DAN BOXING SO CLEVER!

Sheehan made a fist of it in the ring to aid recovery

- BY MICHAEL SCULLY

DAN SHEEHAN is taking it on the chin that his boxing days are over - and he's ducking and diving when it comes to Lions selection talk.

The Leinster and Ireland star is almost back to peak physical fitness after his ACL lay-off.

And though he returned to action very quickly - he was out of action for six months - no corners were cut in his rehab.

He took up boxing to accelerate the process but admits that he wasn't able to keep up the training.

"I don't really miss it," Sheehan confessed. "It was tough. I was getting lashed around by 50-year-old, 60-year-old men!"

Instead, he's delivering knockout punches on the rugby pitch while doing everything he can to avoid conversations about Lions selection before Saturday night.

Andy Farrell names his Lions squad next Thursday for the trip to Australia and the prolific Sheehan will be included having only returned from a cruciate injury ahead of the Six Nations.

The hooker has been on a try-scoring spree since his return - he has grabbed 12 in nine games since his comeback against the Stormers on January 25.