‘I set the bar on Lions tour, now I want to go beyond it’
Jamie George reveals to Julian Bennetts why he is ready to take Dylan Hartley’s England place
Professional rugby sides are often looking for a bit of magic and Saracens have taken that idea rather literally as they prepare to launch the defence of their European crown. “We had a magician in last week – Pete the Heat,” laughs their hooker, Jamie George. “It was very interesting. He wasn’t just performing magic. He was saying what his mindset was with the tricks and we managed to find a common ground where we took a few things from him to heighten our awareness on the rugby field.
“He was talking about the fact the trick happens before the big reveal. We took that for meaning work we do off the ball. People see the tries but it’s the kick-chase, working hard to get off the floor [that makes the difference].”
The problem for George is that all of his recent work has been in the glare of the spotlight. He is yet to start a Test for England but was a key man for the Lions over the summer, cementing his place in Warren Gatland’s team for all three Tests during the drawn series in New Zealand.
He has continued that form this season, scoring a hat-trick in last weekend’s 38-19 win over Wasps in a brilliant all-round performance.
This Sunday, he comes up against Dylan Hartley, the Northampton and England captain, and the man keeping him out of Eddie Jones’ side. In England terms at least, Hartley has had the upper hand, but he will be facing a player whose game has moved up a notch since last season, with George admitting his experience with the Lions – and specifically the second Test – has changed his view of what he considers himself capable of.
“I feel I’ve developed hugely off the back of that tour,” he says. “It’s given me an increased confidence but at the same time I do put expectation on myself.
“The second Test, in particular, was one I was proud of. That’s where I set the standard. The bar is set there and all my performances are based off that. It was generally the intensity of the way I played. The thing I was most pleased about was my physicality, especially in the second half. That is the one game I have watched back the most and realised where I need to be. For example, I watched it before my first game in America [against Newcastle] because I was proud and happy with the way I played. That’s the benchmark. I want to keep striving to get beyond that – I have watched it enough times now. I can’t live off it. I’m aware of where I need to be emotionally and physically on Sunday in order to be at my best.
“You don’t pick and choose when you perform. The way I approach it shouldn’t be any different whether it’s a Lions Test or an A league game on a Monday.”
And Jones will most certainly be watching. He has let George know that he was impressed by his performances with the Lions, while underlining the 26-year-old needs to sustain a performance over a full game rather than “dipping in and out”.
“Did Eddie say he thought I did well? In a way – the best way that Eddie can,” laughs the amiable George. “He was very happy with some things but there were certain others he wanted me to work on, which I took on board and agreed with. It goes back to consistency and making sure throughout a game I don’t dip off.”
If he can bring that consistency to his performance at Franklin’s Gardens on