Lions star left gobsmacked by coach's comment - 'We're going to send you home!'
The England and Brive flanker, now 36, confronted the then-Lions head coach during breakfast, seeking answers about his declining playing time. Lawes had featured for nearly every minute in the team's warm-up against Japan, played the full match against Sigma Lions, and then another 70 minutes facing the Cell C Sharks.
But after being benched for the subsequent fixture against South Africa 'A', and learning he would miss the final warm-up against the Stormers, he was anxious to discover if he had made an error. Determined to resolve the situation, he approached Gatland to question why he wasn't getting selected.
Speaking in a column for The Telegraph, Lawes said: "I was beginning to worry that I had done something wrong. I caught up with him at breakfast. 'Sorry Courtney, we're going to send you home,' he said, straight-faced. Before bursting into laughter. Thankfully he was winding me up. Phew.
"I just needed some clarity to give me something to get my head around everything. Thankfully, Gats just said that he was happy with my form so far and that I was getting looked after because of a neck niggle that I have been managing."
Gatland also offered insights to the press about Lawes' absence from some games at the time, explaining: "He's had a lot of time earlier in the tour where he was involved in a lot of games. Agai,n another one we want to freshen up.
"We're really happy with the way he has been contributing and playing. He's had a bit of a stiff neck that has kept him out a bit of the contact stuff so we're just making sure we manage him. There's nothing wrong with him. Courtney Lawes was a part of the 2021 Lions squad (Image: PA)
"It's from his early involvements and the amount of minutes he has had in those early games. Again it is giving him more time so he's fresh and ready to go for training and available for selection next week."
Lawes also shared a light-hearted moment from the South Africa tour, mentioning how Alun Wyn Jones was the butt of jokes for arriving late. He added: "I told him it was nice of him to finally join us having missed all the hard bit and turn up for the Tests. He does not like being wound up but he took it OK.
"There has to be at least a significant fine for turning up late on tour. I will make that suggestion to Mako, our fine-master. I am sure there will be a fine for each week he has missed." The Lions are currently on a tour of Australia (Image: Getty Images)
The Lions are preparing to conclude their Australian tour on Saturday without Lawes, who hung up his international boots in October 2023. The Lions have had a phenomenal summer so far, securing victories in eight out of their nine matches; their sole defeat was a 24-28 loss to Argentina in a warm-up game.
Their latest match on Saturday ended with a thrilling 29-26 win over Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a game that will be remembered as an instant classic. The Lions were down 23-5 in the first half as Australia made an impressive comeback, only for the visitors to mount an extraordinary comeback with tries from Dan Sheehan, Tom Curry, Huw Jones, Tadhg Beirne and conversions from Finn Russell, culminating in Hugo Keenan's last-minute winner.
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