On This Day: Guscott gives gutsy 1997 Lions an historic series victory
Lawrence Dallaglio remembers it as the most physical game he ever played in, Jeremy Guscott will never forget his drop goal and Neil Jenkins was at his metronomic best on a special night in Durban.
But for all the iconic moments surrounding The 1997 British & Irish Lions second Test win over South Africa that sealed the series, there is one oft-forgotten fact – the Lions did not actually play all that well.
At least according to head coach Sir Ian McGeechan and forwards coach Jim Telfer who had to endure a nerve-shreddingly close clash at King’s Park.
THE LIONS CLING ON
“I actually thought that a lot of our players froze in that second Test and we didn’t play well at all. We just hung on in there,” remembered Telfer.
“Neil – to give him his due – just kept slotting the goals. We must have been in positions to kick goals because he is not the longest kicker in the world but he is so accurate.”
Indeed on a dramatic night the Lions were outscored by three tries to none and had to rely on the world-class kicking of Jenkins to keep them in touch.
BOKS CHOKE IN FRONT OF GOAL
By contrast, the reigning world champion Boks could not buy a goal kick – a combination of Henry Honiball, Percy Montgomery and Andre Joubert all tried their luck and failed with six attempts in total – including all three of their conversions.
“People say they didn’t have recognised kickers, they did,” recalled Keith Wood.
“They had really good kickers but they crumbled under the pressure of the series. Whatever it is about the Lions, there is crazy intensity, crazy. And things happen in that sort of pressure.”
After Matt Dawson’s dummy and Alan Tait’s decisive score in the first Test – the Lions knew the wounded Springboks would be out for revenge in Test two.
“You could tell that they meant business from the moment they rampaged down the stand in Durban and the crowd were baying for our blood,” said Dawson.
![british and irish lions tour 1997](https://davgr4qaz7nzj.cloudfront.net/lions/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/21174501/LivingWithLions1997SB2000.jpg)
“From the kick off, the South Africans just ran at us, bouncing people off, it was just this wave after wave of South African attack and you just knew that it was coming but we also knew that they were talented individuals in the backline and we had to defend well.
“When we didn’t there could have been a slight capitulation or a little bit of fear factor and a question mark about what we were doing but the strength of that team and the individuals and the adversity that we had been through all came out in the end.”
JENKINS RIDES THE STORM
Every single member of the match-day squad played their part in a compelling clash and they had to ride out an early storm from the Boks.
Jenkins then kicked them into a 6-0 lead against the run of play before the great Joost van der Westhuizen scored the hosts’ first try.
And just before the break they managed a second, Montgomery the beneficiary this time to put them 10-6 in front at the interval.
Jenkins pulled a penalty back soon after the resumption but Andre Joubert’s score stretched the lead out to six points.
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Neil Jenkins](https://davgr4qaz7nzj.cloudfront.net/lions/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/25155023/NeilJenkinsLions97SB1920.jpg)
But still the Welsh full-back could not be stopped.
“The pressure mounted with each kick but every time I took my mind away from Durban and imagined myself back on the training field in Church Village,” he explained.
“Same routine and, thankfully, same result. People always ask about pressure kicks, but that is what goal-kickers live for. You don’t hope the chance never comes, you pray it does.
“The fifth and final penalty was probably the most important of my career, but I approached it as any other and managed to keep the pressure at bay.”
GUSCOTT DROPS FOR GLORY
With the scores tied at 15-15 apiece after Jenkins’ fifth penalty and time almost up, the stage was set for Jeremy Guscott.
It may not have been the prettiest of strikes but after Wood’s clever kick through had established field position – all the centre’s drop goal needed to do was go over and so it did.
“In the second Test, there wasn’t, other than Jeremy’s drop goal and maybe Scotty Gibbs bowling Os Du Randt over, there wasn’t a huge amount going on but then there were key moments, decisions, line-outs won, big tackles made that made the difference and spurred us all on and the whole squad had been doing that throughout the whole tour,” added Dawson.
The Lions were back in front and now faced an agonising three-minute wait until full time. But they held on to make a magic memory.
![british and irish lions tour 1997](https://davgr4qaz7nzj.cloudfront.net/lions/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/09142927/JeremyGuscottLions1847SB97Celebrate.jpg)
“It will absolutely be one of my fondest memories in my career just because it’s very different when you go down to South Africa in adversity and not as favourites,” added Dawson.
The final word must go to the great McGeechan however. “Of all my rugby moments, the sound of that final whistle in Durban in 1997 was probably the sweetest,” he said.
28 JUNE 1997 SOUTH AFRICA (5) 15, BRITISH & IRISH LIONS (6) 18 Growth Point Kings Park
South Africa: Andre Joubert(T); Andre Snyman, Percy Montgomery(T), Danie van Schalkwyk, Pieter Rossouw; Henry Honiball, Joost van der Westhuizen(T); Os du Randt, Naka Drotske, Adrian Garvey; Hannes Strydom, Mark Andrews; Ruben Kruger, Andre Venter, Gary Teichmann (capt). Bench: Fritz van Heerden, Dawie Theron, Russell Bennett, Boeta Wessels, Werner Swanepoel, James Dalton, Replacements used: van Heerden for Teichmann 2, Teichmann for van Heerden 5, van Heerden for Kruger 50, Theron for Garvey 67. British & Irish Lions: Neil Jenkins(5P); John Bentley, Jerry Guscott(D), Scott Gibbs, Alan Tait; Gregor Townsend, Matt Dawson; Tom Smith, Keith Wood, Paul Wallace; Martin Johnson (capt), Jeremy Davidson; Lawrence Dallaglio, Richard Hill, Tim Rodber. Bench: Neil Back, Austin Healey, Eric Miller, Mike Catt, Barry Williams, Jason Leonard, Replacements used: Back for Hill 57, Healey for Tait 76, Miller for Rodber 77.
Scoring sequence: 15′ Jenkins N.R. (P) 0-3, 30′ Jenkins N.R. (P) 0-6, 35′ Van Der Westhuizen J (T) 5-6, 40′ Montgomery P.C. (T) 10-6, 48′ Jenkins N.R. (P) 10-9, 54′ Joubert A.J. (T) 15-9, 66′ Jenkins N.R. (P) 15-12, 74′ Jenkins N.R. (P) 15-15, 76′ Guscott J.C. (D) 15-18.
Referee: Didier Mene (France). Attendance: 50000.
![](http://adsite.space/777/templates/cheerup/res/banner1.gif)
Related Players
Related fixtures, latest news, selector series - lions legends join supporters in picking their team for australia 2025, one year to go until lions third test, lions legends: how military man mike campbell-lamerton became a lions hero, peter morgan: british & irish lion dies aged 65.
Inside The Tour – The Lions 1997 – Season 1
About the show.
The inside story of The British and Irish Lions on their most famous tour; to South Africa in 1997.
The British and Irish Lions’ tour to South Africa in 1997 has gone down in sporting folklore. With few giving them a chance, a disparate group of characters bonded into a band of brothers to upset the reigning World Champions, inspired by a coaching team seen by many in rugby as the greatest of all time. This is the inside story of that tour; told by those who were there.
Presented by Alastair Eykyn.
Featuring: John Bentley, Neil Jenkins, Matt Dawson, Keith Wood, Susan Greenwood, Will Greenwood, Doddie Weir, James Robson, Fran Cotton, Jill Douglas, Jeremy Guscott, Scott Gibbs, Austin Healey, Duncan Humphries, Fred Rees, Rob Wainwright, Jim Telfer and Sir Ian McGeechan.
Arts & Entertainment (Bronze Winner)
People’s Lovie
The inside story of the most triumphant tours in sporting history.
Season 2 returns this December as a box set, following the England cricket team on their astonishing 1986/87 series. A tour hugely significant for both nations – after this, England wouldn’t win the Ashes again for 18 years. The embarrassing defeat sent Allan Border’s Australia to rock bottom and yet, somehow, they recovered to become a cricket superpower. This is the story of that incredible journey, told by players from both teams plus host Mark Pougatch, who was a backpacking 18-year-old in Australia at the time. His diary brings to life an incredible story of unknown call-ups, unlikely heroes, and a result that shocked the sporting world.
In series 1, presenter Alastair Eykyn took us back to the legendary British and Irish Lions rugby tour in South Africa, 1997. With few giving them a chance, a disparate group of characters bonded into a band of brothers that upset the reigning world champions.
This is Inside The Tour – giving you the inside story, told by those who were there.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcripts
Episode 1: The Lions '97 - The Selection
In this series we’re heading deep into the heart of one of the most famous sporting tours in the
company of those right in the middle of it and talking about the lions in South Africa. 1997 An
epic tour for so many reasons as you’re about to find out. This is a 10 part series you’ll get the
action midweek and on a Saturday just like a Lions tour, so make sure you subscribe and follow
us on social at inside tour pod and be warned there’s plenty of swearing mainly on this first
episode from Austin Healey the lions are back in South Africa in 2021. And I’m sure this will get
us all in the mood. Enjoy
the lion a ferocious predator a roar to shake the savannas lions the Regal played the family unit
the lions the best rugby union players from Great Britain and Ireland This is the story of the
lions on their most famous tour South Africa in 1997.
Oh wow the 97 Lions was um so over this world I mean it was champagne rugby gives me
goosebumps thinking about is a bit emotional as well, but I didn’t really give a shit about the
lions to the backyard of the current world champions.
Still look back at 97 The last three minutes was pretty heavy. It was the greatest tour ever.
Inside the to the inside story told by those who were there became famous series one. The
Lions of 97
Well hope that’s got you fired up for a lion summer. I can’t wait to bring you these pods 10 In
total, back in 1997. I was just starting out in my career. I had a deep love of rugby, but I didn’t
have a full appreciation of everything the lions was about the tradition, the history, the
characters. It just pushed me deeper in love with the sport as a whole and particularly with the
British and Irish lions themselves. The Lions of 97 have gone down in sporting folklore. A squad
of household names may be the greatest coaching team of all time, the thunderous training,
devastating tactics. And yes, even the drinking was hard to beat. I’m only here to set the scene
and then nudge for a few juicy stories. There are plenty of those I’m handing on now to our
amazing lions 97 cast, which includes some of the finest storytellers in sport. I’m at Dawson.
