JACK CONAN IS missing his neighbour and good friend on this Ireland trip.
Left wing James Lowe had been synonymous with Andy Farrell’s team in recent years, but he is now an ex-Ireland and Leinster player.
The 33-year-old will join Japanese club Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath next season, while Ireland are now into the process of moving on without Lowe.
Lowe’s exit from Irish rugby was an unhappy one, with the powerful wing eventually turning down a significantly reduced one-year offer from Leinster to sign for Suntory on a two-year deal.
Conan has grown close to Lowe and, like the rest of the Ireland squad, he is getting used to not having him around.
“It’s definitely a bit quieter,” said Conan at Ireland’s team hotel in Sydney. “Big Jimmy’s a big personality, as you all know. He makes himself seen and heard pretty early on.
“Look, James is a good mate of mine. We’re next-door neighbours. We spend a lot of time together, both on and off the pitch. You miss him around the place.
“He’s a good man, firstly. He brought a lot to the environment and to the jersey when we played.
“It’s disappointing how it played out, but it is what it is.
“I know he’ll be looking on and supporting us. I’ve been chatting to him already. I think he’s enjoying his downtime. He’s had a few trips away with the lads and everything else.
“Look, disappointing loss, but he’ll be watching on and supporting the lads.
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“I think he’s having enough craic at home at the moment, by the sounds of it. I don’t think he’s too devastated.”
Ireland must crack on without Lowe, with his exit paving the way for others to push through on the wing.
Jack Conan at Ireland's team hotel in Sydney. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Conan’s main concern after Ireland arrived in Australia for the start of the inaugural Nations Championship was his sleep pattern.
“The jet lag was killing me,” said Conan, who didn’t go along to the Manly NRL game on Saturday evening that many of his team-mates attended.
“I was battling at that hour of the day to stay awake. So, a few of us more senior members of the squad went for an early dinner and home nice and early, which was nice.
“Everyone’s been getting out and about, especially early mornings when you’re struggling with the jet lag and getting up at five. Thankfully, we’re here and not in Ireland because things are open nice and early. It’s been good.
“I’m feeling a bit better now. I’ve gotten over it. A tough few days. You get to four or five, and you’re struggling a little bit. But I think everyone’s over it.”
Conan said it’s exciting to be back on tour in familiar surroundings. He was part of the Lions’ visit to Australia last summer.
The Leinster number eight was talking to head coach Farrell about how it feels like he blinked, a year passed, and Ireland are back in the same Sydney hotel the Lions stayed in for their third Test last year.
He has enjoyed settling into life on tour with “a bit of a different group” after Ireland welcomed in five uncapped players.
With Caelan Doris missing, Conan is set to be the main man at number eight, and he has become an important leader in this Ireland group.
The fact that Saturday is Ireland’s opening game in the inaugural Nations Championship hasn’t changed the dynamic too much from previous tours, according to Conan.
He said the new format creates a little extra excitement and that Ireland hope to be competing for the trophy at the end of the second window in November.
Conan at training in Leichhardt Oval, Sydney. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Not that the previous format of summer tours ever failed to excite.
“Test rugby, there’s no friendlies per se,” said Conan. “We’re here to be at our best and to perform and to do right by the rest of the group and the jerseys. We’ll just take it one game at a time and hopefully come out in the right spot by the end of it.
“I don’t think the league format has changed anyone’s mindset about coming down here and performing. We know we need to be on it fresh out the gate come Saturday because we’re playing against a good side.”
Conan is delighted he and his Leinster team-mates were able to bring trophy-winning momentum into this tour.
They suffered the dejection of being well beaten by Bordeaux in the Champions Cup final before recovering to win the URC, giving the Bulls a hammering in the decider.
“I think any year you finish with a trophy can never be deemed unsuccessful,” said Conan of his feelings on Leinster’s campaign.
“We’re obviously reaching for other heights. I think if we’d just performed better that day in Bilbao, maybe there’d be a different twist on it. I think the most disheartening bit was the fact that we never really fired a shot when we got out there.
“Was it a success? Yes, because you get a bit of silverware, but for the players and staff that we had, we should have at least made a better account for ourselves on the big day over there. That was tough to take.
“Even after that, we spoke about it for weeks on end. Maybe that’s what fuelled a performance like that against the Bulls in Croke Park.
“It seems like an awful lot of taking a lot of lessons from things and not showing up on the biggest days, which is tough.”
