Dan Sheehan (rugby union)

Last updated

Dan Sheehan 2025.jpg
Sheehan in 2025
Full nameDan Patrick Sheehan
Date of birth (1998-09-17) 17 September 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight111 kg (245 lb; 17 st 7 lb)
School Clongowes Wood College
University Trinity College Dublin
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker
Current team Leinster
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2020– Leinster 73 (225)
Correct as of 11 August 2025
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2018 Ireland U20 5 (5)
2021– Ireland 32 (75)
2025 British & Irish Lions 3 (10)
Correct as of 26 July 2025

Dan Patrick Sheehan (born 17 September 1998) is an Irish professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for United Rugby Championship club Leinster and the Ireland national team. [1]

Contents

Early life

Before playing professionally, Sheehan was a Leinster Schools Senior Cup semi-finalist with Clongowes Wood College in 2016. [2] He then went to Trinity College and played on their rugby team in the All-Ireland League. He has also played in the All-Ireland League for Lansdowne. [3]

Club career

Sheehan signed his first professional contract for Leinster in June 2020. [4] [5] He made his Leinster debut in October 2020 in Round 3 of the 2020–21 Pro14 against Zebre, scoring two tries. [6] In June 2022, he was named Leinster's 2021–22 Men's Young Player of the Year. [7] Sheehan was named to the 2022–23 URC Elite XV of the year. [8]

In January 2025, he returned from a six month injury to score two tries on first appearance back for Leinster in a 36–12 win over the Stormers in the URC. [9] In April 2025, he scored a hat-trick of tries during a 41–17 victory over Ulster. [10] In June 2025, he scored two tries in the URC semi finals during a 37–19 victory over Glasgow Warriors. [11] The following week he started the final as Leinster beat the Bulls 32–7 to win the 2024–25 United Rugby Championship. [12]

International career

Ireland

Sheehan made his senior international test debut on 6 November 2021 against Japan at the Aviva Stadium. [13] [14]

In the 2022 Six Nations, Sheehan came off the bench in a win against Wales and played the majority of the defeat to France after Rónan Kelleher came off injured in the 26th minute. Sheehan earned his first start for Ireland in the February 2022 Six Nations match against Italy. [15] In the final match of the 2022 Six Nations, he scored a try and won the player-of-the-match award in a 26–5 victory over Scotland. [16] Sheehan was nominated for the 2022 World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year. [17]

On 18 March 2023, Sheehan scored two tries in a player-of-the-match performance against England which clinched the 2023 Six Nations and the Grand Slam. [18]

In 2024, Sheehan won the 2024 Six Nations Championship finishing the tournament as joint top try scorer with five alongside Duhan van der Merwe. [19] [20]

In January 2025, despite just returning from a six month long injury and only one appearance in the URC that season, he was named on the bench for the opening round of the 2025 Six Nations against England. [21] He went on to score a try as they won 27–22. [22] In February 2025, he was named in the starting lineup for the first time during the tournament against Wales and in the absence of Caelan Doris through injury, he also captained the team for the first time. [23] Ireland won the Triple Crown after a 27–18 victory with Sheehan lifting the trophy alongside Doris. [24] On March 15th, Sheehan scored a hat-trick at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, during a 22–17 victory over Italy. [25]

British & Irish Lions

In May 2025, he was selected for the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia. [26] In July 2025, he scored a try in the first test as the Lions won 29–17. [27] He also scored the first try in the second test as the Lions won 29–26 to secure the series victory. [28] During the third test he was caught engaging in foul play with an illegal challenge to head of Australian player Tom Lynagh. After receiving a four match suspension, he denied the action was illegal and rejected the findings of the citing. [29]

Career statistics

List of international tries

NumberPositionPointsTriesResultOppositionVenueCompetitionDateRef.
1 Hooker 51Won Argentina Aviva Stadium 2021 end-of-year rugby union internationals 21 November 2021 [30]
2Hooker51Won Scotland Aviva Stadium 2022 Six Nations Championship 19 March 2022 [31]
3–4Hooker102Won England Aviva Stadium 2023 Six Nations Championship 18 March 2023 [32]
5Hooker51Won Scotland Stade de France 2023 Rugby World Cup 7 October 2023 [33]
6Hooker51Won France Stade Vélodrome 2024 Six Nations Championship 2 February 2024 [34]
7–8Hooker102Won Italy Aviva Stadium 2024 Six Nations Championship 11 February 2024 [35]
9Hooker51Won Wales Aviva Stadium 2024 Six Nations Championship 24 February 2024 [36]
10Hooker51Won Scotland Aviva Stadium 2024 Six Nations Championship 16 March 2024 [37]
11Hooker51Won England Aviva Stadium 2025 Six Nations Championship 1 February 2025
12Hooker51Lost France Aviva Stadium 2025 Six Nations Championship 8 March 2025
13–15Hooker153Won Italy Stadio Olimpico 2025 Six Nations Championship 15 March 2025
16*Hooker51Won Australia Lang Park 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia 19 July 2025
17*Hooker51Won Australia Melbourne Cricket Ground 2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia 26 July 2025

as of 30 July 2025 [38]

