Manu Tuilagi has echoed Brian O’Driscoll’s sentiment that he would play in any position if it resulted in his selection for the British and Irish Lions Test team.
The 37-man squad landed in Hong Kong in advance of Saturday’s clash with the Barbarians, which launches a 10-fixture itinerary that continues in Australia and climaxes with a series against the Wallabies.
Tuilagi and O’Driscoll are two of four centres to have been selected, with Wales duo Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies also travelling.
It will be O’Driscoll’s fourth tour, but he stated he would be happy to play anywhere if it aided the Lions’ cause and Tuilagi has adopted a similar mindset.
“I’d play back row if I had to! Just being with the Lions is a huge honour. If you get the opportunity to play anywhere you don’t turn it down,” the England centre said.
“The talent we have in the squad is massive. I came in on Sunday and watched training. It looked really sharp and that’s the level we have to be at.
“We’ll have to be on our game the whole time to get a place in the team. It will be hard and a massive challenge.”
Tuilagi was one of the 16 late arrivals into the Lions camp due to his involvement in Leicester’s victory over Northampton in the Aviva Premiership final on Saturday.
The Leinster and Ulster players who locked horns in the RaboDirect PRO12’s equivalent that same day also linked up with the touring party over the weekend.
“The squad’s been in camp for two weeks so those of us who came down on Sunday have been getting up to speed,” Tigers wrecking ball Tuilagi said.
“For the boys who have just come down we need to be ready for the first game which we are available for.”
Leicester thumped their midlands rivals at Twickenham in their ninth successive appearance in the Premiership’s showpiece.
The headline incident of a bruising spectacle was the dismissal of Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley for abusing referee Wayne Barnes, an act that resulted in an 11-week ban and his exclusion from the Lions tour.
Ireland’s Rory Best was called up in his place and Tuilagi has sympathy for his England team-mate.
The 22-year-old said: “I felt sad for Dylan Hartley because of what happened in the final, it was a missed opportunity for him. He must be absolutely gutted at the moment, but that’s the way the game goes. You learn and move on.”
Tuilagi, who was born in Samoa, expects to be well supported in Australia.
“My dad always talked about the Lions. Growing up he loved them,” he said.
“When I found out I was involved I couldn’t wait to ring him and tell him. My mum and dad are going to come to Australia. The whole family will be there.”