that Josh van der Flier's Lions debut will come against The Force.

The Wicklow man's family had a video player instead of TV channels when he was a kid and his watching options largely consisted of watching the Lions or Star Wars.

He didn't grow up to become a Jedi but the force is finally with the 32-year-old Leinster and Ireland star after he departed Dublin for Australia on Saturday with Andy Farrell's (inset) British and Irish Lions squad.

His debut is expected to come against the Western Force on Saturday, a moment that has been a long time coming for the 73-times capped Ireland star.

"I always wanted to play (for the Lions)," he said. "I used to watch an Irish game or a game on TV and then go out to the garden and pretend to be someone who played for Ireland or the Lions.

"It's probably the pinnacle. It's hard to compare with playing for your country but it is a very hard thing to do, so it's pretty cool."

When he wanted to watch the Lions as a child he popped across the road to his grandparents' house.