Courtney Lawes gives most telling insight yet into his Lions ambitions

Former England flanker Courtney Lawes has said he would be “buzzing” to go on a third British and Irish Lions tour, adding that he is a better player than he was last season.

The five-cap Lion left Northampton Saints over the summer to join Pro D2 outfit Brive. Despite playing in France’s second division and retiring from England duty after the 2023 World Cup, the 35-year-old is still in the conversation to make the tour to Australia next summer such was his form for Northampton Saints last season.

Speaking to TNT Sports recently, for whom he was a pundit during the Autumn Nations Series, the England great sent a message to Andy Farrell that he is a “better player” this season than the one that won the Gallagher Premiership.

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A changing of his role in France has led to this development, where the 105-cap England great explained how he is carrying much more than he used to while playing with the Saints.

Given the wealth of back-row options in England, let alone Ireland, Scotland and Wales, Lawes is unsure if he will be selected, but stressed that he will always back himself.

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“I actually feel that I’m a better player than I was at the end of last season,” Lawes said.

“I’m carrying probably two, three times as much as I was in the Premiership, just because my roles have changed. At the minute, I’m averaging two or three turnovers a game, and because the refereeing is – shall we say – different, you have to be squeaky clean and also very alert to breakdowns and things like that.

“A lot of my game is developing because I’ve been challenged to change my game slightly from what it was in the previous few years in my role at Saints.

“It’s been great for me, and I’d love to get the opportunity to actually see if I have become better at Test level. I’m always going to back myself, I don’t know if I’ll actually get the opportunity to go out to Australia with the Lions, but if I do I’ll be buzzing for it.”

Whether he is on the plane to Australia or not, Lawes believes England will be well-represented in the squad, outlining the players he thinks will make the cut.

He said: “Marcus [Smith] will be on there. I’d be very surprised if [Immanuel] Feyi-Waboso didn’t go. Maro Itoje will go, probably Jamie George, Ellis Genge, if Ollie Chessum gets himself fit he’ll be in with a chance. Ben Earl will probably go, maybe Sam Underhill. We’ve got a lot of really good players! [George] Furbank could be in with an outside chance. Hopefully I’ll go, but we’ll see what happens.”

Stream Ireland v Australia, the final game of the 2024 Autumn Nations Series, live on discovery+