Murray Kinsella Reports from Brisbane

THIS HAS ALREADY been an impressive season for Dan Sheehan, even though he missed the first half of it.

His comeback from an ACL injury has been outstanding, with the Leinster and Ireland hooker hitting the ground running. He hasn’t slowed up since.

With 14 tries in 14 appearances for province and country, as well as all of his class and power around the pitch, Sheehan has reestablished his position as one of the game’s leading hookers.

A Lions series is one of the best places to copper-fasten that status, even if Sheehan and his team-mates insist it’s all about the collective. Sheehan will look to take his game to the next level and so will everyone else on Andy Farrell’s Lions team.

“We’ve talked about it, there has to be a step up,” said Sheehan this week in Brisbane.

“What we’ve done so far has been great and I think we’ve done a good job doing it. But we talked about, there has to be a visible difference this week and this is why we’re here.

“I think we should be able to feel the energy off people. You should be able to see the collisions, the carries. I think everything is just going to be up a level.

“With that, you have to somehow bring the accuracy with you which can be the tricky part when you get psyched up for a game of this intensity. It’s trying to bring the accuracy which we’ve struggled at times over the last couple of games. That will be crucial. Bringing both accuracy and physicality.”

Farrell’s Lions team are all about changing the recent record of the touring side. The last series that the Lions won was in 2013, their last visit to Australia.

Sheehan is set to start on Saturday in Brisbane. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

So all this group is worried about is leaving with a series victory.

“A win,” said Sheehan when asked what legacy they want to leave.

“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, and how our prep goes into winning this game on Saturday, and we’re going to throw everything at that.

“There’s going to be no holding anything back, or waiting for the next two Tests. It’s all about Saturday.

“I think we’re in a good spot. Lads are hungry, and we’re expecting the Wallabies to be hungry. I think it’ll be a good Test and fireworks on Saturday.”

And Sheehan said the Lions are convinced that winning is the only true way they can repay their travelling support in Australia.

“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,” said the Irish hooker.

“If we do that, they’ll feel part of it. That’s a goal of ours, to make sure if we have a big crowd on Saturday which we probably will, that 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.”