While dozens of players and thousands of fans tuned into The British & Irish Lions Squad Announcement, one key protagonist was 39,000 feet up in the air.

Jac Morgan missed the moment his Lions dream came true, as his fellow countryman and Lions Chairman Ieuan Evans read out his name as part of Andy Farrell’s 38-man squad.

Instead, he was flying to South Africa with club Ospreys for a URC match this weekend – and the plane was delayed.

But once he landed and the news filtered through, the 25-year-old Lions debutant admits the emotion hit him as he realised a long-held ambition.

“It is a surreal thing to be picked for the Lions. I am really grateful and it was a proud moment, a massive honour and my family are really chuffed,” he said.

“I was supposed to be land in time to hear the announcement but there was a delay so it was announced when we were up in the air. I found out as soon as I landed.

“Luke Davies, who was with me at the back of the plane, offered his congratulations so that was funny. It was a great moment.

“I was a little bit emotional, I was sitting next to Kieran Hardy at the time and it was just us two.

“I was able to get my head down a little bit but soon after there was a lot of clapping and cheering, and everyone came up to me to congratulate me.

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“That was an emotional time because everything you do, you do as a group and a squad throughout the season and to share that moment with them was very special.”

Morgan is one of two Wales players to be selected for the Tour, joining scrum-half Tomos Williams.

“I have text Tomos but I do not know if I have had a reply yet. I messaged him to say congratulations and it’s really well-deserved, he has played really well,” he added.

Morgan has been a mainstay across the back row for Wales since his international debut in 2022 and co-captained them at the 2023 Rugby World Cup before taking on the responsibility alone in 2025.

It has been a remarkable journey for Morgan, who spent two years working as an apprentice mechanical engineer after he was released from the Scarlets academy.

He balanced his apprenticeship with playing for Aberavon in the Welsh top flight before rejoining Scarlets in 2019.

Now, he joins a stacked back-row room that also contains Tom Curry, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan, Ben Earl and Henry Pollock. The competition will be fierce but Morgan insists he will be ready.

“Growing up, watching the Lions, there have been so many great players who have played in the past and come together from different countries. It is the pinnacle of their career,” he added.

“I am looking forward to starting training and meeting up with everyone. It is going to be competitive and tough and learn.

“The competition is massive, anyone could go, it is just a massive honour again to be picked.”