British and Irish Lions: Wales hooker Ken Owens predicts Covid-19 bubble benefits
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Ken Owens (left) and captain Alun Wyn Jones arrive at the British and Irish Lions training camp in Jersey
Wales hooker Ken Owens believes the British and Irish Lions Covid-19 bubble can help on the South Africa tour.
The Lions have met up for a training camp in Jersey this week and will be together until after the third Test against the Springboks on 7 August.
"We are lucky in some ways because we are in a bubble and we're very tight together," said Owens.
"It's easier to get social connections going because you don't have people drifting off."
Owens says the Lions being "restricted to what we can do" has prompted a change in the usual tour party behaviour patterns.
"We are not sharing rooms so we do tend to spend a lot more time down around the team room, because you don't want to be isolated," said the Scarlets star.
"So, in some ways, being in a bubble is a strength, not a weakness. We're forced to spend a lot more time together."
The Lions bubble will be more concentrated than teams were used to during the Six Nations.
"During the Six Nations, it was slightly different," explained Owens.
"In Wales, we were at the Vale for eight weeks which was very familiar surroundings for us, so it was almost like being at home for eight weeks with no-one else at the hotel.
"It is slightly different for this trip and it is going to be pretty restrictive, but we've got some great hotels and plenty of spaces that we can go mix in, in and around the team room."
Wales wing Josh Adams settles into life into Jersey life with the British and Irish Lions
The Lions will spend 10 days in Jersey before flying to Edinburgh to face Japan on 26 June with the eight-match tour of South Africa to follow.
"Coming out to Jersey, we've got to respect the island," added Owens.
"They've done a brilliant job with regard to their Covid protocols and got them absolutely spot on since we've got here.
"At the moment, we're still going through a short period of isolation and testing to make sure we aren't a risk to the island.
"We're basically hotel-bound and just bussed up to training and back so we're pretty restricted at the moment. We're not allowed to leave the hotel.
"That is what it is and something we have to accept to protect ourselves and the wider public here.
"Then it will be exactly the same as we move on up to Edinburgh and onto South Africa."
Ken Owens (left) and Ronan Kelleher train at the British and Irish Lions training camp in Jersey
Owens is the only one of the initial Lions hookers in Jersey, with Saracens' Jamie George and Exeter's Luke Cowan-Dickie absent because of their end-of-season club commitments.
Ireland's Ronan Kelleher has joined the training camp as cover.
"The talent of hookers on the tour is incredible," said Owens.
"The competition is there. It is the norm. It happened four years ago.
"Being in early just gives you that little bit of a head start in learning and getting ahead of the curve. The boys coming in will get their opportunity and I am sure they will be up to speed."