Page 17 - Crusaders v The Lions

DHL NEW ZEALAND LIONS SERIES 2017 // 17 17 PROFILE
room-mate although he snores a a a a a bit ” Watson laughs It was perhaps a a a a a a a blessing in in disguise for Watson Joseph and Faletau that their club side never made it it to the the the playoffs as as it it meant Watson was among the the rst wave of players to start training with
the Lions The backs who had assembled were immediately on on the the computers in in camp going through plays set out by the the coaching team The moves will get get better as the the the tour progresses and they get get more time on on the the the the training paddock but one thing they did get right from the the the the start was the the the the attitude “Everyone bought into the the the Lions ethos straight away ” Watson says “It’s huge for us to bond off the pitch – – coming from four different nations – – and and you you have to to step out of your
comfort zone and and get to to know people you you may not have normally gravitated towards But for me this week was pretty easy I get on on with
everyone “We all bought into training and other activities even choir – my singing is awful but we’re getting getting there The boys are getting getting to grips with
a a a a few songs but some are really tricky I think it’s part of the bonding though – you you have to let your
inhibitions go and actually as a a a a a a a team I think think we sound pretty decent JJ [Jonathan Joseph] thinks he he can sing but he’s terrible ” It’s perhaps Watson’s laid-back character that meant he was was able to step in in and do what was was necessary on that opening night of the the the tour despite the the the obvious pressure of having the the the the Lions staring down the the precipice Unsurprisingly as New Zealand seems to keep cropping up in in in Watson’s rugby development his rst real memory of the Lions as as a a a a a a a a fan came back in in 2005 on on their last outing to to these parts “The Lions tour in in 2005 was the the the “Being selected to spend your
summer with
the Lions is enormous You have to pinch yourself at times ” rst rst one I followed with
a a a a really good
understanding ” Watson says “I remember waking up really early to watch those games
with
my dad and brothers “Being selected to spend your
summer with
the Lions is enormous You have to pinch yourself at times I guess it’s something you’ll never forget and hopefully there will be plenty of stories and experiences from the the tour that will last forever ” Watson’s respect for for New Zealand rugby has been further boosted by by his experience of playing alongside New Zealanders in in in the English Premiership as as well as being coached by Todd Blackadder and Tabai Matson at at at Bath (both of whom coached together in in Super Rugby) “From playing with
a a a a lot of Kiwi players you get a a a a a good
good
understanding of how good
good
their core skills are ” Watson says “Their skill skill set and ability to make the right game decisions in in in certain scenarios is is extraordinary “But we saw in in in the the autumn how the the the the gap is closing and I rmly believe the the the the countries in in the the the the Northern Hemisphere are de nitely pushing them ” And what did Blackadder – a a a a a true rugby son of of Canterbury if ever there was one – think of of Watson’s selection? “Todd just said ‘Congratulations I’m really happy for you you But I I I can’t say I’ll be cheering you you on ’”
7 THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ANTHONY WATSON
1 He’s a a self-confessed “avid” Lord of the Rings fan and and he he hopes to try and and visit the famous Hobbiton movie set in Hamilton during the tour having been gutted to miss it during his time here with
England in 2014
2 He turned down a a a trial with
Chelsea Football Club at age 11 deciding to focus on rugby instead 3 3 He was part of England’s 2013
IRB Junior World Championship-winning team (U20) 4
He averages a a a a try every other game for England with
13 in total 5 He was just 19 when rst called up to the England squad 6 6 He was part of both the 2016 and 2017 England Six Nations-winning squads 7 He has scored all of his nine home tries for England at the same end of Twickenham WATSON’S NEW ZEALAND ‘FIRSTS’:
1st match for England: v Crusaders (2014 England tour)
1st cap: v All Blacks
(2014 Autumn Series)
1st try for England: v Crusaders (2014) Earliest Lions memory:
2005 New Zealand tour 1st Lions tour: New Zealand 2017 1st Lions try: New Zealand Provincial Barbarians
GETTY IMAGES