Selecting the Greatest Lions XV of all time
Roar Pro
By James Mortimer, 26 May 2009 James Mortimer is a Roar Pro
Auckland, July 9, 2005. Lions squad during the minutes silence before the British and Irish Lions v All Blacks third test at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand. AAP Image/Geoff Dale
The first in a series of articles in the build up to the 2009 British and Irish Lions tour, I take a look at a compilation of the best Lions team of all time.
Picked on hours of painstaking research, I was sure to make the team a fair representation of all of the home nations – and look forward to the ensuing debate!
Fullback: JPR Williams (Wales) 8 tests
While not a noted tactical kicker like Gavin Hastings (1989-1993, 6 tests) ironically it was a long range drop goal that effectively won the Lions the 1971 series against the All Blacks. The sheer attacking genius of John Peter Rhys saw him play an integral role in the all conquering side that toured South Africa in 1974.
Wing: Gerald Davies (Wales) 5 tests
Originally a centre, he was moved to the wing in his later years, to devastating effect. He scored three tries against the All Blacks in the victorious 1971 series. Davies will be manager of the Lions for the upcoming Springbok tour.
Centre: Jeremy Guscott (England) 7 tests
Some would argue that Brian O’Driscoll deserves the spot more, but England’s glamour centre has a definitive impact on the Lions stage unlike his Irish counterpart. His influence in 1989 and 1997 essentially turned those series, a genuine Lions match winner.
Centre: Mike Gibson (Ireland) 12 tests
Played top level rugby in an astonishing 15 year career, and played in five Lions tours. His finest hour was in 1971, where playing at number 12, he caused untold havoc in the midfield, causing the All Black centres of Wayne Cotrell and Howard Joseph numerous headaches.
Wing: Tony O’Reilly (Ireland) 10 tests
One of rugby’s great financial success stories, the try scoring exploits of O’Reilly has often been forgotten. Broke the Lions try scoring record in South Africa in 1954/55 at the age of 19. All up he would score an astonishing 37 tries in two tours and 36 matches.
Fly half: Barry John (Wales) 5 tests
Quite simply, his nickname “The King” says it all. Only played in two Lions tours, but in 1971 he scored 30 of the Lions 48 test points and terrorised the All Blacks in a manner no single player had ever done before. A position where Phil Bennett (1974-1977, 8 tests) deserves honorary mention.
Scrum half: Gareth Edwards (Wales) 10 tests
In a generation where the Red Dragons were blessed with playing class, he was arguably the greatest Welsh player of all time. Partnered with the King and was instrumental in a golden age of Lions rugby where they beat the All Blacks and Springboks in 1971 and 1974.
Number eight: Mervyn Davies (Wales) 8 tests
The great “Merv the Swerv” is regarded as the best eighth forward produced by Wales; and one of their greatest ever captains, another in the golden generation of the 1970’s that defeated the All Blacks and Springboks in consecutive tours.
Flanker: Fergus Slattery (Ireland) 4 tests
Considered by many to be the fastest flank forward to have ever played, and was part of the illustrious Lions back row that shamed the Springboks in 1974.
Flanker: Richard Hill (England) 5 tests
One of the England hard men that set the tone for the Lions in South Africa, and was instrumental in negating the impact of a glorious Wallaby loose forward trio in 2001.
Lock: Martin Johnson (England) 8 tests
The only man to captain the Lions on two separate occasions, and leader of the team that defeated the Springboks in 1997 when they last toured. Said to have been made by his performances on that tour, and would catalyst dominance for both Leicester and England in the coming years.
Lock: Willie John McBride (Ireland) 17 tests
Five times Lions tourist and considered by many to be the greatest lock forward ever produced by the home nations. McBride first toured with Arthur Smiths Lions to South Africa in1962, before being part of the magical side of 1971 that defeated the All Blacks, and then captained the side to success in 1974.
