The unfancied Lion King in waiting

It is clear from comments in the media by journalists, pundits, ex players and by fans online, that Chris Robshaw is not everyone’s cup of tea. Strangely that is how it has been throughout his career.

As early as the 2008/2009 season a youthful Robshaw was named as the Premiership player of the season, an award he also won last year after leading Harlequins to their first Premiership title.

His form was just about sufficient to gain a call up to the Lionsless England squad, for the home and away two match test series against Argentina, in June 2009. He received his first cap in the 2^nd test but Robshaw would not wear his nation’s white shirt again until February 2012. His 2009 form was actually of Lions standard, but he was not even close to being selected for that tour. 

Martin Johnson was not really a fan, preferring Lewis Moody and Hendre Fourie, among others, to the Harlequins captain. After England’s disastrous 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign, the leaked RFU autopsy report included references to Robshaw, who months earlier had steered his club to European Challenge Cup glory, even though he was not part of the squad in New Zealand. Certain dwarf throwing England players were baffled as to why he was left out, despite not being given a start in a Rugby World Cup warm up match, yet consistently shining at England squad training and during fitness tests.

If Robshaw was not experienced enough to go to a Rugby World Cup in 2011 he certainly was not ready to captain England at the beginning of the 2012 Six Nations. But Stuart Lancaster felt differently, possibly due to an injury to Tom Wood, and he was entrusted with the ultimate responsibility in English rugby. Few thirty capped players, let alone those with one cap to their name, could have dealt with that sort of pressure. But three away wins, a first for an England side, and a second placed finish in the 2012 tournament was a decent way to start laying down the new foundations for England, in the post 2011 Rugby World Cup era.

He has never shirked a challenge. Even when many questioned “that” penalty decision in the autumn against South Africa, Robshaw responded by getting the better of Richie McCaw at Twickenham a week later. The best way to silence your critics. How many other players can say that in their 12^th international cap, 11^th as captain, they led their country to a win over the All Blacks? Or even say that they captained their nation for the 11^th time, in only their 12^th international test?

British and Irish team wins over the All Blacks are so rare that Chris Robshaw is the only player in consideration for the upcoming Lions tour that has captained a home nation union to victory over New Zealand.

He continues to impress for club and country. Whether he is an out and out openside is largely becoming a broken record-esque debate. His strong offload skills and excellent work rate make him a very good option as a seven, one that Conor O’Shea and Stuart Lancaster both want to build their respective teams around. And he can fetch – just look at the stats from England’s 2012 summer tour of South Africa.

Only Warren Gatland, the former Ireland, London Wasps and Waikato Chiefs coach knows what his strategy will be for the Lions captaincy decision, or even if he will name a test skipper at the official Lions squad announcement, but he should be wary of doubting the current England captain’s credentials.  

Lions captain contenders seem to be in short supply, at least of the stand out variety. A star performer at the 2011 Rugby World Cup and a Grand Slam captain last year, Sam Warburton’s form dramatically dipped, after suffering a shoulder injury in the final 2012 Six Nations match against France, as Wales lost eight consecutive matches. Recently he lost the Welsh captaincy to the impressive Ryan Jones, who has useful Lions experience to his name, but a recent shoulder injury could rule him out of contention for the tour.  

Kelly Brown has led Scotland well this season but has the least captaincy experience of any of the main contenders. Paul O’Connell, the 2009 Lions captain, is injured and that leaves a battered Brian O’Driscoll, hoping to go on a fourth consecutive Lions tour, as the main captaincy alternative to Robshaw, despite not leading Ireland in this year’s Six Nations. Jamie Heaslip, a Lion in 2009, has looked somewhat burdened by the added responsibility of captaining the men in green.

Back to back Six Nations man of the match performances, against Ireland and France, illustrate that Robshaw is a player on form and a captain leading his troops by example. A Championship decider, and possible Grand Slam match for England, in Cardiff this weekend could be a Lions captaincy audition for the twenty six year old. All the more intriguing if Sam Warburton regains the Wales captaincy.

Even if England lose it would be foolish of Gatland to rule him out. He still has plenty of important club games to prove his mettle and is likely to lead Harlequins in Heineken Cup knockout and Aviva Premiership play off matches before the Lions tour.    

His own rugby career history suggests that he will not be chosen as captain but if he is, Robshaw will do what he does best – getting on with whatever job is required of him and working his hardest on and off the field. He is more than capable of captaining the Lions. He thrives when he is handed more responsibility and under increased expectation, whenever a coach finally realises that he is a go-to man.