We value your privacy

We and our partners store and/or access information on a device, such as cookies and process personal data, such as unique identifiers and standard information sent by a device for personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, and audience insights, as well as to develop and improve products.

With your permission we and our partners may use precise geolocation. You may click to consent to our and our partners’ processing as described above. Please note that some processing of your personal data may not require your consent, but you have a right to object to such processing.

More Options

Thu 20 Apr 2017 | 09:56
Martyn Williams describes Jamie Roberts' emotions as he missed the B&I Lions Tour cut

5
Comments

Former Wales and British & Irish Lions flanker Martyn Williams has said that Jamie Roberts has been through a rollercoaster of emotions. The Welsh centre, and Lions tourist in 2009 and 2013, was not included in the 41-man squad, despite rumours to the contrary.

The night before selection, there were rumours and articles going around that Roberts was in, and England's Jonathan Joseph was out. The news got to Roberts, and he reportedly got his hopes up, according for former teammate Williams.

"That would have been an absolute brutal announcement for him to take," said Williams of the moment the announcement was made and he was not included.

There is of course a very realistic chance of Roberts still making it to New Zealand though, as injuries are bound to happen over the course of the next few months.

VIEW THE BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS 2017 SQUAD

credit: bbc radio 5 live

Posted By: Grant Constable

5 Comments

  • drg
    9:20 PM 23/04/2017

    I'm quite surprised any of the players or the players friends even bothered trying to contact them about what the media is saying....

    I remember reading a few of these claims of immediate selections or lack of selections and I had to start searching as nothing was saying where these claims were coming from, when I didn't find any information in particular I just started ignoring them, who knows whether they were troll driven, bookie driven or otherwise...

    You'd have thought a mate of Roberts would have sat around with him having a beer or meal or whatever with him rather than going "@JRoberts M8 jst seen on interwebz tht u iz gna b pikd 4 d lionz" .....or however the f**k people tweet these days...

  • dancarter
    7:37 PM 23/04/2017

    That was my initial reaction as well, until I remember that the day before there were rumours of Roberts making the cut and Joseph missing out, which turned out to be false. Someone obviously just made them up to get attention/retweets/website hits etc, which is a shame. I think Roberts knew he was a dark horse at best but the rumours gave him false hope. I feel for him in this situation.

  • moo
    11:16 AM 21/04/2017

    I feel your pain, DrG...

  • drg
    9:26 AM 21/04/2017

    What about me? I didn't even get any build up on social media AND I wasn't included! I was basically ignored altogether from the Lions selections...

  • pinkers
    11:14 PM 20/04/2017

    He couldn't seriously have thought that he would be included

    Then again Halfpenny, Biggar and a few more of WGs boys probably didn't consider themselves contenders either

Related Articles