Courtney Lawes rules out England return but opens door to Lions swansong
Courtney Lawes has revealed he will come out of international retirement if asked to play by the British and Irish Lions.
The former England captain insists there will be no backtracking on the decision to end his 105-cap Red Rose career despite the current back row injury crisis. But he admitted the chance to make a third tour of duty with the Australia-bound Lions the summer after next would be too hard to resist.
Lawes said: “If I got another Lions call I would probably do that, yeah. Yeah.”
Lawrence Dallaglio and Neil Back both came out of England retirement to play for the 2005 Lions - and Back remains the oldest Lion at 36 years and 174 days.
Lawes will be 28 days short of that mark when the Lions plays the first of three Tests against the Wallabies in July 2025.
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England are currently up to their neck in back row injuries with Tom Curry out for the season, Ben Earl sidelined until at least January and both Lewis Ludlam and Tom Willis awaiting scan results.
Lawes bids farewell to international rugby, accompanied by his kids, following England's World Cup semi-final loss to South Africa (Dave Winter/REX/Shutterstock)With George Martin, Zach Mercer and Ted Hill also crocked and Jack Willis no longer eligible due to playing in France, head coach Steve Borthwick could really do with Lawes reversing his decision.
But the Northampton lock quit the international game to spend more time with his four kids and insists he is not about to go back on that.
“I didn’t stop playing internationally because I thought I couldn’t play or couldn’t get in the team,” he said. “I stopped playing because I need to be here for family, I want to be here for my little ones and that hasn’t changed.
Northampton legend Lawes is in final year of his current deal at Franklin's Gardens (PA)“I know the back row might have changed a bit but my view hasn’t. It is my luck we have got a back row crisis when I am actually fit because normally I am part of the back row crisis, but I have hung up the old boots.”
Why then the Lions, some might wonder. The answer lies in the fact it is only seven weeks away from home - and the Lions are extra special to him having featured in their last five Tests, in New Zealand and South Africa.
“I would get to complete the set,” he said. “I have done two and doing Australia, which is one of my favourite places to tour, would be cool.
Lawes meets Catherine, Princess of Wales and Patron of Rugby Football Union, after England's World Cup win over Argentina in September (Getty Images)“Look, playing for England is special to me as well. But playing for England you are at home for two months, then away for two months, then home and you never really get a chance to settle in and create any structure in your life for you and your kids.
“A Lions tour is once every four years and it is just a different occasion. If I was to go on it I would definitely bring the family out for the whole time. I might not be playing rugby then, who knows? We will see what happens.”
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