It was not the way Greig Laidlaw would have wanted to earn his first British & Irish Lions call-up, but now that he is in the squad he is determined to make the most of it.
On Saturday night, Ben Youngs withdrew from the 2017 Tour to New Zealand to support brother Tom and his wife in the saddest of circumstances.
That meant that Lions Head Coach Warren Gatland called up the Scotland skipper to the 41-man group to take on the All Blacks.
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The Gloucester No 9 quickly had to change his arrangements to make it to Monday’s Player Administration Day.
“First and foremost, everybody’s thoughts are with Tom, Ben and the whole of the Youngs family – certainly from within the camp here today,” said Laidlaw at a press conference yesterday.
Laidlaw joins his compatriots Stuart Hogg and Tommy Seymour in the Lions squad and after injury curtailed his 2017 RBS 6 Nations, the scrum-half is hoping to hit the ground running.
“It’s a great opportunity for myself to come in once training has started, get my feet on the ground and get involved. I want to try and put my print on the squad.”
“I never got the call until late Saturday night so it is a quick turnaround. I have got a few things going on at the moment because I am moving clubs as well.
Click here for the official 41-man Lions squad
“The house is packed up as we speak I was planning to move out today so I am pretty busy but I am delighted to be here and looking forward to get started.
“It’s been busy, you have a lot to do with a lot of admin but it was good to meet the boys. Everyone is gathered here today.
“Once we get all this stuff done then we just worry about the rugby.
“Everybody is targeting to start in the Test team and I will be no different. I have been a competitor all my life and that will never leave me, I want to start.”
