British & Irish Lions: Everything you need to know about the famous team

For four years, they’re all trying to smash each other to pieces. And then, for a couple of glorious months in June and July, the cream of the home nations gathers together and heads off to one of the traditional southern strongholds for a set of tour matches against the best of the local sub-international teams, along with a three-Test series against the local elite. It’s the pinnacle of a player’s career and, to be honest, a fan’s.

British and Irish Lions profile

There have been 38 tours since 1888, 14 to South Africa, 12 to New Zealand, nine to Australia and three to Argentina. There have also been six matches against other national teams outside of those four: Fiji, Sri Lanka, Canada, France and Kenya (twice), while there were several games against Zimbabwe and Namibia while those two were still colonies. Of the 37 Test series, the Lions have won 15 and drawn two, winning 54 out of 127 Tests overall.

British and Irish Lions rugby team

Two names stand out from history for longevity: Willie John McBride went on a staggering five tours, finishing off by leading the invincibles to victory in 1974. Sir Ian McGeechan was on his first tour in 1974 and went on another in 1978, but Geech – also known as Mr. Lions – has been coach on five tours as well, 1989, 1993, 1997, 2005 and 2009, with only 2005 not as head coach.

Jim Telfer is also a famed player/coach combination: his Everest speech on the 1997 tour is the stuff of folklore. A lesser known player/coach is John Robins of Wales, who played on the 1950 tour and coached on the 1966 tour, both to Australia and New Zealand.

Martin Johnson led the British & Irish Lions before he had even led England, indeed, it was probably his performance in 1997 that cemented his future as England captain. Another Englishman of that generation, Jason Leonard, has been named by Geech as the ultimate Lion, in the way he hid his disappointment at not making the Test team and simply made the selected Test props better instead.

It would be a tough greatest-ever list without mentioning at least Gareth Edwards and Barry John, never mind the rest of the Welsh contingent who helped make the early 1970s so successful and many of the most-capped Lions herald from the post-war period: Dickie Jeeps, Mike Gibson, Tony O’Reilly (still the top Test try-scorer) and Graham Price to name but four. And while Bennett was a goal-kicker and has won more caps, the goal-kickers Gavin Hastings, Jonny Wilkinson and Stephen Jones all top the points lists. Alun Wyn Jones is the only current player in the all-time caps list, an impressive achievement given that there are only three Tests per tour these days rather than four.

British and Irish Lions rugby shirt

Originally, the jersey were various combinations of red, white and blue hoops, before a solid blue shirt, white shorts and red socks were adopted for the years between the two world wars. Only in 1938, in deference to the Irish who’d been angry for years, were the socks adorned with green. The strip taken in 1950 remains to this day, red jerseys, white shorts and blue socks with a green top – the change in jersey colour a result of the blue clashing with New Zealand’s black and a desire not to have a kit which clashed with any of the opposition. As they come out only every four years, they are frequently collectors’ items.

British and Irish Lions v Australia

Australia remains the only team the Lions have enjoyed sustained success against; indeed given that the 1930 tour defeat was a single game, one-point defeat on the back end of a three-month slog through New Zealand first, you could make a case for the 2001 series defeat being the only one the Lions have really lost. The Wallabies’ rugby public is always up for a warm welcome, and the games have often boiled over in recent years, both at provincial and Test level. Most iconic moment? David Campese’s error that gave Ieuan Evans the series-winning try in 1989.

British and Irish Lions v New Zealand

The Lions’ success rate in New Zealand is much akin to Australia’s against the Lions: not much. The 1971 tour remains an era-defining victory for the tourists while most of the tourists lament 1977 as a series that should have been won, the performance of referee Brian Kinsey is constantly thought to have been the decisive factor in the loss 1993 and nobody was happy with the draw in 2017 (except, perhaps, the referee). It’s certainly the friendliest of the traditional tour destinations, but be sure to pitch up with the right attitude or, as the 2005 tourists found out, humiliation is waiting around every corner.

British and Irish Lions v South Africa

Perhaps the most traditional, ferocious, yet honourable rivalry for the Lions is with South Africa. Some of the most downright violent matches have been against South Africa, not least the ‘Battle of Boet Erasmus’ in 1974. Yet that tour spawned some long-lasting friendships between the two factions, a tradition which has been maintained. After 1974, the Lions would not return until 1997 because of Apartheid, when they won again against the reigning world champions. The 2009 tour has often been ranked as the best-ever for the Lions despite the series defeat, with the clinching second Test also thought by many to be the greatest Test match of all time. From controversy to violence to magnificent rugby and intensity, this tour had it all, with 2021 not far behind in terms of gripping and dramatic action.

British and Irish Lions rugby store

The Lions has its own website and merchandising outlet, while Lions merchandise floods any good sports store, on or offline, ahead of the tours. Makes sure your piggy bank is well-stocked though.