Sam Simmonds: ‘I never really felt I fitted in with England’
Our first of an exclusive two-part interview with Montpellier’s British & Irish Lion and former European player of the year Sam Simmonds.
Ahead of this weekend’s Top 14 season start, Alex Spink spoke to Montpellier’s British & Irish Lion Sam Simmonds who has lifted the lid on the decision which effectively ended his England career – admitting to feeling that he never truly belonged.
The former European player of the year has not played for his country since springing a surprise by making himself unavailable for last year’s Rugby World Cup.
No public explanation was given by the British and Irish Lions forward, who had agreed a deal to join French club Montpellier from Exeter after the tournament.
Sam Simmonds reveals all
Today, for the first time, the 29-year-old reveals the uneasy relationship he felt he had with England and how that contributed to a call which effectively put a full stop on his Red Rose time.
In an exclusive interview with Planet Rugby, Simmonds says: “As much I loved playing for my country, and all that came with that, I never really felt I fitted in.
“That’s not with the other boys. That’s just, I dunno, something I’ve always felt.
“So [come the World Cup training camp] I thought to myself: ‘Am I going to put myself through this?
“‘And if I don’t feel I want to go and throw myself into this 100%, am I really giving myself the best chance anyway?’”
Simmonds says he was not “mentally prepared” to go through a punishing England pre-season only to then, potentially, get cut at the last minute and “have to deal with not being selected”.
“I just didn’t think I could make it work,” he admits. “I didn’t think I was prepared for everything that went with it. I thought about it the whole off-season, from the moment the season finished with Exeter until I spoke to Steve [Borthwick].
“Ultimately, I really wanted to get out to Montpellier and have a new start. Move my family into our new home and into French life, start at my new club rather than come late.
“That was the decision I made, and to be honest, I actually don’t feel like I regret that.”
Chequered past with Eddie Jones and Lions call
What appears a huge call, is more easily understood viewed through the prism of Simmonds’ chequered England experience under Borthwick’s predecessor Eddie Jones.
The Devonian won 16 England caps across two spells, marking his Six Nations debut with two tries against Italy in one of eight appearances in the 2017/18 season.
He then went three years without a cap, despite powering Exeter to the English league and Champions Cup double in 2020, acclaimed as the best player in Europe and every inch fitting the bill.
Simmonds scored in the Champions Cup final against Racing 92 and went onto smash the Premiership try record the following year. Still, Jones would not recall him.
It reached the point where England World Cup-winning No.8 Lawrence Dallaglio, commentating on another Chiefs masterclass by Simmonds, let rip on air with a message clearly aimed at Jones.
“C’mon, people have got to see this!” he implored. “A No.8 with pace off the base of the scrum, getting over the mainline. Pick him!”
Lions boss Warren Gatland did exactly that, selecting him ahead of Jones’ preferred No.8 Vunipola and capping him against South Africa in the Test series.
Only then did Jones finally get the memo yet Simmonds was again in and out of the side, only once playing successive matches, before Vunipola was reinstated.
He says: “I loved playing for England, I loved being able to sing the national anthem and be able to play with and against the best players in the world.
“But at the same time, I loved playing for Exeter. So when I wasn’t picked it was almost like ‘It’s fine, I’m here with my best mates, we’re working towards hopefully winning the league.
“The season I got selected for the Lions I pretty much played every single game for Exeter and I loved it. I felt I was playing my best rugby and almost that if I was selected [for England] it would disrupt that momentum.
“I’d seen it in other boys, They’d get selected to an England squad, get sent back to their club on the Tuesday or Wednesday, then be on the bench because they hadn’t trained with the club.
“Your form drops and then you’re not playing your best rugby.
“Whereas, when I was pushing towards trying to get in the England squad, or the Lions squad, I carried momentum with me.
“Almost because I wasn’t getting selected I was having amazing performances on the weekends and kind of just rolled into a great season for Exeter.”
England stars ‘shocked’ by coaching duo’s exits as they are left puzzled by ‘odd timing’
Never say, never
With Simmonds contracted in France for another year, and an option for one after that, it is hard to see a way back for him with England, who have moved on with Ben Earl, Alex Dombrandt and Chandler Cunningham-South.
“I’ll never say never,” he says. “I don’t want to shut the door on the possibility because things change very quickly in sport.
“But realistically for me, with the time I’m at in my career, seeing these young players coming through, they deserve their opportunities.
“The way I feel now I’d love to stay in France, keep raising my family here and enjoying what this life brings. It’s a good club and a brilliant place to live.”
Tomorrow: Billy Vunipola and the point Sam Simmonds intends to prove at Montpellier.
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