THE BRITISH AND Irish Lions squad announcement is one of the few times players and fans live a shared experience. For the most part, those hoping to make the plane find themselves in the same nervous space as those sitting at home waiting to see if their favourite players made the cut.

Craig Casey worked out the bad news pretty quickly as names of the 17 backs started to be read out in alphabetical order last Thursday. First out, his Ireland teammate Bundee Aki. Next, England’s Elliot Daly, as Ieuan Evans skipped straight past the B’s and C’s.

The realisation was a hammer blow. Casey was always facing a battle given the knee injury which kept him sidelined from mid-December to late March – taking in the entire Six Nations – but the Munster scrum-half still felt he might have done enough to earn a place on the tour.

“It was definitely something that I wanted to go on no matter what the injury was, and I said to myself that I wouldn’t use the injury as an excuse if I didn’t get there, so I most certainly won’t be using it as an excuse now,” Casey says.

Craig Casey pictured at the C11 Recovery partnership announcement with Munster Rugby. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

“I kind of earmarked that at the start of the season, obviously played a few internationals and they went well, so I thought I’d put myself in a good position and then obviously the injury happened, but I think over that injury, it was probably the main driving force for me. I always had a Lion’s crest on my journal every day, I knew that I needed to live up to my standards and go beyond them if I wanted to get on a tour.

“I tried to hit the ground running over the last few weeks and put myself back into contention for it, so I was certainly sitting there on Thursday listening to it all, soaking it all in. I’d be in awe of the Lions tours of old, so it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do and you’re a Lions fan as much as you are wanting to play.

So look, I was sitting there in hope that my name was going to be called out and I was absolutely gutted, I won’t lie about it.

“I kind of spent the rest of the day in my own head then about it. I said I’d give myself the rest of the day to kind of be disappointed and take that disappointment on and then let it drive you after that.

“So it was nice to get back into a game on the Friday night, but I won’t shy away from saying I’m gutted about it and it looks like an unbelievable squad and management group to go down and contest in Australia.”

Casey has played five times for Munster since returning from that meniscus injury and while the 26-year-old hasn’t had any contact with Andy Farrell, he isn’t giving up hope of making the tour, as there is always the possibility of getting a late call-up.

“If something was to happen, I’d love to be able to be ready and put myself in the best possible position to be picked. But look, I’m after coming off the back of an injury, so I wouldn’t wish injury on any of those lads, but if something does happen, I’ll certainly be ready.

I wouldn’t have been shy in saying that I wanted to be a Lion, the whole way growing up, so I won’t be saying it now either. I certainly still want to be.”

For now, there’s more pressing matters to focus the mind. Munster welcome Benetton to Cork on Friday night in the final round of the URC regular season. It’s a massive fixture in the playoff race, with Benetton seventh in the table and only ahead of Munster by games won.

Casey says last weekend’s home win against Ulster has left the team in a positive headspace ahead of the game.

Casey has played five time since returning from his knee injury. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

“Obviously it’s always nice to come in on a Monday morning after winning a game, but after winning an interpro is probably a higher level of buzz as well, and you can ride that wave and the confidence you take from those into this week. Bennett are a quality side, they had an unbelievable result last week against Glasgow so they’ll be coming in full of life and energy, and I know their head coach is leaving them at the end of the season, so they probably have high motivation to send him off well as well.

“It’s going to be a tough challenge, we know exactly what we’re playing for as well so that’s always a good thing and it’s a sellout down in Cork, the weather is good, so the buzz will surely be good down there and we’re certainly buzzing for it.”

C11 Recovery, a leading Irish brand and global provider of recovery services for elite athletes, will become the Official Recovery Partner to Munster Rugby.