Dan Sheehan: British and Irish Lions gamers you ‘despise’ find yourself turning into shut team-mates on tour | Rugby Union Information

Dan Sheehan has revealed to Sky Sports activities gamers he beforehand “despised” at the moment are his British and Irish Lions team-mates, admitting his view on them has since modified.

The 26-year-old Eire hooker gave perception to the distinctive nature of Lions excursions the place foes turn out to be team-mates, and infrequently shut ones at that.

Andy Farrell’s Lions squad of 2025 suffered defeat of their first tour sport towards Argentina in Dublin final week, and face Western Pressure in Perth for his or her first tour match in Australia on Saturday, dwell on Sky Sports activities.

“It’s fascinating. You go from watching these guys, making ready for them, despising them in some methods and unexpectedly you meet them and they’re nice blokes,” Sheehan instructed Sky Sports activities in Australia.

“That’s simply rugby and you’ve got to show it on.

“We have now all realised fairly shortly we’re all good fellas and revel in one another’s firm and we’ve loved the previous couple of weeks of attending to know one another.

“It’s a large a part of what we’ve tried to give attention to is shopping for into our connection as a gaggle and ensuring it’s tight and attending to know one another off the sector in addition to on it.”

Pushed on which gamers from the England, Scotland and Wales camps he might have beforehand shaped a adverse view on, Sheehan was coy earlier than admitting England prop Ellis Genge is somebody who has since shocked him.

“I’m not going to provide names. You put together for them and see them as talismans for their very own nation and you might be most likely glad to be on their aspect now and sharing the identical shirt,” he stated.

“We want to verify we carry all that vitality we used to have towards one another and convey it out on Saturday towards Western Pressure.

“It’s one thing that we simply have to embrace and have fun about if there was something over the previous couple of years and use to our benefit.

“He [Genge] is a superb fella – he’s actual, he’s trustworthy. I really like the vitality he brings to the squad and coaching is unbelievable.

“His efficiency towards Argentina was a standout efficiency and I feel lots of people observe off the again of that.

“He might be a massively vital participant on this squad over the subsequent few weeks and he is only one of many who carry their very own expertise and simply are themselves.

“That’s one thing you possibly can’t beat is somebody being themselves and bringing what they will to the desk.”

British & Irish Lions tour of Australia on Sky Sports activities

Sky Sports activities will completely present the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Checks towards the Wallabies and 6 warm-up matches to be proven completely dwell.