'Brutal' false news story left Jamie Roberts totally gutted as announcement made

The Wales centre was reportedly set to tour for the third time in 2017, only for the call to never come

Jamie Roberts has called his omission from the 2017 Lions tour one of the most "brutal" moments of his career.

The former Wales centre had toured in 2009 and 2013 but was overlooked for the tour of New Zealand - despite erroneous reports the night before Warren Gatland announced his squad stating that he would be included.

Several publications reported that Roberts, who had been on the bench for all five of Wales' Six Nations matches that year, was set to be a surprise inclusion - with England centre Jonathan Joseph in danger of missing out.

As it turned out, Joseph - who had just won back-to-back Six Nations titles with England - was named in the squad, while Roberts missed out. Get the latest Welsh rugby breaking news by signing up to our free daily newsletter here,

At the time, former Wales flanker Martyn Williams said Roberts was "totally deflated" after having his hopes raised.

The centre would have some consolation, being picked to captain Wales on their summer tour of Samoa and Tonga.

"It was borne out of a really disappointing period, because I wasn't picked for the Lions tour in 2017," he said on Scrum V when asked about the Wales captaincy.

"And that didn't play out brilliantly, because Sky Sports ran a story the night before the announcement that I had made the squad. That was brutal. That was one of the toughest moments of my career.

"Everyone wants to go on a Lions tour and it was my chance to go on a third. So that was pretty brutal."

When he was picked for his first Lions tour in 2009, Roberts had taken a radio down to Penarth Pier to listen to the announcement.

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