Oh, hello, and I played scrumhalf Keith wood I was the lions hooker.
I knew Jenkins starting fullback I will Greenwood I’m Scott
This is Austin Haley.
My name John Bentley. Hello, I was playing on the wing.
Dudley. The beggar look forward. I’m Rob Wainwright, Scotland.
In the old days, you got a letter from the Home Nations Committee. So we’d like to formally
invite you to tour with the British and Irish lions to South Africa. Tonight seven. Please respond
to this within 48 hours or we will assume you don’t want to go. So what’s that could have been
out before it happens if I’ve been out for two days. I will grab wood
by played in the centre I’ve asked in Haley and this is the story of the 1997 British and Irish
lions. Well, the first time we all knew we were in with a chance of being selected. We were
invited to the NEC in maybe March 1997. And Fran cotton got up and said the squad will come
from this 60 or 70 people that were there. We’d like you to get to know each other a little bit.
You’ll get a letter on the fifth of April. And if a letter does not arrive, you haven’t been selected.
Please leave it a week and then call me and we can talk about why you haven’t been selected.
So the fifth of April arrives. I’m living in a house with two of the guys that were in the initial
squad, Craig joiner and Willow Greenwood. Craig
was in the initial squad was he could he remember where we lived? But Justin? Little plays just
outside Kirby mokslo I was waiting a prayer for me. Really ours was I wouldn’t say was nailed
on. But it would have been surprised if he wasn’t picked me.
Well, Greenwood hadn’t been picked for England was the standout player in Leicester and had
a brilliant European campaign. He was arguably player of Europe through that campaign
I was in reasonable form is very kind one of those seasons where like cricketers are seeing it
like a football. Golfers see the whole like a bucket. And everything that you try just tends to
come off. In those days you sort of knew that it was allowed to come you didn’t know what day
because who knows what day the post is, but there was a view that there would that would be
the day I had
that postman come I liked it down the stairs in my dressing gowns, so two letters amongst the
bills on the floor, picked mine up, put his inside my dressing gown and then started to cheer.
Well he’s like the Duracell bunny Oh In a, he’s like Donkey from Shrek bouncing up and down
all the time. Computer games to play computer games should go out computer games should
go out computer games should go out, just like always on, always on. And I quite like my sleep.
So I was always probably the last up in the house.
He then woke up and ran down the stairs. This is about quarter past eight. And I can hear him
ruffling around in the letters and he comes into the kitchen with his face down. And I just said
Are you okay? He said, I haven’t got a letter said I cannot believe you haven’t got a letter. You
deserve to go on that tour. That is an outrage.
Yo show lions, lions, lions, lions. It’s like he’s already picking up the song. So he did. And now
remember you got a man, a man, a man a man. And then he suddenly goes, Oh, mate,
I said I made your cup of tea sit down. So he sat down and made him a cup of tea and I just
kept going so I can’t believe I’ve got it for you, mate. You’ve definitely should go. You never
know. People get injured on these tours and people get flown out.
They go was so so so extensively. Shaggy. Because common shaggy in those days from the car
to Kurt. He would Yeah, Uncle Joe is unlikely we’re gonna go anyway. So
and I said, but it says here on the letter that the seven Lester play has been selected. And
we’re having a press conference at Welford road at 11 o’clock today to announce the captain
Martin Johnson. So Jonah is the captain, which is good. I said, Can you give me a lifting? So one,
I have a few pints so that I’m sure the lads won’t mind if you stay and have a few drinks as well,
if you want to get a taxi said, no, no, I’ll give you a lift. And then I’m going to the gym.
The assumption for me was when I’ve made it, so it was almost How arrogant of me to have
even thought I could have made.
I said okay, so we drove into Welford Road in his Mini Metro, but good
for you to see what’s going on. And we’re having a few beers. So you can drive VA to just see
what’s happening. And I thought I had a Mini Metro see 203 MF V. One point out. I thought it’s
really kind of into sort of include me in his time of victory and his time of celebration, what a
great way he is. And just
as we turned into the car, Park Graham Simmons, the sky commentator knocked on the window
and said, Well done, lads, congratulations. And we pulled off a little bit. And I said to Well, is he
taking the pisser a year or what? And well, it was like I think I
said probably always a bit nasty. We just did an interview a couple of weeks earlier for the
European Cup final season as well. So it’s a bit strange, but I pushed it aside. And then it was
What did he say? Was he saying it’s that there’s a load of people taking pictures of me. And
we stopped and as we stopped, the car got surrounded by cameras, congratulations. Well, an
uncapped lion going on the tour. And when he turned around and looked over the car, I had
opened his letter. And he didn’t take it all that well, to be honest.
Ah, so he was waving a lay, you know, it’s just, it’s impossible to stay angry because you sort of
want to be angry. But then actually, what’s the point in wasting anger? Because you’ve just
been given some really cool news.
You know, he did things to me when we live together, which was unacceptable. He made me
watch Friends on a Friday night.
Yeah, nine to 930 channel for the old days when you had to watch things in a linear fashion as
in if you missed it. That was it. A 30 minute programme is actually only 24 minutes. I’m only
asking for 24 minutes at the TV. And
so let’s just pay back. I was immature. I didn’t know any difference. Did I have a swell of pride? I
don’t think I did. And people will listen to that. I think that’s disrespectful, but I’m just being
honest. But I didn’t really give a shit about the lions. I wanted to go I needed to 30k I wanted
stash. And apparently it was the thing to do.
I think the characters they all had maybe different egos different personalities, but it brought
the best out of them. Just seemed to be a really rich tour. I’m Gil Douglas. I am a sports
broadcaster. And I’m also CEO of my name’s Dodi foundation a real mixture of the Joker’s in the
pack. Then the more celebrating players, the superstars, the playboys, it just had such an
incredible blend and I suppose when I think about it, of course, one of the biggest characters
has to be my big mate. Big look forward daddy we’re
well placed quite special and may Allah Allah resort talks about the in place who goes in who
doesn’t who’s in the team who’s not. But when that actual lead comes to the post, and officially
invites you to to is quite an amazing feeler because I think involved with ABS is the pinnacle of
rugby, playing for the Lions. Very special unique and to be part of is to such an honour, and
thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my
time. Since we were in our teens, I knew him through a farming circles. We’re both from
borders for farming families. And Kathy I knew before she met Dodi really so we’ve all been
really good mates from when we were in our teens. He’s been our best man and God bless
each other’s kids all of that. So really good mate. He was always a larger than life character. So
well liked, you know, he was just a force of nature always has been still his people love daddy.
And I mean that unreservedly he is somebody who is very easy to love.
To go into work, because we are peers, from other nations, it was quite daunting. So to team up
with mine, Johnson, and a few years was very special. Preventing nerve racking. And today and
get the whole party together was quite a difficult thing to do. But what very well, the
management workplace special plan cotton, good man. Well,
it’s nice to have Davi to say that and have been up a couple of times up there to the boarders
to see him. Now, it’s nice to think that because as a manager, I didn’t really view it in the
normal sense of the word. I really focused the way I ran it on what did i What would I want as a
player, what was important to me when I was on tour, and I tried to put that in place for the
I think it was quite unique. Always ways, it was the first professional workbook to I don’t think I
have a bearing on the camaraderie, it was still put together like previous tools.
9097 lines is unique, and it’ll never be repeated. Because of course, we here in Britain and
Ireland, we’re in our first year of professional rugby. So we had a unique combination where the
players that played as amateurs, we’re now playing as professionals, and the benefits of that
the we they had a very professional attitude to the match preparation, the way they looked at
themselves. But they also brought with them some of the kind of amateur ethos, if you like,
have that ability to mix with anybody. I always say one of the great skills in life is knowing
when to work and when to play. And that’s, that’s where they had
so for the first time, this God’s gone well with English ball, the six weeks. And when you see the
results came from
if you think 97 It was just a couple of years after the Rugby World Cup had been in South Africa,
which had opened our eyes and the game had turned professional and a lot of my friends were
taking professional contracts for the first time. 97 I was just about to start work with BBC
Scotland as a presenter of rugby special and that was the first time a woman had been even
considered to do such a job. So it was an exciting time for me. But particularly with the lions, I
think there was a real sense of adventure around it.
Frank cotton, I was the manager of the 1997 British and Irish lions. The selection process
started when I went up to Merrifield see Jim and geese, and we sat down together and went
through position by position, what were the attributes we’re looking for, in each position to play
against the box and beat them with another selector from each four countries. And we gave
them that brief. So look, you know, this is what we want from the full backs, back row folds and
so forth. And then they brought in a group of players they thought matched those particular
attributes. So it was a completely different selection process from the, from the national teams,
although I did spend time with each of the national coaches, talking to me about what they
understood the attributes of each of the players that they thought were good enough to go on
the tour. So it was it was a very detailed selection process. We didn’t just follow national
selection saying on that picked him around that picked him is automatically and they had to
meet the criteria of what we were looking for.
I was very privileged and fortunate to be considered initially, John Bentley was playing on the
wing and I To the British and Irish lions in 1997 in South Africa, I’d had a phone call from Frank
cotton. And it wasn’t even on my radar, I’d only just come back to a bunion with Newcastle and
I was sharing my year with Halifax rugby league as well. So four months with Halifax eight
months with Newcastle being full time. And in January of 97, Frank cotton gave me a call and
said bench us from and I knew it was from are we doing instead? It’s a one quick question. Are
you available to toe with the lions in in the summer in South Africa and allied because I said yes
to technically I wasn’t, I was contracted play professional rugby league. He said, Well, with all
due respect, you’re running riot with Newcastle we need to get your run with with England air.
