Jonny May believes his international career will be over when England’s World Cup campaign comes to an end but says they have the opportunity to lift the trophy in France and has vowed to make the most of his “bonus time”.
The 33-year-old wing was left out of England’s initial squad for the tournament but was handed a reprieve when Anthony Watson was ruled out through injury and he returns to the starting lineup for Saturday’s final pool-stage match against Samoa.
May has 75 caps to date, having made his debut against Argentina in 2013, and is England’s second highest try-scorer with 36 in his decade on the international stage. At the start of 2021 he had set his heart on a place on the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa but, after England endured a torrid Six Nations campaign, he was one of a clutch of Eddie Jones’s players to miss out.
May has come to view any subsequent international honours as a pleasant surprise and, with England already into the last eight in France and on a collision course with Fiji in the quarter-finals, he is determined to make the most of his opportunity to bring down the curtain on his career with a World Cup winner’s medal.
“This will definitely be my last World Cup, most likely my last time playing for England,” said May. “Never say never but probably, most likely, this will be the last campaign I’ll have with England and I’m incredibly grateful to be here. So just rip in and give everything I can for this last period of time.
“The pros to being in the situation I am now is I know the player I am, I don’t feel I’ve got as much to prove any more. But there is also that pressure that it’s my last time and I want to do as well as I possibly can. You wouldn’t want to go out on a note you’re unhappy with.
“A big goal of mine was the 2021 Lions tour. That didn’t work out for me, that was a bit tough. I’m at peace with that now. Beyond that Lions tour, internationally I saw as bonus time. I’m accepting of that, and that’s exactly how it should be. [It’s] bonus time but a serious time as well, because we’ve got an opportunity to win a World Cup, and I want to do my teammates, my family and my country proud.”
May has established himself as first choice in France and has come straight back into the side despite Henry Arundell’s five tries against Chile in England last match. He is self-aware enough to realise that Steve Borthwick values different strengths – namely his kick-chasing – and May believes he can still mix it with the very best.
“I still feel I’m pushing on my best and I can contribute, and the full package that I can bring is as good as anyone, on my day,” he said. “So that’s what motivates me to still be here. It gives me a role, it gives me clarity, something to go after no matter what’s going on in a game. I know I’m going to be able to chase kicks, I know I’m going to be able to draw width from my forwards, or read a No 10’s body language. That’s the way I know I can be involved in a game.”
