Dan Sheehan has claimed the British and Irish Lions have all the motivation they need to whitewash Australia while delivering their finest performance on tour.
Now that the celebrations for securing an unassailable 2-0 series lead have subsided, the Lions have hardened their resolve to sign off their Southern Hemisphere expedition with a 100 per cent record.
If they triumph at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Saturday, they will become the first Lions side in almost a century to win every Test.
A dramatic 29-26 victory in Melbourne has placed Andy Farrell’s men on the brink of greatness, but Sheehan admits the review of the second Test was “not pretty watching for a lot of it”.
“It would be disappointing if we didn’t show up on Saturday,” the Ireland hooker said.
“It would be different if the series was in the balance, but we’ve always been pretty clear on our goals – to go unbeaten overseas and win the series 3-0. So we just need to stick to what we said.
“There are a lot of people who have put a lot of effort into travelling out for this game and a lot of our families will be here as well, so there’s plenty of motivation. And I can only imagine what the Australians are feeling now as well.
“We are searching for an 80-minute performance this weekend. The people and the talent we have are crazy. We just need to get them all working.
“There’s also an individual onus on how you show up to a game – myself included because there are a few moments in the second Test when you’re wondering what you were doing. We can be a lot better, definitely in that first half.
“But that’s part of rugby. It’s such an imperfect game that you’ve got to get over those moments pretty quick. And you get another chance on Saturday, hopefully.”
PERTH, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 28: Dan Sheehan (R) of the British & Irish Lions celebrates with team mate Henry Pollock after scoring their first try during the tour match between the Western Force and British & Irish Lions at the Optus Stadium on June 28, 2025 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Farrell names his team on Thursday and must decide to what extent fresh legs are needed following two bruising Tests against the Wallabies, but the indications from the management are that the strongest possible XV will be fielded.
That rules out rotation for anything other than those players who are running on empty, which could include flankers Tom Curry and Tadhg Beirne after their lung-busting shifts in Brisbane and Melbourne.
Second rower Joe McCarthy, centre Sione Tuipulotu and winger Mack Hansen all come into contention after recovering the injuries that forced them to miss the second Test.
If he has fully proved his fitness by Thursday, Hansen has an especially strong chance of being involved given wingers James Lowe and Tommy Freeman have yet to impress in the series. Blair Kinghorn is also an option to start.
Sheehan’s excellent form will see him continue at hooker and the 26-year-old will continue to find novel ways to unlock defences after his ‘superman’ try from close range during the second Test.
“I took the first free-kick and got absolutely melted trying to go low. Then for the second one I just thought ‘if I have a dive here…’,” he said.
“I didn’t know if they had anyone in the back. It was just a throw and hope and I slipped through. I can see all the controversy about it, but I did know that you can dive in the air if you score.”
