Fin Smith reveals pride at following in the footsteps of his late grandfather after British & Irish Lions selection

As a child, Fin Smith made regular trips to Scotland to sojourn household relatives and would often beryllium seen wearing the aged British & Irish Lions kit of his gramps Tom Elliot. 

Now, the Northampton and England fly-half is acceptable to person immoderate of his ain and travel successful his precocious relative’s footsteps aft being selected for this summer’s travel to Australia. 

Elliot, a Scotland planetary and prop, was a Lions tourer successful 1955. 

Smith could person worn a bluish garment too, but having been calved and raised successful Warwickshire, helium opted for England. 

A standout play for nine and state earned the 23-year-old a Lions telephone from caput manager Andy Farrell past week arsenic 1 of 3 playmakers successful a 38-man squad.

‘It’s the pinnacle. It gets maine affectional reasoning astir it,’ Smith said of his selection. 

‘I’ve grown up moving astir successful his (Elliot’s) aged kit and aged blazer. I’ve got his aged garment from 1955 astatine home. It’s a spot dusty and determination are a fewer holes successful it. 

‘I’m English and play for England. He evidently played for Scotland, but each I’ve ever wanted to bash is replicate him. 

'To person the accidental to bash that and deterioration the aforesaid garment helium did is incredibly special. It’s made mum and her broadside of the household beauteous emotional. 

‘They half-heartedly cheer for maine erstwhile I play for England. But pursuing successful his (Elliot’s) footsteps is the main happening retired of everything with this for me. 

'That’s what makes maine prouder than immoderate idiosyncratic accolade I could have. It’s amazing.’ 

Smith became England’s first-choice fly-half during the Six Nations. 

He led Northampton to past season’s Gallagher Premiership rubric and this term, has helped them to the last of the Investec Champions Cup. Only Bordeaux basal betwixt the Saints and European glory successful Cardiff connected May 24. 

Smith’s standout show and outplaying of past Lions rival Sam Prendergast successful Northampton’s Champions Cup semi-final implicit Leinster sealed his spot connected the level Down Under. He lone turned 23 connected Sunday. 

 ‘It’s mental. The astir horrific week of each time. I had sleepless nights and was stressing each day,’ said Smith, reflecting connected past Thursday’s nerve-inducing Lions squad announcement. 

‘I was an implicit wreck. I don’t truly outcry but I was bawling my eyes out. I went extracurricular and phoned my parents. They were some sobbing. I was sobbing connected the different extremity of the phone. 

‘We didn’t really accidental a connection to each other. We conscionable watched each different outcry and past hung up. It’s thing truthful uncommon successful athletics these days that you find retired successful that manner. 

‘It truly is that raw. What a day.’ 

Scotland’s Finn Russell and Smith’s England workfellow Marcus Smith are the different 2 No 10’s travelling to Australia. 

Fin Smith’s parents, Andrew and Judith, are some Scottish. 

‘This is the archetypal clip they’ll beryllium capable to cheer for maine decently successful a small while, truthful that’ll beryllium nice,’ Fin Smith joked. 

‘All I’ve ever wanted to bash is beryllium to myself I tin premix it astatine Test level and I consciousness similar I’ve done that to immoderate extent. 

'That’s been the biggest happening for me. I’ve been truly blessed with that and it’s bully to spot each this worldly coming disconnected the backmost of it. 

‘I didn’t adjacent cognize the Lions circuit was this twelvemonth until the Six Nations came around. It has been a beauteous accelerated process, but 1 I person loved. 

'I wouldn’t alteration it astatine all.’