George hopes to follow Robinson’s example
SARACENS hooker Jamie George will tomorrow become the first England player to start a British and Lions Test before doing so for his own country since Jason Robinson in 2001.
George’s many fans will hope he can follow Robinson’s lead and not only become a key starter for England but earn the right to captain the team.
Despite beating Ireland’s Rory Best and Wales hooker Ken Owens to the Lions No 2 jersey for the opening Test, George knows that he remains the second choice for Eddie Jones, having won all 17 of his England caps as a replacement.
It doesn’t have anything to do with form. George has convinced Lions head coach Warren Gatland he is the best available in the Four Home Unions – but Jones wants Hartley leading England. George, a former outside half who outgrew the position and now uses that handling skill as a ball-carrying front rower, has never become bitter but his driving ambition is to usurp Hartley.
His attitude is neatly summed up with the way he approached this tour of New Zealand and he said: “I definitely didn’t see myself as an understudy. I haven’t thought too much about the England stuff since I’ve been here, but I would be hoping to put in a good enough performance to show that I am able to do stuff from the start.
“But I think they’ve probably seen that playing for my club. Yes, it’s a message, but the stuff that Dylan’s doing is fantastic as well.
“They have just come off the back of a 2-0 series win in Argentina, so I am not really focusing too much on that. Dylan and I spoke before the tour and he is always very supportive, and vice versa.”
Jones admits that it is the leadership element that is keeping Hartley in the team as he told Standard Sport: “For us at Test level the role of the captain is so important because we have players coming from different clubs and ways of thinking.
“We need someone who can help me in that cohesive process to get them socially, emotionally and tactically together.
“Dylan is brilliant at it and therefore that segment of his work gives him an edge over Jamie and we have other good hookers in England — Tommy Taylor and Luke Cowan-Dickie —so there is strong competition.
“Dylan knows he has to improve his play and keep being a good captain to retain his spot — it is no secret.
“The Lions have got umpteen leaders in their squad so that is not a factor and so they judged [George] on his play.”