Leave it with me. And now he rang me back about three weeks later and said the news I’m
going to deliver comes as little surprise to either of us, England or torture. And I knew I got
that, you know, I was probably playing for the best of my career. But But I was 30 in England
was about the future moving forward, whereas the land was about there. And then, you know,
in eight, nine months time, so it was remarkable to be even considered. But do
remember founding Halifax Rugby League club to say that we were thinking of picking John and
of course the Rugby League season coincided with the the wine store, and what they’re
releasing. And of course, being a typical bluff northern of the chairman was trying to squeeze
some money out of it so well, not so sure. And you know, how much money we’re talking
about? I said, Well, do you want to tell John that you’ve refused a landing to go on the tour? Oh,
no, I didn’t mean that. I didn’t mean that. So anyway, Ben, tell us was was selected. And you
know how, in fact, we were happy. In the end.
It was difficult at home you see three young children and a little boy, I remember leaving home
on his seventh birthday, Lloyd had a daughter who was five and had another daughter that was
fed and another dodge called Melia was six months old. And you know, to leave them for two
months was a big ask for me. And my wife said to me, you bet show myself that you’d be on
this trip? It was weighing up the options of do I fulfil my duty to play the professional rugby
league at home and other secure income from that? Or do I take the risk and and talk to the
bitch knows lions on a tour that was into the backyard of the Commonwealth champions. You
know, we weren’t given much of a chance either, you know, so hopefully I will complete the
tour. And we might win a test match test series. I think there’s little hope of doing that. So I sat
on it for a couple of years and then just I just said to my wife there are certain things in life that
Monte Carlo plays and this is one of them have to go into trip and she said fine. I’m going and
then I left Oh Tony Underwood we’ve travelled together Tony and I down to energy and Surrey
union really excited but but all bizarrely leaving my family behind for two months is a big ask
for me. We basically tried to become a team in that week, we’re a big
Weybridge study just south of the Thames to the west of London. Welcome to the Oatlands
Park Hotel, the site of a Tudor palace built by Henry the Eighth reputedly for Anne of Cleves it’s
the lions base for the week before their flight to South Africa.
knew the Newcastle boys and all five of us and knew all the Ruby boys. I’d never met Dalio,
Adam Johnson and never met Gus Scott. And I’d asked Tony on the way down about certain
individuals, you know, what’s he like? And what’s he like? He had to give up the room for this
trip. You know, previous tours I’ve been on the road, we haven’t always been the primary focus,
you know, the joviality and joking around and carrying on alarm and perhaps was. So having
made the sacrifice whether it was the financial ones with the with the rugby league contract or
with the family had to give myself the best chance to do and I went to blend, I went just to just
to fill it in the background and what I’ll do.
I’m Scott Gibbs, this is inside the tour with the lions in 1997. I kind of distinctly remember each
his opening salvo about sacrifice and leaving your mobile phones at home for the next 12
weeks. Quite easy for a Welshman because I don’t think any of us had them. At that time. It
was only the privileged English who had their international cell net coverage. But I thought that
was another sharp focus about right, this is what it’s going to take. We have to leave everybody
behind hugs and kisses say your goodbyes and then focus on within with kind of radical
transparency and along the way having some thoughtful disagreement about how we go
everybody spoke to me. Everybody seemed to speak to me and I was a little bit of a neutral,
because the Celts don’t particularly English, do they? Let’s be honest. But then again, I’m a
northern boy. And I don’t particularly English either. So I’m a little bit chippy. But everybody
spoke to me. And yeah, the slides were good as gold, there are only four Irish boys. But the
Welsh in particular, perhaps some of this, they were whining about some of the English boys
about Tim, Rob Baron about Martin Johnson and about Guscott and dill Alia,
no whining at all. No, no, listen, I think the two key elements for you know a great group with a
shared goal or like a common goal is that you have to have personalities. And I’m not a funny
person. You know, I keep my head down, I get on about my business. But I do like to be
surrounded by some of those types of characters. And clearly on this toll, we had several dahdi
be in one and then das be in the other questions.
We had a team meeting. Now remember standing up and I was really honest with everyone
else. Look, I feel really privileged to be here. Amongst these are some amazing rugby players in
the room, of which, you know, I didn’t really qualify at at a sabbatical playing rugby league for
years. And, but I did say to them that nobody gives us a chance. And actually, I’m listening to
people whine in the mouth, you’re whining about each other. And I just said that what to give
ourselves the best possible chance of being successful, you need to put your differences to one
side just for a short period of time, just the two months, that’s all you have to do. Just put them
and try and become a team and blend to give us a chance. And we did
you know, to give credit to John is that he is very vocal. And you cannot help but being caught
up in his own vortex and his own emotion because he’s either high or he’s either low, and he
will tell you exactly how he feels on the field off the field. So those are the slings and arrows of
John’s emotional rollercoaster that you have to embrace. And I spent a bit of time with John off
the field. During that tour. She had a room with him, you know, sat next to you on the bus on
several occasions, and clearly felt that emotion and that’s his passion. That’s that’s his DNA.
And that will always be a significant element to the bonding of the trip.
I felt it was important. You know, we were there to play rugby. You know, we weren’t
particularly there to make friends. But it but it did help that we did. It was perhaps a little bit
bold up and run the risk of people’s turnarounds are they How does he think he is saying that?
It but they didn’t. And we did. We did. We did unite. We remember for being the happy tour.
Alice was amazing. Happiness. Everybody was smiling all the time. Yeah, there were
disappointments. And not everybody’s having a good day and whatever you deal with those
internally. But it was always looking back about it was happy to.
We sat in a big massive Hall and they spoke about the history. And then everyone stood up and
said, Is there any chance we can just try and make our own history rather than talking about
1974? Because there’s quite a few of the lads in here that weren’t actually born then. So why
do we keep going on about it? And can we go and get our free stash because the stash room
was in an equal big room and a stash giveaway. It was just mind boggling. I got left down, got a
lift in jhanas Ford Scorpio for some reason everybody wanted to drive and leave their car at
Weybridge. They had to rent space in people’s cars for stuff that you were nicking out of the
stash room. Have you got any space in your car you have kind of put some stuff there and said
no, no. Become everything sailing blazers, shirts, trousers, number one shoes they’re stealing
chinos, blue shirts, jackets, trainers, boots, men’s if you haven’t got enough kit we musta got
seven full holders of kit it was the biggest stash giveaway in history. This is Austin Healey I will
Greenwood were on the lions tour to South Africa in 1997
so much kit so much is how old he remembers kit he said robbing kit robbing kit of robbing
money oh my god I mean so what’s amazing about names you remember head have added us
but not a bit head about it’s pretty light head early Yes What a name Robin money to Robin
money I mean Robin money the more I think about it I’ve never even associated Robin with
money or literally that’s just come to me I always just for a while was called money that’s
amazing. hadn’t actually thought Robin money. So Robin money is looking after kit room and
protecting it from a man called Austin Healey
I think was the first chance to get multi spot Across all the kits, so you’d have a was it Scottish
providence? I think it was. Yeah. Yeah. I think it was Scottish provident. Yeah. Yeah. I’ve got
they gave us a glass ball. I’ve still got a glass ball paperweight. And then when we got to South
Africa, they gave us a gold bar. Which honestly, I’ve called those. Yeah, lions 97 gold bars. I
kept those everything else. My dad,
that’s a green guts.
Yeah. Everything else my dad sold on Birkenhead market.
I can now tell you exactly where in the loft, because you give away so much kit and quite
rightly so to charities and stuff. But they’re just certain pieces of stash. You remember and I’ve
got a couple of things from 97. And I still use the towel with WG on it it’s just an epic moment.
And those are I still look back at 97 was the greatest tour ever.
I always remember our first meetings we arrived on the Sunday on the Monday morning, Fran,
Jim and gauge addressed us for the first time as a group of lines. And in the corner of the room.
There was a tripod and a camera. And we were being filmed. And there were a couple of guys
in the room with a camera come and I didn’t know they were that was us. Yeah, that was us.
Never met them before. And they’ve not been introduced. Okay,
Ben, tell us. I’m happy to introduce myself now. I’m Duncan Humphries.
I’m a camera man. And I’m Fred race. We made the film living with Alliance,
Fred and I had worked quite a bit together in various on various things. And I knocked on the
door and Fred was doing nothing. And we went to the pub. And I said, Well, why don’t you go
a film about the lions? Yeah, we just thought would be brilliant to be able to make a
documentary about the upcoming lions tour. And that was about four pints in. And in a sort of a
fit of sort of drunken enthusiasm, we decided we would actually pursue it. So the following day,
I think after that session in the pub, got on the phone and phoned up Frank cotton,
I’ve got to say I was extremely nervous about giving it the green light, because you’re never
quite sure how this is going to come out. I remember the meeting meeting them. And they
were very, very nice people. I mean, you don’t have to be with them for 510 minutes to know
you’re dealing with genuine people who were extremely good at their their job. But by the time
I met them, it was a fate to come. They were going to do it all I was interested in to make sure
they didn’t interfere, you know that they blended into the background. And they assured me
that was their approach.
I got talking to them as you do. And as the week progressed, and on the Friday night during the
drinking session, I ended up stopped talking to them, and they didn’t have the camera with
them. And I said Carson, why are you here? What are you doing? And they said, I’ll be one
flower on the wall. You’ll never get it. There’s only a player can get flat on the wall, you’ll never
be able to get flat on the wall. And that’s why
I said, I mean obviously bentos has a slightly rose coloured view of that. Because when we
turned up to do the sheet, we’d already decided that we were going to try give the players
cameras. So we have these three little DV care cameras that we turned up with. So that was
what was on our agenda to get them to try and help. I mean, obviously job was fantastic in that
and sort of leapt into it and grasped it with both hands. And, you know, his enthusiasm for that
shines through in the film. And it’s a really integral part of the film. And it did really, really help
and he was right in so much as that there’s certain things that they could get that you know,
we would never be able to eat because people would start feeling self conscious if you know if
we hang around with every social ball social situations filming them. So yeah, so John definitely.
