Jason Robinson urges Lions hopefuls to be bold

Robinson was arguably the star of the last tour down under, in 2001, when he scored in his first Lions Test, to help claim victory over the Wallabies, and contributed ten tries throughout the tour. Having been born to a Scottish mother, from Kirkintilloch, it was the first time he would wear a thistle on his chest, an approach from Ian McGeechan to play for Scotland having failed, and he admits that the size of the four nations aura of the Lions was both unexpected and incredibly memorable.

Robinson has been brought on board by the Lions sponsors, HSBC, as one of their tour  ambassadors, the dual-code GB and Lions cap having become part of HSBC’s development of rugby across Asia this year.

Though a devoted family man, with four children, there is little doubt that he would have paid his own fare to return to Australia next summer, so excited is he by the prospect of a return by the Lions to the scene of his greatest rugby memory.

But, having given up club coaching after periods with Sale and Fylde, he can still see the lure of the tour through the eyes of players, and he urges those with even remote hopes to grasp opportunities this season to  excite.

“I look back at that tour now and it doesn’t seem like 11 years ago,” he said. “I could never forget the experience of running out at the Gabba in Brisbane where we were met by an incredible stadium of red, and then the chanting began: ‘Lions, Lions, Lions’, from 30-odd thousand people, and in all my rugby league and union career I never experienced anything like that.

“That tour set a new benchmark for support of the Lions, probably building on the success of the 1997 tour, and I think we’ll see it take off again next  summer.

“I’d love to be going back as a player, but sadly that’s not going to happen – though I might take my boots just in case there’s the kind of call Andy Nicol got!

“But, what I’d love to see this season is players chasing that dream. When I look back at my progress to the Lions, it seems unbelievable. I played my first game of rugby union for Sale in the October I think, having switched from league, and then I came off the bench in three Six Nations games for England, and then, suddenly, I was in the Lions squad.

“I knew hardly any of the players when we met up, and didn’t really know anything about the Lions if I’m honest. I’d been in league all my life and you become quite wrapped up in the players and teams around you, and the Lions had never quite come across my radar.

“It is difficult to imagine that now because when you speak to Lions, the honour is just up there, higher than Heineken Cup, Six Nations, even the World Cup.”

When I first interviewed  Robinson on the 2001 Lions tour, he was a fascinating subject. We had agreed a 20-minute chat at the Lions hotel, and after two hours I found myself reluctantly having to wrap it up.

Now 38, he retains that engaging passion for rugby, an almost child-like warmth which makes him an ideal ambassador, but also a great inspiration for  potential Lions.

“I remember being told that Lions coaches were in the ground to watch me, against London Irish I think,” he continued, “and, as I said, I didn’t fully appreciate what that meant then. But I played a blinder, and I think that was when my name was pencilled in.

“But that was my approach. Yes, to be picked for the Lions you have to have a good, consistent season, but there are too many players that are too safe. I was picked because I brought something different.

“I’m not saying take risks all the time, because there’s a time and a place, but too many  players opt for the safe route nine times out of ten when the game is crying out for some  individuality.

“Take your opponent on, keep the ball in hand, use your feet, dummies and have a go. The game needs unpredictability and that was what I tried to bring to it, and to the Lions, along with my room-mate Brian O’Driscoll in 2001.

“He was young and keen to try things, and he had a great tour as well because the Wallabies didn’t know how to take him. OK, we’re going to be 12 years on and the game has changed, but we actually need that ambition and spirit now more than ever.”

Successful Lions require many attributes and a level of basic skills higher than most, but the winger nicknamed ‘Billy Whizz’ knows what he is talking about and players should take it to heart.

“Of course, you need to be able to do the basics well,” he added, “but to win rugby matches, teams need to get into the wide channels, which means giving the ball to the guys with the quick feet, with pace, who have shown that they like to run. That is what we will need in Australia, so guys here need to think about that.”