In an era where the twin forces of professionalism and commercialism are eroding many of rugby’s engaging traditions, it is refreshing to learn, via Harlequins and England prop Joe Marler, that the Lions midweek team still know how to raise a small slice of hell.

Players returning from a Lions tour tend to extol the quality of their teammates and opposition, an experience which they invariably say has made them a better player. As his wont, Marler does not engage with such platitudes. Did it make him a better player he is asked? “I wouldn’t say that,” he replies. What did he learn instead? “How to drink,” is the short, direct answer.

“Rory Best is the one to blame for that,” Marler continues. “He is the one to blame for every time I spoke to my wife on Facetime she said ‘are you pissed again?’ And I was ‘of course not’ so that is probably the biggest thing I learned on that tour.

“It was a different tour particularly for the midweek ‘veg’ as we were labelled but it was really enjoyable. It was more like an old school sort of tour basically. I didn’t expect it – I thought those days are kind of gone now. Everything is ultra professional isn’t it?