THE JERSEY BOY didn’t feel like a kid who missed the bus for the school trip. If anything, Ronan Kelleher was thrilled to have had the chance to train with the Lions at their pre-tour camp in the Channel Island.
“It was incredible,” he says of his experience as a stand-in hooker during the two-week camp. “It was tough work as well; it was really full-on. But it was great to get a taste of it. Every player wants to put their name up for selection throughout the whole year so to be asked to train with them was so enjoyable.
“To be honest, I didn’t really think about going on the tour until I got the email about selection availability. And then I just watched the announcement like everyone else. There was a bit of disappointment of course when I wasn’t selected in the squad but we still had a large part of the season to go with Leinster and then you switch to Ireland. But it was great to see what it was all about when I got a chance to train with them.”
Since returning from Jersey, he has been handed a starting jersey for Ireland, edging out the more experienced but less dynamic, Rob Herring, for today’s test against Japan.
“They looked really impressive throughout the game against the Lions last week,” says Kelleher. “They’ve shown in the last World Cup what a quality side they are. My focus has shifted pretty quickly on to the task in hand this week.
“Sure, it (the Lions) may be a phone call away but that is out of my control. I’ll just keep plugging away, keep playing and make sure I stay fit and put in performances to make sure that, first of all, I do a good job in the Irish jersey and nail down a starting position because it is a seriously competitive position at the moment.”
There is also an expectation for him to lead, despite his youthfulness. That’s led to him doubling up his work load with a homemade line-out kit. “During lockdown, I was still throwing in every second day to be honest. It’s not the same thing as throwing into a live lineout and getting the timing correct but it definitely allowed me to continue to focus on my process.”
