British and Irish Lions captain Martin Johnson leads his team out before the test against Australia at Colonial Stadium, Melbourne on July 7, 2001. Photo / Photosport
Ranking the 25 most influential British and Irish Lions of all time was a major assignment and not a task taken lightly. Since the first tour of 1888 to New Zealand and Australia, the Lions have been littered with heroic performances, often against the odds.
Then there have been inspirational leaders, talismanic captains who have bonded squads together by derring-do or by sheer weight of personality. In the century-plus history of the Lions, coaches have been a relatively modern phenomenon, but their input has been critical, not only to the success of tours, but at times future-proofing the Lions’ existence in rugby’s ever-changing global landscape.
In some cases, commitment and service to the Lions has evolved from player, to coach, to administrator and then telling the story of the tourists in the media. Attempting to narrow the list down to 25 was difficult enough, ranking them even more difficult. This list hopes to be a testament to those who have played a key role in the spellbinding history of the Lions, and I am certain every person named would dedicate their inclusion to those who have not been.
Roles: Player, captain, tour manager
Years active: 1891, 1896, 1903
The Cambridge University Blue and Richmond forward never won an England cap but played on two Lions tours, captaining the 1896 side in South Africa, and was manager on a third. He played 27 times for the 1891 and 1896 teams, including appearing throughout the 20-game unbeaten tour in 1891. He featured in five tests against the Springboks, winning four of them, and was a loser only once in a Lions jersey. He became a member of the RFU committee and was manager of the 1903 Lions tour to South Africa. On his return he played a major role in setting up the first Springbok tour to the UK in 1906.
Roles: Player
Years active: 1993, 1997, 2001, 2021
One of 10 rugby-playing brothers from Wiveliscombe, he played in the first seven tests for the Lions, winning six of them. That still stands as a record for a Lions player, along with Blair Swannell (1988, 1904), while it took until the 1959 tour for any player to make eight test appearances. In all, he played 33 games on two tours and lost only once. A giant of a man for his era, he was nicknamed “Baby” and was a founding member of the Barbarians, playing in their first fixture.
Roles: Player, tour manager
Years active: 1993, 1997, 2001, 2021
The “Fun Bus” epitomised the very best attributes of a Lion, indeed he has been name-checked many times by Sir Ian McGeechan for his role in supporting the props on the 1997 tour even though he had missed out on the starting XV. He first appeared as a replacement in the second and third tests in 1993, and also came off the bench in the first Lions test of the historic series win in South Africa, doing the same against Australia in two tests four years later in 2001. Went on to become Lions chairman and manager for the 2021 tour.
Roles: Player, tour manager
Years active: 1974, 1977, 1980, 2013
A star player on three tours, he then became a successful manager in 2013. He cut his teeth on the all-conquering 1974 Lions tour in South Africa, top scoring with a record 156 points. He took his tally of tests up to nine on the next two tours and his overall points total in 42 games of 274 remains a record. He played on the wing in South Africa before reverting to his favoured fullback berth in New Zealand four years later. He won five and drew one of his nine tests and then helped to steer the Lions to that 2013 series win as manager in Australia.
Roles: Player, tour manager
Years active: 1974, 1977, 1980, 1997
The England prop was one of the rocks on which the 1974 test series success was built, anchoring the scrum in South Africa. He missed the first test in New Zealand in 1977 but returned for the final three. He also went on a third tour in 1980, which was disrupted by a medical problem after the game against the Proteas. He returned to South Africa as tour manager in 1997, when he was crucial in setting the right tone and atmosphere for the first professional tour alongside the coaching duo of McGeechan and Jim Telfer.
Roles: Player, captain
Years active: 1950
The captain of the 1950 tour. It was the first time the team were nicknamed “the British Lions”, rather than just “British Isles” and sported redesigned jerseys and a fresh style of play, managing to win 22 and draw one of 29 matches in New Zealand and Australia. Mullen, who had captained Ireland to their first Grand Slam two years earlier, was renowned for his leadership qualities on and off the field and is remembered as one of the Lions’ greatest captains.