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'It's definitely a bit quieter. You miss Big Jimmy around the place'
JACK CONAN IS missing his neighbour and good friend on this Ireland trip.
Left wing James Lowe had been synonymous with Andy Farrell’s team in recent years, but he is now an ex-Ireland and Leinster player.
The 33-year-old will join Japanese club Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath next season, while Ireland are now into the process of moving on without Lowe.
Lowe’s exit from Irish rugby was an unhappy one, with the powerful wing eventually turning down a significantly reduced one-year offer from Leinster to sign for Suntory on a two-year deal.
Conan has grown close to Lowe and, like the rest of the Ireland squad, he is getting used to not having him around.
“It’s definitely a bit quieter,” said Conan at Ireland’s team hotel in Sydney. “Big Jimmy’s a big personality, as you all know. He makes himself seen and heard pretty early on.
“Look, James is a good mate of mine. We’re next-door neighbours. We spend a lot of time together, both on and off the pitch. You miss him around the place.
“He’s a good man, firstly. He brought a lot to the environment and to the jersey when we played.
“It’s disappointing how it played out, but it is what it is.
“I know he’ll be looking on and supporting us. I’ve been chatting to him already. I think he’s enjoying his downtime. He’s had a few trips away with the lads and everything else.
“Look, disappointing loss, but he’ll be watching on and supporting the lads.
“I think he’s having enough craic at home at the moment, by the sounds of it. I don’t think he’s too devastated.”
Ireland must crack on without Lowe, with his exit paving the way for others to push through on the wing.
Conan’s main concern after Ireland arrived in Australia for the start of the inaugural Nations Championship was his sleep pattern.
“The jet lag was killing me,” said Conan, who didn’t go along to the Manly NRL game on Saturday evening that many of his team-mates attended.
“I was battling at that hour of the day to stay awake. So, a few of us more senior members of the squad went for an early dinner and home nice and early, which was nice.
“Everyone’s been getting out and about, especially early mornings when you’re struggling with the jet lag and getting up at five. Thankfully, we’re here and not in Ireland because things are open nice and early. It’s been good.
“I’m feeling a bit better now. I’ve gotten over it. A tough few days. You get to four or five, and you’re struggling a little bit. But I think everyone’s over it.”
Conan said it’s exciting to be back on tour in familiar surroundings. He was part of the Lions’ visit to Australia last summer.
The Leinster number eight was talking to head coach Farrell about how it feels like he blinked, a year passed, and Ireland are back in the same Sydney hotel the Lions stayed in for their third Test last year.
He has enjoyed settling into life on tour with “a bit of a different group” after Ireland welcomed in five uncapped players.
With Caelan Doris missing, Conan is set to be the main man at number eight, and he has become an important leader in this Ireland group.
The fact that Saturday is Ireland’s opening game in the inaugural Nations Championship hasn’t changed the dynamic too much from previous tours, according to Conan.
He said the new format creates a little extra excitement and that Ireland hope to be competing for the trophy at the end of the second window in November.
Not that the previous format of summer tours ever failed to excite.
“Test rugby, there’s no friendlies per se,” said Conan. “We’re here to be at our best and to perform and to do right by the rest of the group and the jerseys. We’ll just take it one game at a time and hopefully come out in the right spot by the end of it.
“I don’t think the league format has changed anyone’s mindset about coming down here and performing. We know we need to be on it fresh out the gate come Saturday because we’re playing against a good side.”
Conan is delighted he and his Leinster team-mates were able to bring trophy-winning momentum into this tour.
They suffered the dejection of being well beaten by Bordeaux in the Champions Cup final before recovering to win the URC, giving the Bulls a hammering in the decider.
“I think any year you finish with a trophy can never be deemed unsuccessful,” said Conan of his feelings on Leinster’s campaign.
“We’re obviously reaching for other heights. I think if we’d just performed better that day in Bilbao, maybe there’d be a different twist on it. I think the most disheartening bit was the fact that we never really fired a shot when we got out there.
“Was it a success? Yes, because you get a bit of silverware, but for the players and staff that we had, we should have at least made a better account for ourselves on the big day over there. That was tough to take.
“Even after that, we spoke about it for weeks on end. Maybe that’s what fuelled a performance like that against the Bulls in Croke Park.
“It seems like an awful lot of taking a lot of lessons from things and not showing up on the biggest days, which is tough.”
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Australia Friends Ireland Jack Conan James Lowe