Line-out Ability Is My Back-row Edge - Lions' Chessum

Ollie Chessum says he is relishing his opportunity successful nan backmost statement arsenic nan versatile England guardant zeros successful connected a spot successful nan British and Irish Lions Test squad.

Chessum started astatine blindside flanker in nan 36-24 triumph complete nan Brumbies connected Wednesday, scoring a effort aft 14 minutes and narrowly missing retired connected different arsenic he was held up complete nan statement precocious on.

Only 2 of his 28 Test appearances for England person been back-row starts, but nan 24-year-old - much usually a 2nd statement - says his set-piece acquisition is an advantage complete his rivals for a spot successful nan squad for nan 19 July bid opener against Australia.

"I deliberation nan line-out 1 is astir apt obvious, to person that 3rd jumper," he said erstwhile asked by BBC Sport astir his constituent of quality arsenic a backmost row.

"But each sorts really. I deliberation that erstwhile I get nan shot successful my hands connected nan edges I tin make a existent difference. Playing six frees you up to beryllium some connected nan separator and successful nan middle.

"I person had to activity astatine it, but since I person been 20 aliases 21 I person played successful and astir nan backmost statement astatine Leicester.

"I person had hints of it pinch England - pinch nan players we person location it useful nicely successful a spot of rotation. I do really bask it.

"The coaches person been awesome pinch maine because evidently we person not had that overmuch clip to hole and train truthful they person freed maine up and fto maine spell to work.

"Hopefully I did what they asked maine to tonight."

The triumph complete nan Brumbies marked Chessum's first back-row commencement for nan Lions. He came disconnected nan chair and into nan 2nd statement against nan Western Force and started astatine fastener against Queensland Reds.

He besides vanished nan lucifer successful Canberra successful nan 2nd row, swapping successful aft Henry Pollock replaced Joe McCarthy conscionable earlier nan hour.

Head coach Andy Farrell has emphasised nan value of players' versatility to guarantee his broadside tin accommodate tactically and screen injuries during nan game.

The Lions person besides prioritised having a line-out jumper successful nan backmost statement connected caller tours pinch Courtney Lawes starting each 3 Tests successful South Africa successful 2021 and Peter O'Mahony captaining nan broadside successful nan first Test against New Zealand 4 years earlier.

Some observers person pegged nan fixtures against nan Brumbies – nan strongest Australian state successful this year's Super Rugby title – arsenic a barren tally for Farrell's Test line-up.

However, Chessum says that pinch different warm-up crippled to travel against an invitational Australia and New Zealand XV successful Adelaide connected Saturday - and nan hectic schedule starring into nan first Test connected 19 July - he is taking each time arsenic it comes.

"I don't cognize what to expect!" he said of nan bid opener successful Brisbane.

"These past 2 weeks has been an absolute blur. You play a game, you are connected a flight, we onshore successful nan adjacent city, we person a captains' tally and past we are playing again.

"It has been really enjoyable but, arsenic acold arsenic what is to travel adjacent weekend, arsenic a squad we will spot wherever we want to return nan game.

"That is 1 point that has been really bully - it has been subordinate led and hopefully we tin person our input connected what we are going to do adjacent week."