Yeah, he was he was he was very enthusiastic about that. And yeah, it did a great job
looking back at breakout and a cold sweat thinking about it, but we had a lot of great
personalities on that trip in terms of the players. And that really came through in the video and
I think helped in the making of the film because they the players themselves responded to it
they did indeed. And we’ll have a special edition on that groundbreaking film living with lions
later in the series. So I hope you’ve enjoyed this first episode of the series don’t forget to join
the conversation at inside tour pod particularly if you know of anyone whose name can beat the
lions kit supply
what a name Robin money. Robin, Robin. Robin money
great names for jobs great names full stop peak rugby clubhouse humour. I get that but it is
funny. Send us your suggestions at inside tour pod. on Episode Two. Our amazing lions cast
welcomes another familiar voice. I was a young pup Following the crowd and a little bit sort of
wide eyed and Dizzy about the whole thing, but looking back the first week at the hotel
Oatlands hotel. It really kicked us off before we even got to South Africa. That’s Matt Dawson,
who joins the inside the tour cast for Episode Two, the bonding, arguably the most crucial stage
of the whole adventure. This is a 9419 production for Audi
Episode 2: The Lions '97 - The Bonding
We’re on to episode two, which does include some swearing just so you’re warned. And as we get on with the pod, we welcome one of the most familiar voices in rugby right at the heart of the 1997 story.
Everywhere we went, it was backs against the wall everywhere. I’m at Dawson and I played scrumhalf on the line store in 1997. I was a young pup to the following the crowd and a little bit sort of wide eyed and Dizzy about the whole thing. But looking back, it was turning into like the greatest rugby trip of all time. We had to sort of hypnotise ourselves into thinking that we were capable of beating the world champions.
Inside the tour, the full story of the British and Irish lions in South Africa, the insane story told by those who were there
Yes, door says joining the cast for the second episode of the series. It’s the bonding episode, and we’re based at the Oatlands hotel in Weybridge. This is the week to set the tone and set the standards the week before the challenge of a lifetime in South Africa. We’ve got a salt courses, flip chart brainstorms. And yes, we’re off to the pub
here are locking No one leaves to this place is empty. I thought this is
here. I mean, it was basically we just tried to create as much havoc as
possible that sort of set the tone.
So how does this disparate group of characters chances bolters legends and lions turn itself into a world beating Band of Brothers? We’re about to find out.
Hello, I’m Joe Divya. The vegan look forward from Scotland was Elijah goblin discards the English, Irish and Welsh all together, and different players see in different ways. So I think the tooling party got the vessel be spot on, enjoy the players, they have a good time. Although very respectful of five of their, what the The goal was an intention, it was important to get the whole squad together, being friends kind of fighting for his job.
Maybe I don’t know. But certainly what came back for 93 in New Zealand was that there were too many clicks. And everyone had a great time, but big division between midweek side and the weekend side. And they sort of were on the clock back more to at nine to say how can we find that environment. So from day one, we were told that it was a very important part of the trip.
I’m Scott Gibbs. So the lions is is is a wonderful experience and a blend of personalities, and quirks and idiosyncrasies that really make create the fabric of a rugby tour inside.
Here. It was professional, but still had that very much the aroma of amateur here we had team building specialists come in, we weren’t allowed to share the room with someone from your own country, you had to sit next to someone that you didn’t know on the bus, all the basics that I still see day in day out when I go to work that you know when you’re in new teams and new environments you need to be able to do to get to understand one another. We were supercharged in that. And I think that helped us enormously.
This is Austin Healey. I think everybody mixed almost instantly where the first two nights were basically drinking. And then there was a bit of teamwork. And by which stage you didn’t really need to work out how to go and pick up a bottle of what a jug of water with a plank of wood because you’d already mixed over a few beers.
There was a fair amount of aloofness and feeling our way and trying to work out the strengths and weaknesses in the characters. In the other teams in the first week, probably in right here.
There was almost a fifth country one has to take into account which was Northampton.
There was a strong Northampton contingent players that maybe would have been quite possibly not on the tour if it wasn’t very McGuigan, who was obviously coach of the tour
because I think Northampton possibly had more players in Ireland and Scotland did on on the tour,
it’s vitally important that there is a contingent of players, not necessarily from the same club, but the types of players that the coach understands and believes will be a certain type of player to play a certain type of game. And because of the way that we were playing at
Northampton loose it was fast it was furious confrontational, but still very skillful. We were super super fit. And geach believe that was going to be the way that the lions were going to be South Africa.
They were a great bunch. But you know, the whole thing was handled so well. With Fran cotton’s sort of great legacy for the tour was was saying New rugby for the first week. It’s all Team building for the first week. And it was a huge success.
One thing you got to recognise in those days was that a wonder plays you think now they didn’t know one of the only played against one other internationals, European club competitions didn’t exist. So we focused on the fact that before we go, we’ve got to try and create as much of a team as we possibly can before we get on the plane.
Oh, this just mentally we’re on the 99 seven big nose language tour of South Africa. One of the huge, huge influences about how that tour was successful was what McGee can tell for and con invited us to do.
Probably the most important thing we did, and probably the most sensible thing. And the manager could have done was to actually ask the players how they wanted to conduct themselves on the tour, how do you want to run the tool? What do you want to be remembered by?
So we were all separated into various groups. Ben Das was obviously leading one group,
rather than give us a code of conduct. Nana tell us what the code of conduct was. They invited
us to decide our own code of conduct, and how we want to be viewed as a group of British
managed lands.
And it was to have clarity about what we should do, what we should do with each other and
how we deal with the disappointments of tours and injuries and selections and so on, to
mitigate any ego, that we were all very neutral in one focus on one goal. And that was
obviously to, to bring on the test series.
And we worked in small working groups, and we presented to the whole tour party. And then
they put together a flashcard. Couple little flashcards that we kept. That was a reminder
throughout the trip.
That’s where we ended up with the lions laws, which were written down on little card.
I mean, good coaches do this all the time. They let you set the rules in the full knowledge that
really they set them. But if the players think that they’ve set them, then they’ll abide by them,
because there’s no argument then. So we had that scenario where gauge was suggest, well,
what do you think? No drinking the night before a game or two nights. What do you think’s
appropriate? Guys, are we think 14 hours is appropriate? Yeah, I think that’s a good idea.
Thanks, gauge. So it was that sort of scenario where we’d set all the team ship rules. And they
were fair, they weren’t ridiculous. You know, if you were playing in the midweek team, you’d
make sure you trained and help the test team as much as possible. But then at the night in the
night, you could go out Thursday, Friday, if you weren’t in the 22 or if you weren’t in the
standbys, you could go out the night before, if you wanted to. But you weren’t to wake anyone
up in the in the test team so that you had to have respect there. And I think everyone abided
by that, you know, there was guys enjoyed the tour. There’s no doubt about that. It was a fun
tour to go on. But it wasn’t draconian. And I think the level of respect that came from frontcourt
and engaging the other coaches Jim Telfer down to the team was paramount in the buy in from
Inside the to the full story of the 97 Lions in South Africa.
It’s a huge challenge. I think it’s one of the greatest rugby challenges to go into the backyard of
South Africa and to compete ran across the Republic. The intensity not only lies on the field, but
also lies in in the crowd and the vociferously nature and the actual rugby passion that they they
lead. So we knew that we’re up against the world champions and you know, some of the
greatest names to ever play the game. Were the opposition.
Scott Gibbs was the very first lion that I met on the trip because I was rooming with him and I
picked up all my kit and knocked on this big enormous probably like eight foot door white panel
door with a brass knob. And I’ve knocked on the door and the door opened.
Well, when I opened the door, then he was my roommate, Matt Dawson. Number nine. I’m like,
It was Scott Gibbs wearing nothing other than a really skimpy little towel that he had wrapped
around his waist, and I’ve got unloaded. Did with two kit bags in a suit carrier
might have looked a bit funny because I had a towel around my waist to just come out of the
shower, perspiring. And we had a 10 minute call to be suited and booted for, I believe, team
photo. So Matt’s in a rush.
I’ve said, Hi, Scott. You know, Matt Dawson, nice to meet you. And he said, Hi, Matt, would you
like me to iron your shirt? That was the very first sentence that the non English lions heads
away are in that tour of 1997
then proceeded to Ians pants and shirt. So we were both looking well sharp. As we left the
would you like me to iron your shirt? And he taught me? I know this sounds ridiculous now, but
it didn’t actually he said, Do you want me to iron your shirt but he didn’t have an iron, but he
taught me the trick. Let me
give you a lesson and domesticity. Now honey, shoot up in the shower, get all the creases out
just a bit of a hack
there, put in the shirt on a hanger and put it in the bathroom and turn in the shower on really
hot and steaming the shirt.
But I must say great, great teammate, great tourist.
So it was a very educational trip all round.
That what I remember that trip when we thought we’d go for another training session in
Frankfurt and took us to the pub. The last
day over here in Weybridge before we flew out, we train hard all week. I said right. Okay, boys
down tools. We’re going to the pub. Well, I
think you know, we talked about other personalities. One of the strongest personalities on the
tour was the tour manager, Frank cotton. And then certainly he stepped in my corner. On few
occasions during the ensuing months
went in the local pub, a lot of locals
says no one leaves to this place is empty.
It was right go and enjoy yourself boys. This is just as important as getting flogged on the train
And normally you see a lot of rugby teams where they all sit in the corner talking to themselves
go out and get to know one another air your views.
But these guys did. They were out talking to the locals having a beer
make friends reacquainted. And that sort of set the tone, create some stories that are going to
bond you for the next nine weeks of your life.
That preparatory period with a knees up at a local pub was just a perfect blend to keep
everybody relaxed.