Personal Life

Sheehan, has a younger brother, Bobby who played hooker for Dublin University while their grandfather also played rugby for Leinster in the 1950s. [39]

References

  1. "Dan Sheehan". Leinster Rugby. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  2. "Irish Rugby | 'It's A Massive Moment In My Career' – Sheehan On Captaining Ireland" . Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  3. Kinsella, Murray (26 February 2022). "'He's like a big South African. He's got that bulk that you don't really see in Irish kids'". The 42. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  4. "Leinster announce 28 new contracts as Kearney and McFadden stay short-term". The42 . 25 June 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  5. Kinsella, Murray (23 October 2020). "'He's big and very powerful' - Highly-rated Sheehan set for Leinster debut tonight". The42. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  6. "Pro14: Leinster 63–8 Zebre". BBC Sport. 23 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  7. Client (5 June 2022). "2022 Bank of Ireland Leinster Rugby Awards Ball". Leinster rugby. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  8. "URC Awards: 2022/23 Elite XV Has Been Named". United Rugby. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  9. Glennon, Michael (25 January 2025). "United Rugby Championship recap: Leinster 36-12 Stormers". RTE. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  10. "United Rugby Championship recap: Leinster 41-17 Ulster". RTE. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  11. "Leinster 37-19 Glasgow Warriors". Glasgow Warriors. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  12. Strange, Mark. "Leinster dominate Bulls in URC final for ninth title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  13. Treacy, Neil (6 November 2021). "Sexton shines on milestone day as Ireland hammer Japan". RTÉ.ie .
  14. Stadium, Gerry Thornley at the Aviva. "Ireland make light work of Japan but All Blacks are a different beast". The Irish Times. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  15. "Sheehan keen to build on 'valuable' outing in Paris with first Ireland start". 25 February 2022.
  16. "Ireland claim Triple Crown by beating Scots as all eyes now turn towards Paris". the42. 19 March 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  17. "Johnny Sexton and Josh van der Flier nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year". the42. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  18. Treacy, Neil (18 March 2023). "Ireland clinch Grand Slam in style after win over England". RTE. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  19. "Guinness Men's Six Nations Statistics - 2024". Six Nations. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  20. "2024 Championship recap (and a look ahead to 2025)". Six Nations. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  21. "Ireland pick Prendergast at fly-half for England game". BBC Sport. 30 January 2025. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  22. Calvert, Lee (February 2025). "Ireland 27-22 England: Six Nations 2025 – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
  23. "Ireland Team Named To Face Wales In Cardiff". Ireland Rugby. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
  24. Calvert, Lee (22 February 2025). "Wales 18-27 Ireland: Six Nations – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
  25. Treacy, Neil (15 March 2025). "Hat-trick for Sheehan as Ireland labour to win in Rome". rte.ie.
  26. Meagher, Gerard. "Lions squad 2025: electric Pollock forces way in but Owen Farrell not among initial picks". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  27. "Australia 19-27 British & Irish Lions: first Test – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  28. "Australia 26-29 British & Irish Lions: second Test – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  29. "Independent disciplinary process update: Dan Sheehan (British and Irish Lions)". World Rugby. 4 August 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  30. Media, PA (21 November 2021). "O'Mahony hails Carbery after Ireland's emphatic win over Argentina". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  31. Calvert, Lee (19 March 2022). "Ireland 26-5 Scotland: Six Nations 2022 – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  32. Calvert, Lee (18 March 2023). "Ireland 29–16 England: Irish clinch Six Nations grand slam – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  33. "IRE 36-14 SCO: Ireland send Scotland home to set up All Blacks date in last eight". Rugby World Cup. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  34. "Ireland stun France with best ever Six Nations victory on French soil". Irish Times. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  35. McLaughlin, Luke (11 February 2024). "Dan Sheehan double eases superior Ireland to Six Nations win against Italy". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  36. "IRELAND DOWN WALES TO STAY ON COURSE FOR GRAND SLAM". Six Nations Rugby. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  37. "IRELAND CROWNED CHAMPIONS AGAIN". Six Nations Rugby. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  38. "Dan Sheehan". It's Rugby. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  39. "'He's big and very powerful' - Highly-rated Sheehan set for Leinster debut tonight". 42. Retrieved 20 August 2025.