Now Jonny Gray harms his chance to be a Lion
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 06: Jonny Gray of Scotland takes on Ellis Genge (R) and Will Stuart during the Guinness Six Nations match between England and Scotland at Twickenham Stadium on February 06, 2021 in London, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
By the time the British and Irish Lions head for Wallaby country next summer, it will be 32 years since a Scotland second rower claimed a starting place in the engine-room of the red-shirted scrum on Test day.
Sadly, the latest news flash on Jonny Gray, who looked for all the world like a Lions-ready lock for much of his international career, had a “don’t hold your breath” air about it.
The age of Gordon Brown, a Lions mainstay of the 1970s golden era, was well and truly over decades before the other Gordon Brown took up residence in Downing Street.
The late Doddie Weir would have had a shot at Test selection in South Africa in 1997 but for a despicable act of thuggery by some long-forgotten hard-head from the highveld, but the likes of Scott Murray and Nathan Hines were pure dirt-trackers between 2001 and 2009, while Gray’s elder brother Richie managed a mere 13 minutes off the bench in Sydney when the Lions last visited Australia 12 years ago.
Since then? Nada. Jonny seemed ripe for the Saturday slot in New Zealand in 2017, yet he didn’t even make the plane.
The miserable pandemic tour of South Africa in 2021 also passed him by – truth be told, it escaped the notice of everyone except the poor sods who actually travelled – but as locks age well (think Sam Whitelock and Alun Wyn Jones), there is nothing to stop the 31-year-old Gray emulating Andy Reed, who was a run-on selection against the All Blacks in 1993.
Except Gray himself. By turning down a place in his national squad for the autumn matches and annoying coach Gregor Townsend in the process, the Bordeaux-based forward may well have consigned himself to the past tense. Is this really what he wants?
