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Saracens have a reputation for taking waifs and strays in off the street, turning them into top-line performers, and putting them out to play on their new plastic pitch.
Here are the players they supplied to the Lions this time round – singer Matt Stevens, rugby-league player Owen Farrell and fast-food junkie Mako Vunipola.
Saracens, the top English Premiership club, have never been fashionable.
Although Saracens Football Club was established in 1876, for a long time, in the invitation-match, pre-league days, they found it difficult to get games against first-class sides as their facilities were so poor.
“I like Saracens and I don’t care who knows it.”
That’s the general attitude around the club supporters. Much the same with the players, too. The unfashionable north London-based European rugby powerhouse rolls on regardless.
Matt Stevens – Prop with the x-factor
“The best thing that ever happened to me,” said Stevens. No not his Lions selection, but his two-year ban!
Stevens tested positive for cocaine after Bath’s Heineken Cup game against Glasgow in December 2008.
“That whole experience of getting banned led to where I am today and I’m genuinely a lot happier person and in a lot better place, so it’s a good thing.
“It’s not about conquering your addiction, it’s about keeping it in check, and I regularly see someone at counselling. It’s about being aware that it’s a problem you’ve got to continually be on top of.”
Stevens spent his time out doing jiu-jitsu wrestling and became a coffee-shop entrepreneur.
Stevens had made his England debut against the All Blacks in 2004. He packed down versus South Africa in the 2007 World Cup Final.
But despite his brave displays for England, it was in the celebrity version of the X-Factor in 2006 that Stevens became known to a wider audience when, mentored by Sharon Osborne, he got to the final.
His performances on the X Factor: Battle Of The Stars prgoram raised more than £125,000 for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and, in recognition of his fundraising, he met the former South African president in Johannesburg.
He quit Bath after his ban and restarted his career with Saracens. When he came back to rugby, he hit the ground running.
Stevens is a huge fan of mixed martial arts, has won a British championship in ju-jitsu. Stevens puts this down to his wrestling.
“I went to California optimistically for the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world championships and had my arse shown to me,” he said, wincing at the memory.
“But I still had that competitive drive and wanted to try something that mimicked the kind of aggression you find in rugby.”
The forward had won 44 caps for England and played in both the 2007 and 2011 World Cups.
But at 29 he felt he couldn’t commit himself through to the next Rugby World Cup in England in 2015 and chose to resign from international rugby to focus his efforts on his club and his young family.
Needless to say, he was shocked to get the call of the Lions. But Renaissance Man Stevens will be a welcome addition on tour.
Owen Farrell – Young rugby league player makes good
Owen remembers his father’s rugby league days, before he switched to the union code.
“I grew up watching Wigan who were so successful when I was younger. I’d go along to training just to watch,” Farrell said.
“Just being around such brilliant rugby players, hanging out with them and even occasionally joining in a bit, was all a big help. It was all about league to me. My heroes were League players like the Aussies, Andrew Johns and Darren Lockyer.”
You can bet that statement caused a few guffaws in the blazered brigade at Twickenham.
Owen’s dad is Andy Farrell, dual-code international and now coach to England and the British and Irish Lions.
When Owen was 13, his father moved south to join Saracens and switch to union.
Ironically, Owen, now one of the biggest young stars in English rugby, was far from happy.
“I was gutted,” he said. “I always wanted to stay in Wigan, maybe play for them one day, and to stay with my friends at school.”
“I really wasn’t happy about the change at all. It was the dream of every young lad in Wigan to play for the rugby league team one day.
“Now, of course, I completely understand why he chose to do it, but it was a big deal at the time because no member of the Farrell family had moved out of Wigan before.
“But Dad had won a lot of trophies and did everything there was to do in League. He wanted a new challenge. I was just being selfish.’
Farrell, has his father as club and national coach.
“It’s brilliant to get his opinion after a game about where and what I should work on. He watches games back and slows the action down five times. It can be a nightmare watching with him if you just want to enjoy the match.
“Dad was a brilliant kicker and I get tips from him. Hopefully, it’s paying off.”
Indeed it has. Farrell put in a sparkling 2011-12 season with Saracens. His reputation as a sound kicker with nerves of steel burgeoned.
He was nominated for IRB player of the year on the back of it, but failed to win this, missing out to the New Zealand stand-off, Dan Carter.
In 2012-13, he’s cemented himself in as first-choice for England’s number ten and made the Lions squad. The Farrell star continues to rise.
Mako Vunipola – snacker turned packer
Saracens forward Mako Vunipola is a ball carrier, a decision maker, a defender and someone who can get over the ball.
He says a change in lifestyle is behind his remarkable rise to England recognition and British andamp; Irish Lions selection. From zero to hero in one season.
The 22-year-old, 130kg prop, who had not made a Premiership start until this season, was put through a new fitness regime by his club last summer.
“It’s been a massive attitude change for me personally,” he told BBC Sport.
“It’s been a sudden rise. If someone had said three years ago a Lions place was possible I would probably have paid them money.
“When I first started at Sarries I had a bad habit of eating out and snacking here and there.”
Saracens’ European near-misses led them to conclude that they needed to power-up their pack. Fitness work with Vunipola was part of the plan. The New Zealand-born loose-head has benefitted hugely.
“For me it’s been that attitude change, knowing that every bit counts,” he said.
“It’s been tough for me to get used to, but after a year of it, it’s paying dividends now.
“As a player it’s all on your own back. You can only go as far as you want. For me it was a massive thing to push myself, knowing that I had to get myself fit.
“It’s important to keep my feet on the ground and not got ahead of myself and not be too big-headed.
“To get the Lions call-up was a massive honour. To represent the Lions as a player is the highest honour. I’m very pleased and happy that I’m there with two of my team-mates.”
Born in Wellington, Vunipola’s father Fe’ao was the captain of Tonga, but he was raised in Pontypool and speaks with a distinctive Welsh accent.
This campaign has been his breakthrough year, helping Saracens reach the Heineken Cup semi-final, as well as an English Premiership play-off semi against Northampton.
He’s earned himself a nomination for the Rugby Players’ Association player and young player of the season awards.
“It’s all happened very quickly,” he said. Mako was amazed by his England call-up last October.
“This time three years ago I was probably watching everyone else play. I would have watched Six Nations, then the Heineken Cup and Saracens’ play-off semi-final.
“It’s been a sudden rise. If someone had said a Lions place was possible I would probably have paid them money.
“At that point I had no idea that everything would happen so quickly…”
Look for Vunipola to make an impact as a sub to come off the bench when the game opens up a little bit.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.