We filmed the director of Young’s brewery, and they sent down the head brew master to make
sure the beer was in absolutely tip top condition by the time we arrived. So we got the
preparation for the drink, right? Yeah, we did. We didn’t rush home. Yeah, yeah.
That happened in 2001. Where, you know, we’ll try to go through this formula, right, let’s go to
the pub, let’s get past the the details of what we did that got to the pub. And then whilst we
were sat down having a few beers, it was announced when training was going to go on in the
morning. So I will I’m not gonna make a DECA myself. So I’ll stop. Whereas in 97, it was, you
know, 50 boosts that then the next day, there’s a family barbecue.
To me, that’s what summed up the 97 wines. You went to work, a new one to play.
Basically, we just tried to create as much havoc as possible not only in the pub, but I’m not sure
whether it was the same night where there was a was there a wedding in the hotel that night
as well or? So we came back we’re trying to gatecrash the wedding. We didn’t really need to try
too hard because they, you know, they didn’t mind a load of rugby lads coming, Lions just
joining in. Yeah, it was I mean that that’s just never ever going to happen again.
The golden rule, the golden rule about having a drink is the manner in which you’re trained the
following day. You train the following day, that we had a problem with one of the players who
had a bit too much to drink and ended up in a swimming pool. When everybody was in bed.
I only ever had to roll it one player the entire trip. But he was caught skinny dipping in the pool
And he came to me the following mine and it was all a chat and and he came to me and asked
for my advice. What should he do? And I said, Well, God, that’s God, go speak from first go and
apologise and assure and it won’t happen again.
Let it be known. I wanted to see the player early in the morning, but it didn’t actually see him
till after the evening meal. So he was sweating the whole the whole day wondering what I was
going to say too. But that was the only time I had to correct the work with one player.
You know last about making memories and friendships and I still look back at 97 as the
greatest tour ever,
he was a very tall English centre, by the way who jumped in the pool will now close at one in
the morning.
The alcohol one was addressed in a way that we decided there wasn’t going to be a ruling on
alcohol. You basically would if you want to have a drink analogy, but you would be mindful that
upon return to the hotel or even if you were in the hotel, there will be some there in a room
close by, who was also was preparing for the probably the biggest game of their lives. In
perhaps a day or two days time.
I roomed with Paul Wallace for a week in Port Elizabeth, you would think sleep, rest, feed
nutrition recuperation will be able to a week in Port Elizabeth, he didn’t get into bed. You lay on
it, you’d come in at 630 in the morning, lie on his bed on top of the bed. Half an hour, I’d wake
him up, train, come back, lie on his bed for an hour, put his gear on smellies on it goes. Go
again. Copy Paste, repeat turnout, smash the box. If you’re under Saturday TV drank until
Thursday. For the Wednesday team. You drank it on Monday. If you’re on the bench, he didn’t
have a Scooby what to do.
It was just such an amazing environment to bond with people. And yeah, no Truer words said
from gates around the hole, you know, 20 3040 years time you’re going to look at these people
in the room and have something have a connection with this that’s going to last you forever.
And he was absolutely right. But those connections, the strength of those connections came
from just as much off the field as they were on the field.
This is inside the tour with the Lions of 97. And as we traced this remarkable story, there are
two really important gentlemen We need to meet.
It was the highlight snow the highlight of my coaching career in reservoir scenarios that says
assistant and that’s the way it was
so Ian Magee kin and Jim Telfer. You’ll have heard of them. For most in rugby and for many in
sport and business. They set a man management gold standard. geach and Jim, the story would
be nothing without them.
They were different, but they complemented each other perfectly. They were opposite ends. It
was good cop bad cop Gooch was very calm and softly spoken, Jim was very good at actually
transferring that onto the pitch.
I don’t know if Jim Telfer likes me or not, I would say probably not I wouldn’t be his type of
player. I’d say Rob Wainwright would be his type of player,
their command of English language, but the way they can command a room when they speak,
there’s no doubt that they were holding the attention of the squad and in charge. A MIDI went
gates as the head coach of the world with gates a recommend the gym.
It became something which I think even when you look back on, there was so much we got
right, just naturally, I think, Jim, the direction of what we wanted to do and where we wanted to
go. So naturally came together. I don’t know if you found that, Jim. Yeah, well, we’re this group
of lions and native seven, everyone seemed to go so well, in preparation, when you spent a
year before you went to South Africa to work with all blacks, when against the Springboks. And
so after the 1997 lines, I took a great interest in rugby again, I thought that my face and the
lines was overwhelming after that. And I think that since then, the lions a little bit have won
every series, there’s a new meaning to lions twos, compared to boys before, it certainly was the
highlight of my coaching can be and it changed me completely. I mean, the rugby we played,
the launch phase was outstanding. And a lot of that was, as you said, was true to the
preparation and the philosophy that you had about how you want to be the Springboks. And it
was because of the faith and the way you like to play the game. Maybe the lions benefited, as
much as anybody from the game going professional. Because you say, I was able to go out the
year before the All Blacks were really good, realising what we probably have to do as a group
and what I think what we had to look for, and then we actually looked for the type of player
that we thought could produce that game. We couldn’t select by committee. 93 was a disaster
because there was a committee of about nine and we try to really get the players we wanted to
have and the ones we thought could best really challenge what South Africa were as a region
Becontree Yeah, no, it is I think the coaches and for the Lions are a great array of talent to pick
from. But even in 97, I mean, to be able to choose players who would fit into the way you
wanted to play the game, I think was the first time that I had been in an advantageous position,
but it, it was actually, you know, the ultimate choice comes out the coach and his coaching
team. The great thing about 97 was that the pieces were there, you know, you might be at one
end of the field with the forwards, and I bet the other end with the backs. But I knew exactly all
the messages were the same. All right, they’re delivered slightly differently, all the different
things that have to be done by players. But ultimately, what we were looking at the game we
wanted to play, we both had the same game in our heads, when you start a tour, everybody,
their sole purpose in life is to go and to to be successful. And everybody has that aim and
ambition. So the first week in London, well, very useful one for you get your philosophy across,
and how we want you to play the good teams within teams, as well as your favourite things you
said. And teams within teams, and blush. Absolutely true. Still true. Now, the players got to
know each other, they like each other. And one of the great things I found about the players
before we left London, to go to South Africa to go to Dublin for another week’s preparation.
They were the salesman. And I think that that was one of the talent points about the killer was
they were they wanted to play the way that you asked them to play. They became the
salesman for the brand of rugby, you want it to play
the remarkable in McGuigan and Jim Telfer, who have an episode all to themselves coming later
in this series. So they’re in place alongside tour manager, Fran cotton. Now all they needed was
a captain. Inside
the tour, I met Peter wheel at the rugby writers dinner in I think it was December or early
January. And he said that you ought to look at Martin Johnson said whoever was Captain less at
the time had been injured and Martin had taken over from him. And he said he’s fantastic in the
dressing room. You know, he’s somebody who could do a job for you.
I think probably because he doesn’t get riled very easily. And I don’t mean that in a really fight
vaccines, because obviously he gets riled really easily hit in that sense. But, you know, in big
pressure situations, he doesn’t react to pressure. He sort of goes with it. You know, he could
win the Euro lottery this Friday night, 180 million quid and he shrugged his shoulders, you
know, he wouldn’t be running around his living room table, jumping up and down on the chairs.
Like most people, he’d sort of shrug his shoulders and go, doesn’t really affect my life that
much. I like riding my bike. And that’s the sort of person who yes, is probably the most
pragmatic person I think I’ve ever met in my life
for the cat because the normally you’d say one of the four, four countries, the captain who had
been captain of the country will automatically be kept in the lines, but we didn’t think like that.
And it came about because we recognise that we are yet people like UI and admins, great
player, great lion, being captain of whales, would have been quite an obvious choice. But we
felt in South Africa, it wasn’t the right thing to have a winger as the captain, we wanted
somebody in the heart of the battle way. South Africa, you’ve got to win the physical battle
before we even go anywhere. Talking about what kind of rugby you’re going to play unless you
match them there. They’re just going to walk all over. So we felt it was important. We had
Sunday in the heat of the battle air in the forwards as the captain,
I think it’s good skill was that he wasn’t that sort of Captain that was overly vocal. He said what
needed to be said when it needed to be said. And he had lots of senior voices there that would
do most of the talk in Lawrence a lot of talking rod burner, the leader. You know, Scott
Quenelle, another leader, Jace, Woody, obviously quite a lot of talking. And then he had people
with no power who also like talking like me and John Bentley. He was an amazing Captain bird.
He was a captain that didn’t particularly say a lot, you know, but he was surrounded by people
who did say a lot. You know, you’re Allen Allen techy Keith woods. alerting go Scott’s, you
know, different players on different occasions. But John, what was the final word? And
importantly, everybody always listened. But if you watch the games over and over journals,
leadership qualities were about how he played, you know, you’d follow him anywhere. You
know, he was just a man’s amazing.
And then I thought, who knows Martin Johnson better than anybody else in the world and
thought the only person that can be as his mum. So I found his mum up and asked this the
right way. Talk to me about Martin, what do you think of worries best traits? She said, Well, one
thing about Martin is only ever tell you the truth. And from that moment on, I thought, well, you
know, this guy has got to be our captain is an alien. And Jim, were on board with it. So that’s
how he got appointed as captain.
Although he does get angry when he can’t water ski. Okay, expand. Following the 2001 tour.
