While Tadhg Beirne played two Tests on the last British and Irish Lions tour, he didn't get the real Lions experience.
The 2021 series in South Africa was played to a chorus of echoes in empty stadiums, with the majority of games played in Cape Town, a world away from the travel and noise and colour that most Lions tours are synonymous with.
"You know, me and Jack Conan had spoken about it very briefly during the Six Nations," Beirne said of missing out on the 'real' touring adventures.
"How much we both wanted it, experiencing the Covid Lions tour isn't really what it's meant to be.
"So when we both got the name called out, that's what I was thinking in my head, that we're going to get the actual experience of what the Lions is actually meant to be about; full crowds, having the fans come over, experiencing that wave of red coming into each city for each game and just the buzz around the place, it's going to be a much different experience and I'm really, really excited about it."
While he didn't start the Tests in 2021, the Munster captain was a valuable member of the squad, playing the first two Tests against the Springboks off the bench, among six games in total, scoring three tries.
Now 33, the versatile forward is expected to be in the mix for a starting place in the Test series against the Wallabies, either at lock or blindside flanker.
And the Ireland international remained modest when asked to reflect on how he's changed in the last four years.
"I've probably gotten slower, put on a bit of weight," he added, ahead of Friday's game against Argentina at Aviva Stadium.
"No look, I've learned a lot over the last four years. If I think about that year I probably wasn't getting selected for Ireland at the start of the year, it was a strange time obviously with Covid and the opportunity came to me in the Six Nations and all of a sudden I was in the Lions squad.
"I was kind of playing as a six more than a second row back then, I've been between both over the last couple of years, but if anything I've probably become more settled in the second row spot over the last couple of months, particularly with Munster.
"I like to think, or I've convinced myself anyway, that my game has improved a bit over the last four years just in terms of understanding the game and just being a smarter rugby player and particularly in the second row because I've been playing there a lot more, what's expected of me in that role, whether it be for Munster or Ireland. I've definitely got a better understanding of it but still a lot of room for improvement for sure."
Beirne starts in the second row for tomorrow's opening game against Los Pumas, partnering captain Maro Itoje (above), a pairing that many believe could be the lock combination for the Test series with the Wallabies.
The duo played together on the 2021 tour, but rarely as a second row partnership, with Beirne used more as a flanker in that tour by Warren Gatland.
But having roomed with Itoje for a couple of days this week, Beirne believes he can gel well with the England captain.
"We are quite familiar with each other at this stage. We have played against each other quite a bit and then we obviously played together on the last tour. I actually can't remember if I ended up playing in the row that much.
"I’ve enjoyed locking down with him so far so looking forward to Friday.
"He's been leading the team very well. He doesn’t curse, I have noticed, because when you get riled up you tend to curse a lot. He is very well-spoken and he has led the team really well so far."
While Friday's game against Argentina at the Aviva will come after less than two weeks prep, the head coach Farrell stressed his demand for "cohesion and connection" in their performance.
And Beirne (below) says they will be demanding high standards of themselves in the first of 10 games between now and the start of August.
"You're talking about world class players here. We're talking about the best of the best.
"The expectation we would have of each other is that you can adapt to any system you're given and that's the challenge laid in front of us. That's the challenge of being a Lion.
"Every four years there's going to be a new system, the coach is going to want to play a certain way and if you want to be a Lion, you're going to have to adapt or you'll get left behind.
"I would say if you came in here thinking that you could just play your club system or your country system, then you're probably already at a loss.
"So I think everyone comes into these things with a massive open mind and look forward to getting to play these new systems, getting to try something new and eager to learn.
"If you're not floating ideas of players in your position, you're already at a loss as well. We're in such a privileged position to come into these environments and learn from one another and get better as rugby players. Adaptation is a big part of that. We all want to be on the same page."
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