Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

England wing Jonny May breaks silence over much-debated Lions snub

By PA
(Photo by David Rogers - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

England star Jonny May has reflected on the huge disappointment of being overlooked for this summer’s British and Irish Lions tour, the 31-year-old Gloucester winger adding that any chance of becoming a Lion has now realistically passed him by. It will be 2025 before the Lions reconvene, with a tour to Australia awaiting them, and May feels he could not have done any more during the four-year Lions cycle between New Zealand 2017 and South Africa in July and August.

ADVERTISEMENT

Only Rory Underwood has scored more tries for England, with May having amassed 33 in 66 Tests, while 25 of those scores came in 41 games between the last two Lions tours. “I will be honest, it was a huge disappointment,” May said. “It was a big goal of mine.

“I worked incredibly hard over a four-year cycle to become the best player I could be and give myself every chance of going, but you just can’t control selection. I look back to that four-year cycle, the work I put in and the way I played, I didn’t really feel like I could have done any more.

Video Spacer

Matt Dawson and Mike Brown on their favourite rugby memories

Video Spacer

Matt Dawson and Mike Brown on their favourite rugby memories

“You just have to accept it. It is something I wanted to do – it is not something I am going to be able to do. It’s in the past now. It’s part of playing a team game. For anybody who plays rugby, there are certain things that you will face in your career that are going to be disappointing.

“Probably the two hardest things to deal with are not getting picked and getting injured, but the game we play, those things are going to happen to you at some point. You have just got to get back up and keep going with it, really.”

May missed out behind England colleague Anthony Watson, Scotland international Duhan van der Merwe, Wales’ Josh Adams and his Gloucester teammate Louis Rees-Zammit when it came to head coach Warren Gatland’s Lions wing choices. Although 20-year-old Rees-Zammit did not feature in the Test series, he scored tries against South African opponents the Lions, Sharks and Stormers as he built impressively on a title-winning Six Nations campaign with Wales. “What a season he had,” May added.

“To be fair to Louis, in terms of what I see with where he is at, he is one of the most naturally talented players I have ever come across. He is as fast as anybody I have seen and he is natural on the ball as well. It all just comes very easily to him. Really, in terms of what’s in store for his career, the world is at his feet. I am confident he is going to go on to achieve great things.”

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Borthwick, it's time to own up – Andy Goode Borthwick, it's time to own up – Andy Goode
Search