Dan Sheehan says Lions can fire up travelling support if they ‘give them a win'
Fans will start streaming into Brisbane over the coming days and in the face of criticism in the Australian media that Andy Farrell's tourists have shown limited willingness to engage in community events, Sheehan declares winning is the only currency that matters.
'The best way to connect with supporters is to give them a win,' the Ireland hooker said.
'Performance is the way to do that. Yeah we can give them a cheer and a clap after the game but ultimately that's not what they came for – they came for a good game of rugby. If we do that, they'll feel part of it.
'A goal of ours is to make sure that if we have a big crowd on Saturday – which we probably will – we bring them into the game and make it feel almost like a 50/50 game that could be anywhere in the world.
'But I still think it's down to what we put out on the pitch, that's how you get the crowd in behind you.
'It would be a good story and a good legacy to have a winning series. We haven't delved too much into the wider picture.
'We did at the start when we were trying to frame the mindset, but this week has been all about Saturday.
'There's going to be no holding anything back, or waiting for the next two Tests. It's all about Saturday.
'We're in a good spot. The lads are hungry, and we're expecting the Wallabies to be hungry. There will be fireworks on Saturday.'
The Lions ruffled feathers in the wake of their 48-0 victory over Saturday's AUNZ Invitational XV when flanker Henry Pollock revealed their intention to whitewash Australia 3-0 and become the best team to have represented the elite of British and Irish rugby.
Captain Maro Itoje then doubled down on the desire to put the Wallabies to the sword – and Sheehan believes there is no reason why they should not aim high.
'I don't think that's anything too crazy. It's a massive goal of ours to make sure we reach our potential,' he said.
'If we do reach our potential we have the possibility to be one of the best teams. I think they're fair comments.'
Farrell names his team on Thursday with Tom Curry expected to be given the nod in the ferociously competitive openside position ahead of Jac Morgan and Josh van der Flier.
Tadhg Beirne appears to be winning his battle with Ollie Chessum at blindside flanker, while Sione Tuipulotu has now edged ahead of Bundee Aki in the race to start at inside centre.
With Blair Kinghorn losing his battle with a knee injury, Hugo Keenan is favourite to be picked at full-back with Marcus Smith potentially supplying cover from the bench.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
an hour ago
- Powys County Times
Arlington Million trip with Cairo has Haynes in dreamland
Alice Haynes hopes Cairo can continue riding on the coattails of his brilliant third at Royal Ascot when challenging for the Arlington Million on Saturday. The five-year-old son of American multiple Grade One winner Quality Road will be making a maiden trip Stateside for the historic mile-and-a-quarter contest, which is now held at Colonial Downs. Cairo – who was behind only then-stablemate Paddington in the Irish 2,000 Guineas when trained by Aidan O'Brien – was best of the rest at 100-1 as Docklands narrowly defeated Rosallion in the Queen Anne Stakes at the Royal meeting. Having already faced high-calibre fields this season, Cairo will add to that list by taking on 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan in Virginia. 'Going into Royal Ascot, I did feel the horse was as well as we've ever had him,' Haynes told her yard sponsor, Coral. 'He was absolutely flying at home so I had high hopes he would run a big race, but even so, to finish third in a field of that quality did surprise me, in the best possible way obviously! 'I'd always thought that coming to America would suit him, and having discussed it with the owner, going into Ascot we very much had it in our minds. 'He still needed to run a big race at Ascot to make the trip viable, but of course he produced that big run. 'The team from Colonial Downs were at the track that day and chatting to them after the Queen Anne really did make up our mind to come here.' Haynes has now set her sights on rewarding her stable star, who arrived in New York last week before an eight-hour journey to Virginia, with a couple of lucrative races in the United States before returning home. 'He's an old pro now when it comes to travelling, so he's taken it all in his stride and acclimatised well,' Haynes added. 'The temperature is cooler than it was here last week apparently so while it's still warm, it's more comfortable for him now. 'He had a couple of canters on the dirt when he first got here and his latest piece of work has been on the turf, under his big-race pilot Ben Curtis. 'Ben actually contacted us when he saw we were running the horse over here and I think he will be a really good fit for the horse. 'He's obviously got plenty of experience riding European horses, but he's been in America long enough now to have the local knowledge as well, which I think could be really important in a race like this. 'We're under no illusions about the task we face though, and realistically, finishing in the first three would be a tremendous achievement. 'The plan after this weekend is to send him down to Keeneland to be based with Ed Vaughan and aim him at a richly-endowed race at Kentucky Downs. 'It is just so exciting to be involved in a big international race like this, it really is what we have worked so hard to achieve.'
