Northampton Saints lock Courtney Lawes would consider making a final British and Irish Lions tour in 2025 – if he is still playing rugby union by then.
Lawes retired from England duty following the World Cup in France, having won 105 caps.
The 34-year-old, who has been with Saints throughout his career, has not yet decided on his future plans.
“I’m not entirely sure what’s going to happen next season yet,” he told BBC Radio Northampton.
“I’ve only played two games for the club [since returning from the World Cup] and it’s a long old season.
“I haven’t got any plans – I just want to enjoy the games, enjoy being with the boys, and see what happens.”
The Lions will tour Australia in 2025 and Lawes has said that if his rugby career is ongoing at that time, he would make the trip if selected.
He has made 266 appearances for Saints, scoring seven tries, and is regarded as one of their greatest ever players.
Lawes won a Northamptonshire Icon award at the county’s Business Excellence event earlier this month and will be given the freedom of the town, along with boxer Chantelle Cameron, at a civic ceremony in December.
Born in London, he played in four World Cups in total, and twice toured with the Lions, most recently to South Africa in 2021.
“Being able to represent the town for so long, on an international stage and here, is something I’m very proud of,” he said.
“I’ve always been me, always happy to talk to people, and I’m glad I’ve put some smiles on faces.”
On Saturday, Northampton take on reigning champions Saracens, having lost to them in last season’s Premiership play-off semi-finals. The contest will see Lawes line up against several former England team-mates.
“I definitely know the players. They’re a good team, they’ve got a lot of internationals and they’re very thorough in what they do,” he said. “They know their DNA inside and out and they stick to it.
“A lot of what they do is trying to stop you doing what you want to do, so you’ve got to have the confidence to go out there and express yourself, be the team what you want to be, front up, make sure your defence is on point, and you’ll give yourselves a good shot.”
