Sam Simmonds has revealed the details of his latest positive interaction with England boss after Eddie Jones messaged him to congratulate him on Lions selection.
Speaking to the Mail Online , he said: “He (Jones) sent me a text to say, ‘Well done’. Over the past few months, there has been more chat with the England set-up and that gives you some confidence,” Simmonds revealed.
“I was always hopeful that if I wasn’t selected by the Lions then I’d be involved on the England summer tour.
“I was gutted not to be involved in the Six Nations but the positive is that my form has been good for Exeter and I’ve been playing in a winning team, which gave me the best possible opportunity to be picked for the Lions.
“It’ll be great to right some of the wrongs of when I played international rugby in the past. I’m more mature and more physical now. I know how to train.”
He added: “I still want to play for England and be in contention for selection in the autumn,” Simmonds said.
“I’ve not been getting selected for England and I’ve made peace with that, but I still want to be a part of a successful England team.
“I want to get back to playing for England. I feel like I could have a role to play in the England side and hopefully I can prove that in the summer.”
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Eight Crazy Things You Didn’t Know About Sam Simmonds
#1. Early life
Samuel David Simmonds was born in Torquay, and grew up in Teignmouth, Devon, where his father and uncle are both in the fishing industry.
#2. Brother
His younger brother Joe Simmonds also plays rugby union for Exeter Chiefs and has represented England at youth levels as a fly-half. He received an OBE after captaining the Chiefs to the Champions Cup and Premiership double in 2020.