Powys County Times
an hour ago
- Powys County Times
Crystal aiming to sparkle with Ballyroan repeat
Gerard Keane hopes a successful defence of the Tote Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday can open further doors for Crystal Black. The seven-year-old was unbeaten in all four starts last year, which saw the son of Teofilo triumph in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot before impressively landing this race by five lengths for his maiden Pattern win. Crystal Black made a return to action in the Alleged Stakes in April, finishing seven lengths adrift of Galen in fourth to end his winning streak. He subsequently underwent a wind procedure and Keane is looking forward to his stable star kick-starting his 2025 campaign, as he lines up a tilt at the final Irish Classic of season next month. 'He's coming along, he had a little bit of a hobday,' Keane said. 'So he's coming along well, we are happy with his work and as good as we can have him without a run. He's probably 90 per cent so it's a nice little race to start him back with. As long as he runs a nice race, we'll be happy. 'He's got an entry in the (Irish) Leger, so that is the plan if we think he is good enough to run in that, but that's in a month's time. 'That's the plan – Ballyroan, the Leger – and then after that we will see what's happening then.' Six-time Irish champion jockey Colin Keane is aboard for his father in the Group Three contest over a mile and a half. Sons And Lovers goes for Joseph O'Brien, the Noel Meade-trained Group-winning Layfayette also starts and Jessica Harrington has entered Sea The Boss. Johnny Murtagh's Siege Of Troy and This Songisforyou, trained by Emmet Mullins, complete the six-runner line-up.
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Arlington Million trip with Cairo has Haynes in dreamland
The five-year-old son of American multiple Grade One winner Quality Road will be making a maiden trip Stateside for the historic mile-and-a-quarter contest, which is now held at Colonial Downs. Cairo – who was behind only then-stablemate Paddington in the Irish 2,000 Guineas when trained by Aidan O'Brien – was best of the rest at 100-1 as Docklands narrowly defeated Rosallion in the Queen Anne Stakes at the Royal meeting. Having already faced high-calibre fields this season, Cairo will add to that list by taking on 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan in Virginia. 'Going into Royal Ascot, I did feel the horse was as well as we've ever had him,' Haynes told her yard sponsor, Coral. 'He was absolutely flying at home so I had high hopes he would run a big race, but even so, to finish third in a field of that quality did surprise me, in the best possible way obviously! 'I'd always thought that coming to America would suit him, and having discussed it with the owner, going into Ascot we very much had it in our minds. 'He still needed to run a big race at Ascot to make the trip viable, but of course he produced that big run. 'The team from Colonial Downs were at the track that day and chatting to them after the Queen Anne really did make up our mind to come here.' Haynes has now set her sights on rewarding her stable star, who arrived in New York last week before an eight-hour journey to Virginia, with a couple of lucrative races in the United States before returning home. 'He's an old pro now when it comes to travelling, so he's taken it all in his stride and acclimatised well,' Haynes added. 'The temperature is cooler than it was here last week apparently so while it's still warm, it's more comfortable for him now. 'He had a couple of canters on the dirt when he first got here and his latest piece of work has been on the turf, under his big-race pilot Ben Curtis. 'Ben actually contacted us when he saw we were running the horse over here and I think he will be a really good fit for the horse. 'He's obviously got plenty of experience riding European horses, but he's been in America long enough now to have the local knowledge as well, which I think could be really important in a race like this. 'We're under no illusions about the task we face though, and realistically, finishing in the first three would be a tremendous achievement. 'The plan after this weekend is to send him down to Keeneland to be based with Ed Vaughan and aim him at a richly-endowed race at Kentucky Downs. 'It is just so exciting to be involved in a big international race like this, it really is what we have worked so hard to achieve.'
