AS ALL EYES were one of side of the pitch following Ireland’s dominant 60-5 win over Japan, a special moment was taking place on the opposite sideline at the Aviva Stadium.
Near the tunnel, bodies buzzed around as Johnny Sexton basked in the good-will that followed an excellent 100th Test cap for the seasoned outhalf, with the gift of a samurai sword presented by the visiting Japan team as his Ireland teammates applauded their captain.
From the moment he led the team out on his own, it had felt like Sexton’s day.
Yet it was equally memorable for Dan Sheehan, who finds himself at the start of his international journey.
It’s a little over a 12 months since the hooker made his Leinster senior debut – a 52 minute run-out in an empty stadium against Zebre on 23 October last year – and now he’s a full Ireland international.
Away from the celebrations after the final whistle today, Sheehan could be seen sharing a more quiet moment with some family and friends on the far side of the pitch.
The older heads in Andy Farrell’s squad preach the importance of soaking up these moments. Speaking shortly after the final whistle, Sheehan clearly appreciated the size of his achievement.
“I spent a lot of time over the years thinking of that moment, just the noise of the Aviva, it was hard to stay calm but I took a second to make sure I was enjoying every second of it,” he said.
“Looking up to my Mum and Dad in the crowd and my family. It was a special, an unbelievable day for me.
“Brilliant atmosphere, probably my first time playing in front of a large crowd so everything about it was absolutely amazing.
You are always aiming to make the international stage. It goes slow for a few years and then it happens really quickly. I made my Leinster debut just a few weeks over a year ago and then all of a sudden this happens, you get called into a (international) squad.
“It’s been an emotional week, kind of trying to calm down and block out the noise and focus on the game, soak it all in and enjoyed every single minute of it.”
Sheehan, 23, is exactly the type of player Farrell wants in his Ireland team. The Lansdowne man is powerful, athletic, dynamic and not afraid to get the ball in his hands.
In his 26 minutes against Japan, he pitched in with five carries, nine tackles, one turnover and broke two tackles. The set-piece wasn’t perfect, but Farrell will likely forgive the debutant a few jitters.
Next up for Ireland is New Zealand. It would be a big call to keep the rookie in the squad for the visit of the All Blacks, but Sheehan plans on at least giving the coaches something to think about.
“I’m going to do everything I can to make sure I’m involved,” Sheehan continued.
“You get a bit of a taste of international rugby. I can see why it’s quite addictive. It’s an incredible honour every single time, can’t wait to get stuck back in for next week.
“I accept that I am slightly behind in experience but I’m not going to sit there and accept that it’s the deal, I’ve always backed myself….
“Each week we go in there and battle it out. It’s a healthy working environment but everyone wants to start and everyone is pushing towards a start, especially a big game like New Zealand.”
Bernard Jackman, Murray Kinsella, and Gavan Casey look ahead to Ireland-Japan with the help of Japanese rugby expert Rich Freeman, while the lads also assess ‘Tier Two’ rugby two years out from the World Cup:
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