Josh Adams will always cherish the day he scored four tries for The British & Irish Lions, even if he was slightly worried the excitement might be too much for his pregnant fiancée back home.
Adams’ partner Georgia is around a fortnight away from being due to give birth to the couple’s first child – timings that provoked plenty of soul-searching as to whether he would head on the Tour to South Africa at all.
Ultimately, with the complete support of Georgia and his family, the Welsh winger decided to make himself available to be called up for a first Lions Tour and has certainly grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
A try on debut against Japan in Edinburgh was followed up with four more during the weekend’s 56-14 triumph over Sigma Lions – the first time a Lions player has scored four tries in a match since Shane Williams in 2005.
Report: Adams four-try showing helps Lions beat Sigma Lions
And while those performances vindicated Adams’ decision to tour, he did jokingly suggest that her fiancé landing a four-try haul may not have been the best thing for Georgia to watch.
“It’s about two weeks to due date but she’s doing brilliantly. We speak all the time and she’s doing fantastically,” said Adams.
“Funnily enough, she spoke to me after the game and I said ‘don’t jump around too much, you want to hold off a bit’! It was good.
“It’s nice. I’ve said before, I had the full support of all my family [heading out to South Africa], so it’s repaying them for backing me and giving me their full support prior to coming.
“Everything I’m doing out here, the hard work I’m putting in is all for them back home.”
Adams’ four tries against Sigma Lions – all of which came in the second half – demonstrated a varied skillset.
The first saw him slalom between defenders to go over beneath the posts, the second had him leaping high to claim a precise Finn Russell chip, the third showed his blistering pace as he streaked clear down the flank and the fourth was a simple run-in when left all alone out wide.
It was breaking new ground for the 26-year-old, not just in a Lions shirt, but he sees it all as part of his job.
“I don’t think I’ve ever scored four tries in a game, that could be my first one,” mused Adams.
“It feels great to get off to a big start. I had a few walk-ins, so I can’t take too much credit but I’m happy to score four, of course I am.
“I think of a winger like a striker in football – it’s their job to score goals, it’s my job to score tries.
“There’s obviously other aspects of the game that are vitally important but once you get on a run, you work your hardest to keep it going.
“I didn’t have to do much for one or two of the tries but that’s how it goes. You have to be in the right place at the right time, I guess.”
As early statements for a starting Test spot go, five tries in two games makes a pretty compelling case.
Warren Gatland column: Victory over Sigma, four-try Adams and looking ahead
And Adams is pleased to be doing everything he can to force his way into head coach Warren Gatland’s thoughts, while also relishing the experience of wearing the famous red jersey.
“Because it’s a short-ish Tour, with a few less warm-up games, you’ve got to make a statement every chance you get,” he added. “Hopefully I’ve done that.
“There’s a few more games to come, other boys will have plenty of opportunities but you can only do what you can when you get the chance.
“The thing we always say prior to the match and during the week is that it’s pointless doing it unless you’re going to enjoy it.
“Enjoy the moment, it’s a special occasion for everybody, whether you’ve played for the Lions nine times, done three Tours or it’s your first time – it’s special.
“If you play with a smile on your face, you usually play some good stuff and I thought we definitely did that at times against Sigma Lions.”
