This is the final installment of what is meant to be only a relatively brief insight into Lions tours of the southern hemisphere since the end of World War II.
The idea is to give readers an appreciation of who the leading players were for each tour based on Test appearances and performances.
In 1989 the Lions toured Australia, winning a rare series 2-1. Results of the Tests were: Lost 12-30; Won 19-12; Won 19-18.
1989 Lions Composite XV:
Gavin Hastings (S), Ieuan Evans (W), Scott Hastings (S), Jeremy Guscott (E), Rory Underwood (E), Rob Andrew (E), Robert Jones (W), Dean Richards (E), Finlay Calder (c-S), Mike Teague (E), Wade Dooley (E), Paul Ackford (E), Dai Young (W), Brian Moore (E), David Sole (S).
Bench: Brendan Mullin (I), Craig Chalmers (S), Gerry Armstrong (S), Derek White (S), Bob Norster (W), Gareth Chilcott (E), Steve Smith (I).
This was the first full tour of Australia by the Lions without visiting New Zealand since 1899.
The Lions were a very good, rather than great side, prevailing over a Wallabies team in transition, although that wasn’t immediately obvious when the Wallabies easily won the first Test.
The second Test saw the Lions ‘go the biff’, effectively unsettling the Wallabies, several of whose careers probably ended in this match.
The third and deciding Test witnessed David Campese’s blunder, although I’m inclined to believe the fault lay elsewhere. For example, the Wallabies pack had become ‘soft’.
The Lions had stars that combined brilliance with toughness littered throughout their team.
In 1993 the Lions toured NZ, losing the series 1-2. The results of the Tests were: Lost 18-20; Won 20-7; Lost 13-30.
1993 Lions Composite XV
Gavin Hastings (c-S), Ieuan Evans (W), Jeremey Guscott (E), Scott Gibbs (W), Rory Underwood (E), Rob Andrew (E), Dewi Morris (E), Dean Richards (E), Peter Winterbottom (E), Ben Clarke (E), Martin Bayfield (E), Martin Johnson (E), Jason Leonard (E), Brian Moore (E), Nick Popplewell (I).
Bench: Will Carling (E), Stuart Barnes (E), Robert Jones (W), Mike Teague (E), Allan Reed (E), Alistair Burnell (S), Ken Milne (S).
This series was yet again another example of “what might have been.” The awarding of a highly controversial dubious try to Frank Bunce in the opening minutes of the opening Test basically decided the series then and there, although no-one realised it at the time.
The Lions squandered opportunities in the opening Test before evening things up in the second Test. They were then ‘shut-out’ in the final Test as the All Blacks so often do to their opponents.
Winterbottom was an absolute marvel, as he had also been 10 years earlier.
In 1997 the Lions toured South Africa, luckily winning the series 2-1. Results of the Tests were: Won 25-16; Won 18-15; Lost 16-35.
1997 Lions Composite XV
Neil Jenkins (W), John Bentley (E), Jeremy Guscott (E), Scott Gibbs (W), Alan Tait (S), Gregor Townsend (S), Matt Dawson (E), Tim Rodber (E), Richard Hill (E), Lawrence Dallaglio (E), Jeremy Davidson (I), Martin Johnson (c-E), Paul Wallace (I), Keith Wood (I), Tom Smith (S).
Bench: Allan Bateman (W), Tony Underwood (E), Austin Healy (E), Neil Back (E), Doddie Weir (S), Jason Leonard (E), Mark Regan (E).
This cannot be called a great Lions team. They were incredibly lucky to win the second Test, which also gave them the series.
In the second Test it was a reverse of the 1959 series whereby the Lions should have squared it up, as the normally radar-like Boks kickers lost the plot and the series.
In 2001 the Lions arrived in Australia for a high octane series they they narrowly lost 1-2. The results of the Tests were: Won 29-13; Lost 14-35; Lost 23-29.
2001 Lions Composite XV
Matt Perry (E), Daffyd James (W), Brian O’Driscoll (I), Rory Henderson (I), Jason Robinson (E), Jonny Wilkinson (E), Rob Howley (W), Scott Quinnell (W), Neil Back (E), Richard Hill (E), Danny Grewcock (E), Martin Johnson (c-E), Phil Vickery (E), Keith Wood (I), Tom Smith (S).
Bench: Ian Balshaw (E), Ronan O’Gara (I), Matt Dawson (E), Martin Corry (E), Colin Charvis (W), Dai Young (W), Gordon Bulloch (S).
Many Aussie fans to this day are probably amazed at the incredible heist the Wallabies pulled off in 2001. At half-time of the second Test I was wondering how the Wallabies were going to keep pace with the Lions in the forward clashes.
