British and Irish Lions: The dark side of squad announcement day

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British and Irish Lions: The dark side of squad announcement day

Mike Brown went through the same in 2017. Except he did not even make it to Harlequins’ training ground.

On his way in on the morning of the announcement, listening on the radio, he heard he wouldn’t be touring as details of the squad leaked out to the media.

Brown, who has started every game for England’s Six Nations winners in 2017, was bereft.

“I was gutted. Embarrassed. I felt like a failure – worthless,”

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“I trained that day with my head in the clouds, empty. Questioning everything. As you can imagine, I was awful in the session. Dropped ******, no energy, silent. I just wanted to get home and hide away.”

Care’s final shot at Lions selection came in 2021. After steering Harlequins to a thrilling Premiership triumph, there was a groundswell of support for the then 34-year-old to make the tour to South Africa.

Even the man at the centre was swept along.

“I hadn’t played for England in over two years, but people start saying things, picking teams and saying I was definitely on the plane,” he said.

“[Former Lions captain] Sam Warburton said something and I thought, ‘if Sam says it then maybe, just maybe’.

“Then [Lions coach] Warren Gatland comes to watch one of your games. And, again, you think maybe I am going to be in.

“I am so happy for the lads who have been picked, but I don’t know what that feeling must be like.

“You see the reaction videos and it looks like the coolest feeling you could ever have, but I have never had that and never will.”

The spectre of Lions selection – never mind the fallout from non-selection – can spook players, says Chris Ashton.

The former Saracens, Northampton, *****, Leicester, Harlequins and Worcester wing is the all-time leading Premiership try-scorer and crossed 20 times in 44 appearances for England.

He was hotly tipped for the 2013 squad, but then overlooked.

His hopes of making the squad, along with those of several England stars, were harmed by their team’s implosion against Wales in the final round of that year’s Six Nations.

“It actually ruined my whole season, to be honest,” says Ashton.

“I would play a game, and be desperate to play well. Then, when you don’t, the next week you think you absolutely have to play well.

“Any sportsperson in that sort of mindset is never going to perform – when you are trying so hard to do well and you just can’t get going.”

Sometimes, Lions rejects do get going though.

While Care, Ashton and Brown never wore Lions red, Sinckler, so stricken by his initial omission, did end up on the 2021 tour of South Africa.

Ireland’s Andrew Porter, who had been preferred to him, suffered a toe injury before the team departed, prompting a belated call-up.

A couple of months after his emotional interview at the Rec, the England prop was on the touchline once again.

This time, it was to make his entrance off the bench and into the first Test against the Springboks.

Missing out stays with players. For a lucky few though, not for too long.

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