Lions stars urged not to become position haters ahead of Japan clash by 2017 tourist James Haskell
JAMES HASKELL told the Lions back-up crew they must love being tourists and not hate on their rivals.
'Mr Marmite' Haskell was a late replacement for the 2017 series in New Zealand and although he did not make the Test side, he made the most of the tour as part of the mid-week side - or as he called them: "Team Bin Juice".
So the 77-capped England international had some words of advice for Warren Gatland's side who take on Japan today, looking to make sure they don't become Test trash this summer.
Coach Gregor Townsend has already billed it as the tourists' hardest ever opening fixture.
So if anyone does manage to lay down a big marker at Murrayfield in front of 16,500 fans, Haskell warned their rivals not to get bitter.
The 36-year-old said: "Sometimes you get certain players who are position haters - so anyone who is in their shirt, they don't hang out with them or spend any time with them.
"You don't want those kinds of people who go into battle in training and then hate your rivals - because doing that makes nothing better - as the players don't pick the team.
"If another player makes others feel s***, then they aren't worth it. You don't have to be best friends, but you have to get on.
"And on a Lions tour during Covid, there are going to be such huge demands on them.
"You need energy bringers. Good tourists are vital - guys who make people laugh or organise things off the pitch are incredibly important.
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"Guys who can have a night out, enjoy themselves and not be a complete mess - it's all a balance.
"I can see guys like Luke Cowan-Dickie, Elliot Daly and Tadgh Furlong always wanting to bring the energy.
"On the last tour Gareth Davies did an excellent presentation about selling Peugeots - because one of his relatives runs a car dealership.
"Ken Owens, the chairman of the WRU, he loves a committee and loves getting people to organise events.
"Guys like Justin Tipuric and Toby Faletau will just monopolise the football, table tennis, darts - those guys live for activities.
"Then you've got the coffee crew - guys like Dan Biggar, Stuart Hogg and Robbie Henshaw sitting around talking rubbish around a coffee.
"And I'm sure they will have a coffee machine and specialist baristas and coffee snobs like Owen Farrell will come out.
"Then there was Kyle Sinckler who tripped up and fell through the table tennis table in 2017 and smashed it to pieces.
"All the lads were in hysterics for days. Everyone will play their role."
But one influential guy who Haskell backed to go from Bin Juice to champagne rugby is his old Northampton Saints team-mate Biggar who starts in the No 10 shirt ahead of Farrell.
After striking-up an unlikely bromance with the edgy Wales fly-half in New Zealand four years ago, Haskell said: "Biggs was quite vocal and said he wasn't sure if he would get on with me on the last tour. . . along with Rory Best.
"But Dan and I got on like a house on fire. I wasn't sure about him before either, because when you play against Wales, he is very chirpsy and very competitive.
"So I had my reservations. . . but now we are great friends.
"I did a season with him at Northampton and his professionalism and the way he wants to play is right up there.
"He has been the in-from fly-half for a while and I have a lot of time for him.
"I think he is a brilliant guy and will be great for the Lions again.
"Dan was in the Bin Juice midweek team with me in New Zealand, but he was very professional in the way he wanted to play.
"But he also wanted to have fun and was great with that.
"He would always nestle himself at the back of the bus and he was first on a night out with the rest of us and really added value.
"We had a lot of laughs together and I think he got the balance perfectly right in 2017.
"I know he would have been frustrated to not have got a look in with a Test spot against New Zealand, but he was excellent all round and a really key person."
In-form Six Nations champ Biggar has been leading the attack during the first two weeks of Jersey as he eyes-up a Test spot against the Springboks.
And Haskell added: "All these top fly-halves - Johnny Sexton, Owen Farrell, Dan Biggar - these boys are out of the same mould.
"In training, if someone was careless and didn't listen to the backs - Dan would put his hands in the air and be vocal.
"I've seen him stop training and b*** everybody - he is passionate and will start having a go at people if they are not doing their jobs."
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James Haskell will be part of talkSPORT's exclusive coverage of The British and Irish Lions' Tour of South Africa.
Listen live from 14:00 on Saturday as The Lions take on Japan at Murrayfield on talkSPORT2.