Dan Sheehan has no issue with Henry Pollock's Aussie riling comments
The Ireland hooker is expected to be named by head coach Andy Farrell on Thursday morning in the starting front row for the first Test against Australia at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium. One of the safer bets for selection given his barnstorming comeback from knee reconstruction following last summer's Test series with the Springboks in South Africa and his electric start to the 2025 tour when he scored the first try on Australian soil in the first minute against Western Force, the 26-year-old was nevertheless as hungry for recognition as the next man in Farrell's touring party.
'It's just an exciting week,' Sheehan said. 'These are the three games you think about when you talk about a tour. Everyone has been trying to put their best foot forward to be selected and it is a bit of an anxious wait to see what the selection is, but all we can do is put our best foot forward in training and do what's best for the team as a collective.
'Everyone has gone up another level, and the hunger is there to make sure you're on the team-sheet and produce a win on Saturday.'
That Pollock, the 20-year-old back-rower, raised the temperature of the tour by getting Aussie hackles up with his statement of intent that a 3-0 series clean sweep was 'on the table' as the 2025 tourists bid to become the best Lions team ever merely cements that motivation with the camp, for Sheehan at least.
'Every team in the world wants to be the best team they've featured in. It hasn't changed in my mindset.
'I don't think that's anything too crazy. It's obviously everyone's goal to win a Test series, and to try to be a step beyond the last squad. The way rugby has evolved, every team should be better than the last, and it's a massive goal of ours to make sure we reach our potential.
'I think if we do reach our potential we have the possibility to be one of the best teams. I think they're fair comments.'
Now it has been put out there, and doubtless used as motivation in the home dressing room, Sheehan's attitude is to roll the sleeves up and get on with delivering on the bravado.
"I suppose it gives you a responsibility to go out and do it. No one is going to shy away from it, our aim is a Test series win and I don't think anyone should be afraid of saying it.
"At the end of the day, everyone knows it. I don't think any team really goes in saying 'oh yeah, one game at a time', 'hopefully we'll win the next one, the next one'... there's a clear gameplan to have a dominant series and win.
"It's the way I was brought up in my career, to be very clear in what you want out of a season or a campaign and then you have to attack it. There's a bit of a responsibility on you, you've said it out loud so you have to go do it."
As for riling the Wallabies, Sheehan was expecting a tough series of encounters anyway.
"We've seen it the last couple of years, they've probably been written up as underdogs and they've put in some massive performances, shaken some big teams.
"So, yeah I think of course there's going to be a bit of fire and they'll feed into that.
"But that's out of our control in some ways and we need to make sure we come out firing and stamp our gameplan on them early.
"I'm sure there's going to be some big collisions, some big heated moments in the game. We need to be ready for that and get back to process."
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RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Red hot Tom Curry and Tadhg Beirne set out Lions stall leaving Wallabies an uphill task
A dominant first half led the Lions to a straightforward victory in the first Test match against Australia. Some notable performance justified Andy Farrell's selection, particularly in the back row, showing that there's a lot more to team selection. Public focus was on most recent form, whereas Farrell proved why he's the man in charge with his selection of Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry. The Beirne selection was less surprising. He's one of the head coach's go-to guys in the Irish team and there are much clearer intangible attributes to Beirne. The Kildare man is a captain and leader while being a dominant setpiece player. It wasn't a case of whether Beirne would start, it was more about whether he would play in the second row or back row. While accepting his player of the match award after the 27-19 win, Beirne discussed his recent form being poorer than he would have liked, yet unsurprisingly, he stepped up when the challenge was at its highest and he put in a standout performance. Beirne won a penalty in the breakdown within 20 seconds, giving the Lions an immediate 3-0 lead, which meant that Australia were under pressure from the beginning. Aside from his leading tackle count, Beirne had two breakdown turnovers and a crucial maul turnover when Australia were beginning to find some momentum. As Farrell said, Beirne is a Test-match animal, and he justified his selection after receiving some criticism during the week. The more surprising selection was