Former England forward Phil Vickery has revisited his infamous scrum battle against Springboks prop Tendai \u2018Beast\u2019 Mtawarira during the 2009 British and Irish Lions Series.<\/b><\/p>\n
It was a contrasting day for the two props collided in a brutal Test match in Durban in 2009, with Mtawarira earning international fame for his efforts, while it marked one of the worst days in Vickery\u2019s illustrious career.<\/p>\n
At the time, the England tighthead was renowned as one of the best props of his generation, having won the Rugby World Cup in 2003 with England and was on his second Lions<\/a> tour, while his opposing loosehead earned just his 11th Springboks<\/a> cap.<\/p>\n Vickery reflects on 2009 Lions tour<\/p>\n However, Mtawarira<\/a> produced a statement scrummaging performance in the match, winning several penalties as he drove the England prop into the air at multiple scrums.<\/p>\n So much so that Lions forward coach Graham Rowntree offered to replace the England stalwart at halftime.<\/p>\n \u201cI had played against the Beast before with England and not a problem, I wasn\u2019t overly worried,\u201d Vickery<\/a> told the Stick to Rugby podcast as he reflected on the match.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew he was an athlete, he\u2019s a big boy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was probably one of the hardest things when you go back in at half time \u2013 the referee didn\u2019t want to know anything, it was Bryce Lawrence \u2013 people could say he was illegal, it doesn\u2019t really matter. It is what it is.<\/p>\n \u201cI got back in at half time and Graham Rowntree said \u2018Do you want to go back on?\u201d<\/p>\n Understandably, the England veteran did not entertain the suggestion.<\/p>\n \u201cI won\u2019t tell exactly what I said to him, but he\u2019s not the most incredibly bright or pretty bloke in the world, so I let him know and that went back out,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then I got subbed off.\u201d<\/p>\n Jeremy Guscott reveals the England snub he \u2018would definitely pick\u2019 for the Lions and the star who \u2018cannot be ignored\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n George Martin set to miss Lions tour following \u2018almost put a line through him\u2019 Leicester update<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n While Rowntree\u2019s suggestion hit a nerve, it was actually a good-hearted message from his mom that cut the deepest for Vickery.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember picking up my phone [after the match] and thinking I\u2019m going for a friend there and normally get 100s of text messages \u2013 most of them were usually from my brother saying how much he loves me. But because he\u2019s drunk somewhere, be rugby club. I thought I\u2019d take that but nothing.<\/p>\n \u201cI did get one from my then-wife Kate and one from Mum.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd for my mum to send a text message was nothing short of a miracle. Only a mother can say this because it\u2019s what she didn\u2019t say, which said everything and it is when you know you have an absolute **** and all it read was \u2018We still love you\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n