Harrison is feeling miles better after cancer scare

‘AND Miles Harrison’ might just be the most comforting words for any Lions fan to hear tomorrow in the final minutes before the vital third Test against South Africa in Cape Town. As the Sky broadcaster is the final name to be introduced, faded up from the studio in Isleworth to call his 19th Lions Test, it will confirm he has achieved a personal goal of recovering from colon cancer. ‘I’ll be in a really happy place calling this game,’ Harrison tells Sportsmail. ‘It’s been so lovely to be almost 100 per cent normal this week,’ he continues, showing the first draft of his hand-written player-by-player notes. ‘People ask, “What do you do in the week?” It makes me laugh. “Don’t go to bed” is my reply! ‘If you’d told me in May all the work I’d done on the South African regional sides I wouldn’t need, and I’d emerge just for the third Test, I’d think, “Why?” Now I have my answer. ‘Little tasks, which sometimes become a chore as you’ve done them for so long, have almost been beautiful to do.’ On June 1, it was confirmed Harrison, 55, had cancer. ‘I had a colonoscopy at the start of June and there it was,’ he said. ‘I was in the 10 per cent. ‘Everybody probably thinks, “It’s not going to be me”. Then the moment when it obviously is it just knocks you for six.’ Amid waves of emotion, issues of how to break the news to friends and family, Harrison’s love for the Lions came through. Having commentated on every Test for Sky since 1997, he was desperate to fulfil his duties again. ‘When the doctor discovered the cancer in my bowel I said, “Can I make the Lions?” That was my first thought,’ he recalls. ‘I got the feeling he wasn’t really into rugby but the surgeon knew exactly and said, “Yeah, we’ll try and get you fit for the third Test”. ‘That became my external goal, away from the emotional and family stuff. It became a nice driver. I could watch the series, and think, “If this goes well I could still be part of it”. ‘My attitude was always that I’d be competitive and beat it. That’s a legacy of being surrounded by sportspeople. It rubs off in a way.’ On June 21, the Monday before the Lions’ tour curtain-raiser match against Japan, Harrison had surgery in Harpenden to remove the cancer. He was inundated with support from the rugby world. ‘I want to thank everyone equally,’ he said. ‘Every message has contributed to me feeling better.’ Thankfully, Harrison will be back at work on Saturday. ‘I will click into work mode and be 100 per cent focused, as I always would be,’ he added. ‘But I have got up every morning this week thinking this is just brilliant.’