MANY RUGBY PLAYERS have told us that becoming a British and Irish Lion is the pinnacle.
And Jack Conan has every right to be as proud of his record with the Lions as most. The Bray man has started the last six Tests for the touring side despite not being seen as the j initial favourite to wear the number eight shirt on those trips to South Africa and Australia.
Conan has been a standout player for the Lions, but the pride of representing Ireland is the greatest honour in his mind.
“Playing for the Lions is great and it’s not something I ever thought I’d do, but if I was given the opportunity, if I had to pick playing for Ireland or making the Lions tour, it’s playing for Ireland,” said Conan in Portugal.
“It’s the greatest joy, I think, for everyone to be part of this group. It’s an incredible honour to play for the Lions but for me, playing for Ireland, it doesn’t get any better than that. It’s the thing you grew up thinking about, wanting.
“To be here now, to be living this dream, is unbelievably special, whereas the Lions is not something I ever thought I’d do. Incredibly special, but I’d never looked much further than being in a green jersey.”
This is relevant because Ireland’s heavy involvement with the Lions last summer was a long-term concern for many Irish fans.
Ireland boss Andy Farrell brought a huge group of his key players on the Lions tour to Australia, with 18 Irishmen featuring in the squad in the end.
That led to worries about a Lions hangover this season and Ireland’s performances in November, when most of those Lions were only just getting back to playing, saw those concerns copperfastened in many quarters.
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Conan at Ireland camp in Quinta do Lago. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
“Physically, because I didn’t get a run out pre-November and then went straight into the internationals, that was quite difficult,” said Conan, who didn’t play even once for Leinster before the autumn internationals.
“As much as I was trying to tell myself, ‘I’m ready, I’ve trained well for the few weeks leading up to it,’ it’s very difficult to go and have no game time and then straight to the internationals.
“On a personal level, I probably felt mentally maybe just not as sharp as I could have been.”
Conan tends to be a calm person and player who does his best to stay in the moment, but it was different in the autumn.
He says there were personal factors beyond rugby that played into this, but it wasn’t a place he enjoyed being.
“In November, I felt stressed,” said Conan. “We talk about having the capacity to perform. I felt like I didn’t have that mentally.
“I probably was just getting a little bit… not doubting myself, but just kind of external thoughts and things outside of rugby affected me a little bit.
“So, I didn’t feel like mentally I had the capacity to perform to my best level because I was probably a bit full, you know what I mean, didn’t let things happen, didn’t have the calmness I needed to have to perform.”
Thankfully, he’s feeling good now and is ready to make a much bigger impact for Ireland.
Andy Farrell’s side hope to get back in much more consistent form than they’ve delivered over the last 18 months.
Conan was wearing a compression bandage on his right leg – “my shooting sleeve,” he joked – earlier this week but said it was just precautionary for a tight calf. He remains a key man for Farrell’s Ireland, whether in the starting XV or off the bench.
Conan feels he's in much better form and fitness now than in November. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
He has 55 caps for Ireland but he still feels like he has to prove himself every time he comes back into camp.
“I try to take nothing for granted,” he said. “I’m playing in the back row. How many unbelievable back rowers are there across the country?
“Young lads coming up. You see Bryn Ward training there today. He’s been great, he’s like a duck to water out there.
“Obviously, lads injured at home who can’t be here, or other young lads. You look at Brian Gleeson, James McNabney up north, who’s injured and hopefully back soon in the next couple of weeks, great players.
“When you get a bit older, you can never take it for granted because there’s always that cohort of lads that are coming behind you. Obviously, established lads here, Bryn and the likes getting their first experience of it as well. If you don’t make the most of it, there’s always someone waiting in the wings.”
Conan is 33 but joked that he might play on until he’s 43.
Despite all of his experience in international rugby, his desire to win with Ireland hasn’t diminished.
He wants to taste Six Nations glory again in March.
“You look at the staff and the players we have, there’s the quality to win the trophy. So it’s unbelievably exciting to be part of it.
“I don’t think that ever leaves you, the want and desire to help the group in any way you can to achieve the success that you know we can do because of the people in the building.”
