Aged 10, Smith watched a Lions tour on TV and vowed to play in one and now the fly-half is set to face the Stormers
The last time the
British &
Irish Lions played a Test series in
South Africa in 2009, a 10-year-old boy was watching spellbound with his father in
Singapore. He absolutely loved the colour, the spectacle and the drama and promised himself that, one day, he would go on a Lions tour as well.
Twelve years on and Marcus Smith’s dreams are coming true all at once. A thrilling Premiership final win with Harlequins, his first
England caps and a Lions call-up inside the same fortnight is some sporting harvest and the good news keeps coming. Far from holding tackle bags, the 22-year-old will wear the red No 10 jersey on Saturday and could yet have a part to play in the Tests.