After all the hype around the Lions announcement the former Welsh and Lions great, Gareth Edwards, offers some sobering advice for those selected and casts his eye over those who missed out in The Telegraph.
"This is a very dangerous period with huge matches ahead and minds can wander off down to South Africa. Injuries can happen any time but there is only one way to play rugby and that is flat out with 100 per cent commitment and you must have your head right when you play.
I remember before one of my Lions tours I played for Cardiff against the Barbarians on the Easter Saturday – a huge game for us in those days and a match for which I was very motivated. Then, after the festivities of the weekend I suddenly got asked on the Monday morning if I could help out for the Barbarians against Swansea that afternoon; Roger Pickering had gone down with an injury.
You don’t turn the Barbarians down but I wasn’t quite there mentally and nearly picked up a nasty injury when I stuck out an arm a bit half-heartedly as somebody broke on my inside and I was rewarded with a stinging pain in my shoulder. I narrowly avoided a dislocation and missing the tour. Definitely a bit of a wake-up call.blockquote>
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