Saunas, cuddly toys and new bonds - inside the Lions' Algarve den

"Tell them what you said astir me," Ellis Genge teases Finlay Bealham arsenic nan Englishman sits down for an question and reply astatine nan British and Irish Lions training guidelines successful Portugal.

"I said you were nan champion looking, pinch nan champion chat," Bealham fires back, earlier nan 2 props embrace.

Three days into nan Lions campy and already nan bonds are being forged.

"It was a spot unusual erstwhile we first turned up, I've said immoderate really horrible things to a fewer of them connected nan pitch," Genge tells nan Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

"But what a group of boys. I americium really enjoying being astir them. Finlay, he's a tighthead [Genge's other number]. But we are getting connected for illustration a location connected fire. What a awesome bloke - a very funny character, correct up my street. That's nan beauty of rugby.

"It's weird, nan conflict of attrition you person been done complete nan past fewer years, playing against them, and trying to deed lumps retired of them.

"Then you travel present and get connected really good pinch them."

It's a engaged segment astatine nan Lions training analyzable successful Quinta do Lago arsenic nan players mingle aft a gym session.

England flanker Henry Pollock is tightly clutching BIL, nan Lions mascot which is his sole work arsenic nan youngest personnel of nan touring party.

Huw Jones is going done an individual regular pinch 1 of nan Lions conditioners arsenic nan Scotland centre recovers from a niggling Achilles problem.

Ireland's Bundee Aki shares a joke pinch English brace Elliot Daly and Jamie George, nan trio reunited aft they toured South Africa together successful 2021.

Marcus Smith wanders complete for a chat, chiefly astir really communal acquaintance Danny Care is adjusting to life arsenic a civilian.

And pinch nan players vanished successful nan open-air gym, coach Johnny Sexton and caput of capacity David Nucifora nip successful for a speedy workout.

Meanwhile, Genge speaks to america aft a precise sauna convention - "11 minutes a day, 5 days a week," he explains.

Despite nan relaxed atmosphere, nan Lions are connected nan clock.

Not only do they person to enslaved disconnected nan field, but connected it they request to build cohesion earlier nan conflict pinch nan world's fifth-ranked broadside Argentina successful Dublin connected 20 June.

And this is without 15 players from Leinster, Bath and Leicester, who are preparing for home finals this weekend. In fact, 5 weeks aft naming his squad, caput coach Andy Farrell has yet to person his full touring statement successful nan aforesaid room.

"Nothing is going to beryllium cleanable connected a Lions tour," explains adjunct coach John Dalziel.

"The crazy quality of nan schedule; nan travel; location will beryllium injuries thrown astatine us. We person conscionable sewage to beryllium adaptable.

"This is what we wanted and we person to train that adaptability. That's what nan Lions are astir - we will move, we will accommodate and we will person nary excuses."

Genge agrees: "We've sewage a batch to learn. On and disconnected nan pitch. But nan anticipation is to beryllium a fast-learner, and that is what we are doing."

The Lions person already had to reshuffle, pinch Zander Fagerson's calf wounded opening nan doorway for Bealham, and George and Asher Opoku-Fordjour joining to bolster training numbers.

Now Farrell and nan guidance look a tense hold earlier nan finalists caput into campy connected Sunday, pinch Dalziel confirming immoderate players will beryllium asked to move astir six days later to look nan Pumas.

"The Lions are going to play 3 games successful a week. If we can't move astir successful 7 days, past we won't beryllium capable to move astir successful 2 aliases three," he adds.

"Everyone will beryllium available, hopefully safe and sound connected Sunday, and fresh to go."

For a first-time tourer for illustration Wales' Jac Morgan, it's a chance to some make an belief and study from back-row rivals.

"There is loads to learn, and I americium looking guardant to spot really they each train, their habits and nan other worldly they do," Morgan tells Rugby Union Weekly.

"But besides it's breathtaking to activity arsenic a backmost statement and get nan champion retired of each other. It will beryllium awesome to study from them and to play pinch them."

And arsenic 1 of only 2 Welshmen connected nan tour, Morgan knows he has a work to uphold Wales' proud Lions traditions.

"There person been a batch of Welshmen successful nan history of nan Lions; they are legends of nan game," he adds.

"So it is simply a monolithic inspiration and hopefully we tin make everyone successful Wales proud."

From Portugal, nan Lions caput to Dublin connected Sunday earlier flying consecutive to Australia aft nan gathering pinch nan Pumas.

First extremity down nether is Perth, and nan circuit opener pinch nan Western Force connected June 28.

It's each getting very real, very quickly.