Ireland scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park has described the growing bond between Irish and English players as a 'brotherly rivalry' ahead of Saturday's Six Nations clash at Twickenham. The 33-year-old Leinster player, who was part of the British and Irish Lions squad that toured Australia last summer, believes the shared experience has intensified the traditional rivalry between the nations.

The familiarity between the teams is unprecedented, with 18 Irish and 15 English players having toured together. Gibson-Park, who earned his 49th cap as a replacement in Ireland's win over Italy, sees this connection as adding a new dimension to the fixture. 'When I think of the inter-pros in Ireland, they are my favourite games to play because you know the lads,' he explained at this week's news conference.

Ireland's bench strategy of six forwards and two backs has required players to be more versatile, something Gibson-Park embraces. While he started on the bench against Italy, he's keen to earn a starting role and even joked about playing in the backs. 'I'd love to get a run on the wing,' he said, noting he practices at full-back during training. The match kicks off at 14:10 GMT on Saturday, with both teams well-acquainted after their Lions tour experience.