Curry, considering the form and quality of other players in the back row. While the Sale forward won't give you the same volume of match moments as Beirne, or the other back-row options for that matter, everything that Curry does is of the highest intensity. Not only did he set the physical tone for the Lions from his very first tackle, Curry was clever in his work rate and impacted the game at crucial times. He certainly strikes me as a guy that thinks his way through the game, and prepares himself both mentally and physically behind the scenes. Australia's Tom Lynagh made his starting debut on Saturday. His timing was pretty poor in attack, contributing to a lot of clunky play from the home side. However, Curry was a thorn in his side and disrupted any chance that Lynagh had of leading a cohesive attack. Joe Schmidt had clearly set Australia up for a clever move off their first scrum launch play. Teams often use a dummy play down the short side of a ruck or scrum to force the opposition back field to move across to that side. They then throw the ball back in the other direction to a more vulnerable defence because the backfield are out of position from chasing hard on the initial side. The Wallabies tried that in the first play, but when the ball was flashed back across the scrum to Lynagh running flat, Curry was aware and rushed the young out-half. It meant that centre Len Ikitau's timing off Lynagh was poor and the Australian out-half's kick to the manipulated back field didn't hit its mark. It's a small thing and might not be caught upon your first watch of the game, but small, sharp moments like this is what makes Curry shine in Test matches. He stayed up field and alive in the defensive line, despite the ball being thrown in the other direction. It might sound basic, but top internationals do the basics consistently and effectively. Club players switch off in that moment, Curry didn't. He had another standout moment from an Australian lineout overthrow move. The England international cut out the throw, offloaded to Finn Russell who sent Huw Jones into space. Curry didn't stop and admire his contribution. He raced around in support and when Jones faded onto a Russell pass to create a 3 v 2 situation on the right-hand touchline, Curry was on hand to finish the 2 v 1 after receiving the pass from Russell and Dan Sheehan (below) finished in the corner. They're small moments that make big impacts. These are moments that don't show up on the stats sheet. Curry won't have the same volume of actions as Jac Morgan or Josh van der Flier, something that was used as evidence against his selection during last week. However, when you notice the impact of the moments that he has, he more than justified the chance that Farrell gave him, in an unbelievably competitive position. International rugby doesn't rely on the same volume of efforts as club rugby. The ball-in-play time is often lower and players contribute equally. At club level you get top players doing the work of others. At international level that's rarely needed. Curry fit into a system and when called upon, he gave everything in the moment. He played on the edge, and might have been penalised or even carded at times, but good players can play on the edge and find a way to stay out of trouble. Curry did that for the Lions last weekend and he had a huge part to play in the dominant parts of their victory. It's not to say that Van der Flier, Morgan or Henry Pollock wouldn't have contributed very positively to a Lions win, they probably would have. Curry certainly did. Farrell can enjoy the first victory, knowing that when his selection was questioned, the players that he showed loyalty to, paid him back in spades. He'll have to prove his value as a coach once more next week in what is arguably the most difficult game. Win and the series is over as a contest, with a freebie to finish off the tour. Lose and it's a draw with all the momentum against the Lions. There'll be a few impactful players returning to the wounded Wallabies. I'm not sure they'll have enough impact to turn this Test series around. The hosts were pretty poor for large parts of the game. The Lions indiscipline left the Wallabies back into the game. With their replacement half-backs, Australia showed that they have something to build on. You'd expect Tate McDermott and Ben Donaldson to take control from the start on Saturday and give Schmidt's side a better chance of competing in the opening quarter, instead of playing for pride in the closing one. The Lions will make some changes too. Their bench didn't provide the punch that Farrell would have expected. McCarthy's injury might force at least one change, otherwise I think the starting pack will be the same, with a greater chance of changes coming onto the bench and potentially a back-three player. It's still all to play for and Australia could pull off a surprise this weekend. However, they didn't have enough punch across the pitch last week, and I don't think the return of Rob Valetini, Will Skelton and even a few others are going to tame this Lions tour.
