4 days ago
‘Chalk and cheese' – Jack Conan explains why Lions' Australia Tour is completely different to 2021 version
JACK Conan reckons the Lions have an advantage over Australia ahead of Saturday's First Test after clocking up the air miles Down Under.
Since the
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Conan has started two games and appeared off the bench in a third on Tour so far
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The 32-year-old played all three tests against South Africa four years ago
The party have had a gruelling schedule compared with Joe Schmidt's Aussies — just one warm-up game, an unconvincing 21-18 win over Fiji ten days ago.
Ireland back rower
'There's no replacement for playing rugby. We're in a good spot.'
Conan was a three-Test Lion in South Africa four years ago, on a tour with no fans because of the pandemic.
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Now, he is waiting to hear if he will play in front of a 52,500 full house at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium this weekend.
Ahead of boss Farrell naming his matchday 23 tomorrow, Conan added: 'It was massively different with no one in the crowd.
'It felt eerie and strange not to have anyone there in what should be the biggest occasion of your career. This is chalk and cheese.
'I can't remember how nervous I was four years ago. All you can do is do your best when you get the opportunities and in the last few weeks, I feel I've done that.'
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Wallabies forwards coach Geoff Parling, the ex-England lock, has had AC/DC blaring out at full volume — knowing Lions skipper Itoje will try to put them off at lineouts by yelling so they cannot hear their set-piece codes.
Aussie lock Jeremy Williams said: 'We have been using music as a tool to try to distract the boys from the calls, so when we get into the arena we can react and listen to the calls. The music's been loud, bit of AC/DC.'
