When Ireland wins an attacking lineout on Saturday deep in the South African half and opt to maul forward, it’s not a sprawling mess. It’s rugby choreography. Dan Sheehan will be the player with the ball tucked into his body.
At more than 17 stone and 6ft 3in, the Leinster hooker has shown that the tradeoff for his physique has not been pared down mobility. A year has been a long time in his rugby career becoming comfortable in a role that was previously nailed on.
Hooker Ronan Kelleher missed most of this year’s Six Nations campaign when he picked up a shoulder problem in Ireland’s defeat to France, then had to fly home from South Africa in April following a similar issue. In May it was the shoulder again against La Rochelle. In his absence, Sheehan has made hay.
The 24-year-old played in all three Test matches against New Zealand and in September performed an eye-catching cameo with Leinster against Benetton when he scored four tries off a dominant Leinster maul. It is becoming a habit.
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“It’s something we work hard at in training. It’s not just by chance that teams are beginning to attack off the back of mauls or from the 5m line,” says Sheehan.
“It’s a good opportunity to bunch up a good portion of their forwards and then sometimes you’re left with a winger or a nine or 10 that you only have to get a metre beyond to flop over the line. It’s not something that is off the cuff. We’ve worked on it in training quite a bit. When the opportunity presents itself, a lot goes into it. You need to chat.”
Irish hookers have generally possessed a glory streak. Kelleher has his fair share of tries and Sean Cronin, with absurdly quick feet, never suffered from fear of the white line. As Sheehan explains, communicating with his scrumhalf as much as the brawn to bulldoze 12 hard inches is part of the scoring game.
“You need to chat with the nine to see his picture in front because I can’t see anything,” he says. “There’s a lot that goes into it. You back yourself with the size but making the judgement … will I be left on my own if I break off? Or can I make that extra inch that gets you there? A lot of the time, you only have to make it a foot from the point of contact to get over.”
There is an irony too in Sheehan being asked about his successes in mauls and emerging with the ball. The Springboks also see that area as one of their strengths. Their physicality and size being an obvious asset, they have real power in set pieces. They will not be unaware of Sheehan’s growing ability in seizing the moment.
That is why Johnny Sexton and Andy Farrell spoke of evolution this week, said Ireland must change and adapt or perish. It cannot be exactly like it was against New Zealand in the summer series. For sure a lineout maul but done with greater nuance and invention.
Sheehan, in his first time playing against the world champions, understands the questions they will ask. But his year of service so far with Ireland has also instilled feisty spirit and courage.
“It’s going to be a serious physical challenge,” he says. “They probably pride themselves solely on their scrum, lineout and maul. It’s something we’ve been working hard at. But we also need to throw some of our game at it as well. We’re not going to go away from our game and say, ‘Ah, maul’s off …’ We’ve got to be able to attack them.
“I presume they’re probably bigger men. Their game style is direct and forward. They’re not as expansive as other teams like us maybe. It is direct. Size is one part of it. But 90 per cent of a dominant collision is technique. That’s what we’re priding ourselves on, the technique of being able to win those dominant collisions.”
Sheehan has quickly grown to pride his work in the physical space, which is an asset. Not having physicality against South Africa isn’t an option. Importantly, he has the bulk and the frame to mix and compete without having to reach beyond himself or try to compensate for size.
But it is not just that. There is maturity and easy competence too. He has been around Irish camps for some time and over the last 12 months, his step into Test level has been seamless and natural, enough for Farrell to play him against New Zealand for more than an hour in each of the three summer games.
“I wouldn’t say it was easy,” he says. “But I haven’t really surprised myself, to be honest. I knew the ability I had. But it took me a while to see that myself around some aspects of the professional game, just to mould myself into it. It took maybe three or four years.
But once I got there, I knew I had something different to offer and I’d be able to show my game. I feel the body is perfect rolling into these next few weeks. I’m probably at my best confidence-wise anyway, and that belief in my game.”
Honest words those. A young fella fronting up to world champions.