Extra.ie
2 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Why Owen Farrell doesn't get the credit he deserves
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The only players from last weekend's matchday 23 who have been asked to front up again are the English trio of Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell and Marcus Smith. All three came off the bench in Brisbane and all three are on bench duty again. Farrell has bussed in a clutch of Scottish players to make up the numbers. Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland and Gregor Brown will all feature among the replacements. It's a move which has been meet with fierce criticism. Warren Gatland felt the same heat when he brought in ringers at the tail-end of the 2013 and 2017 tours. Handing out cheap Lions caps etc. In the grand scheme of things, it's not that big of a deal really. People get way too caught up in all this Lions malarky. Andy Farrell. Pic:There are other interesting talking points such as Jamie Osborne and Tom Clarkson, who have gone from playing international games in Tbillisi and Georgia to running out for the Lions in Melbourne. This young Leinster duo have clocked up a lot of air miles this summer. Farrell is unlikely to make any changes to his Test team this week. This selection is a reflection of that. The frontliners delivered in spades in Week One. They are all likely to get the nod again to finish the job on Saturday. Blair Kinghorn, Jac Morgan, Josh van der Flier, Henry Pollock and Garry Ringrose, who is named on the bench, will all feel they have a chance of forcing their way into the matchday squad, particularly after the bench failed to make an impact at Suncorp Stadium. Owen Farrell. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile But the most compelling character to watch will be Owen Farrell. On his fourth Lions tour of duty and his 20th appearance in the iconic red jersey, the 33-year-old will captain the Lions for the very first time. It is due reward for a player of Farrell's talents and standing in the game. We've always found the criticism of the Saracens and England No10 a bit perplexing. Farrell is one of the most decorated players in the history of the English game. He is a Test centurion. A player who spearheaded his country's charge to a World Cup final in 2019 and an unlikely semi-final four years later. He also has three Six Nations and a Grand Slam medal in his trophy cabinet. He was part of a Saracens team which secured three Champions Cup titles and six English Premiership titles as well. And yet this was a player who was booed by his own fans at the 2023 World Cup in France. A player who has been a lightning rod for criticism. Farrell eventually got tired of all the social media scrutiny. He decided to take an indefinite break from international rugby to focus on his mental wellbeing. More power to him. His subsequent move to Racing 92 didn't quite work out, but Farrell's qualities – on and off the field – have never been up for debate. He is just like his father: as tough as they come but decent, hardworking and genuine. A chip off the old block. It made all the furore over his mid-tour call-up all the more mystifying. 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It would be a brilliant swansong for such a seriously underrated operator. If Owen Farrell was an Ireland international, he would be an icon in this country. In January of last year, we heard a rumour that Leinster were apparently interesting in landing Farrell's services after he had signalled his intention to quit Test rugby and seeks pastures new abroad. In the end, it proved to be a bit of idle pub chat. Pure gossip. For a moment, it was a transfer which made perfect sense. Imagine how much adrenaline, purpose and sheer tenacity Farrell would have injected into that Leinster setup. You couldn't imagine a better mentor for Sam Prendergast either. You would hope that Farrell Jnr eventually gets the credit he deserves back in his home country. For now, he will focus on leading the Lions through this final midweek assignment. This game is always a notoriously tricky one. Some players have only rocked up this week. Some may have checked out, knowing their Test chances have slipped away. Some may have one eye on the next clash with the Wallabies. Farrell will ensure those standards don't dip. He's always been that kind of player. It's about time he got the credit he deserves.
