He has recounted how missing out on the “pinnacle” of the sport cut him deep, in 2013 in particular.
Jim, Shanks, Andy and Fez react to the Lions selection:
Jim, Shanks, Andy and Fez react to the Lions selection:
“I’m on my early-morning drive to Harlequins training and the phone rings. It’s Wig (Graham Rowntree). My mind is racing. I’m thinking, ‘This is not a good sign’.
“You see, I’d always got on with Wig. I trusted him. He was my England forwards coach, so I waited at the other end of the line with bated breath. He said quietly: “Unfortunately Robbo, it’s not good news. You’re not going on the tour. I wanted you to know, so you could brace yourself before the news goes public.”
“My heart dropped. It was not the news I wanted to hear but looking back, eight years on, he told me as a mate and that is something I will always respect.
“For the rest of the morning, everyone I bumped in to was wishing me luck for the Lions squad announcement. I’m smiling through gritted teeth, thinking, ‘Not this time’.
“I didn’t discuss it with anyone, I just put on a brave face.”
Fellow Harlequins Danny Care and Mike Brown both missed too in 2013 and 2017, although Ugo Monye made the tour in 2009.
“That’s the thing with the Lions, it’s either elation or despondency, nothing in between. I remember 2009, and the excitement when Ugo (Monye) got picked. We were all at the club cheering, but you immediately think of someone like Nick Easter, who didn’t get the call. It’s just a bittersweet moment for players you’ve sweated blood and tears with. I’ll make no bones about it; the Lions is the pinnacle. Always has been, always will be.
“It’s funny, in 2013, England were going well. We headed down to Cardiff on for a potential Grand Slam but lost heavily to Wales and Warren Gatland came out and said, ‘Things can change now’. And they did.
A string of losses for both England and Harlequins left Robshaw a long shot in 2013, a spectre that weighed heavily on the normally stoical forward.
“I remember going up to Worcester to support Quins in the LV Final. They beat Sale but I was hurting. I was there in body but not in mind. At one gym session, I packed up and left, which wasn’t like me. I told Conor (O’Shea) I was done. I needed to get away.”
Dejected England skipper Chris Robshaw at the 2015 RWC (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Robshaw would be an even longer shot in 2017 when an injury stopped him from displaying his rugby wares in the Six Nations.
“It did stiffen my resolve for 2017, but again England missed out on the chance to win the Grand Slam in Dublin, and I had to watch from afar because I’d torn an ACL in my shoulder. That vital shop window to put yourself up for selection had gone.
“I was older and wiser before the New Zealand tour, so maybe more pragmatic about not getting the call-up.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Farcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
61 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
61 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
61 Go to comments