1
'It's weird. I don't really like doing that'- Jonny May admits he didn't like Lions jersey ritual
England wing Jonny May admits he felt uncomfortable pulling on the Lions jersey last week knowing that he has yet to earn it.
ADVERTISEMENT
Every member of Eddie Jones’ squad had a photo taken in the famous red shirt at St George’s Park last Wednesday in the event they are selected by Warren Gatland for this summer’s series against South Africa.
It is a ritual undertaken by all home unions at the start of the Guinness Six Nations, but May refuses to allow himself to dream of embarking on a first Lions tour when England’s title defence begins against Scotland on Saturday.
Even with Gatland present at Twickenham, the Gloucester wing will focus only on Scotland.
“It’s just strange. You haven’t earned it yet or got there, but you are trying the kit on. It’s weird. I don’t really like doing that,” the Gloucester wing said.
“But you get it done and try to get back to what you’re doing, which at the moment is trying to play for England, getting better and preparing for a Test match.
“It’s human nature to want things. Of course what a lovely thought that is, it would be a dream come true to go on a Lions tour. It’s something you dream of doing as a kid. Of course you want to be a part of that.
ADVERTISEMENT
“But at the moment I don’t have the luxury of drifting off into that nice thought because I’ve got to come back to the now.”
May provided the highlight of the Autumn Nations Cup by scoring a breathtaking solo try against Ireland that started inside his own 22, but the 30-year-old rejects the idea of being a showman.
“I am not an entertainer. I am a rugby player. It’s funny really. Just like with the Lions, it is human nature to want things,” he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Who wouldn’t want to go out at Twickenham and score a world class try for your country? Who wouldn’t want to go on a Lions tour? Who wouldn’t want to dream big and want great things? That’s human nature.
“But at what point do these thoughts become distractions? They do because it takes you out of the moment. It takes you out of focusing on your job.
“It can lead to disappointment, distraction, frustration. That is a battle everybody in life has. That is no different for me being a rugby player.”
“Of course I would like to have exciting moments, great moments, memories, but the circumstances and the variables often dictate that to me. I can’t control those things.”
May has been performing drills in camp with skills coach Ed Robinson, who has been plucked from relative obscurity at Jersey Reds to become part of England’s management staff for the Six Nations.
Robinson, son of former England head coach Andy, admits he thought it was a prank when Jones offered him the temporary role after acting as his mentor for the last year.
“Two weeks ago, out of the blue, I had a text from Eddie saying ‘call me’. I called him and I flew the next day,” Robinson said.
“I asked him if it was a joke! I was in the shower actually. I’d just come out of the shower, ready to go to the office.
“Eddie’s been awesome in mentoring me. I would send him an idea and he would give me great feedback to go and make it better.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments