Sure it’d be rude not to.
The British & Irish Lions squad were in absolutely flying form at Carton House in Ireland on Thursday.
The squad had just completed their fourth days’ training at the Maynooth training base and many were off home to catch up with family and friends before jetting off, next Monday, to New Zealand.
Training hard with the best of the best in the sunshine and still unbeaten. Let’s hope they are feeling like this in a months’ time when the Test Series is underway and they’re in the thick of a rough-hewn New Zealand winter.
JOE caught up with several of the Lions squad a learned who a few are rooming with and about their night of team bonding in Dublin town. These pairings have been roomies so far:
- Jared Payne & Joe Marler [Vale of Glamorgan]
- Toby Faletau & Kyle Sinckler [Vale of Glamorgan]
- Dan Cole & Jamie George [Carton House]
- Joe Marler & Toby Faletau [Carton House]
- Tadhg Furlong & George Kruis [Carton House]
- Mako Vunipola & Jonathan Joseph [Carton House]
- Greig Laidlaw & Kyle Sinckler [Carton House]
Ever wonder what camp life is like?
We'll let @Scotlandteam Captain Greig Laidlaw show you around. #AllForOne pic.twitter.com/CAJQ8caeR5
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) May 26, 2017
Marler felt he did not learn too much from his couple of nights rooming with Ireland star Jared Payne so has come up with a questionnaire for all future roomates. Fellow prop Dan Cole has an altogether easier way of getting to know the Irish, Welsh or Scottish lads.
“I find just talking to them helps,” he remarked.
“The quirks of Marler’s personality is that instead of asking questions which come naturally to you, as you would, he decides to invent a questionnaire. But no, I’d just find that talking and listening helps.”
Cole also provided some further details on the squad’s Tuesday night trip into Dublin. Asked if the players had been introduced to some Irish culture, he responded:
“Culture, hmmmm, yeah… we’ll leave it there!
“We had a meal out on Tuesday and and had a front five table [himself, Marler, Sinckler, Furlong, Best, George, Jack McGrath and Mako Vunipola] and got to know everyone quite well.”
The squad dined at Marco Pierre White Steakhouse & Grill on Dawson Street in Dublin, before popping around the corner for a drink at Kehoe’s on South Anne Street.
Kehoes for a pint of the black stuff is almost a tradition at this stage…
Ran into the British Lions at Kehoes pub in Dublin 🙂 pic.twitter.com/TlaUHE6PGB
— Meghan Gill (@meghanpgill) May 21, 2013
“The whole week has been good like that,” Cole continued.
“There’s been no cliques or anything like that. Everyone has been mixing together and it has been going quite well.”
