Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Scotland place no substitute
SKIPPER John Barclay insists pulling on a dark blue jersey this summer is “no consolation prize” for the Scots overlooked by British and Irish Lions boss Warren Gatland.
Greig Laidlaw, Stuart Hogg andTommy Seymour were the only Scots among the Lions travelling party which touched down in New Zealand this week as the build up to their Test series with the All Blacks begins.
The small size of that Ta r t a n contingent surprised many, with the likes of Barclay, fellow flanker Hamish Watson, hooker Fraser Brown, lock Jonny Gray and stand-off Finn Russell among those whose form saw them in the reckoning before Gatland named his 41-man squad back in April.
However, having been left out, they will have to now to be consoled with a seat on the plane carrying Scotland to Singapore on Saturday as they start their own three-week AsiaPacific tour.
B a rcl ay, though, is adamant his team will not be left choking on sour grapes as they shape up for their first games under new coach Gregor Townsend against Italy, Australia and Fiji.
He said: “I’ve not heard anyone mention the Lions to be honest.
“That’s the nature of the group. We’ve got some humble guys and we just get on with it.
“Some might be disappointed but we’ve got an exciting tour to go on. We’re not far from New Zealand. You don’t want guys to get injured but, if they did, you’d like to think some of our guys will get a phone call. But playing for Scotland is no consolation prize.”