“SOMEONE OVER THERE said we get an iPad! If we can make sure there’s an iPad in everyone’s goody bag…”

James Lowe was in good form when holding court on day one of the Lions meet-and-greet. Receiving a generous bag of Lions branded freebies tends to have that effect.

Given his New Zealand background, the Leinster wing will become one of the few players who – injury permitting – have played both for and against the Lions. In 2017, just before flying across to Leinster, he lined out for the Maori All Blacks in a 32-10 defeat to Warren Gatland’s tourists.

“I played fullback that evening,” recalls Lowe. “I’m pretty sure I had Rieko Ioane on one wing and Nehe Milner-Skudder on the other wing. I was the dud at the back compared to those two!

“I think everyone would admit that was their first actual test match, the first one they [the Lions] properly turned up for. They blew us off the park in terms of intensity, basics of the game, ferocity at the breakdown, scraps, any loose ball.

“To be honest, we were beaten off the park that day.”

Lowe and the Maori All Blacks perform the haka ahead of their 2017 match against the Lions. Photosport / Andrew Cornaga/INPHO Photosport / Andrew Cornaga/INPHO / Andrew Cornaga/INPHO

Five Irish players started for the Lions on that night in Rotorua. Future Leinster teammates Tadhg Furlong and Sean O’Brien were in the pack. Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton were the half-backs on a wet night. Lowe did not enjoy his treatment at their hands in the Maori backfield.

“I mentioned a few heavy hitters, we went into the game with a boat load of confidence,” he says. “Conor Murray was putting box kicks on me, you had Sexto screaming, ‘Go at his left foot.’

“‘Lads, we want sunny rugby here! I wanna play touch if I can and wide rucks.’ It was an introduction into what it actually meant for the boys to play for the Lions. A level of intensity that was unmatched.

“I’m getting PTSD talking about it. I love rugby and I hated that game. It was wet, made for northern hemisphere rugby at the time.

“It’s cool to be on the other side.”

Lowe joins Maro Itoje and Ronan Kelleher to sign some Lions merchandise on Sunday. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

Speaking of heavy hitters, Lowe was among the group of Lions mingling beside the coffee truck provided for players at their Richmond Hotel meet-up. Finn Russell and Sione Tuipulotu were among his first acquaintances, but Lowe is equally looking forward to working with those in his own position.

“Tommy Freeman’s an exceptional winger, we’ve played against each other a few times now,” he says. “We’ve never butted heads but we’re two competitive people so it will be interesting to get to know him on a personal level.

“Same with Duhan [van der Merwe], Elliot Daly, he has a wealth of knowledge and another left-footer.

“We are definitely going to do our best to get out and socialise with other people. There’s so many skilful people, so many heads full of different knowledge and experience, it’s definitely good to try and pick the brains of other people.”