Most of the English players have a funny way of pronouncing Tadhg Furlong’s name

They are making a bags of it anyway.

Tadhg Furlong has had the season of his professional life and he's not done yet. The Leinster and Ireland tighthead excelled in 2016/17 and took the fight to the world's very best. As early as last June he was talked about as a potential Lion. By November, he was all but locked in for the tour to New Zealand. One would imagine, then, that Furlong's new teammates in the British & Irish Lions squad would be more than familiar with hearing mention of his name. Not so. In response to an odd question about time travel and Doctor Who's 'Tardis', on the official Lions website, England prop Joe Marler remarked:

"What? No I think you’ll find it’s pronounced ‘TADHG’ Furlong! No but in all seriousness... "

Marler is not the only one making a hames of Furlong's first name. At Carton House this afternoon, the prop told us:

"The lads are busy enough at the minute just trying to get my name right.  "Sure it depends [what they are calling me]. Some of the lads are up front and ask me how I pronounce it. Others will just say, 'How are ya big fella!' "Some of the lads make bad attempts like 'Tadge', 'Tog', 'Tad'. Tad has properly been the most common, I'd say."

Another few weeks in the close presence of the Wexford native and they'll get the hang of it.