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'I'd pick playing for Ireland over making a Lions tour. It's the greatest joy'
MANY RUGBY PLAYERS have told us that becoming a British and Irish Lion is the pinnacle.
And Jack Conan has every right to be as proud of his record with the Lions as most. The Bray man has started the last six Tests for the touring side despite not being seen as the j initial favourite to wear the number eight shirt on those trips to South Africa and Australia.
Conan has been a standout player for the Lions, but the pride of representing Ireland is the greatest honour in his mind.
“Playing for the Lions is great and it’s not something I ever thought I’d do, but if I was given the opportunity, if I had to pick playing for Ireland or making the Lions tour, it’s playing for Ireland,” said Conan in Portugal.
“It’s the greatest joy, I think, for everyone to be part of this group. It’s an incredible honour to play for the Lions but for me, playing for Ireland, it doesn’t get any better than that. It’s the thing you grew up thinking about, wanting.
“To be here now, to be living this dream, is unbelievably special, whereas the Lions is not something I ever thought I’d do. Incredibly special, but I’d never looked much further than being in a green jersey.”
This is relevant because Ireland’s heavy involvement with the Lions last summer was a long-term concern for many Irish fans.
Ireland boss Andy Farrell brought a huge group of his key players on the Lions tour to Australia, with 18 Irishmen featuring in the squad in the end.
That led to worries about a Lions hangover this season and Ireland’s performances in November, when most of those Lions were only just getting back to playing, saw those concerns copperfastened in many quarters.
“Physically, because I didn’t get a run out pre-November and then went straight into the internationals, that was quite difficult,” said Conan, who didn’t play even once for Leinster before the autumn internationals.
“As much as I was trying to tell myself, ‘I’m ready, I’ve trained well for the few weeks leading up to it,’ it’s very difficult to go and have no game time and then straight to the internationals.
“On a personal level, I probably felt mentally maybe just not as sharp as I could have been.”
Conan tends to be a calm person and player who does his best to stay in the moment, but it was different in the autumn.
He says there were personal factors beyond rugby that played into this, but it wasn’t a place he enjoyed being.
“In November, I felt stressed,” said Conan. “We talk about having the capacity to perform. I felt like I didn’t have that mentally.
“I probably was just getting a little bit… not doubting myself, but just kind of external thoughts and things outside of rugby affected me a little bit.
“So, I didn’t feel like mentally I had the capacity to perform to my best level because I was probably a bit full, you know what I mean, didn’t let things happen, didn’t have the calmness I needed to have to perform.”
Thankfully, he’s feeling good now and is ready to make a much bigger impact for Ireland.
Andy Farrell’s side hope to get back in much more consistent form than they’ve delivered over the last 18 months.
Conan was wearing a compression bandage on his right leg – “my shooting sleeve,” he joked – earlier this week but said it was just precautionary for a tight calf. He remains a key man for Farrell’s Ireland, whether in the starting XV or off the bench.
He has 55 caps for Ireland but he still feels like he has to prove himself every time he comes back into camp.
“I try to take nothing for granted,” he said. “I’m playing in the back row. How many unbelievable back rowers are there across the country?
“Young lads coming up. You see Bryn Ward training there today. He’s been great, he’s like a duck to water out there.
“Obviously, lads injured at home who can’t be here, or other young lads. You look at Brian Gleeson, James McNabney up north, who’s injured and hopefully back soon in the next couple of weeks, great players.
“When you get a bit older, you can never take it for granted because there’s always that cohort of lads that are coming behind you. Obviously, established lads here, Bryn and the likes getting their first experience of it as well. If you don’t make the most of it, there’s always someone waiting in the wings.”
Conan is 33 but joked that he might play on until he’s 43.
Despite all of his experience in international rugby, his desire to win with Ireland hasn’t diminished.
He wants to taste Six Nations glory again in March.
“You look at the staff and the players we have, there’s the quality to win the trophy. So it’s unbelievably exciting to be part of it.
“I don’t think that ever leaves you, the want and desire to help the group in any way you can to achieve the success that you know we can do because of the people in the building.”
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