Latest news with #TomElliot
Times
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Fin Smith: I grew up wearing grandfather's Lions kit — call-up is special
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 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
Daily Mail
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Fin Smith reveals pride at following in the footsteps of his late grandfather after British & Irish Lions selection
As a child, Fin Smith made regular trips to Scotland to visit family relatives and would often be seen wearing the old British & Irish Lions kit of his grandfather Tom Elliot. Now, the Northampton and England fly-half is set to receive some of his own and follow in his late relative's footsteps after being selected for this summer's trip to Australia. Elliot, a Scotland international and prop, was a Lions tourist in 1955. Smith could have worn a blue shirt too, but having been born and raised in Warwickshire, he opted for England. A standout season for club and country earned the 23-year-old a Lions call from head coach Andy Farrell last week as one of three playmakers in a 38-man squad. 'It's the pinnacle. It gets me emotional thinking about it,' Smith said of his selection. 'I've grown up running around in his (Elliot's) old kit and old blazer. I've got his old shirt from 1955 at home. It's a bit dusty and there are a few holes in it. 'I'm English and play for England. He obviously played for Scotland, but all I've ever wanted to do is replicate him. 'To have the chance to do that and wear the same shirt he did is incredibly special. It's made mum and her side of the family pretty emotional. 'They half-heartedly cheer for me when I play for England. But following in his (Elliot's) footsteps is the main thing out of everything with this for me. 'That's what makes me prouder than any individual accolade I could have. It's amazing.' Smith became England's first-choice fly-half during the Six Nations. He led Northampton to last season's Gallagher Premiership title and this term, has helped them to the final of the Investec Champions Cup. Only Bordeaux stand between the Saints and European glory in Cardiff on May 24. Smith's standout display and outplaying of then Lions rival Sam Prendergast in Northampton's Champions Cup semi-final over Leinster sealed his place on the plane Down Under. He only turned 23 on Sunday. Smith had an anxious wait before finding out he was named in the Lions squad last week 'It's mental. The most horrific week of all time. I had sleepless nights and was stressing all day,' said Smith, reflecting on last Thursday's nerve-inducing Lions squad announcement. 'I was an absolute wreck. I don't really cry but I was bawling my eyes out. I went outside and phoned my parents. They were both sobbing. I was sobbing on the other end of the phone. 'We didn't actually say a word to each other. We just watched each other cry and then hung up. It's something so rare in sport these days that you find out in that manner. 'It really is that raw. What a day.' Scotland's Finn Russell and Smith's England colleague Marcus Smith are the other two No 10's travelling to Australia. Fin Smith's parents, Andrew and Judith, are both Scottish. 'This is the first time they'll be able to cheer for me properly in a little while, so that'll be nice,' Fin Smith joked. 'All I've ever wanted to do is prove to myself I can mix it at Test level and I feel like I've done that to some extent. 'That's been the biggest thing for me. I've been really happy with that and it's nice to see all this stuff coming off the back of it. 'I didn't even know the Lions tour was this year until the Six Nations came around. It has been a pretty fast process, but one I have loved. 'I wouldn't change it at all.'
