One of 18 English players in a party including 10 from Wales, six from Ireland and three from Scotland, he said: 'When I heard nothing, I assumed it was because I hadn't been selected.
'Then my father-in-law rang to say that it had been announced on television.' When he makes his debut, Robinson will be the ninth dual international to represent the British Isles at Test level in both codes in Australasia but the first to make the transition from League to Union.
The other eight, Alan Tait, Bev Risman, Maurice Richards, Jack Morley, John Bevan, David Watkins, Lewis Jones and Terry Price, were
all amateur Union players who went to League for the money.
Robinson has won a place among the Lions elite within six months of switching from Wigan to Sale on a five-year contract worth £1million.
He has done so despite receiving one pass in 80 minutes for England A in February and none during more than 30 minutes as a substitute on his full debut against Italy a fortnight later. 'Just being part of this squad is unbelievable' he said.
'I never expected to be chosen, which meant that I wasn't going to be disappointed. My aim now has got to be to make the Test team, but time will tell.' The Yorkshireman, who signed for Wigan the day before he was due to start an apprenticeship as a bricklayer, was in a losing Great Britain League team on his last Australian trip two years ago.
