‘I can’t take this moment for granted. I have to keep pushing from here’
After being upset by reports he would not be on the Lions tour, Jonathan Joseph tells Charlie Morgan that he has relished the first week in camp
‘Idon’t know, mate,” groans Jonathan Joseph, scrunching up his eyes. “I don’t know what I was thinking at that point. It was… it was terrible.” He is recalling what should be a glorious memory, when he replaced try-scoring hero Manu Tuilagi for the frantic, 14-minute finale of England’s 38-21 win over New Zealand in December 2012. As a result, Joseph boasts that rarest of things in Test rugby – a 100 per cent record against the All Blacks.
Now 26, he recognises the “huge honour” of his involvement in such a famous result. However, because of the mohawk strip buzzed into his hair that afternoon at Twickenham, the centre does not feel like reviewing any photographic evidence. “Don’t bring up any pictures or anything,” he warns, mock-stern.
Joseph would love his unblemished history with New Zealand to extend until at least mid-july. But he is also eager to put it on the line. And the only way to do that is by forcing his way into the British and Irish Lions Test reckoning.
Widespread reports of his omission in the lead-up to the squad announcement last month caused anguish. Aches and pains had also taken hold at the end of a long season. Todd Blackadder, the Bath director of rugby, gave Joseph time off, including from the final two Aviva Premiership games, to recuperate. Joseph ended up watching the Sky Sports show in bed, stressed and uncertain.
“It’s not nice to have those articles written about you,” Joseph admits. “Until the final selection is announced, I don’t think people should say too much. It wasn’t a great couple of days, but when my name got read out, everything changed. Now I want to get my head down. If I’m lucky enough to play, I’ll do my best to take the opportunity with both hands.”
Warren Gatland revealed that he personally insisted on Joseph’s involvement because of the “footwork and speed” that have brought 16 tries in 33 England appearances and caused “so many problems” for Wales.
Gatland hid a stick behind the carrot, subsequently acknowledging that he did see weaknesses in Joseph’s game.
“That pushes me on a bit,” Joseph says. “And, more than that, it reminds me that I can’t take this moment for granted. I’ve got to make this count. I felt like I got to grips with a lot of things in the first week, like I put my best foot forward. I want to keep pushing from here on. There’s competition all around, but I want to make sure I’m training the best I can.”
The first week of Lions training revolved around conditioning to make sure the players are ready for fast-paced matches that will sap energy reserves. Strategic detail starts to come together now. All three fly-halves – Jonathan Sexton, of Leinster, Owen Farrell, of Saracens, and Dan Biggar, of Ospreys – have finished their domestic campaigns, which will guide that process.
As the picture of him entering a cryogenic chamber shows, Joseph is in exquisite physical shape. He feels “as good as gold”.
There is also a flicker of fire beneath the phlegmatic exterior. It is the same hidden tenacity that resulted in him celebrating the second try of his Six Nations hat-trick against Scotland with a bristling fist pump.
“I hadn’t been as involved as I had wanted to be,” Joseph says. “I had been a bit frustrated and I think that probably showed. I’d been struggling to make a mark – not messing up so much, just not influencing the game. That’s something I feel I can do, have a positive effect. That Scotland game was nice. It felt that the hard work we’d been doing all week paid off.”
Glasgow wing Tommy Seymour was Joseph’s first room-mate at
‘I want to be a constant threat in outside channels and be dangerous when I get the ball’
‘We have pace, skills, power. We have an advantage in the amount of talented players’
Lions camp. The pair got on well, so perhaps that 61-21 victory for England did not get mentioned. Positionally astute and excellent under the high ball, Seymour could thrive in New Zealand. Joseph is certainly excited to watch the squad come together.
“We have to back ourselves,” he says. “We have pace, skills, power. We have a huge advantage, just in terms of the amount of talented players we have.”
Midfield is perhaps the area where the Lions must be most patient. There is an array of potential outside centres – from gain-line bullies such as Ben Te’o to incisive organisers like Jared Payne, via Robbie Henshaw and Jonathan Davies – with myriad possible arrangements. Joseph is decisive on what he would offer in the 13 shirt. “I want to be a constant threat in those outside channels, look like there’s a buzz about me and be dangerous when I get the ball,” he says.
And the other side of the game? “A solid defensive leader who is making the right decisions, feeding the right information and bringing confidence to the side.” Self-assured is the only head space in which to face the All Blacks. And if Joseph gets that chance, he might be more conservative with the clippers too.
Jonathan Joseph was speaking from the Samsung Slider, a sports viewing experience bringing fans closer to the action. Visit Samsung.com