We went on holiday together again, mainly, but when people say why did you go on holiday
with Martin Johnson? Why are you two good friends because I sort of tell them, I’m really good
at starting fights. And he’s really good at finishing them. So he’s the perfect mate to take on
holidays on the beach, because the last thing is you won’t want to get filled in by some German
holiday maker. But he’s perfect for that. So we went to see our friend Dave located in Canada,
and he’s got a boat on a lake. And I’ve done a lot of water skiing. My dad was a very good
water skier. And I was trying to teach him how to ski and bearing in mind his neck was
completely shattered from the tour, but he wouldn’t give up. And he was really getting on my
nerves. So I said to Lou, I was driving the boat, I said to the telly when I said to him, like we’re
gonna sit you on the dock or dock start you take a couple of coils. When I say go chuck the
coils, and then just hold on, don’t let go and it will pull you straight up. Bearing in mind, he’s
like 19 stone, and we’re trying to pull him out on a little speed boat. So anyway, lucid, right,
he’s not looking so I just flowed the boat, and it pulled him straight out the front of his skis, and
he wouldn’t let go for ages. And all you saw was this thin veil of water going over the top of his
head, where there’s one eyebrow, which looked like he picked up an otter as he was getting
pulled through the water and then eventually let go of the handle it snapped and came shot
through in front of the boat. At start the engine. He said come and get me I was like, Are you
angry said yeah, I’m really angry. I was like, you can fucking swim back then. So yeah, I stayed
away from him for a couple of hours when he got back to the dock.
Well, everybody asked me about behaviour on the tour and I said, Well, I only found out what
was really going on when I read all the autobiographies sometime later. You can tell quite
quickly, I think with the group of people the way they behave the way they mix, whether or not
this was going to be an easy group of people to manage and be part of, really, by the time we
left Weybridge will recognise we are there special group of players. They mix well together.
We’re now pleased and allow that. We knew when we went out we were a team.
The Lions of 97 taught us so much. If you’re in a team, whether sporting or business, let us
know if you employ any of the techniques we’ve heard about in this episode. We’d love to hear
from you at inside tour pod.
I didn’t think there was much chance of as lean successful. But when I got onto that plane on
the Saturday, I knew we were going to be successful. It was still a tall order. It was still a big
ask. But I knew that during that week, we put ourselves in a position that we were in the shell.
So with the lions law set, team building complete, and the pub exhausted of supplies, it’s time
to hit the training pitch. In episode three,
scroll genius, something entirely different. You’re soaking diesel for the whole thing. You’re
looking for oxygen wherever you could.
This is where the strategy will be set. The master plan to destabilise the Springboks must be
honed on a muddy field in southwest London.
It was like a clash of stags. That’s what it was like.
That’s episode three of inside the tour, which is a 9419 production for Audi
What the 1997 Lions look like now as heroes reunited exactly 25 years on
Members of the squad from the triumphant 1997 Lions tour of South Africa are meeting up for a reunion this week
- 19:11, 14 JUN 2022
- Updated 11:10, 15 JUN 2022
![british and irish lions tour 1997 The British and Irish Lions celebrate their 2-1 series victory over the South Africa in 1997](https://i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article24227336.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/0_GettyImages-855207000.jpg)
The Class of ‘97 are back together again! Twenty-five years on from the memorable 1997 Lions tour of South Africa, members of the squad have met up for a reunion in Stratford-upon-Avon.
It’s a tour that is remembered particularly fondly by rugby fans for a couple of reasons. For one thing, it was a triumphant one, with the world champion Springboks defeated 2-1 in the Test series. But it has also been immortalised by the now legendary Living with Lions video, a then ground-breaking behind-the-scenes look at the 13-match campaign.
A strong bond still exists among the men who went on the trip, as summed up by former England prop Jason Leonard, who said: “This time 25 years ago we were on the 1997 Lions tour of South Africa. This week we are catching up for an anniversary reunion. To this day, I would still walk over broken glass for all involved on that tour.”
So what are the players who wrote their names into Lions history up to these days? Here’s the lowdown on some of the “mane men” 25 years on.
Read next: Get the latest Welsh rugby headlines sent straight to your inbox for free with our daily newsletter.
Martin Johnson
The skipper. He went to captain another Lions tour, to Australia in 2001, and lead England to World Cup glory in 2003, going on to be England team manager for three years. He’s now a rugby pundit for the BBC and has developed a keen interest in cycling, while also working as an after-dinner speaker.
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Martin Johnson as he is today](https://i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article24227313.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_GettyImages-1188393536.jpg)
Scott Gibbs
Man of the Series in 1997. Having conquered South Africa with the Lions, the former Wales centre is now living out there and is involved in punditry. Has also had spells living in Verona, Italy, and in America, attending the Wharton Business School in Philadelphia. Read more about Gibbs here.
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Former Wales and Lions centre, Scott Gibbs](https://i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article21125979.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_JS176542496.jpg)
Jeremy Guscott
Landed the second Test drop goal that clinched the series. After retiring with 65 England caps to his name, the ex-Bath centre spent more than two decades as a rugby pundit with the BBC before stepping down at the start of this year to focus on other business interests.
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Jeremy Guscott (L) and Jason Leonard](https://i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article24223979.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_GettyImages-845611142.jpg)
Neil Jenkins
The man whose goal-kicking from full-back was so crucial. Moved into coaching after hanging up his boots and has been part of the Wales management team for the last 16 years, as the kicking guru, while also adding his expertise on a series of Lions tours. You can read more about Jenkins' rugby life here.
![british and irish lions tour 1997](https://i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article21948978.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/2_JS248563822.jpg)
Matt Dawson
Scored the cheeky try that set the Lions on their way in the first Test. Has gone on to become a high-profile figure, as a team captain on A Question of Sport for 16 years, a winner of Celebrity MasterChef, a runner-up in Strictly Come Dancing and a BBC radio pundit.
![british and irish lions tour 1997](https://i2-prod.mylondon.news/incoming/article23129454.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/0_Matt-Dawson.jpg)
John Bentley
The dual-code winger from Yorkshire who scored the try of the tour, against the Gauteng Lions. Post-playing, he worked as a Business and Community Development Manager for Leeds Rhinos and Director of Rugby at Cleckheaton. A regular after-dinner speaker, he is also been heavily involved in charity work.
Eric Miller
At 21, the youngest member of the tour party, he came off the bench in the decisive second Test at King's Park, Durban. Went on to win 48 caps in the Ireland back row. He is now a nursing home worker in Dublin.
Allan Bateman
Still donning the boots at 57, turning out for James Hook’s testimonial match at The Gnoll last Friday night, setting up a try for Shane Williams with a sumptuous delayed pass. Has lived in St Brides Major for a number of years and now works as an IT specialist. You can read all about how he keeps himself so fit here.
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Allan Bateman of James Hook XV and Kevin Ellis of Classic Lions](https://i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article24201384.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_JS269009385.jpg)
Lawrence Dallaglio
The 2003 England World Cup winner has worked extensively as a pundit on TV and radio, while also devoting a huge amount of time to charitable efforts, receiving an MBE and OBE. Founder of the Dallaglio RugbyWorks, which aims to get teenagers who have been excluded from mainstream schooling into sustained education, employment or training. You can read all about his incredible rugby journey here.
![british and irish lions tour 1997](https://i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article19975916.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_JS210708097.jpg)
A try scorer from the wing in the opening Test, the dual-code back moved into coaching, with Scotland and his former club Newcastle. Then had a spell as as a talent scout for the SRU. Outside of rugby, the Borders-based Tait is a roofer by trade.
A real talisman on the 1997 tour, the former Ireland captain has gone on to work as a pundit and after-dinner speaker. In 2018, he opened a café and restaurant in his native Killaloe, County Clare, with business partner Malcolm Bell, called Wood & Bell.
Ieuan Evans
A first Test starter before injury ended his tour. The former Wales captain is now vice-chairman of the WRU. Previously worked extensively as a TV pundit and has been a board member of the Welsh Tourist Board, VisitBritain and 2010 Ryder Cup, as well as being involved in a number of charities.
![british and irish lions tour 1997](https://i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article22398318.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_unnamed.jpg)
Gregor Townsend
Has been coach of Scotland since 2017, having previously been at the helm of Glasgow for three years. Wore No 10 for the triumphant first two Tests in 1997, with his playing career taking in spells at Northampton, Brive, Castres, Montpellier and Borders.
Jeremy Davidson
Started all three Tests at lock alongside Johnson. The 32-cap Ulsterman went on to have a spell playing for Castres and is now out in France once more as head coach of Brive, who he has guided back into the Top 14 during his four year stint at the helm.
Jason Leonard
The man nicknamed the Fun Bus was the manager for last year’s Lions tour of South Africa and is the current Lions chairman, having previously been President of the RFU. England’s most-capped player for a long spell, until his tally of 114 was recently surpassed by Ben Youngs. Outside of rugby, the former prop has worked as a senior advisor for Lloyd’s brokers.
Richard Hill
One of the most respected figures in the game during his playing days, the former Saracens flanker was appointed England team manager by Eddie Jones in 2016, while also fulfilling the role Player Pathway Liaison Manager for the RFU.
Barry Williams
Just 23 with only one Welsh cap to his name when he was selected as the tour bolter . Now living on a farm in Llandeilo, the former Ospreys skipper is operations director of Parker Plant Hire Ltd in Llanelli. His son Logan is also an international, in sheep-dog trialling! You can read Barry's full story here.
![british and irish lions tour 1997](https://i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article20532700.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_JS234208314.jpg)
Selected to start at hooker ahead of Williams in the third Test. Nicknamed Ronnie, the ex-Bath and Bristol front rower, who was severely deaf throughout his playing career, has been forwards coach at Clifton RFC and is involved in the buy-to-let property market, as well as working on the after-dinner circuit.
Paul Wallace
A late call-up in place of the injured Peter Clohessy, he went on to start all three Tests at tighthead prop. One of three brothers to play for Ireland - along with David and Richard - he has worked as a rugby pundit on TV, radio and in print. He’s managing director of Bircroft Property Finance, a debt structuring firm for commercial property.
It’s sometimes forgotten that Rodber was at No 8 for the first two Tests. After retiring, the 44-cap Northampton forward held executive posts with Williams Lea, Middleton Advisors and global workspace providers Instant.
People may also not recall that it was the South African born and raised Catt who started the third Test at fly-half. Is now an assistant to Ireland coach Andy Farrell, having previously had coaching stints with London Irish, England and Italy.
