- England Fly-Half Smith was appointed last week in the Lions team for Australia
- Smith’s late grandfather, Tom Elliot, played for Scotland and was a lion in 1955
- The 22 -year selection in the Andy Farrell team was a proud family moment
As a child, end Smith made regular trips to Scotland to visit parents of family and was often seen bearing the old kit of the British and Irish lions of his grandfather Tom Elliot.
Now half of Northampton and England’s fly should receive part of his and follow in the footsteps of his late parent after being selected for this summer trip to Australia.
Elliot, an international and a Scottish accessory, was tourist Lions in 1955.
Smith could also have worn a blue shirt, but being born and raised in the Warwickshire, he opted for England.
An out-of-competition season for Club and Country has earned the 23-year-old Lions of Chef Andy Farrell’s 23-year-old lions last week as one of the three game leaders in a team of 38 men.
“It’s the pinnacle. It makes me think emotionally ” said Smith about his selection.
End Smith was appointed last week in the British & Irish Lions Squad to face Australia
Smith (left) was one of the four Northampton players appointed in the feast of 38 men of coach Andy Farrell
“I grew up running in his old kit (Elliot) and his old blazer. I have his old shirt from 1955 at home. It’s a bit dusty and there are a few holes in it.
“I am English and I play for England. He obviously played for Scotland, but all that I have always wanted to do is reproduced it.
Smith hopes to lead saints to European glory
“Having the chance to do it and wearing the same shirt as he is incredibly special. It is made mom and her side of the fairly emotional family.
“They encourage me without enthusiasm when I play for England. But following his traces (from Elliot) is the main thing of that with that for me.
“This is what makes me more proud than any individual distinction that I could have. It’s amazing.
Smith became the first choice of England half the fly during the six nations.
He led Northampton as Gallagher Premiership of last season and this quarter helped them at the final of the Investc Champions Cup. Only Bordeaux stand between saints and European glory in Cardiff on May 24.
Smith’s exceptional display and surpassing the Lions rival, Sam Prendergast, during the Northampton Champions Cup semi-final above Leinster, sealed its place on the plane below. He was only 23 years old on Sunday.
Smith’s grandfather, Tom Elliot, played for Lions in 1955, he therefore pursued a family trend
Smith has become half the fly of the first choice of England in the Six Nations and has had a good season
Smith had an anxious wait before discovering that he was appointed to the Lions team last week
“It’s mental. The most horrible week of all time. I spent white nights and I stressed all day, “said Smith, thinking about the announcement of the team of inductors of last Thursday.
“I was an absolute wreck. I don’t really cry but I looked up. I came out and called my parents. They both bloody. I was sobbed at the other end of the phone.
“We didn’t really say to ourselves a word. We just watched ourselves cry and then hung up. It is something so rare in sport these days that you discover this way.
“It’s really so raw. What a day.
The Finn Russell in Scotland and the colleague of England of Smith, Marcus Smith, are the other two n ° 10 traveling in Australia.
Parents at the end Smith, Andrew and Judith, are both Scottish.
“This is the first time that they will be able to encourage us properly in a little while, so it will be good,” joked Smith at the end.
“All I have always wanted to do is prove to myself that I can mix it at the level of the test and I have the impression of having done this to some extent.
“It’s the greatest thing for me. I was really happy and it’s nice to see all these things get out.
“I didn’t even know that the lions tour was this year until the six nations arrived. It was a fairly fast process, but I liked it.
“I wouldn’t change it at all.
