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Fin Smith: I grew up wearing grandfather's Lions kit — call-up is special

Fin Smith: I grew up wearing grandfather's Lions kit — call-up is special

Times12-05-2025

Fin Smith never knew his grandfather, Tom Elliot, who died in 1998, but he has been a lifelong inspiration. The England fly half, who turned 23 on Sunday, grew up trying on Elliot's 1955 British & Irish Lions blazer and running around in his old jerseys. 'All I've ever wanted to do is be like him and replicate him,' he said.To achieve that honour with Lions selection last Thursday, 70 years after Elliot toured South Africa, left Smith struggling to contain his emotions.
He had played himself into contention by seizing the England fly half jersey during the Six Nations and leading Northampton Saints to the Champions Cup final, having piloted his club to the Gallagher Premiership title last season. But no player

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