The Independent
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Fin Smith 'emotional' to follow in grandfather's footsteps after Lions call-up
Fin Smith will fulfil a boyhood dream by emulating his grandad, having grown up playing in the same British and Irish Lions blazer and kit used by the Scotland prop in 1955. Smith has been included in Andy Farrell's squad as reward for impressing as England's first choice fly-half during the Six Nations and his stellar display for Northampton against Leinster in the Champions Cup semi-finals. The fire fuelling his greatest ambition was first lit by grandad Tom Elliot, who made five midweek appearances for the elite of British and Irish rugby on their visit to South Africa 70 years ago. 'The Lions is the pinnacle. It gets me emotional thinking about growing up running around in his old kit and blazer,' said Smith, who was also eligible to play for Scotland before pursuing a Test career with England. 'I've got his old blazer from 1955 at home. It's a bit dusty and there are a few holes in it, but it will be cool to have both blazers. 'I believe that I'm English and play for England. He obviously played for Scotland, but all I've ever wanted to do is be like him and replicate him. 'To actually have the chance to do that and wear the same shirt and the same badge that he did is incredibly special. It made mum and her side of the family pretty emotional when the squad was announced. 'They're all at home with their Scottish accents and can half-heartedly cheer for me when I play for England, but this is the pinnacle. 'For me, doing what he's done and following in his footsteps makes me more proud than any individual accolade I could have. It's amazing.' Smith watched Thursday's squad unveiling on TV alongside his Northampton team-mates and was the last of the Saints to have their names read out due to the announcement taking place in alphabetical order. Henry Pollock, Tommy Freeman and Alex Mitchell were also picked and later that day they were hosted for dinner and champagne by England centre, Fraser Dingwall, their stand in club captain. 'It was mental – the most horrific week of all time. I had sleepless nights and was stressing all day,' Smith said. 'I was sat with a load of the other lads and watched the other boys get called out and was like: 'Oh no, this is going to be awful if it doesn't happen for me now.' And then it got announced and I was an absolute wreck. 'I don't really cry and never have but I was bawling my eyes out. I went outside and phoned my parents. They were both sobbing, I was sobbing on the other end of the phone. 'We didn't actually say a word to each other – we just sort of watched each other cry and then hung up the phone. 'It's something so rare in sport these days that you find out in that manner. It really is that raw. Mental. What a day. What a day.'
The Herald Scotland
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Fin Smith 'emotional' to follow in grandfather's footsteps after Lions call-up
The fire fuelling his greatest ambition was first lit by grandad Tom Elliot, who made five midweek appearances for the elite of British and Irish rugby on their visit to South Africa 70 years ago. 'The Lions is the pinnacle. It gets me emotional thinking about growing up running around in his old kit and blazer,' said Smith, who was also eligible to play for Scotland before pursuing a Test career with England. 'I've got his old blazer from 1955 at home. It's a bit dusty and there are a few holes in it, but it will be cool to have both blazers. 'I believe that I'm English and play for England. He obviously played for Scotland, but all I've ever wanted to do is be like him and replicate him. 'To actually have the chance to do that and wear the same shirt and the same badge that he did is incredibly special. It made mum and her side of the family pretty emotional when the squad was announced. 'They're all at home with their Scottish accents and can half-heartedly cheer for me when I play for England, but this is the pinnacle. 'For me, doing what he's done and following in his footsteps makes me more proud than any individual accolade I could have. It's amazing.' Smith watched Thursday's squad unveiling on TV alongside his Northampton team-mates and was the last of the Saints to have their names read out due to the announcement taking place in alphabetical order. Henry Pollock, Tommy Freeman and Alex Mitchell were also picked and later that day they were hosted for dinner and champagne by England centre, Fraser Dingwall, their stand in club captain. 'It was mental – the most horrific week of all time. I had sleepless nights and was stressing all day,' Smith said. 'I was sat with a load of the other lads and watched the other boys get called out and was like: 'Oh no, this is going to be awful if it doesn't happen for me now.' And then it got announced and I was an absolute wreck. 'I don't really cry and never have but I was bawling my eyes out. I went outside and phoned my parents. They were both sobbing, I was sobbing on the other end of the phone. 'We didn't actually say a word to each other – we just sort of watched each other cry and then hung up the phone. 'It's something so rare in sport these days that you find out in that manner. It really is that raw. Mental. What a day. What a day.'