An early intercept in the second half changed things around completely. The third Test showcased a toe to toe, blow for blow, figurative slug-fest, in which the Wallabies prevailed. It was extraordinarily high quality rugby throughout the tour.
O’Driscoll, Robinson, Wilkinson and Howley were massive for the Lions in the backs, while their forwards mostly dominated their clashes against the Wallabies, without quite finishing them off.
In 2005 the Lions undertook a poorly conceived tour of NZ, appropriately losing every Test. the results of the Tests were: Lost 3-21; Lost 18-48; Lost 19-38.
2005 Lions Composite XV
Geordan Murphy (I), Jason Robinson (E), Will Greenwood (E), Gareth Thomas (c-W), Josh Lewsey (E), Jonny Wilkinson (E), Dwayne Peel (W), Ryun Jones (W), Lewis Moody (E), Simon Easterby (E), Paul O’Connell (I), Donncha O’Callaghan (I), Julian White (E), Sean Byrne (I), Gethin Jenkins (W).
Bench: Shane Horgan (I), Stephen Jones (W), Matt Dawson (E), Martyn Williams (W), Martin Corry (E), Graham Roundtree (E), Steve Thompson (E).
Brian O’Driscoll was tour captain and the kindest thing that can be said is that he was cruelly put out of the tour by a crude, clumsy, off-the-ball tackle only a few minutes into the opening Test.
His loss was catastrophic to the team, but ultimately it only affected the margin of the losses, but not the results themselves.
This tour was doomed from the start by coach Clive Woodward’s woefully stupid indulgence. There were too many players and too many support staff. There was even a Queen’s Council present!
Too many voices, too many agendas and not enough concentration on the primary purpose of the tour – playing rugby.
In 2009 the Lions were back in South Africa for a high quality series won 2-1 by the hosts. The results of the Tests were: Lost 21-26; Lost 25-28; Won 28-9.
2009 Lions Composite XV
Rob Kearney (I), Tommy Bowe (I), Brian O’Driscoll (I), Jamie Roberts (W), Ugo Moyne (E), Stephen Jones (W), Mike Phillips (W), Jamie Heaslip (I), David Wallace (I), Tom Croft (E), Paul O’Connell (c-I), Simon Shaw (E), Phil Vickery (E), Matt Rees (W), Gethin Jenkins (W).
Bench: Lee Byrne (W), Shane Williams (W), Harry Ellis (E), Martyn Williams (W), Alun-Wyn Jones (W), Andy Sheridan (E), Lee Mears (E).
Once again the Lions were unlucky. By the time they got it all together, the tour was over and the series lost. Perhaps the South Africans would see this series win in 2009 as sweet justice for their loss in 1997.
Let’s hope that Lions tours will continue to fascinate and fire our appetite for rugby for another 100 years. They represent a link between the present and the past, dating back to 1888.
If Lions tours ever die out, then it will be fair to say rugby will have lost its soul.
I would like to leave you with my Lions first, second and third XVs since WW2.
First XV: 15-Gavin Hastings (S), 14-Gerald Davies (W), 13-Brian O’Driscoll (I), 12- Mike Gibson (I), 11-Jason Robinson (E), 10-Cliff Morgan (W), 9-Gareth Edwards (W), 8-Mervyn Davies (W), 7-Fergus Slattery (I), 6-Richard Hill (E), 5-Willie John McBride (I), 4-Martin Johnson (E), 3-Graham Price (W), 2-Keith Wood (I), 1-Ian McLachlan (S).
Second XV: 15-JPR Williams (W), 14-Tony O’Reilly (I), 13-Jeff Butterfield (E), 12-Jeremy Guscott (E), 11-David Duckham (E), 10-Jackie Kyle (I), 9-Dickie Jeeps (E), 8-Jim Telfer (S), 7-Peter Winterbottom (E), 6-Mike Teague (E), 5-Rory John (W), 4-Gordon Brown (S), 3-Hugh McLeod (S), 2-Peter Wheeler (E), 1-Fran Cotton (E).
Third XV: Andy Irvine (S), 14-Peter Jackson (E), 13-Ian McGeechan (S), 12-Bleddyn Williams (W), 11-Ken Jones (W), 10-Barry John (W), 9-Rob Howley (W), 8-Dean Richards (E), 7-Finlay Calder (S), 6-Bill McKay (I), 5-Bill Beaumont (E), 4-Paul O’Connell (I), 3-Syd Millar (I), 2-Bryn Meredith (W), 1-David Sole (S).
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