DURING THE FIRST lockdown last year, Tadhg Furlong found himself watching repeats of the 2017 Lions tour. He wasn’t quite happy with what he saw of himself, a 24-year-old who had only made his first Ireland start the year before.
Furlong was the Lions’ first-choice tighthead four years ago and generally impressed in New Zealand but looking back on it more recently, he sees limits to the contributions he made.
“A lot of it was chasing rucks for me, to be honest with you, hanging off inside number 10,” he says. “I didn’t carry a whole lot, didn’t make any impact tackles… just working hard and hitting rucks.”
In 2021, Furlong feels ready to deliver more for the Lions.
“I’d like to think my game has moved on since then in terms of what I’ve been working on and hopefully I’ll be able to contribute that little bit more other than working hard and hitting rucks – not that there’s anything wrong with that.”
Now 28 and having reminded everyone of his world-class ability in this year’s Six Nations, Furlong does look primed to play a vital role for the Lions.
He was excellent in last weekend’s win over Japan, showing his power in contact and at the set-piece as well as some of his handling ability and work-rate around the pitch.
The Wexford man – who is sporting a black eye from some friendly fire from Rory Sutherland in the Japan game – has this weekend off, meaning a watching brief for today’s game against the local Lions in Johannesburg.
Kyle Sinckler gets a shot at tighthead today but Furlong is favourite to retain his Test spot ahead of the Englishman and Scotland’s Zander Fagerson. Chief among the reasons is Furlong’s skill at the scrum, where the Boks will obviously be strong.
Furlong is on his second Lions tour. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“I was raw when I left school and moved to Dublin and into the academy in terms of scrummaging,” says Furlong.
“I didn’t actually play a massive amount of AIL for Clontarf, there were a few injuries there that held me back a small bit.
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“I call him the ‘Scrum Daddy,’ Greg Feek, still. I learnt his method of scrummaging, he was the scrum coach at Leinster and put a massive amount of time in, then he moved on to Ireland.
“I suppose, the base model or the ‘off the shelf’ Greg Feek model of scrummaging is trying to be a square tighthead, a chesty scrummager with a high elbow. You see some tightheads are very shoulder-y.”
Furlong credits Mike Ross, Nathan White, and Michael Bent for their influence on him on the training pitch too and he also says he picked up a few bits from Sinckler – who was being coached by Adam Jones – on the last Lions tour.
While set-piece is central and carrying in congested channels is part of his job too, one of the things that help to seperate Furlong from other props is his ability to make decisions and pass the ball.
“Where’s space, you know? A lot of defences are rush defences, two-man tackle defence,” says Furlong.
“Where’s space, what’s the right option to play? I don’t get it right all the time, but is there a tip? An inside or outside tip? Is the number 10 calling it out the back and how you run it, really?
“It’s something I’ve worked on. It’s not as easy as standing there, ‘catch-pass’, you catch and then read what’s in front of you again really.”
More recently, we’ve seen Furlong adding an increased breakdown threat to his game, a new string to his bow.
“During the Six Nations, Simon Easterby would have said a lot of the time ‘leave the breakdown, get into shape, get your hold/fold decision right’.
“But I suppose it’s staying in the moment and if there’s an opportunity there, have a crack at it. Use your eyes before you use your feet and try to get a few turnovers. I suppose they haven’t been pushing me to poach at breakdowns the whole time, but if it’s on have a crack.”
Meanwhile, his involvement in Ireland’s leadership group since last year means he is thinking about the game more strategically than before, and having a bigger influence on the squad’s culture.
All of this leaves Furlong well prepared to have a major impact in South Africa, where he has settled into life in the Lions’ strict bubble as they look to steer clear of Covid-19.
Furlong is part of the squad’s food committee, although that job is tougher in the circumstances.
“There’s not a whole lot of restaurants to recommend apart from the team room! There’s talks of trying out a few room service options and recommending which one is good for the lads, we haven’t figured it out yet,” explains Furlong.
“If the lads want to raise any questions, we have a chef over here – Andre – and I’d be happy to pick it up with him.”
Furlong says the squad will miss being able to pop out of their hotel for a coffee or organise activities on their non-training days, but he underlines that the Lions are focused on the job at hand – beating the Boks.
It’s Furlong’s second tour but the achievement of being a Lion again certainly makes players reflect on their journeys.
Furlong has made the lovely gesture of dedicating his Lions jersey to the late Godfrey Hill and his wife, Peggy, who took him in at the New Ross Under-8s many moons ago.
Furlong playing for the Leinster U19s back in 2010. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
The club means a huge amount to Furlong and hopes to be more heavily involved back at home when his own playing days start to wind down, but he was happy to be able to pay this tribute to the Hills.
“Godfrey and Peggy would have taken the 8s in New Ross for years and years and years,” says Furlong.
“I got an opportunity to present a Lions jersey to someone who has done a massive amount for me. It’s not only me they’ve influenced massively, it’s everyone that walked through the gates of the club.
“When you’re from a relatively small club like I am, the first contact point is so important and how they get people involved – the kindness and the time it takes.
“God forbid, I wouldn’t have the patience to deal with a load of U8s from New Ross but the way they did it was hassle-free, we loved it, they brought everyone along and gave them a chance.
“It’s a testament to the character of the man and unfortunately, he’s no longer with us but it’s a small gesture from me really for the impact he has had on so many people in the club.”
Tadhg is an official Vodafone Ambassador for the Lions tour to South Africa. He was speaking after dedicating his 2021 Lions jersey to Peggy Hill and her late husband Godfrey of New Ross Rugby Club who were instrumental in fostering a love of the game in Tadhg as a youngster.
