BEFORE the announcement in March of the 35 man Lions squad to tour South Africa, there was, inevitably, immense speculation about its composition. Most of those indulging in the speculative process had Ireland second row forward Jeremy Davidson in "their squads".

Davidson read some of the forecasts and knew he was among the small band of Irish players rated to be in with a good chance. But while some considered him to be among the certainties, Davidson did not see it quite like that. A few days prior to the squad announcement Davidson, like most other contenders, was waiting anxiously. He said at the time: "It is encouraging that so many people think I will get in, but the only opinions that matter are those of the Lions selectors."

That was rather typical of Davidson, a modest and unassuming man. He has never been a player to take anything for granted.

"For the players from the home countries, selection for the Lions is the step above the national scenes. I suppose it is fair enough to say that most players from Britain and Ireland would see it that way and want to get into a Lions tour," he says.

For Davidson, Lions selection was the culmination of what has been a career that had seen him play for Ireland at nearly every level. "I have never played for the Ireland A team," he says. That was basically because the breakthrough to the senior side came so quickly.

He celebrated his 23rd birthday in April. The youngest of a family of four, two brothers and a sister his is a very sound rugby pedigree, fostered from an early age by his home environment and boned initially in that great rugby academy, Methodist College, Belfast.

"I have been extremely fortunate from the outset," he says.

He has been capped 12 times for Ireland at senior level, having made his debut on the bind side flank as a 21 year old in Ireland's 44-8 win over Fiji at Lansdowne Road in 1995.

"I was brought up in a sporting household and rugby was, I suppose, always going to be my game if I showed an aptitude for it."

His father, David, was a sports man of rounded skills. He played at senior level for Ulster as a prop forward and for both Dungannon and Malone. He was also an international athlete and represented Northern Ireland in the shot putt in the Commonwealth Games.

His father and mother, Violet, gave Jeremy every possible encouragement.

"Going to school at Methody obviously increased my interest in rugby and I was totally involved in the game during my happy years there. I was very fortunate to come under the influence of David Wells, and I owe him an immense debt," says Davidson.

At Methody, he helped the college to win the Ulster Senior Cup and also played in a team beaten in the final. But he never played for Ulster at schools level. He was injured during his final year at school when the schools interprovincials took place. But he was capped for Ireland schools against England in 1992 and also toured New Zealand with the Ireland schools team.

After leaving school, he joined the Dungannon club, and here he came under the influence of former Ireland captain Willie Anderson. "Willie has had a tremendous influence on me and still does," says Davidson, who helped Dungannon to win the Ulster Senior Cup four times in a row, between 1993 and 1996.

In May 1994, a month after his 20th birthday and while on the Ireland under 21 team, he was selected for the Ireland tour to Australia in May of that year.

"I got a very good idea of just what was required at senior international level and it was a great learning process. I did not get into the team for the two Tests - nor did I expect to - but I look back on that tour as having been a very important part of my development."

That team was coached by Gerry Murphy and managed by Noel Murphy, with Willie Anderson as the forward coach. Davidson played in four of the eight matches. "That was the tour in which Keith Wood made his international debut and he was sensational," says Davidson.

After Australia, Davidson had a setback when he got a back injury that kept him out of the game for almost five months. "It was a frustrating time for me, but I had to be patient even if it was not easy.

The back problem cleared, but he was not in the Ireland squad that went to South Africa for the World Cup in 1995. Alternating between the second and back rows, it was as a blind side flanker that he got that first senior international cap against Fiji.

There followed caps in the 1996 Five Nations Championship on the flank against Scotland and France, before he was moved to the second row in place of Neil Francis for the concluding matches in the 1996 championship. He has since made a second row berth his own.

"Alter much thought," he decided prior to the start of the 1996-97 season to play rugby full time and joined London Irish. "It was not an easy decision and I was particularly reluctant to leave Dungannon," he says. "But the demands of playing at representative level were such that I felt I had to play as a full time professional."

Davidson's contract with London Irish was for one year, so he is now a free agent. Not surprisingly, the pursuit has started and his performance with the Lions has increased its intensity. He has been approached by Leicester, Cardiff and Harlequins.

"I will speak to Willie Anderson when I return after the tour and see how things stand," he says. "I will be staying in English club rugby, I feel it has helped me personally and improved my game," he says. "Every player must make his own personal evaluation about that and do what is best for him."

Lions coach Ian McGeechan and forward coach Jim Telfer are lavish in their praise for Davidson's attitude and performances. "He is a top quality player and superb in the lineout," says Telfer. "I have never known any player more dedicated and willing to learn, he keeps asking questions and goes over each performance," says McGeechan.

Davidson has been in constant touch with Anderson during the tour. "He has watched the matches on video and I talk them through with him," says Davidson.

His performance in the first Test earned him a "man of the match" award. "I will never forget the intensity of the Test," says Davidson, "it was unlike anything I have ever experienced. It was the highlight of my career.

"One of the most pleasing things for me on the tour has been the form of Ireland's players in the squad. It was tremendous to have three in the Test side, and we should have had four. I hope what has happened here has given Irish rugby a big lift," he says.

He can rest assured about that.