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British and Irish Lions

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Warren Gatland. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

The British and Irish Lions are a rugby team composed of international players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, who tour against Southern Hemisphere sides primarily of South African, Australian and New Zealand opposition, though Lions have also toured against Canada, Fiji.

While the ‘British Lions’ moniker was only formally adopted on the 1950 tour of Australia and New Zealand, the name had been used by journalists since the 1924 tour of South Africa, and combined representative teams from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales first toured in 1888. The British and Irish Lions originally played in a predominantly blue strip, but changed to a red and white strip for the 1950 tour of New Zealand. Irish forward Willie John McBride remains the British and Irish Lions’ most-capped player, making 17 Test appearances.

In 2021, the British and Irish Lions will tour South Africa. You can check out the full Lions tour fixtures, as well as their full squad for the series right here on The Roar.

The British and Irish Lions’ most recent tour was of New Zealand in 2017, which ended in a draw.

Following a highly successful 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign as coach Wales, Warren Gatland coached the side on their 2013 and 2017 tours and will do so again in 2021.

The 2017 tour of New Zealand included a three-match Test series against the All Blacks, with the games played on June 24 in Auckland, July 1 in Wellington and July 8 back in Auckland. The Lions, as they did in 2013 played seven tour games, including one against each of the New Zealand Super Rugby franchises.

The Lions drew the Test series 1-1. After the sides split the first two games, the third ended in a 15-all draw.

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