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Dan Sheehan reacts to Lions captaincy honour ahead of debut in Perth
By Finn Morton reporting from Perth
Irish hooker Dan Sheehan will wear the famous red jersey of the British & Irish Lions for the first time on Saturday, while also carrying the added responsibility of captaining the touring side against the Western Force in Perth.
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Sheehan joins Leinster teammate Tadhg Furlong and Scotland’s Pierre Schoeman in the front row to face the Force, with coach Andy Farrell making 13 changes to the starting side that lost 28-24 to Argentina in Dublin last weekend.
Thursday’s team announcement caps off a remarkable journey for Sheehan, who sustained a serious knee injury against the Springboks in Pretoria about 51 weeks ago on July 6, which left the 26-year-old in a race to make the Lions Tour at all.
After more than 200 days on the sidelines, Sheehan returned to the field with Leinster in a 36-12 win over the Stormers in the URC. Sheehan featured in all five Ireland Tests during the Six Nations, captaining the side against Wales after Caelan Doris was ruled out.
Sheehan is now set for another “massive privilege and honour” on tour with the Lions, given the responsibility of leading the side into battle against the Force – the team’s first match on Australian soil in 12 years – with touring captain Maro Itoje not selected in the 23.
“At the start of the week, I was just focusing on doing everything I can to put on a red jersey for the first time,” Sheehan told reporters in Perth on Thursday.
“You look around the room and there’s so many individuals that are more than capable of captaining this team and that’s something that probably eases the nerves a little bit… I just need to be myself, do what I usually do and that’s why I’m here in the first place.
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“It’s a massive honour obviously. That phone call back home was something special and they’re gutted that they can’t be here and they’re missing the first two games… just on the phone to him today, I knew I wasn’t able to speak to him too early in the week.
“I’m quite a chill person. I feel like I have a good understanding on who I am and what excites me. I let these things happen… I just don’t overthink it really. As I said, Saturday is something I was just focused on trying to get on the pitch and the prep during the week was just trying to be the best version of myself.
“With the added role of being captain, I don’t think it changes too much.”
Sheehan joins Leinster teammates Gary Ringrose, James Lowe, Joe McCarthy and Josh van der Flier in the starting side, all of who have been named to debut in Lions red. Ollie Cheesum, Huw Jones, Andrew Porter and Will Stuart are also in line for their first minutes in a Lions jersey.
Furlong will pack down alongside Schoeman and Sheehan in the front row, with Glasgow Warriors lock Scott Cummings joining McCarthy in the second row. Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne, van der Flier and England’s Henry Pollock make up an intriguing loose forwards combination.
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Tomos Williams is the sole Welshman in the 23, named in the halves along with Finn Russell. Sone Tuiupulotu and Ringrose are the centres, with Lowe, Australian-born Ireland international Mack Hansen and England’s Mac Daly rounding out the run-on side.
It’s a star-studded side on paper, including nine Leinster players in the 23 – fresh off their URC win over the Bulls. While the Lions will go into this match as favourites, the Western Force have had their sights set on this match for a while now.
While the Force missed the playoffs with a 4-1-9 record from 14 matches, they challenged some of the best teams throughout the season, including a drought-breaking win over the ACT Brumbies at Canberra’s GIO Stadium.
“I think it’s important to know where the opposition’s mindset is and how they approach a game that only comes around every 12 years,” Sheehan explained.
“I’m sure they’ll be 150 per cent of what they usually are they’ll be flying into it so we need to make sure that we start well, start strong, start physically, and just not be shocked by anything… I’m sure that bit of extra hunger can produce some powerful things.
“We don’t want to look too much into them but we have to understand their mindset and then it’s straight back to our own mindset, and my first time putting on a [Lions[ jersey hopefully, along with a few other lads.
“At the end of the day it’s all about us.”