Ollie Lawrence is talking about the people who inspire him. He grew up playing and watching a lot of different sports, so there were quite a few. On Saturday, one person might be next to him and another might be across from him.
But let’s start with someone who won’t be anywhere near Murrayfield and the Six Nations. “Michael Jordan is probably my biggest sporting idol,” said the Bath and England center forward, who is preparing for a recall after recovering from a hip injury. “When I was younger, I didn’t watch much American sports, but when ‘The Last Dance’ came out, I saw his character and everything he had achieved in his career.
“It wasn’t just his professionalism, it was the way he pushed standards within his team and his desire to be the best. That resonated with me and that’s what I wanted to do, the way I did it. way. I want to have the desire to succeed, I want to be part of a winning team and do all the little things that add up.
“If you look at his career, you see the ups and downs, the highs and lows he’s had, and how he’s managed to turn things around and put a team together and be successful. He’s not perfect. He’s got His flaws. But I think no one is perfect. His characteristics and the demands he places on himself are contagious to those around him.
Then there’s the obvious question – who in football represents the qualities Jordan brought to the basketball court over the years? Lawrence was speaking to the Daily Mail at Bath Playground, and he kept his voice low as the person he had in mind was within earshot. Finn Russell; he’s a club teammate but a rival this weekend.
Ollie Lawrence expected to start in England’s Six Nations clash with Scotland
His sports idol Michael Jordan and the documentary “The Last Dance” inspired Lawrence to find his best
Bath center Lawrence – who has been recovering from injury – has a bit to offer England
“He’s probably sitting right behind me, so I don’t want to think too highly of him,” he said. But that’s just the way he is; his calmness and the way he does things is so effortless and impressive. He’s one of the best halves in the world and that’s infectious. That’s what happened to us in Bath this season. When you have guys like that, you have confidence that you can win games. “
He has a point and England will be on high alert this week, ready to deal with the creative threat posed by Russell. Back to Lawrence’s idol. There are all kinds of other people. “In cricket, it’s Kevin Peterson,” he said. “In golf, it’s Tiger Woods. In rugby, it’s Sonny Bill Williams and Manu (Tuilagi).
When Lawrence was rising to prominence at Birmingham, he identified Tuilagi as someone he wanted to emulate. Now he plays with him in the England team and plays with him in midfield. The problem was – or was – that he was constantly being compared to the man he had long admired. Although they are now both competing for the centre-forward spot, Lawrence believes he is no longer considered a Manu Mk II.
“Some fans may still classify us as the same player, but what Manu and I bring to the party may be similar but also very different,” he said. “He’s more powerful than me and he’s heavier than me. His impact at the free throw line and his ability to carry the ball are huge.
“The way he’s played for England over the years has been unbelievable. He’s someone I’ve watched growing up. He’s my idol and someone I really want to be like, so to have the opportunity to go to the (World Cup) with him The warm-up was really great.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. He’s gone from being someone I idolized to being a friend. He’s been there for me on my journey, he’s always had my back and wants the best for me. That’s what you’ve got to say about Expectations from senior players. “He’s had an unfortunate time with injuries but he’s one of the best centre-forwards to ever pull on an England shirt. “
Lawrence is hell-bent on forcing his way into this lofty category, and he has a rich pedigree of natural athletes who can apply his hand-eye coordination to a variety of different ball sports.
“I grew up near Harborne; there’s a little village nearby,” he said. “I had a good upbringing. My parents sacrificed a lot to send me to schools that provided me with academic and sporting opportunities, but sports came first!
Bath gave him a fresh start last season and he was named Premier League Player of the Year
Lawrence is now back in the England squad and is expected to face Scotland at Murrayfield
“Football-wise I started at Birmingham City’s academy – if you can call it that – when I was eight years old and then I spent some time at Villa. My dad is a Wolves fan but I Support Chelsea. I think I went to Sports Direct or JD with my dad and bought a shirt and he wanted me to choose an orange (Wolves) shirt but I ended up choosing a blue shirt with the Chelsea crest on it and that was it That’s it. I was only four. My dad hated it, but I’ve stuck with them ever since, even though they’ve been terrible this season!
“I played a lot of cricket, all the way up to Warwickshire from the age of 10 to 15. I loved my cricket – still do. I wish I could still play but I just didn’t have the time. In the summer, when we have When I had a bit of a break it was nice to go to the local cricket club to see friends and watch a match. I also watched it on TV. If I had time at some stage I would definitely go home and play a second or third game.
Today, Lawrence finds time to play golf, enjoys (computer) gaming, and another passion is fashion. He described Anthony Watson as a rugby player with a sartorial style, while he himself favored baggy clothes and sneakers.
Like Tuilagi, he also loves body art. “I have a lot of tattoos,” Lawrence said. “I completed a meaningful puzzle; you can’t fit every piece of the puzzle, so just be yourself. I got it in 2020, 2021. I’m a very impulsive person, so I just decided I Love the meaning behind it.
“All my tattoos have meaning. No ink on my body – as far as I know – doesn’t mean anything. I have a lot to give to my grandparents, my parents. My whole back is done . There are many tattoos and they all have meaning; “They are all personal to me. “
On the field, Lawrence found extra meaning in his rugby career after losing his job following Worcester’s collapse. Bath gave him a fresh start last season and he responded with a stunning purple patch which saw him named Premier League Player of the Year.
Lawrence said The Last Dance “opened his eyes to Jordan as a character and everything he’s accomplished in his career.”
It also led to a recall from the England squad for last year’s Six Nations, with Lawrence marking his return with a thunderous performance against Italy. After a difficult first phase of his international career, he resolutely seized his second chance at Test level when he was picked up by Eddie Jones but was long underutilized as an attacking weapon of mass destruction.
“I didn’t really like it at the time,” he said. “In a way when I first played for England the team was very immature. I was 21 and I was probably trying to chase games and big moments and get lost in it all. That setback Probably helped me jump to last season’s goal.
The second spell against England has been more productive for Lawrence but he was a fringe figure during last autumn’s World Cup and limited game time has left him determined to make a point when he returns to Bath.
“Personally, I came back from the World Cup feeling a bit frustrated, so I just wanted to get on the pitch and really show what I can do,” he said. “I have some great memories of the World Cup but it really lit a spark in my game. I came back hungry to feed myself.
Lawrence underlined this point with a string of outstanding performances for the club that established him as one of the best players of the season and paved the way for another England call-up. Like his idol all those years ago, adversity has inspired him lately.