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LONDON - Former Wales wing Gerald Davies, twice a British and Irish Lions tourist as a player, will return as manager of the 2009 combined side in South Africa, Lions management said today.
Davies, who toured South Africa in 1968 and was part of the victorious 1971 team in New Zealand, will lead the party against the newly-crowned world champions as they seek a repeat of 1997 when they took the series 2-1 against the then-world champions.
Former Scotland international Andy Irvine, a three-times tourist with the Lions, has been appointed chairman of the Lions board and succeeds Bill Beaumont, who stood down due to his International Rugby Board commitments.
"It is an extraordinary honour for me," Davies said.
"I hope now I can fulfil the faith that people have shown in me and am determined it will be a happy and successful tour."
The coach will not be chosen until after the 2009 Six Nations championship, with Lions CEO John Feehan saying that an overseas appointment was unlikely but not impossible.
Ireland's Eddie O'Sullivan has long been the front runner but lost ground after his side's poor showing in the World Cup.
The 2009 appointments were announced as the Lions revealed a sponsorship deal with HSBC, which local media estimated to be worth around A3;4 million ($11 million).
"Some people have said that in the professional era the Lions are an anachronism," Davies said.
"But with the TV and commercial rights, up to 30,000 travelling fans in New Zealand and as many as 50,000 in South Africa I say if that is an anachronism then let's have more of them."
Martin Johnson, who captained the Lions to their series victory 10 years ago, agreed that the combined team had retained its special status.
"That 1997 tour was the best experience of my rugby career," said Johnson, who also led England to World Cup triumph in 2003.
"For the next team to be facing the world champions will make it one of the greatest and most exciting tours of the modern era."
Feehan said that the 2009 itinerary had been just about settled but would not reveal any details.
It is expected to take place from the end of May to the first week of July but he said that unlike in 2005, when the Lions drew with Argentina in Cardiff, there would be no pre-departure warm-up game.
"It was too tough a test for a scratch group of players," he said of the 25-25 draw secured by Jonny Wilkinson's last-minute penalty.
"It also split the squad straight away to some extent and affected the process of assimilation that is an important part of the start of a Lions tour."
- REUTERS
