The most scrutinized relationship of Lauren’s SAS tenure is her camaraderie with fellow contestant Sam Webb. Sam, a former NRL star with a cheeky grin and a backstory of struggle, entered the house as the "golden retriever" to Lauren’s "Doberman." Almost immediately, the editors began splicing their footage together.
The Sparring Partners: During the hostage rescue simulation and the grueling "The Bear Pit" challenge, Sam and Lauren were often paired. Unlike the other contestants who yelled, they whispered. When Lauren faltered during a log carry, it was Sam who adjusted his grip without being asked. When Sam struggled with the cold-water submersion, it was Lauren who stared him down, not with pity, but with a cold, "You’ve got this."
The internet exploded. Fans on Twitter and Reddit coined the ship name "Sawren." Was it romance? The show teased the possibility. In Episode 4, during a rare moment of downtime in the mess hall, Sam placed his jacket over Lauren’s shoulders. The camera zoomed in. The romantic music swelled.
The Reality Check: In interviews after the show, Lauren shut down the speculation with characteristic bluntness. "Sam is a brother," she told The Herald Sun. "What you see on SAS is trauma bonding. It’s not dating. When you’ve nearly drowned in freezing water with someone, you love them. But it’s a soldier’s love, not a lover’s." She revealed that she actually felt guilty about the edit, worrying that it undermined her professional credibility. Sex.And.Submission SAS 106125 - Lauren Phillips...
This non-relationship became the most important "romantic storyline" of her career because it defined her boundaries. Lauren Phillips refused to be the damsel who falls for the jock. She turned the trope on its head by naming the emotional manipulation of the edit.
A darker, less-discussed romantic tension came from her adversarial relationship with a different male contestant—former cricketer (and controversial figure) on her season. While the show never explicitly labels it a romance, every hero origin story needs a foil that flirts with the edge.
Lauren clashed violently with a male celebrity who tried to "mansplain" navigation skills during a topographic exercise. The edit framed it as a battle of wills, but body language experts hired by gossip magazines went wild. One tabloid claimed, "There is a fine line between love and hate for Lauren." The most scrutinized relationship of Lauren’s SAS tenure
The Psychology: The DS (Directing Staff)—Ant Middleton at the time—noticed the tension. During the interrogation phase, Ant asked the man, "Would you trust Lauren with your life?" He said no. Ant then asked Lauren, "Would you trust him with your heart?" Lauren laughed. A cold, hollow laugh. "I don't trust him with a compass, sir."
This dynamic was fascinating. It wasn't a romance; it was a romantic obstacle. In reality TV storytelling, the "enemies to lovers" pipeline is strong, but Lauren rejected it violently. She represented the modern woman who refuses to be softened by a charismatic antagonist. Her "relationship" with this rival was purely transactional—a lesson in why she prefers solitude over toxic peace.
To understand Lauren’s relationships on SAS, you first have to understand the relationship she has with herself. Entering the show on Season 2 of SAS Australia, Lauren was marketed as the "tough cop." With nine years in the Queensland Police Service, she had seen domestic violence, death, and human misery. But the producers quickly peeled back the layers: Lauren had built a fortress around her heart. Unlike the other contestants who yelled, they whispered
In her pre-show interview, she hinted at a life where duty overshadowed intimacy. She spoke of putting her career first, of relationships that crumbled under the weight of her 12-hour shifts and emotional exhaustion. This backstory set the stage for the central "romantic" tension of her season: Is she capable of letting someone in?
The show’s directors love a redemption arc, and for Lauren, the redemption was not about finding a boyfriend on the battlefield, but about learning to be emotionally seen by her comrades.