Telegraph
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Fin Smith: I grew up running around in my grandfather's old Lions kit
Reaction videos are becoming a distinguished tradition of British and Irish Lions squad announcements and Fin Smith provided the most compelling this time around. His was a veritable rollercoaster. Sitting among Northampton Saints team-mates, the young fly-half pumped a fist immediately upon hearing his name. He was subsequently mobbed by club colleagues. Then, as the pile-on untangled again, Smith covered his eyes and began to weep (see video below – explicit language can be heard). Smith's grandfather, Scotland prop Tom Elliot, toured with the Lions in 1955. Although Elliot died in 1998, four years before Smith was born, he remained an inspiration to his grandson. It was a proud reflection on family fabric – quite literally – that overwhelmed Smith on Thursday afternoon. 'I've grown up running around in [my grandfather's] old kit and his old blazer,' he explained on Friday lunchtime, 24 hours after his selection was confirmed by Ieuan Evans. 'I believe that I'm English and play for England. He obviously played for Scotland, but all I've ever wanted to do is be like him and replicate him. To actually have the chance to do that and wear the same shirt and the same badge that he did is incredibly special. 'It made mum and her side of the family pretty emotional yesterday. They're all at home with their Scottish accents and can half-heartedly cheer for me when I play for England but this is the pinnacle really. Doing what he's done and following in his footsteps is the main thing, for me. That's what makes me more proud than any individual accolade I could have. It's amazing.' The longest wait… @finsmithh was the last of our Lions to hear his name read out, and just look what it meant 🥹 — Northampton Saints 😇 (@SaintsRugby) May 9, 2025 Few members of Andy Farrell's travelling party will be as excited for the suit fitting. 'I'm hoping they'll have some swanky sponsor who can come and measure us all up,' Smith added. 'I've got [Elliot's] old one from 1955 at home. It's a bit dusty and there are a few holes in it, but it'll be cool to have both of those.' Smith is always refreshingly candid and described the week leading into the Lions announcement, even in the afterglow of a 37-34 victory over Leinster in the Investec Champions Cup semi-final, as 'horrific'. 'When it got announced, I was an absolute wreck,' he added. 'I don't really cry and never have but I was bawling my eyes out. I went outside and phoned my parents. They were both sobbing, I was sobbing on the other end of the phone. 'We didn't actually say a word to each other; we just sort of watched each other cry and then hung up the phone. It's something so rare in sport these days that you find out in that manner. It really is that rare and raw. Mental. What a day.' What has been an 'up and down' campaign for Smith began in autumn with him as England's third-choice fly-half behind Marcus Smith and George Ford. Some six months on, he is finishing the season with considerable momentum. A Champions Cup final against Bordeaux-Bègles looms on May 24 in Cardiff before the Lions depart and Smith is particularly looking forward to teaming up with Johnny Sexton, the ex-Ireland fly-half seconded to Farrell's set-up as an assistant coach. Alex Mitchell, Tommy Freeman and the effervescent Henry Pollock make it four Saints in the Lions squad due to head Down Under. The quartet found out about their inclusion among Northampton colleagues. Others at the same gathering, such as Fraser Dingwall and George Furbank, were left disappointed. An alphabetical unveiling meant that Freeman's inclusion, heralded immediately after that of Elliot Daly, simultaneously signalled the omission of Dingwall. Yet the tight-knit nature of this Saints group was obvious in the euphoria that greeted each call-up. Smith emphasised his admiration for Dingwall, who turned dinner host that evening, as a galvanising and selfless presence. 'Dingers and Furbs are two unbelievable players who could well have been in that squad,' he said. 'What a testament to those two in general, just as people. 'Dingers found out that he wasn't in the squad as soon as Tommy's name was read out, and he jumped straight over to him and gave him the biggest hug ever. It was genuine joy, and Furbs was just delighted. 'We went on and had a nice celebration that evening and Dingers was the one who hosted us all. He said: 'Come over, I've got a couple of bottles of champagne for you guys. I'll do a meal for you all.' 'To be as disappointed as I'm sure he was and to put that aside and show genuine happiness for your mate, realise it is a special day for them and want to be there for them... I don't know how he did it. I'm not a good enough person to do that. I'd have told them all to f--- off and sat at home. Fair play to him. What a guy.' Dingwall opted for ready-made catering rather than cooking from scratch, but Smith seemed to have forgiven him. 'He'd actually gone to M&S and got some of those little pre-made dishes, so I can't give him any credit for that,' said Smith, who celebrates his 23rd birthday on Sunday. 'He's usually good, though. And the champagne was very tasty.'
