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Published 12:53 9 May 2022 BST
Updated 14:32 9 May 2022 BST
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"I'd do a lot of pad work, working on my technique. The idea is try and get the right technique then, on game day, I don't even need to think about it and hopefully I'll get that right technique. So it's just drilling a few of those things. "I'd always try to do a bit of catch and pass. A good bit of passing. I'd get someone to kick the ball at me, and catch. I'd get them from about 10 yards away, firing a ball straight at me and I'll try and catch them. It's more difficult than any pass you'd get in a game, so once you're in normal training, then it makes it a bit easier. "I do a few other bits and pieces. Specific to number 7, I do a lot of breakdown work. So, working on hitting the first ruck with Hugh Hogan, who's the [contact] skills coach in Leinster. Bit of cleaning out - clean-outs of rucks - hitting pads or working on poaching technique... Or maybe there's something I feel I have to add to my game - a bit of foot-work - and I'll add those bits in. But I have those set things that I do every week and I'd tip away every week and hopefully improve."The hard slog on the training pitches at Leinster's UCD base, and in the gym and analysis sessions, has clearly paid off. Still, van der Flier had to deal with the disappointment of narrowly missing out on a Lions Tour for the second time in his career. [caption id="attachment_259853" align="aligncenter" width="800"]
Josh van der Flier, right, and Jonathan Sexton celebrate a Leinster turnover against Leicester. (Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile)[/caption]
"No-one was really thinking about it [in February] and it was really far away but you were there trying on Lions jerseys, which is just a strange experience altogether. It still feels far away but it was still a strange experience... lads from all the [home nation] countries have tried it on. So it wasn't like 'Oh I must be really close'. Everyone knew it was a just in case thing."As it turned out, van der Flier was close. Warren Gatland mentioned him as one of the young players that had been pushing hard, and making the selection process difficult, ahead of a Test Series in New Zealand that ended up being a draw. Four years on, and we had the likes of Neil Back, Fergus McFadden and Sam Warburton making a case for Josh van der Flier to make Gatland's squad to tour South Africa. Gatland opted for Hamish Watson and Justin Tipuric as his opensides, with Tom Curry the versatile back-row option. When Tipuric got injured, Josh Navidi pipped van der Flier and flew South. Leaving van der Flier at home, where he would star for Ireland in blow-out summer Test wins, made little sense at the time. Maybe, we asked ourselves, if we were looking at the selection through green-tinted glasses. It did not feel that way, though. [caption id="attachment_249517" align="aligncenter" width="800"]
Mack Hansen of Ireland, centre, celebrates with teammates Garry Ringrose, left, and Josh van der Flier. (Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile)[/caption]
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