Roles: Player, captain
Years active: 1974, 1977
Perhaps the biggest compliment that has been paid to him is that when he replaced Barry John as fly-half for the 1974 side, the Lions never missed a beat, bewildering his opponents with his famous sidestep. Captained the Lions on their next tour to New Zealand in 1977, winning the second test and was only denied a share of the series by a late, late try in the final test.
Roles: Player, tour manager
Years active: 1968, 1971, 2009
One of the most polished finishers in Lions history. Made his debut against South Africa but left an indelible mark in New Zealand in 1971. He appeared in all four Test matches, scoring three tries against the All Blacks as the Lions claimed an historic 2-1 series victory, including a try in the third test victory in Wellington. He became manager in 2009, and also excelled as a rugby columnist.
Roles: Player, captain
Years active: 1955, 1959, 1962
Went to South Africa in 1955 as an uncapped player and struck up a great halfback relationship with Cliff Morgan. He started all four tests and went on to play in five of the six tests on the 1959 tour. He was then ever-present in the four tests in South Africa in 1962 to take his test tally to 13 and his number of appearances to 42.
Roles: Player, coach
Years active: 1966, 1968, 1983, 1997
Delivered arguably the finest recorded speech to the Lions pack ahead of the 1997 test series, “This is your f***ing Everest, boys,” as McGeechan’s assistant coach. Yet he had his own proud record as a player too. He made 34 appearances for the Lions on two tours and featured in eight tests. His post-match speech in Christchurch after a win over Canterbury in 1966 sparked fury after he accused the home side of foul play, the first time the Lions had been known to meet fire with fire.
Roles: Player, coach
Years active: 1959, 1962, 1968, 1974
Made his Lions breakthrough as a player on the 1959 tour, making his test debut in the two wins in Australia. He went on to play in nine tests on three tours and play in 44 matches. Perhaps his greatest contribution was in South Africa in 1974 when he teamed up with his fellow countryman McBride, as head coach. He went on to become the chairman of World Rugby.
Roles: Player, captain
Years active: 2013, 2017
Gatland’s trusted lieutenant, Warburton is the only man in Lions history to captain the side into two test series and not be beaten. In 2013, his squad delivered a 2-1 series win over the Wallabies, while in 2017 they drew the series 1-1 in New Zealand – the most positive result against the All Blacks since 1971.
Roles: Coach
Years active: 1971
Could easily have made the top 10 because of his influence as the genius coach behind the only Lions team to win a series in New Zealand. The backbone of the squad would go on to win again in South Africa three years later – the first time they had won a series of three or more games on consecutive tours since 1896-99.
Importantly, the style that the Lions played in 1971 not only changed the perception of British and Irish rugby, but also changed the way New Zealand played the game. For the record, the Lions won all 22 non-test matches in New Zealand and ended with a record – including two games in Australia, the first of which they lost – of played 24, won 22, drawn 1, lost 1.
Roles: Coach
Years active: 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021
Having played in a winning side against the Lions for Waikato in 1993, Gatland’s impact as a head coach has been transformational. He played a key role as McGeechan’s assistant on the 2009 tour, which did so much to restore the credibility of the Lions after the tour defeats of 2001 and 2005. He then ended a 16-year wait for a series victory as head coach in Australia in 2013 and secured an historic draw against one of the greatest All Blacks sides four years later, before narrowly missing out to the Springboks in the 2-1 series defeat in 2021.
Roles: Player
Years active: 1989, 1993, 1997
The outstanding influence of the “Prince of Centres” straddled the amateur and professional eras. Made match-winning contributions in the second and third tests against Australia in 1989 (the only time the Lions have won a series having lost the first test) and again when his famous dropped goal clinched the series against the Springboks in 1997.
Roles: Player
Years active: 1971, 1974
Another star performer in the series victories against New Zealand and South Africa, JPR was regarded as the finest fullback on the world stage but also embodied the Lions’ physical defiance, a fearless competitor who would charge from the back-field to back up his forwards in any skirmishes.