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'Hopefully I'll be able to contribute more than working hard and hitting rucks'
DURING THE FIRST lockdown last year, Tadhg Furlong found himself watching repeats of the 2017 Lions tour. He wasn’t quite happy with what he saw of himself, a 24-year-old who had only made his first Ireland start the year before.
Furlong was the Lions’ first-choice tighthead four years ago and generally impressed in New Zealand but looking back on it more recently, he sees limits to the contributions he made.
“A lot of it was chasing rucks for me, to be honest with you, hanging off inside number 10,” he says. “I didn’t carry a whole lot, didn’t make any impact tackles… just working hard and hitting rucks.”
In 2021, Furlong feels ready to deliver more for the Lions.
“I’d like to think my game has moved on since then in terms of what I’ve been working on and hopefully I’ll be able to contribute that little bit more other than working hard and hitting rucks – not that there’s anything wrong with that.”
Now 28 and having reminded everyone of his world-class ability in this year’s Six Nations, Furlong does look primed to play a vital role for the Lions.
He was excellent in last weekend’s win over Japan, showing his power in contact and at the set-piece as well as some of his handling ability and work-rate around the pitch.
The Wexford man – who is sporting a black eye from some friendly fire from Rory Sutherland in the Japan game – has this weekend off, meaning a watching brief for today’s game against the local Lions in Johannesburg.
Kyle Sinckler gets a shot at tighthead today but Furlong is favourite to retain his Test spot ahead of the Englishman and Scotland’s Zander Fagerson. Chief among the reasons is Furlong’s skill at the scrum, where the Boks will obviously be strong.
“I was raw when I left school and moved to Dublin and into the academy in terms of scrummaging,” says Furlong.
“I didn’t actually play a massive amount of AIL for Clontarf, there were a few injuries there that held me back a small bit.
“I call him the ‘Scrum Daddy,’ Greg Feek, still. I learnt his method of scrummaging, he was the scrum coach at Leinster and put a massive amount of time in, then he moved on to Ireland.
“I suppose, the base model or the ‘off the shelf’ Greg Feek model of scrummaging is trying to be a square tighthead, a chesty scrummager with a high elbow. You see some tightheads are very shoulder-y.”
Furlong credits Mike Ross, Nathan White, and Michael Bent for their influence on him on the training pitch too and he also says he picked up a few bits from Sinckler – who was being coached by Adam Jones – on the last Lions tour.
While set-piece is central and carrying in congested channels is part of his job too, one of the things that help to seperate Furlong from other props is his ability to make decisions and pass the ball.
“Where’s space, you know? A lot of defences are rush defences, two-man tackle defence,” says Furlong.
“Where’s space, what’s the right option to play? I don’t get it right all the time, but is there a tip? An inside or outside tip? Is the number 10 calling it out the back and how you run it, really?
“It’s something I’ve worked on. It’s not as easy as standing there, ‘catch-pass’, you catch and then read what’s in front of you again really.”
More recently, we’ve seen Furlong adding an increased breakdown threat to his game, a new string to his bow.
“During the Six Nations, Simon Easterby would have said a lot of the time ‘leave the breakdown, get into shape, get your hold/fold decision right’.
“But I suppose it’s staying in the moment and if there’s an opportunity there, have a crack at it. Use your eyes before you use your feet and try to get a few turnovers. I suppose they haven’t been pushing me to poach at breakdowns the whole time, but if it’s on have a crack.”
Meanwhile, his involvement in Ireland’s leadership group since last year means he is thinking about the game more strategically than before, and having a bigger influence on the squad’s culture.
All of this leaves Furlong well prepared to have a major impact in South Africa, where he has settled into life in the Lions’ strict bubble as they look to steer clear of Covid-19.
Furlong is part of the squad’s food committee, although that job is tougher in the circumstances.
“There’s not a whole lot of restaurants to recommend apart from the team room! There’s talks of trying out a few room service options and recommending which one is good for the lads, we haven’t figured it out yet,” explains Furlong.
“If the lads want to raise any questions, we have a chef over here – Andre – and I’d be happy to pick it up with him.”
Furlong says the squad will miss being able to pop out of their hotel for a coffee or organise activities on their non-training days, but he underlines that the Lions are focused on the job at hand – beating the Boks.
It’s Furlong’s second tour but the achievement of being a Lion again certainly makes players reflect on their journeys.
Furlong has made the lovely gesture of dedicating his Lions jersey to the late Godfrey Hill and his wife, Peggy, who took him in at the New Ross Under-8s many moons ago.
The club means a huge amount to Furlong and hopes to be more heavily involved back at home when his own playing days start to wind down, but he was happy to be able to pay this tribute to the Hills.
“Godfrey and Peggy would have taken the 8s in New Ross for years and years and years,” says Furlong.
“I got an opportunity to present a Lions jersey to someone who has done a massive amount for me. It’s not only me they’ve influenced massively, it’s everyone that walked through the gates of the club.
“When you’re from a relatively small club like I am, the first contact point is so important and how they get people involved – the kindness and the time it takes.
“God forbid, I wouldn’t have the patience to deal with a load of U8s from New Ross but the way they did it was hassle-free, we loved it, they brought everyone along and gave them a chance.
“It’s a testament to the character of the man and unfortunately, he’s no longer with us but it’s a small gesture from me really for the impact he has had on so many people in the club.”
Tadhg is an official Vodafone Ambassador for the Lions tour to South Africa. He was speaking after dedicating his 2021 Lions jersey to Peggy Hill and her late husband Godfrey of New Ross Rugby Club who were instrumental in fostering a love of the game in Tadhg as a youngster.
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