Irish Examiner
5 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Jamie Osborne and Thomas Clarkson set to experience the joy of becoming a Lion
The British & Irish Lions go into their final midweek match of this 2025 tour against the First Nations & Pasifika XV with two different narratives around team selection. First, the joy of becoming a Lion for the likes of Jamie Osborne and Thomas Clarkson, two young Irishmen among a group of five debutants handed the opportunity of a rugby-playing lifetime to join a select group of players representing the best of English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh rugby, if only for one game. Secondly, an opportunity of a different kind, for Josh van der Flier and Jac Morgan, Blair Kinghorn and Garry Ringrose and others besides to stake their claim for Test selection against Australia this Saturday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. They will offer contrasting motivations at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday but head coach Andy Farrell will demand that this team of Test hopefuls and first timers will be synchronised enough to keep the Lions' momentum rolling from last Saturday's Brisbane victory over the Wallabies into this weekend's potential Test decider for the tourists. Naturally enough, the battle for insertion into a winning Test 23 will occupy coaches' minds most ahead of their final selection meeting on Wednesday night here in Melbourne but that did not stop assistant coach Simon Easterby waxing lyrical about the opportunity this midweek game presents to Clarkson, 25, and Osborne, 24. 'It goes without saying, the quality of those two individuals,' Easterby said. Jamie Osborne during a training session. Pic: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland. 'Tom's fought through a pretty tough position at Leinster, never mind in the Irish squad, and he's put in some brilliant performances. 'He really has stood up and bringing them on the 'Emerging Ireland' tour. He was certainly someone that we felt could step up over the next couple of years, but he's been excellent. 'He's fought for everything and in a pretty tough position where being a tighthead probably takes a good few years to learn your trade, he's certainly in a really good place. 'Jamie has had a brilliant couple of years. The performance he had in South Africa last summer, his performance for Leinster playing 12, 13, wing, 15, it was pretty impressive, the positions he can cover and the quality that he brings to the group as well. 'I'm really pleased with the two of them. They fully deserve being here and no doubt they'll perform really well tomorrow.' Ten days on from a blowout win against a scratch AUSNZ Invitational XV that failed to live up collectively that their teamsheet suggested of the individuals concerned, this First Nations & Pasifika XV will at least have a purpose and identity as the first side of its kind selected from Samoan, Fijian, Tongan, Māori and Indigenous Australian cultures. Their head coach Toutai Kefu, won 60 caps for the Wallabies and has named a matchday squad of 17 players with Pasifika heritage and six indigenous First Nations players included. Even so, they will find it tough going against a hardened Lions side bristling with intent and ambition for Test recognition this Saturday but Easterby gave Kefu's side the respect they deserve. 'You look at the teamsheet and they have some incredible individuals. They'll try to make a mark. 'Some of them have played against the Lions on this trip already, some of them won't, and that is probably is something those players will feel they want to lay down a bit of a marker and bring their own skillset and individuality to their game. It's certainly an impressive outfit when you look at it on paper. 'I guess our challenge, as it always is, is to be as connected as we can be in terms of the way we play, in terms of the guys who aren't involved to prepare the team that plays tomorrow. Everyone's been chipping in and been part of that. 'It's an exciting team, but certainly an exciting challenge and opportunity for our guys to go out and stake a claim for the next couple of weeks.' FIRST NATIONS & PASIFIKA XV (Cultural heritage in brackets): Andy Muirhead (First Nations); Triston Reilly (First Nations), Lalakai Foketi (Māori & Tonga), David Feliuai (Samoa), Filipo Daugunu (Fiji); Kurtley Beale (First Nations) – captain; Kalani Thomas (Māori); Lington Ieli (Fiji), Brandon Paenga-Amosa (Samoa & Māori), Taniela Tupou (Tonga); Darcy Swain (Samoa), Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (Samoa); Sere Uru (Fiji), Charlie Gamble (Tonga), Tuaina Taii Tualima (Samoa). Replacements: Richie Asiata (Samoa), Marley Pearce (Māori & First Nations), Mesake Doge (Fiji), Mesake Vocevoce (Fiji), Rob Leota (Samoa), Harrison Goddard (First Nations), Jack Debreczeni (Cook Island), Jarrah McLeod (First Nations). BRITISH & IRISH LIONS: B Kinghorn (Scotland); D Graham (Scotland), J Osborne (Ireland), O Farrell (England) – captain, D van der Merwe (Scotland); F Smith (England), B White (Scotland); P Schoeman (Scotland), J George (England), F Bealham (Ireland); J Ryan (Ireland), S Cummings (Scotland); J Morgan (Wales), J van der Flier (Ireland), H Pollock (England). Replacements: E Ashman (Scotland), R Sutherland (Scotland), T Clarkson (Ireland), G Brown (Scotland), B Earl (England), A Mitchell (England), M Smith (England), G Ringrose (Ireland). Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia).
