Jamie ready to forget play-off defeat to

JAMIE George is used to major competition for a Test team starting place - and the British and Irish Lions’ New Zealand tour is no exception.

All 17 of the Saracens hooker’s England caps have been won off the replacements’ bench, providing essential and valuable back-up to England captain Dylan Hartley.

It could be that 26-year-old George ends up starting a Test for the Lions during the next six weeks before he does with England, but that is another demanding task given that his fellow squad hookers are Ireland skipper Rory Best and in-form Welshman Ken Owens.

At least he will not have the Lions skipper - flanker Sam Warburton - in direct competition for a Test berth, and George said: “I guess that is a change.

“But it will still be really tough competition. Both Rory and Ken are fantastic players, and it will be tough competing with them, but that is the competition you want.

“If we can push each other along and the competition is strong, it will only be better for the team. I am hugely looking forward to working with both of them.

“My mindset is that you have to earn the right to play in the shirt. That is my ambition.

“I know that I will have to be in form up against two world-class players, and I am making sure I am doing everything to get myself right when my opportunity comes.”

George did not have long to reflect on Saracens’ Aviva Premiership play-off defeat against Exeter last Saturday, as the Lions’ training camp in County Kildare