Prop: Ian McLauchlan (Scotland) 8 tests
Mighty Mouse only once played in a losing test match and was part of the formidable 1971/1974 front row that stopped the might of the All Black and Springbok packs in their tracks. He was one of the pioneers of front row running play, and a terror in the loose.
Hooker: Peter Wheeler (England) 7 tests
Wheeler narrowly beats Keith Wood (1997-2001, Ireland) as the Lions rake on account of what was widely regarded as the best athleticism ever seen in a rugby hooker; and ousted the outstanding Welsh legend Bobby Windsor as the Lions incumbent.
Prop: Syd Millar (Ireland) 9 tests
Three playing tours from 1959 to 1966 that could be said to have formed the foundations for teaching Millar the formula’s required for Lions success, despite losing most matches in this time. He was part of the success of the seventies, where he would coach the 1974 champions and would then come back to manage a fifth tour in 1980.
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pothale said | May 26th 2009 @ 1:22am | Report comment
James – you can find these Greatest Lions XVs selections in every one of the English newspapers – and they all look like this one.
Except for one fatal flaw in your ‘research’.
If it’s meant to be the greatest Lions team, then being fair to national representation shouldn’t come into it.
James Mortimer said | May 26th 2009 @ 1:47am | Report comment
Well, lucky for both of us, I don’t read english newspapers.
But cheers for the unspoken implication. Makes all of those hours worth it.
Knives Out said | May 26th 2009 @ 2:02am | Report comment
I find these theoretical teams very unpalatable simply because they rely so heavily on hearsay and tend to be overwhelmingly and perhaps unfairly influenced by the 1974 team.
pothale said | May 26th 2009 @ 2:21am | Report comment
James – you did hours of painstaking research and you didn’t read a single English newspaper?
Hmmmm.
The point about you wanting to “make the team a fair representation of all of the home nations” still stands though.
Knives Out said | May 26th 2009 @ 2:38am | Report comment
What is the criteria, btw? Surely something that took hours to complete would at least include a definition of what makes a great Lion.
I take issue with a number of things in this list.
* Was JPR an attacking genius?
* It is oft forgotten that Gibson was only called up as a replacement by the 1974 Lions. The starting centre partnership in all 4 tests was McGeechan and Milliken.
* Who has ever suggested that O’Driscoll would deserve the 13 jersey over Jeremy Guscott?
* Barry John had a stunningly superb tour in 1971, but again, it is oft forgotten that the general consensus from the 1971 and 1974 tours were that the Lions did not utilise their backs enough. The games were won up front and through the tactical kicking of Edwards and John (In 1974, anyhow).
* To label Richard Hill a hard man undermines his creativity and rugby genius. He was a tough man but also perhaps the best player that England has ever produced. He didn’t negate the Australian back row during the 2001 tour. He made them look invisible.
* Is McBride really considered the best UK lock ever?
What about Harry McKibbin, Mike Teague, Tom Smith, Cliff Morgan, Ken Scotland, Jim Telfer, Ian McGeechan, Dickie Jeeps, Jason Leonard, Peter Winterbottom, Gordon Brown, JJ Williams, Graham Price, Bobby Windsor, Jack Kyle, Ken Jones, Jeremy Davidson, Jeff Butterfield, Bryn Meredith, Ray McLoughlan, Scott Gibbs?
Knives Out said | May 26th 2009 @ 2:41am | Report comment
Crumbs, I managed to forget Dean Richards and Brian Moore.
Frank O'Keeffe said | May 26th 2009 @ 3:04am | Report comment
Based on my limited knowledge of the Lions I’m going to go with…
1. Ian McLaughlin (Scotland)
2. Bryn Meredith (Wales)
3. Francis Cotton (England)
4. Martin Johnson (England)
5. Willie John McBride (Ireland)
6. Richard Hill (England)
7. Peter Winterbottom (England)
8. Mervyn Davies (Wales)
9. Gareth Edwards (Wales)
10. Cliff Morgan (Wales)
11. Tony O’Rielly (Ireland)
12. Mike Gibson (Ireland)
13. Bleddyn Williams (Wales)
14. Gerald Davies (Wales)
15. JPR Williams (Wales)
subs: Graham Price (Wales), Keith Wood (Ireland), Gordon Brown (Scotland), Fergus Slattery (Ireland), Dickie Jeeps (England), Barry John (Wales), Gavin Hastings (Scotland)
I agree this exercise has the same kind of sameness to it because it’s not a fair dinkum side unless you put Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams, Willie John McBride and Mervyn Davies in every single time because they were part of the two greatest Lions sides – ’71 and ’74. It’s even not easy to omit someone like Gerald Davies.