Rob Wainwright
Midweek captain and a back row starter in the third Test. A doctor by profession, he rose to the rank of major in the Royal Army Medical Corps before moving with his family to the island of Coll in the Inner Hebrides, taking ownership of a farm.
Scott Quinnell
The former No 8 had been a regular rugby pundit for Sky Sports and a radio presenter for BBC Wales. He is also a People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador and is a co-presenter and coach of Sky’s School of Hard Knocks TV series along with fellow 1997 Lion Will Greenwood.
Tim Stimpson
Missed out to the metronomic Neil Jenkins at full-back. Won a record five consecutive Premiership titles with Newcastle and Leicester, while earning 19 England caps. These days, he’s a motivational speaker and MC, delivering wellness and performance programmes. He is also a core member of Progressive Rugby, the group campaigning for greater protection for players from concussion injuries.
A shoulder injury sustained against Natal Sharks a week before the first Test cruelly ruled him out of the rest of the tour, but he was back to start in the Test series on the next Lions trip, to Australia in 2001. Spent 11 years as part of Warren Gatland’s Wales coaching team, sharing in numerous triumphs, and is now an assistant coach to Canada.
Started the third Test on the openside. Went on two more Lions tour and was a World Cup winner with England in 2003. Has had coaching spells with Leicester, Leeds Carnegie and Edinburgh. Now works in the financial sector for an insurance company and in visual communications.
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Neil Back as he is today](https://i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article24227297.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/0_FJz3GGaXEAcVVLd.jpg)
Doddie Weir
The former Scotland lock has become an inspiration with his brave fight against motor neurone disease and his fund-raising for research into a cure for the disease, with the creation of ‘My Name’s Doddie’ foundation. Worked as a commercial director for a waste management company tha after finishing playing.
![british and irish lions tour 1997](https://i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article20790221.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_Screen-Shot-2021-05-24-at-130536JPG.jpg)
Austin Healey
A replacement during the Test series, utility back Healey won 51 caps for England in all. Now works as a TV pundit, while he has also been a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and Mastermind.
Has the rare distinction on having gone on Lions tours in three different decades - 1989, 1997 and 2011. The former prop is now back at the Arms Park for his second spell as Cardiff’s director of rugby after nine years in charge at Wasps.
Backs: Allan Bateman (Richmond and Wales), Nick Beal (Northampton and England), John Bentley (Newcastle and England), Matt Dawson (Northampton and England), Ieuan Evans (Llanelli and Wales), Scott Gibbs (Swansea and Wales), Paul Grayson (Northampton and England), Will Greenwood (Leicester and England), Jeremy Guscott (Bath and England), Austin Healey (Leicester and England), Rob Howley (Cardiff and Wales), Neil Jenkins (Pontypridd and Wales), Tim Stimpson (Newcastle and England), Alan Tait (Newcastle and Scotland), Gregor Townsend (Northampton and Scotland), Tony Underwood (Newcastle and England)
Forwards: Neil Back (Leicester and England), Lawrence Dallaglio (Wasps and England), Jeremy Davidson (London Irish and Ireland), Richard Hill (Saracens and England), Martin Johnson (capt) (Leicester and England), Jason Leonard (Harlequins and England), Eric Miller (Leicester and Ireland), Scott Quinnell (Richmond and Wales), Mark Regan (Bristol and England), Tim Rodber (Northampton and England), Graham Rowntree (Leicester and England), Simon Shaw (Bristol and England), Tom Smith (Watsonians and Scotland), Rob Wainwright (Watsonians and Scotland), Paul Wallace (Saracens and Ireland), Doddie Weir (Newcastle and Scotland), Barry Williams (Neath and Wales), Keith Wood (Harlequins and Ireland), David Young (Cardiff and Wales)
Replacements: Mike Catt (Bath and England), Tony Stanger (Hawick and Scotland), Kyran Bracken (Saracens and England), Tony Diprose (Saracens and England), Nigel Redman (Bath and England)
Manager: Fran Cotton
Coach: Ian McGeechan
Assistant coach: Jim Telfer
Lions 39-11 Eastern Province
Lions 18-14 Border
Lions 38-21 Western Province
Lions 64-14 Mpumalanga
Lions 30-35 Northern Transvaal
Lions 20-14 Gauteng
Lions 42-12 Natal
Lions 51-22 Emerging Springboks
Lions 25-16 South Africa (Cape Town)
Lions 52-30 Free State
Lions 18-15 South Africa (Durban)
Lions 67-39 Northern Free State
Lions 16-35 South Africa (Johannesburg)
- British and Irish Lions
- Most Recent
![british and irish lions tour 1997](https://i2-prod.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article29794002.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/0_GettyImages-1882976394.jpg)
Repeat: Off The Ball
10:00 PM-12:00 AM
![Repeat: Off The Ball Repeat: Off The Ball](https://img.resized.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-off-the-ball.png)
How a small Irish prop conquered the biggest scrum in World Rugby | 1997 Lions Tour
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Stephen Kisbey-Green](https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/85733fe9199cdd514e9c2ddaaae07639.jpg?s=40&d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.offtheball.com%2Fimages%2Fauthor_default.png)
Share this article
The British and Irish Lions fronted up against one of the biggest scrums in world rugby in the 1997 tour of South Africa, and not only survived, but beat them.
The initial announcement of the touring squad to South Africa saw Peter Clohessy named as one of the props on the plane, however a back injury saw the Munster man ruled out of the tour before they left.
Clohessy was replaced in the squad by fellow Irishman Paul Wallace; a man who soon became an iconic figure in Lions history, as he anchored the scrum against a world champion front row that, on paper, was supposed to eat him for breakfast.
'Woody says: Tell them to stick it!' | 🏉 Tom English recanted the tale of Peter Clohessy, the @lionsofficial player that simply refused to give back his kit when he was injured before the 1997 tour | 🦁 @VodafoneIreland | #TeamOfUs Full chat ➡️ https://t.co/uACj3HzOnK pic.twitter.com/URbm6huKjQ — Off The Ball (@offtheball) June 2, 2021
Speaking on Wednesday Night Rugby , author of This is your Everest Tom English discussed the first Lions test in 1997, and how the tourists managed to outlast their hosts.
“Bear in mind in the first scrum, and they are going up against this humungous wrecking ball machine of a front row, in fact the entire pack, but particularly the front row of Os du Randt, Adrian Garvey and Naka Drotske,” English said.
“These guys were like properly huge, and everyone knew they were properly huge, and the Lions were very, very worried about it.
“These guys were coming after them and in the first scrum, they absolutely demolished the Lions, and the whole of Newlands went ballistic because this is what they wanted.
“The Lions were gadding about their country for four, five, six weeks at this stage; they were beating teams up left right and centre, playing this fantastic expansive rugby.
“Every time they went to a new place, the South Africans were hoping, ‘right, when they get to Cape Town they’ll get sorted out, when they get to Bloemfontein they’ll get sorted out’, and they were never sorted out.
“When they go to the big arena, their first scrum, bang! The Springboks destroyed them, and everyone, even Os du Randt, was going, ‘after the first scrum we thought we had them’.
“No more now can they play this expansive rugby, because ‘we are going to physically crush them’.”
Wallace, who was around 15kg lighter than his opposite number Os du Randt, bounced back and figured out a way to stop the world champion from getting the better of him.
“The second scrum wasn’t great either, but they didn’t get shunted back as far,” English said.
“What Wallace did after that, he figured it out. He figured it out and adjusted his body position; almost certainly cheating, but who cares because he wasn’t caught?
“He got himself into an angle, body position that that the Springboks really couldn’t handle. The more the game went on, and a lot of players said this, the angrier the Springbok front row in particular became, because this wasn’t following the narrative.
“How were these little guys, Thomas Smith, Keith Wood and Paul Wallace, particularly Smith and Wallace, small men giving away stones against their opposite numbers, how the hell were they surviving in the scrum?
“Why weren’t they off the pitch? Why were the Lions still hanging about on the scoreboard? So, they got very, very frustrated.”
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Paul Wallace Lions](https://media.radiocms.net/uploads/2021/06/02191951/Paul-Wallace-Lions.jpg)
Smith and Wallace didn't just survive, they beat them
For English, the performance of the Lions scrum in that first test, coupled with some iconic speeches from Lions coaches Ian McGeechan and Jim Telfer, helped the Lions to their historic 1997 series victory.
“I mean Wallace wasn’t even in the squad,” English said. “Martin Johnson, the captain said when the team was announced first that ‘I didn’t know Tom Smith from a hole in the head’.
“Yet he makes the test team, and he is immense. These two small guys, one Irishman, one Scot, going up against two beasts.
“And they survive, they find a way to survive. It is rugby heroism, it really is! It is just clever, clever play from the two of them, thinking in the midst of this absolute cauldron and finding a way to survive.”
The 1997 Lions tour bears striking resemblance to the lead up to this year’s tour, with the World Champions heading into the tour slightly undercooked, after having little international preparation. Will the Lions be able to conquer the Springboks again?
Team of Us. Everyone In.
Vodafone. The main sponsor of the Irish Rugby Team
Read more about
Most Popular
Off The Ball and Bank of Ireland announce new rugby sponsorship
This is your chance to win big money - the otb cash machine, 'this is an abuse of a safety law' | matt williams on ireland’s first 6-2 split | wednesday night rugby.
You might like
Peter Clohessy's passion for the Lions shines through in 1997 Tour story
Joe mccarthy 'really is an exceptional beast' | wednesday night rugby.
Finn Russell reveals Owen Farrell wish ahead of 2025 British & Irish Lions tour
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Owen Farrell and Finn Russell image](https://images.ps-aws.com/c?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3gbf3ykm8gp5c.cloudfront.net%2Fcontent%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F08%2F20123447%2FOwen-Farrell-and-Finn-Russell-image-1320x742.jpg)
British & Irish Lions playmakers Owen Farrell and Finn Russell.
