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Courtney Lawes wants Lions call but won't do England U-turn – report
By Liam Heagney
Courtney Lawes has issued a come-and-get-me call to Andy Farrell, the likely head coach of the 2025 British and Irish Lions. The Northampton forward called time last month on his England career following their third-place finish at the Rugby World Cup.
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Despite being in excellent form at France 2023 and also skippering Steve Borthwick’s team in their early matches at the tournament versus Argentina and Japan, the 34-year-old decided that he won’t be available any longer for his country.
Now back at the Saints and playing in the Gallagher Premiership, he insisted he won’t be making a U-turn on his decision and declaring himself available for the 2024 Guinness Six Nations.
However, he told media this week at his club’s conference ahead of next Saturday’s trip to Saracens that he wouldn’t say no if he was selected to tour Australia with the Lions in 2025 at the age of 36.
“If, through some kind of fluke, I got another Lions call, I would probably do that,” enthused Lawes. “But I can’t imagine with the amount of good back-rowers we have got in Britain and Ireland I would get on the tour anyway.
“It’s two years away, but because it is in Australia I would definitely bring the family out for the whole trip. But I won’t be playing internationally then, so you couldn’t test me on that stage. I might not be playing rugby at all. Who knows? We will see what happens.”
England are currently enduring a post-World Cup injury crisis in their back row as Tom Curry and Ben Earl, the two players Lawes packed down with in last month’s semi-final versus South Africa, are currently sidelined. Curry’s hip operation has ruled him out of the rest of the season while Earl had surgery last week on his meniscus and will be out for between six to eight weeks.
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“It is my luck we have got a back row crisis when I am actually fit,” Lawes commented. “Normally I am part of the back row crisis. But I would have to get the call first.
“No, I am done to be honest. I didn’t stop playing internationally because I thought I couldn’t play or couldn’t get in the team; I stopped playing because I need to be here for my little ones, and that hasn’t changed. I know the back row might have changed a bit, but that hasn’t.
Lawes, who was on the Lions tours to New Zealand in 2017 and South Africa in 2021, has a 10-year-old, an eight-year-old, and twins who are nearly six.
“Playing for England is special to me, but you are at home for two months then you are away for two months, then you are home and you never really get a chance to settle in and create any structure in your life for you and your kids. A Lions tour is once every four years and is just a different occasion.”
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The veteran’s decision to retire from Test rugby with England has since been followed by Owen Farrell, who took back the England captaincy from Lawes at the World Cup, revealing that he won’t be available for the upcoming Six Nations due to his need to mentally refresh.
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The writer here ignores the fact that, following on from not taking the penalty kick, the All Blacks did manage to score a try a few minutes later. Not directly from the penalty awarded, but it is speculation to say that had they opted to take the koi they would have won. Even if they kicked it, which was no guarantee, they would still be trailing and would have had to start again at half-way.
Go to commentsI would be surprised if Sales Opoku Fordjour and Northampton’s Tommy Freeman are not in the team, Anthony Watson is also one that could go on the wing. One thing I must say is that the front 3 will get destroyed against a team like South Africa.
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