Who is Jack Conan: Ten things you should know about the Ireland No 8

Find out more about the Leinster back-rower, from pre-match nerves to GAA

Who is Jack Conan: Ten things you should know about the Ireland No 8

Known for his tireless work-rate and eye-catching speed when carrying, Ireland No 8 Jack Conan was particularly dominant against England in the final round of the 2021 Six Nations and was subsequently selected for the British & Irish Lions 2021 tour to South Africa.

Related: Jack Conan – “It was like an out-of-body experience”

Here are ten more facts about the Leinsterman.

Ten things you should know about Jack Conan

1. Jack Conan was born on 29 July 1992 in Bray, a coastal town to the south of Dublin. Other famous inhabitants include boxer Katie Taylor and singer Hozier.

2. The first sport he took seriously was GAA, where his elder brother was captain of the local Kilmacanogue side. He played until he was 17, when he stopped to focus on rugby.

3. It was at the relatively late age of 13 that Conan first played rugby, taking the game up when at St Gerard’s School.

4. He made his Leinster debut against Cardiff Blues back in the 2013-14 season, scoring a try on debut in a 34-22 win.

5. The 2015 Rugby World Cup warm-up against Scotland saw Conan make his first appearance for Ireland, with his side winning thanks to a late try from Luke Fitzgerald.

6. A training ground foot injury before Ireland’s game with Japan at the 2019 World Cup, followed by some other niggles, kept him out of international rugby for 18 months. He finally returned against Italy in the 2021 Six Nations.

7. He scored a crucial try against England in the 2021 Six Nations and said: “I couldn’t even tell you the last time I had scored a try before that, I was on a long drought, probably the longest in my career.”

8. He made his 100th appearance for Leinster against the Dragons on 19 February 2021. He signed a new long-term contract two months later.

9. Conan has said he is particularly affected by pre-match nerves – but would be more worried if he didn’t have those butterflies!

10. He was Man of the Match when Leinster beat Munster to win the 2021 Guinness Pro14 title.

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