Ben Earl has described his first British & Irish Lions tour as a 'life-changing' experience, expressing his hope to feature on the next tour and explaining how he returns to Saracens and England as a much-improved player. The 27-year-old back-rower appeared as a replacement in the first and third Tests of the series against Australia, which the Lions won 2-1.
Earl emphasised the importance of adopting a relaxed mindset, citing an incident where the team bus door jammed on the way to the stadium. 'Just get out of your own way,' he said. 'You can overthink this sport so much... It's almost like you get to the pinnacle of our sport – this is what it is – and you're back playing under-12s on a Sunday morning.'
The Saracens star spoke of his admiration for head coach Andy Farrell, saying: 'He has made me fully believe in how good I am. Every time he talks to the group, I'm like, I'll do anything for that man.' Earl also discussed Owen Farrell's England future, noting: 'I love playing with him... The more times I can take the field with that bloke, the better.'
Meanwhile, Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan has been suspended for four matches following an illegal clearout on Australia's Tom Lynagh during the third Test. The ban will be reduced to three games if Sheehan completes a coaching intervention course. He will miss Leinster's pre-season clash with Cardiff and URC fixtures against the Stormers, Sharks, and potentially Munster.
