Sheehan: We’ve Had Some Proper Battles With France Over The Years

Dan Sheehan says Ireland will need an ’80-minute mental performance’ if they are to get the better of France on the Guinness Men’s Six Nations Championship’s opening night, in two weeks’ time.

The announcement of Andy Farrell’s 37-player squad for the Six Nations has certainly whetted appetites for what is to come over the next couple of months, beginning with the trip to the Stade de France for a unique Thursday night fixture.

France had the upper hand against Ireland last year, winning 42-27 in Dublin on the way to their seventh title of the Six Nations era. Reversing that result will be all about applying both mental and physical pressure across the entire game, according to Sheehan.

Looking forward to the Championship opener in Paris, he said: “That game last year took the wind out of our sails a little bit. We’ve had some proper battles with France over the last few years.

“Last year was disappointing in that we got ahead (with Sheehan’s own try for a 13-8 lead). It was just after half-time, wasn’t it, and then things just got away from us.

“France have the ability to do that. They’re very good at keeping momentum once they get it. They have the talent across the board to make sure that they keep putting you under pressure.

“They’re very good at doing it, whether through their kicking game or through individual talent and speed. Louis Bielle-Biarrey had a couple of tries that day. They can rack up a score very quickly.

“It’s important that we just stick on and make sure we apply as much pressure as we can and just nail the basics. Then it’s an 80-minute game.

“They’re never out of it, no matter how many points you put on them. They always have a way back, so it’s just an 80-minute mental performance that we need.”

Optimum Nutrition, the Official Performance Nutrition Partner of Irish Rugby, has unveiled the 35-times capped Sheehan as its new brand ambassador, playing a key role in their latest campaign, ‘The Optimum Advantage’.

This global launch also features Sheehan’s Six Nations rival, England’s Marcus Smith, as well as current Forumla 1 champion Lando Norris.

The sports nutrition brand built the campaign on the idea that when athletes find their edge, they do everything they can to keep it a secret.

Building on Optimum Nutrition’s partnership with the IRFU, the campaign invites athletes and fans alike to discover their own ‘Optimum Advantage’ – using the same mindset and preparation principles that drive elite performers such as Sheehan, Smith, and Norris.

Sheehan comes into this year’s Six Nations in impressive try-scoring form, as is often the case. He has touched down five times in his last seven appearances for province and country, including a try off the bench for Leinster away to Bayonne last Saturday.

The prolific hooker ran in five tries during the 2025 Championship to become the forward with the most tries scored (13) in Six Nations history. He also crossed the whitewash twice to help the British & Irish Lions to a 2-1 series win over Australia.

Ireland came into the last two Six Nations tournaments as defending champions, but with last year’s third place finish, a recent autumn run that produced two wins out of four, and some notable injuries, expectation levels are not as high.

Still, Sheehan and his team-mates know they have the ability to really turn it on at this time of the year. They only have to look back to 2023 and 2024, and particularly that memorable night against France in Marseille two years ago, for examples of what they can achieve away from home.

“We’re sort of underdogs now, I suppose, which isn’t a bad place to be,” he admitted of how they are being viewed during the build-up to this Six Nations, with most bookmakers having them third behind England and odds-on favourites France.

“We just need to make sure of our prep over the next few weeks, that we get the energy going, fill up with confidence, and we still believe in each other that we can do it.

“I’m sure a Grand Slam is going to be the aim and so it should be. We have the ability to beat any of those teams on our day. It’s just about how we perform and how we show up to those games. It’s going to be no easy task.”

He added: “I’m really excited about the next couple of weeks. The Six Nations is always probably the best couple of months of rugby. You can see it around town, the buzz it creates.

“It’s massive days out for your friends and families, and it’s important that we make sure that we do everything we can in our prep to put a good performance in on the weekend because you can see the lift it gives to the country.”

Ireland’s Six Nations preparations will ramp up with their traditional stint in Quinta do Lago for a warm-weather training camp. They will assemble in Dublin on Sunday before flying out to Portugal.

When revealing his extended squad, Farrell spoke about the Six Nations being ‘an incredible tournament which brings out the best in players’, and this Irish group are aiming to get back on top form after losing 24-13 to South Africa last time out.

Sheehan, who has now captained Leinster, Ireland, and the Lions, believes the players will be that much sharper having got those autumn Tests and a run of BKT United Rugby Championship and Investec Champions Cup matches under their belts.

They will be looking to build on the positive aspects of their play from two months ago, while targeting some key areas for improvement and with Paris in mind, no doubt leaning on some of what they did to achieve that winning start away to les Bleus in 2024.

“I hope to see improvements,” the Dubliner acknowledged. “Everyone’s got a good bit of rugby under their belt now. I think we have the right people in the room to do it. The talent is endless that we have in the squad.

“The excuses are gone, so we’re starting from scratch now, and we’ve got a chance to hopefully put on a green jersey and just love every second of it and make sure we produce good performances.”

Asked about that momentous 38-17 win over France in Marseille, which saw the hosts have Paul Willemse sent off and Sheehan bag the bonus point try, he recalled: “That was just a day where it felt like it was all clicking and everything we had planned was coming off.

“That was the first game of the Six Nations as well, which is always a tough game to start. You don’t know where you are at, and there’s good nervous energy and group.

“It all came together that day. Now, France might say they had a bit of an off-day, which is fair enough. But it’s going to be a completely different challenge come the 5th of February – they’re back on their home patch (in Paris) where they feel most comfortable.

“We need to make sure that we’re all over our performance and making sure we’re nailing the basics because we have a lot to improve on from the autumn.”