Down High’s Tommy gets Lions call-up

Down High’s Tommy gets Lions call-up

26 April 2017

THE pride of Down High School — that’s new British and Irish Lion Tommy Seymour.

Seymour, who began his rugby career on the Down High playing fields, has been included in the Lions squad for the summer tour to New Zealand.

The 28 year-old winger earned his place in Warren Gatland’s 41-man panel with a series of outstanding performances for Scotland during the Six Nations Championship and Glasgow Warriors in the Pro 12.

Speaking after his call-up, Seymour admitted: “It hasn’t really sunk in yet. It’s a complete whirlwind. Hopefully I will get a quiet moment to think about it.”

Not surprisingly, everyone associated with Down High is cock-a-hoop at Seymour’s selection. The school principal, Mrs Maud Perry, summed up the feelings within the school.

“We are exceptionally proud that Down High has played even a tiny part in shaping a world class player such as Tommy Seymour,” she said.

“Tommy’s dedication and perseverance to develop his talent is an inspiration to our pupils and he really epitomises our school motto ‘Nothing Achieved Without Effort’.

“Being selected to play for the British and Irish Lions is such a tremendous achievement and we wish his every success on the tour to New Zealand.

Gareth McKillen, the school’s vice-principal, said: “As one of Tommy’s former senior rugby coaches I was absolutely delighted to hear the news of his selection.

“Tommy was always an exceptional rugby talent who worked very hard to improve his game and fully deserves everything he has achieved in his rugby career.”

Mr McKillen said his talent was evident at an early stage. “He was an exceptional athlete and it was fairly obvious that he was destined for great things.

“He was very physically fit and powerful, and he was head and shoulders above most in his age group.”

Mr McKillen revealed that he congratulated his former pupil on his selection ands passed on the best wishes of the school.

“He is always very keen to hear how well rugby is developing at Down High School and is looking forward to visiting us again after his tour to New Zealand.

Maurice Irvine, head of boys’ PE at the school, who also helped to nurture Seymour’s career, described him as a talented all-round sportsman.

“I always remember his exceptional ability as a basketball player,” he said. He developed as a very explosive rugby player with a very positive approach to his sport.

“He was a very easy player to coach and is a great inspiration for the current rugby players at Down High School.”

Seymour is one of two Scotland internationals in the Lions party — the other is his Glasgow Warriors team-mate Stuart.

He was having lunch other team-mates when the announcement was made lat Wednesday.

“I had some team-mates and friends around me, so I was able to share that moment. It was very special,” he said.

“It’s going to be an incredibly difficult tour. We are looking forward to it. I do not know what the plans are, but we will get together over the next few weeks.

“I haven’t thought too much about it. I will be looking to go out there and getting the shirt on first and foremost, then playing myself into a team and getting some game time.

“Leading on from that who knows, but everyone on tour will be targeting those games against New Zealand.

“It’s unbelievably competitive, not only to get into the squad. Everyone will be going out with the mindset that you’ve got to give your utmost to get games.”

However, his journey from schoolboy sensation to making the plane for New Zealand hasn’t been exactly straight forward.

He came to Down High after his family moved from Nashville, Tennessee, where he was born, and then Dubai, owing to his father Ian’s work commitments.

After some stellar displays for Down High, he was selected for Ulster and Irish Schools sides before joining the Ulster Academy.

Feeling that his route to the senior Ulster side was blocked by more established players, he moved to Glasgow, where his mother Sue was born, and switched his allegiance to Scotland, making his Test debut against South Africa in 2013.

He was an instant hit at international level, scoring two tries in a 42-17 demolition of Japan in his debut year before registering his first try in the Six Nations Championship a year later against France.

Capped 36 times to date, he has scored 16 tries against opposition including Australia, South Africa and world champions New Zealand.

Now just weeks away from the toughest Lions tour of them all, Seymour can hardly believe what has happened.

“I don’t think many people could have written this kind of path for me. “I would never have expected this in a million years.”