Jack Conan shares the fierce competition in Lions back-row and his delight for Tadhg Furlong's return

A veteran of the 2021 squad that took on the Springboks in empty arenas, the Leinster and Ireland number eight knows the weight that comes with the red jersey. Now back in camp following Leinster’s URC title win, he’s already sizing up the intense competition within a stacked Lions back row.

"There's some unbelievable athletes," Conan said. "We were training against the lads on Tuesday and the skillset and talent was incredibly high. I look forward to competing with the lads when I get the chance. I know Tom (Curry) from before, I've been spending a good bit of time with Ben (Earl) the last few days, a good fella and a great athlete.

"It's great to see them go to work and I'm sure myself and Josh (van der Flier), in particular, are excited to get in amongst them because we've only really had the one training day. The competition brings out the best in people and we're not here to just make up the numbers, so we'll look forward to competing with the lads."

Those early days in camp are crucial for players like Conan, who are joining the squad late following domestic finals. But there's little time for easing in, with the opening warm-up match against Argentina bringing around a defeat, Andy Farrell will be shaking up his squad for their first match on Australian soil.

The Lions touched down in the land down under on Sunday morning, first tour match fast approaching against Western Force in Perth on Saturday 28th. Competition for game time is already fierce, and with Australian opposition chomping at the bit, every appearance will count.

“For them, it’s going to be the biggest game of their careers when you’re playing the club sides. The Western Force are going to be unbelievably up for it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for those blokes to play against the Lions,” he said.

“I know they might be missing a host of international stars but they’re going to be unbelievably excited so we know we’ll have to be at our best. Every time you get an opportunity to put on this jersey it’s only a very short amount of time you get to wear it you’ve got to make the most of it yourself and leave it in a better place.

“You’ve got to take those opportunities and run with it, and hopefully I’ll get that opportunity next Saturday.”

That team-first mindset runs deep with Conan, who’s already seen one of his closest teammates make a timely return to fitness. Tadhg Furlong, the Ireland and Lions tighthead, is back after injury and expected to feature against the Force — a big boost for the squad, and for Conan personally.

Furlong marked his return in the warm-up Test against Argentina, with the Aviva Stadium faithful delighted to see the Leinster veteran back out on the grass in Dublin.

“Yeah, the big man was moving well in the last few days." Conan said. "He’s had a tough few weeks with the calves. He’s incredibly excited. He would have loved to get back for the URC final but it is what it is and it wasn’t right for him to have pushed for that, especially with the training weeks we have.”

“He’s been managed well here and he’s excited to get back out there today. It’s always good to be playing with him. If not the best tight-head in the world he’s definitely up there. So, I think everyone is excited to see him get back out there.”

“What was he, 22, in the first tour in 2017 and played all three Tests. I know he’s had a tough year of it and hasn’t played as much as he would have liked but it’s a testament to how good a professional he is the work that he’s put in over the years and I know we’ll get the best out of him once he’s fit.”

It’s this kind of experience that makes players like Conan and Furlong so valuable on tour — not just for what they bring on the pitch, but in helping new faces settle into the unique environment of a Lions squad. Asked what advice he’d give to first-timers, Conan kept it simple.

“Just enjoy it. Get out of your comfort zone, mix well with the lads, be yourself and just soak it all up. It’s incredibly special, everyone here wants to make the most of this opportunity so don’t let it pass you by.”

Having lived the pressure, intensity and privilege of being a Lion before, Conan says the benefit of experience becomes clear — even if every tour brings fresh challenges.

“You know what’s expected of you when you put on the jersey and when you come into this environment into camp. Other than that, it’s more just the detail, the plays, calling structures and all that, it’s different.”

“You’ve lads from other countries coming in is a little bit differently than we would do, so it’s just getting used to each other a little bit.”

“Now, luckily, the way we want to play is quite similar to how Ireland would play so it’s not that difficult to get up to speed, but the calls are all different. There’s a bit of overlap with a few Leinster calls but they’re different things. The same wording, so I was caught out a few times on Tuesday when you just go into auto pilot a little bit.”

“So that’s the real challenge. But no-one expects it to be perfect in the first few days. Even in the first few games we’re going to build throughout the tour and continue to get better. That’s the challenge, more than anything else.”