Former Gloucester and England Saxons fly-half Ryan Lamb, now 39, recently shared insights on his rugby career, revealing his perspective on why he never made it to full international honours despite a talent often compared to the likes of Finn Russell. Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast, Lamb reflected on his journey through professional rugby, which took him from England to France and finally Wales, marking a successful 15-year career that, paradoxically, never saw him cap for England.
Lamb candidly discussed the competitive environment during his prime. "I was in the era where you had some outstanding tens," he noted, listing contemporaries like Jonny Wilkinson and Toby Flood. Despite believing he deserved a chance, Lamb felt overlooked, suggesting, "my face didn’t fit" the selection policy. His experiences at England camps under coaches Brian Ashton, Martin Johnson, and Stuart Lancaster were fraught with challenges, each leaving a significant imprint on his career trajectory.
"It’s like, ‘listen, I think we’re doing too much,'"
Lamb's first brush with national team contention came under Brian Ashton, whose training intensity once led Lamb to protest, a move that backfired, isolating him from the team. This incident marked the beginning of the end of his time with Ashton, compounded by perceived favoritism towards Danny Cipriani. "I decided then that I no longer wished to play for Ashton," Lamb reflected on the turning point.
His tenure under Martin Johnson was equally challenging. A misunderstanding over an injury during a training session led to a swift and permanent cold shoulder from Johnson. "Johno come up to me and went, said something about, ‘are you injured?’ I was like, ‘yeah’. He said, ‘Is it because it’s contact?’ And I went, ‘you what?’... And then he never spoke to me again after that," Lamb recounted.
The final straw came with Stuart Lancaster, when a mistaken name during their first meeting foreshadowed a short-lived interaction. Despite these setbacks, Lamb’s skill on the field was undeniable. Mike Tindall, a former teammate, praised Lamb’s abilities, drawing parallels with modern greats: "If I look back now on Lamby, how unbelievable he was, if you put him in today, you would compare him with Finn Russell in terms of how to make a read at the line and change it if needs be, and place it accordingly."
Despite never donning the England jersey, Lamb holds no regrets, focusing instead on his current role as a backs coach for Plymouth Albion, where he continues to influence the game from the sidelines. His story is a poignant reminder of the complexities and challenges that define professional sports, where talent is sometimes not enough to break through every barrier.
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Former Gloucester and England Saxons fly-half Ryan Lamb, now 39, recently shared insights on his rugby career, revealing his perspective on why he never made it to full international honours despite a talent often compared to the likes of Finn Russell. Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast, Lamb reflected on his journey through professional rugby, which took him from England to France and finally Wales, marking a successful 15-year career that, paradoxically, never saw him cap for England.
Lamb candidly discussed the competitive environment during his prime. "I was in the era where you had some outstanding tens," he noted, listing contemporaries like Jonny Wilkinson and Toby Flood. Despite believing he deserved a chance, Lamb felt overlooked, suggesting, "my face didn’t fit" the selection policy. His experiences at England camps under coaches Brian Ashton, Martin Johnson, and Stuart Lancaster were fraught with challenges, each leaving a significant imprint on his career trajectory.
"It’s like, ‘listen, I think we’re doing too much,'"
Lamb's first brush with national team contention came under Brian Ashton, whose training intensity once led Lamb to protest, a move that backfired, isolating him from the team. This incident marked the beginning of the end of his time with Ashton, compounded by perceived favoritism towards Danny Cipriani. "I decided then that I no longer wished to play for Ashton," Lamb reflected on the turning point.
His tenure under Martin Johnson was equally challenging. A misunderstanding over an injury during a training session led to a swift and permanent cold shoulder from Johnson. "Johno come up to me and went, said something about, ‘are you injured?’ I was like, ‘yeah’. He said, ‘Is it because it’s contact?’ And I went, ‘you what?’... And then he never spoke to me again after that," Lamb recounted.
The final straw came with Stuart Lancaster, when a mistaken name during their first meeting foreshadowed a short-lived interaction. Despite these setbacks, Lamb’s skill on the field was undeniable. Mike Tindall, a former teammate, praised Lamb’s abilities, drawing parallels with modern greats: "If I look back now on Lamby, how unbelievable he was, if you put him in today, you would compare him with Finn Russell in terms of how to make a read at the line and change it if needs be, and place it accordingly."
Despite never donning the England jersey, Lamb holds no regrets, focusing instead on his current role as a backs coach for Plymouth Albion, where he continues to influence the game from the sidelines. His story is a poignant reminder of the complexities and challenges that define professional sports, where talent is sometimes not enough to break through every barrier.