Anyway here are the reasons for some of my selections.
- It’s difficult to go past McLaughlin and Cotton as the props since they were so dominant in 1974.
- Keith Wood gets a place on the bench because I was just re-watching the first Test from the 2001 Lions series on the DVD ‘Living with the Lions’, and Wood was pretty special there. MOTM.
- It was really hard to omit Gordon Brown since he was part of the two best ever Lions sides, but Johnno was such a leader of men.
- I considered putting Roger Uttley in there at no.6, but Richard Hill was so crucial in every Lions side he played for. Martin Johnson once said then when Richard Hill didn’t play, the Lions lost. Think back to 2001. The Wallabies got thrashed in the first Test, and were getting pummled in the first half of the second Test. Nathan Grey gave Richard Hill a whack, and in the second half Australia blitzed the Lions. The third test was also lost to the Lions.
- It was a toss-up between Slattery and Winterbottom. I went with Winterbottom because he has a special respect with the New Zealand public for his courage.
- I went with Cliff Morgan over Barry John because the number of tries the ’56 Lions scored was incredible.
- I don’t know if I got O’Rielly > Duckham right.
- I considered putting Dr Jack Matthews with Bleddyn Williams, but no I went with Mike Gibson. I thought about Scott Gibbs before thinking about Jeremy Guscott. I rate what O’Driscoll did in 2001 very highly and felt bad leaving him out.
But yeah there’s so many certain selections in these Lions sides. I also wish I could pick a side with more representation from Ireland and Scotland.
Frank O'Keeffe said | May 26th 2009 @ 3:18am | Report comment
Just to edit myself, Morgan didn’t play for the Lions in 1956, I think it was a year or two earlier than that. I’m thinking the Springboks played New Zealand in 1956, not the Lions – the tour when Kevin Skinner went punch drunk.
sheek said | May 26th 2009 @ 6:47am | Report comment
James,
Great effort & all mighty players. Obviously, your research didn’t go past WW2. Gwyn Nicholls, who toured Australia in 1899, is still regarded more than a hundred years later by many Welsh historians, to be their best-ever centre.
And William Wavell Wakefield (E) invented specific scrum positions in the 1920s, although I don’t know if he toured with the Lions.
While Bleddyn Williams (W) & Jeff Butterfield (E) are very highly rated by those who them – Kiwis in 1950 & Saffies in 1955. Not to mention Jack Matthews (W), who toured in 1950.
With respect, I think Frank’s selection is closer to the money. I agree with his argument about Morgan. The tour to SA was 1955.
Random thoughts.
Tony O’Reilly (I) or David Duckham (E) – really tough choice?
Peter Winterbottom (E) or Fergus Slattery (I) – another tough choice?
I would have Graham Price (W) at tighthead, & John McLauchlan (S) at loosehead.
Keith Wood (I) would be my hooker.
Gordon Brown (S) was a more naturally athletic lock than either MacBride or Johnson.
KO,
“Age shall indeed weary them”. Gibson originally was unavailable for the tour of SA in 1974, & was called up as a replacement (I think!). In any case, he was nearly 32, & his best years were behind him.
Knives Out said | May 26th 2009 @ 6:56am | Report comment
Gibson was indeed called up as a replacement, Sheek, and didn’t feature in the tests, yet he is always ranked alongside the class of 1974. I also find it slightly bizarre that the class of 71 are exalted, Gibson included, when the Lions backs weren’t utilised that much. Much like in 1993.