Roles: Player
Years active: 1955, 1959
First toured with the Lions in South Africa in 1955 when he was 19 and became an instant hit, scoring two hat-tricks and 16 tries. He still holds the record for the most tries scored in a Lions shirt with 38 in as many games and the record for the most test tries with six. His 17 tries in New Zealand have stood as a record since 1959. He played in 10 straight test matches and, with Wales lock Rhys Williams, became the first Lion to win a test in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.
Roles: Player
Years active: 1968, 1971
So dazzling was his contribution to the Lions’ first and sole series victory over the All Blacks in 1971 that the New Zealand press dubbed him “The King”. The Wales fly-half scored 30 of the Lions’ 48 points in the four tests in the 2-1 victory. Famed for his mesmeric running, he also executed a tactically brilliant kicking game during a tour that transcended rugby.
Roles: Player
Years active: 1966, 1968, 1971, 1974, 1977
One of only two players to play on five Lions tours, winning three, including 12 successive tests and was hugely influential in the 1971 tour. Made a remarkable 68 appearances for the Lions, including 67 starts and scored 22 tries for the tourists.
Roles: Player, captain
Years active: 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013
He announced himself on the world stage at age 22 on the 2001 tour of Australia with a stunning solo try from the halfway line against a Wallabies side who had won the World Cup on the back of their unrivalled defence. It gave birth to the “Waltzing O’Driscoll” chant.
Went on to captain the 2005 tour, only to suffer a series-ending injury in the opening minutes of the first test. He was at his pugnacious best in South Africa in 2009, then played in the first two tests in 2013 before being controversially dropped for the third test. He showed his true Lions spirit by helping the squad prepare despite his bitter disappointment.
Roles: Player, captain
Years active: 1993, 1997, 2001
The England lock made history as the first player to captain the Lions on two tours, and one of two captains along with Willie John McBride to lead the side to a test series victory in South Africa in the 20th century. Like McBride, an iconic leader of men.
Roles: Player, captain
Years active: 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021
The first player in the professional era to go on four tours and play in 12 successive tests. He led the Lions in South Africa in 2021, having captained the team in the decisive third test in Australia in 2013 when Sam Warburton was injured. The world’s most capped men’s player, he is also one of the few Lions to have won in all three Southern Hemisphere nations.
Roles: Player
Years active: 1968, 1971, 1974
A generational talent in the defining era of the Lions, playing on three tours from 1968 to 1974, including all four tests in 1971 and 1974. He also played in 28 non-test matches and scored 16 tries. A ferocious competitor and complete footballer who had the physique and athleticism that would surely have made him a standout player even in the modern day.
Roles: Player, captain, tour manager
Years active: 1962, 1966, 1968, 1971, 1974, 1983
The Lions icon. Simply the greatest Lions captain of all time, whose playing record of more than 70 games, including 17 tests, remains unrivalled. He made his Lions debut against South Africa in 1962 and played in three tests against the All Blacks in 1966 and four against the Springboks two years later. The fearsome Ulsterman was at the heart of both packs on the 1971 tour of New Zealand and captained the Invincibles in 1974, instigating the famous ’99 call. Tour manager in 1983. His influence can never be overstated.
Roles: Player, coach
Years active: 1974, 1977, 1989, 1993, 1997, 2009
The Lion King. As a player represented the Lions on two tours, playing in all four tests of the 1974 “Invincibles” tour of South Africa and again in New Zealand three years later, making a total of 30 appearances. His playing feats were arguably surpassed by his coaching impact – going on to become head coach on four tours and an assistant on a fifth.
He led the Lions to their first test series win in 15 years in Australia in 1989 and took the All Blacks to a series decider in 1993. Yet he will be best remembered for the 1997 tour of South Africa, when against all the odds the Lions defeated the world champions 2-1 and secured the tourists’ place in the new professional world order.
Remarkably, he would return to the country 12 years later as head coach, again for a tour that many regard as the one that restored the best traditions of the Lions in the professional era, even though the series was lost 2-1. His record of tour involvement as player and coach stands at a remarkable 90 games.
Plans include Harry, Meghan, and their children in the King’s funeral arrangements.