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What Sean Everitt told Darcy Graham after Lions let-down
By Bryn Palmer
Darcy Graham has been told “the door is not closed” on his hopes of featuring on the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia and there is still “all to play for” despite missing out on Andy Farrell’s initial 38-man squad.
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The Scotland wing was one of the more unfortunate omissions when Farrell unveiled his party on Thursday, with Irish duo Mack Hansen and James Lowe, Edinburgh team-mate Duhan van der Merwe and the England pair of Tommy Freeman and versatile Elliot Daly preferred as options out wide.
Graham is Scotland’s second-highest try-scorer – behind Van der Merwe – with 31 from 46 caps, including seven in seven Tests this season on his return to the fold after a series of injuries wrecked his last campaign following the Rugby World Cup.
And Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt has urged the 27-year-old Borderer to remain focused, with players inevitably being forced to drop out of the original squad either before departure for Australia or once the tour is underway.
“The door’s not closed, there’s a lot of rugby to be played between now and the Lions trip and more than likely there’ll be one or two guys that might drop out because of injuries and then the door opens,” Everitt said. “So it’s good for us that there are a couple of spots open in the Lions group and there’s all to play for, for the individuals.
“Darcy’s obviously disappointed, as he would be because in the opportunities that he got in the Six Nations, he did really well, and he’s been in good form in the URC as well as in the European games. So it is disappointing for a guy like that. I did chat to him and tell him that he’s young enough to make the next one.”
Graham is likely to be selected for Scotland’s summer tour, featuring matches against the New Zealand Maori, Fiji and Samoa, so could easily be a short hop away from Australia if injuries strike the Lions.
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His response to his initial rejection indicates he is remaining upbeat about possible alternatives should Edinburgh’s campaign not continue beyond their final match of the regular season against Ulster on 16 May into the URC play-offs.
“He did ask tongue-in-cheek if he could play in the Melrose Sevens,” Everitt said. “That’s the nature of the guy. He’s a fighter and we’ve seen that on the rugby pitch. It wasn’t an easy year for him with the injuries he had and he came back flying.
“That’s the type of guy he is. The character that you see on the field is the character that you have off the field. A great guy to have around the group and he’ll be back fighting for a place and hoping that an opportunity arises in the near future.”
Graham will start for Edinburgh as they chase a victory, preferably with a bonus point, to keep their play-offs hopes alive in Saturday’s clash with Connacht in Galway. Scotland flanker Jamie Ritchie misses out with concussion, while co-captain Grant Gilchrist is rested after last week’s bruising European Challenge Cup semi-final loss to Bath.
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But Everitt said all three players could yet come into contention as replacement options for the Lions.“It’s very important for all individuals because you don’t know who they’re going to select next,” he added. “There’s certain areas within that squad that are thin. There could be more than just one guy putting his hands up – certainly Jamie and Darcy.
“And if you look in the lock department, a guy like Gilco [Gilchrist], a couple of good performances there and if there’s an injury, they could look at bringing one of them in.
“Rugby’s full of disappointments and obviously celebrations as well. I suppose you’ve got to take the rough with the smooth. You’ve got to show resilience and move on and keep on fighting.”
While Van der Merwe steps up his recovery from an ankle injury that should see him fit by the end of the month, prop Pierre Schoeman – the other Edinburgh player chosen for the Lions – starts in Galway.
In Ritchie’s absence, Ben Muncaster starts at blindside, Marshall Sykes takes over from Gilchrist while centre Mosese Tuipulotu and wing Jock Brown come into the backline.