Bath Rugby’s James Linegar certainly aims high when it comes to ambitions – he wants to play for the British & Irish Lions.
Bath Rugby’s James Linegar – here in training previously with England U18s – is currently part of England U20s’ training squad in Portugal | Photo © Juan Gasparini/JMP – RFU Collection via JMP UK
In an exclusive interview with the Echo while he is at England U20s’ training camp in Portugal this week, the fly-half revealed that playing for his country’s senior XV will not even be enough for him.
Instead he wants to emulate his clubmates Finn Russell, Will Stuart and Chris Harris and earn Lions honours.
Linegar, who attended Kingswood School in Bath, joined the Blue, Black & White’s academy when he was 14.
He made his debut for Johann van Graan’s Bath 1st XV as a replacement in the 47-14 victory over Glasgow Warriors in a pre-season game at The Rec last September, scoring his maiden points for the team when he converted their final try.
Linegar has been involved with England age-group sides before but is now chasing a place in U20s’ head coach Andy Titterrell’s squad for the U20 Six Nations, which will be played in February and March.
And Linegar feels that being involved with England is a great benefit to his career with Bath.
He said: “It’s a different team altogether so it tests you in different ways to how Bath do. So in terms of my development, that helps massively.
“You’ve got to find new ways or learn new ways as well to make me better, and better my game.
“And it’s also about understanding the game. For me, as a 10, there are different ways to play the game, what’s best suited to me.”
Although he has played in some big matches for Bath at The Rec, Linegar acknowledges that appearing for England U20s there when they face Ireland on Friday 20th February (7.45pm) will be massive for him if he is selected.
He said: “I’ve watched past England U20s games at The Rec. It’s a good atmosphere down there. It’s good when Bath play and it’s good when England play – there’s a lot of young people that come to those games.
“So to be able to play in that would be pretty cool. I’m sure Bath will be buzzing.
“I’ve played at The Rec a couple of times already. Playing at The Rec for me is pretty special all round really.
“I’ve been supporting Bath my whole life. I’ve tried to get to as many games as I can [at The Rec].
“From being in the fans and watching the players and thinking how cool it is, to then actually be on the pitch… I’ve got to pinch myself, it’s pretty surreal.
“My grandpa’s got a season ticket there and had one well before I was born. He’s had one most of his life. He sits in that same seat. The family are pretty hardcore Bath fans.
“I know my grandpa’s pretty proud of it [when Linegar plays at The Rec].”
Linegar rates his best moments playing for Bath as being the Glasgow match and when he lined up against Exeter Chiefs in the PREM Rugby Cup clash at The Rec two weeks later, on Saturday 20th September, for his competitive debut.
The Blue, Black & White put out a young team – rather unfairly described by some people as a 3rd XV – against a virtually full-strength Exeter side and were leading until the closing stages, only to fall to a 23-14 defeat.
Linegar said: “I’d say the Glasgow game but also the Exeter game in the PREM Cup.
“Henry Slade was playing [for Exeter]. It was a tough game and that’s probably the highest level I’ve played in a game.
“We stuck at it right to the end. We definitely could’ve won that game. So I think that’s probably the biggest occasion for me.
“I think that [running Exeter’s big names so close] probably just shows the depth we have, the depth through the squad.
“It doesn’t matter who we pick, a Bath side is going to be tough to beat, which is what we aim to be.”
Regarding his aims as a player, Linegar said: “In an ideal world, I want to play for Bath my whole life – definitely a goal of mine.
“And to get as many appearances as I can at The Rec, starting at 10, being that sort of club man.
“In terms of my Bath career, that’s what I want, to see where it goes.
“But in terms of overall goals, I don’t think there’s a limit. I want to go all the way, England, Lions, whatever it may be.
“I’ve always aimed high. Ever since I was young, I was set on rugby. I’ve always been set on playing for England, playing for the Lions, and that’s an amazing achievement that I definitely look to strive for.
“I used to play loads of different sports. When I was younger, I used to get stuck into everything. My parents would always say ‘You’ve got to try everything, you’re young, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t’.
“So I literally got stuck into everything. I love football, I swam a lot and obviously played rugby. I’d say that those were the three main things that I enjoyed.
“Football in primary school was massive. Everyone around me loved football and I was probably one of the only people that actually played rugby. It didn’t put me off it [rugby] at all because everyone in primary school was supportive and it was quite a nice environment.
“I had my friends outside school and inside school.
“I swam all the way up until I was about 14. Swimming is a tough sport. You have to be swimming every single day.
“So it got to the point where I had to choose what I wanted to do and it had always been rugby. So I was like ‘This is a no-brainer, I’ve got to choose rugby, prioritise that’.
Linegar was on the receiving end of abuse from Gloucester Rugby fans when he missed a penalty in the PREM Cup match at Kingsholm Stadium on Friday 14th November.
Bath, who put out a side with an average age of 21, lost 19-17 to a Cherry & White team including former All Black Nepu Laulala. However, the visitors had most of the possession and territory and forced Gloucester to make 207 tackles.
But Linegar told the Echo that he revels in the jeers of opposition supporters.
He said: “I kind of enjoy that from the opposition and I quite like that sort of atmosphere where it shows the sort of passion that the fans have.
“You compare it to football – I think football, it can get out of hand quite easily with the fans.
“But I don’t think the passion is a bad thing.
“You also don’t really take much notice of it when you’re on the pitch, you can’t actually hear it – it sounds muffled.
“I was quite surprised that I actually can’t really hear much because there are so many voices.
“I think it’s good for the game. It’s a good craic.”
And looking ahead to that England-Ireland clash at The Rec, Linegar has urged rugby fans – particularly Bath followers – to come along and roar the home nation to victory.
He said: “We’d love to get as many people down there as we can, if they’re from Bath, wherever they are, but especially Bath fans.
“I know how good the Bath fans are. So the more Bath fans we can get there, the better the atmosphere’s going to be.
“They can support our players, I think that’ll make a great atmosphere.”
Tickets for the game can be purchased here.
