Jamie vs The Lions: An Englishman’s Twist of Fate

By Angus Hayman

After another 12-year wait, the British and Irish Lions are finally back on Australian soil and they’ve kicked off their tour with a scintillating 54 to 7 victory over the Western Force. Their arrival doesn’t just stir old rivalries, it lights up the rugby calendar, igniting towns, clubs, and stadiums across the country. It’s certainly more than a tour. 

For many, a fixture against the Lions is a career-defining opportunity. For English-born Beastie Jamie Adamson, it’s also a uniquely strange twist of fate.

The back-rower from Durham, now finds himself preparing to line up against the very team he grew up admiring. A proud Englishman, Adamson will face the Lions as part of the NSW Waratahs side taking them on in Sydney this coming Saturday night, a moment as ironic as it is exhilarating.

“It’s not something I’d ever considered being a possibility, to be honest,” Jamie says. “It’s the pinnacle of any British or Irish player’s career, so being able to face them is a huge privilege………and a pretty rare occurrence as an Englishman.”

The Lions, are a symbol of unity and tradition, and one of the last true spectacles in modern sport. The build-up is intense, the expectations sky-high. And for players like Adamson, the chance to be a part of it, even from the other side, is something few could have imagined.

Adamson’s rugby journey is already an impressive one. Before arriving at Easts, he’d represented England and Great Britain in Sevens, even competing at the Commonwealth Games. The call-up to the national squad fulfilled a lifelong dream.

“Obviously, it was very special being able to represent my country on the world stage,” he reflects. “I was fortunate enough to do that for a couple of years. It was a childhood dream fulfilled and every occasion was a proud one for my family and I.”

That mix of national pride and global experience is what makes next weekend’s clash all the more remarkable. Jamie may have once worn the rose, but now he’s preparing to line up opposite the very best who do too. It’s a strange full circle, but one he embraces.

“I haven’t previously crossed paths with any of those boys touring with the Lions,” he says. “But just being able to face the best of the best from back home is exciting.” 

Adamson joined Easts for the 2024 season, looking for a new experience after his Sevens career. He’d heard about the club through friends who played for the Beasties in 2017 and 2023 and followed their lead once his own representative duties wrapped up.

“I’d always wanted to do a season in Sydney just for the experience,” he explains. “Ben, Jed, and Dave welcomed me with open arms and have made Easts a home away from home.”

That home has turned into a new chapter. Adamson now balances club rugby with a contract at the Waratahs, where he’s signed through 2026. 

“I’m loving my time at the Tahs and in Sydney,” he says. “I’m just focused on seeing what I can do over the next 12 months and of course, going back-to-back with the Beasties this year.”

But for all the long-term goals, it’s hard to look past what lies ahead this weekend. The Lions don’t just bring a squad, they bring a culture. Sold-out crowds, ardent fans, and wall-to-wall media coverage. A cauldron of noise, tradition, and expectation.

And for Jamie Adamson, it’s a moment to savour. Not just because of the quality of opposition, but because of what it represents: how far rugby can take you. From backyards in Durham to Commonwealth Games arenas. From Sydney club rugby fields to facing the British and Irish Lions at SFS.

Next Saturday, the Englishman will run out in the Sky Blue. Across from him, a wall of red. There will be no handshakes from mates of a mate. No inside info or rivalry banter. Just a once-in-a-lifetime clash with the sport’s most iconic touring side.

And if the Lions are rugby’s ultimate symbol of legacy, then Jamie Adamson, with his boots planted in Aussie turf and his eyes locked on the red jersey, is proof that the sport still has room for the romantic, the unlikely, and the unforgettable.