Courtney Lawes will return to international rugby in 2025, but not with England
Rugby NewsMonday, 08 April 2024 at 15:20
Courtney Lawes has tossed his name into the mix for the upcoming British & Irish Lions' 2025 tour to Australia, even though he decided to hang up his boots on the international rugby stage after the recent World Cup
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However, Lawes firmly shut down any speculation about reversing his retirement from Englan duty
The Northampton Saints legend concluded his England tenure with his 105th cap in a semi-final defeat to South Africa in Paris last month, citing a desire to prioritise family time with his wife and four young children.
Addressing the potential of a third Lions tour on Tuesday, Lawes, who played in all five Tests across New Zealand in 2017 and South Africa in 2021, expressed, "If I got another Lions call I would probably do that, yeah, yeah. I would get to complete the set, I have done two and doing Australia, which is one of my favourite places to tour, would be cool."
In spite of playing down his odds for a spot on the 2025 Lions squad due to the abundance of back-row talent in Great Britain and Ireland, Lawes has emerged as one of the most impressive back-row forwards in Europe over the past few months.
Recalling his unexpected inclusion in the 2021 Lions squad, Lawes admitted to being "pretty surprised," especially given the absence of any preliminary emails regarding his availability. Nevertheless, he not only made the squad but also started in all three Tests at No. 6 in South Africa, following his role as a replacement flanker in the second and third Tests in New Zealand back in 2017.
Looking forward, Lawes, who would be 36 by the time of the first Test in Australia in July 2025, remains open to the prospect of embarking on another Lions adventure.
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