Scotland playmaker Finn Russell has revealed that he is keen to line up alongside England utility back Owen Farrell for the British & Irish Lions against the Wallabies in 2025.
The famous touring team are set to face the Wallabies in Australia next year and although both Russell and Farrell are highly rated fly-halves, the Scotsman believes they can do a job in the same backline.
Russell is currently at Premiership club Bath but prior to that he spent five seasons at French heavyweights Racing 92 – the same club which Farrell is joining from next season.
In 2021, the duo featured in a warm-up game for the Lions with Russell playing at fly-half and Farrell at inside centre and Russell is confident that combination could work again in Australia in 2025.
‘We would find that middle ground’
“I think we view the game differently, so there would be a bit of a clash there, but I think we would be good enough mates that we would get on with it and we would find that middle ground,” Russell told the Daily Mail while speaking at an event hosted by TNT Sports .
“We would have to find that balance between us, but he (Farrell) is a brilliant player and I would love to play with him. I don’t know if he will be there or not.
“I don’t know if I will be there or not, but I would love to play with him if we get the chance – maybe back at Racing in a few years, who knows?
Finn Russell’s advice to Owen Farrell on French move after Siya Kolisi’s failed stint
“We have always had an interesting relationship when we have played against each other.
“At the start it was head-to-head almost but recently, even before the Lions, it turned into a friendship. I can remember having a laugh with him.
“It shows how he has relaxed with his mindset. He is still so focused and driven to win, but maybe we have both changed the more we have played against each other and chatted a bit off the pitch. Maybe we have made that relationship. I like the bloke.”
Farrell and Russell have been together on two previous Lions tours – in New Zealand in 2017 and South Africa in 2021. While Farrell was a regular on both those tours and included in the initial squads from the outset, Russell was an injury replacement in 2017 before playing a key role in the 2021 trip.
Amongst favourites for Lions number 10 shirt
Although there are still 11 months to go before the 2025 tour, Russell is viewed as one of the favourites to wear the Lions’ number 10 shirt in the Tests against the Wallabies.
There is plenty of interest amongst Lions supporters about the upcoming trip to Australia, especially after the 2021 tour was played without fans attending due to Covid-19.
“In 2017 we knew from the start we were out there for 10 days to do the midweek games then we were going home. It was a different kind of mindset,” said Russell.
“In 2021 I was there from the start. I loved that tour, even though it was Covid. It was an amazing experience, but if I was to be able to do one with the fans that is something I would love to do.
“It would be such a different experience having the fans there to the first and second tours I went on. That would be a complete Lions tour.”
READ MORE: Stuart Hogg suffers fresh blow ahead of Top 14 comeback – report
Related Articles
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Finn Russell and Owen Farrell Scotland v England - Alamy](https://images.ps-aws.com/c?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3gbf3ykm8gp5c.cloudfront.net%2Fcontent%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F08%2F20101352%2FFinn-Russell-and-Owen-Farrell-Scotland-v-England-Alamy-496x280.jpg)
Finn Russell’s advice to Owen Farrell on French move after Siya Kolisi’s failed stint
Finn Russell believes Owen Farrell will do well at Racing 92 but warned him about possible pitfalls at the French club.
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Caelan Doris, Jack Willis, Finn Russell](https://images.ps-aws.com/c?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3gbf3ykm8gp5c.cloudfront.net%2Fcontent%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F07%2F20142753%2FUntitled-design-52-496x280.jpg)
Predicting the British and Irish Lions team for opening Wallabies Test
Our predicted British and Irish Lions Test one squad is in...
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Fergus Burke will fill the boots of Owen Farrell at Saracens.](https://images.ps-aws.com/c?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3gbf3ykm8gp5c.cloudfront.net%2Fcontent%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F06%2F25153458%2FFergus-Burke-for-Barbarians-with-Owen-Farrell-inset-Alamy-496x280.jpg)
![](http://adsite.space/777/templates/cheerup/res/banner1.gif)
How Richie Mo’unga’s Crusaders exit benefits Saracens’ bid to fill Owen Farrell void
Saracens will have Fergus Burke wearing their number 10 jersey next season following the departure of Owen Farrell to Top 14 giants Racing 92.
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Jonny Wilkinson opens up about the tough times and praises Owen Farrell for stepping away from international rugby.](https://images.ps-aws.com/c?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3gbf3ykm8gp5c.cloudfront.net%2Fcontent%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F06%2F13183053%2FJonny-Wilkinson-full-of-admiration-for-Owen-Farrell-Alamy-496x280.jpg)
Jonny Wilkinson full of admiration for ‘powerful’ Owen Farrell as he opens up on alarming England struggles
England legend Jonny Wilkinson tells Planet Rugby's Alex Spink that he admires Owen Farrell for making the decision to step back from Test rugby.
Finn Russell: I’d love to forge creative axis with Owen Farrell on Lions tour
![Finn Russell: I’d love to forge creative axis with Owen Farrell on Lions tour Finn Russell: I’d love to forge creative axis with Owen Farrell on Lions tour](https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/8508/4254274_1_articlemedium_cfaac4af-3ac7-4921-93d6-e291527d49fc.png.jpg)
LIONS TOUR: Finn Russell (left) hopes to (left) forge a creative axis alongside Owen Farrell. Picture: Steve Haag/PA
Finn Russell would welcome the opportunity to forge a creative axis with Owen Farrell on the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.
The rivals butted heads for years as influential playmakers for Scotland and England but struck up a friendship during the pandemic-affected Lions venture to South Africa in 2021.
Russell discovered that while they “view the game differently”, there was also more to the snarling heartbeat of English rugby than he initially realised.
![Owen Farrell file photo british and irish lions tour 1997](https://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/16f8b44e39abc3613a564de0826cbbbaY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzI0MTY1Mjk5/2.75669794.jpg?w=640)
They started together once in a 56-14 demolition of Emirates Lions but through a combination of Dan Biggar’s position as first choice fly-half, Warren Gatland’s preference for a ball-carrying inside centre and Russell’s Achilles injury, their game time against against the Springboks was limited.
Farrell’s departure for Racing 92 complicates his availability for next year’s tour, while his absence from international rugby will also count against him, but Russell insisted that if the stars align, they could thrive as a 10-12 partnership.
“We view the game differently so there would be a bit of a clash there, but we are good enough mates that we would get on with it,” said Russell at an event hosted by TNT Sports.
“We would have to find that balance between us, but he’s a brilliant player and I would love to play with him.
“I got on really well with Owen in 2021. I’d heard he was so focused and he was intense, but I didn’t see any of that at all. I thought he was quite chilled out. He was relaxed and I had a laugh with him.
“We have always had an interesting relationship when we have played against each other. At the start it was head to head but then recently, even before the Lions, it turned into a friendship.
“Before it was me against you and by the end of it, it was still me against you, but we could have a laugh while we were doing it.
“At the end I looked forward to playing against him, for his competitiveness but I liked the bloke. It changed as the years have gone on.”
Russell is the current frontrunner to claim the jersey for the Test series against Australia and if the Scotland captain is selected in Andy Farrell’s squad, he will see it as third time lucky.
His debut Lions tour in 2017 came as part of the ‘Geography Six’, a group of temporary replacements, while the Covid-affected enterprise of 2021 took place behind closed doors.
“You see the videos from 2013 when the Lions were last in Australia, with all of the fans all there. That would be a very different experience to the first and second tours I went on,” Russell said.
![british and irish lions tour 1997 british and irish lions tour 1997](https://content.assets.pressassociation.io/2024/08/19155127/394ac73f-7bab-47d2-bcf5-cb42352c260c.jpg)
Scott Bemand confirms coaching team for WXV campaign
Sport Newsletter
Get the latest news from the world of sport along with the best opinion from our outstanding team of sport writers, direct to your inbox every Friday
Please click here for our privacy statement.
FOLLOW IRISH EXAMINER
![british and irish lions tour 1997 IE-logo](https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/5661/2830680_1_org_IE_logo_white.png)
By clicking on 'Sign Up' you will be the first to know about our latest and best sporting content on this browser.
You have accepted push notifications for this content. If you would like to manage your push notification preferences, you can do so here .
Latest news from the world of sport, along with the best in opinion from our outstanding team of sports writers
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Donal Lenihan](https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/3434/1717415_1_org_Donal_Lenihan_Squoosh.png)
Donal Lenihan
Inside rugby
![Enoch Burke at Wilson's Hospital School Enoch Burke at Wilson's Hospital School](https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/8516/4258294_8_teasersmall_CC_20ENOCH_20LEAVES_20SCHOOL20.jpg)
Thursday, August 22, 2024 - 6:00 PM
![77197291 Mike Lynch court case](https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/8515/4257775_4_teasersmall_2.77197291.jpg.jpg)
Thursday, August 22, 2024 - 12:00 PM
![72144755 Leeds United v Newcastle United - Premier League - Elland Road](https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/8517/4258651_11_teasersmall_2.72144755.jpg.jpg)
Thursday, August 22, 2024 - 9:00 PM
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Family Notices](https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/5424/2712132_1_org_1715999_1_org_dove_squoosh.png)
Family Notices
![british and irish lions tour 1997 IE_logo_newsletters](https://www.irishexaminer.com/cms_media/module_img/5623/2811954_1_org_1715987_1_org_newslettersquoosh_.png)
Select your favourite newsletters and get the best of Irish Examiner delivered to your inbox
© Examiner Echo Group Limited
UK Edition Change
- UK Politics
- News Videos
- Paris 2024 Olympics
- Rugby Union
- Sport Videos
- John Rentoul
- Mary Dejevsky
- Andrew Grice
- Sean O’Grady
- Photography
- Theatre & Dance
- Culture Videos
- Fitness & Wellbeing
- Food & Drink
- Health & Families
- Royal Family
- Electric Vehicles
- Car Insurance Deals
- Lifestyle Videos
- UK Hotel Reviews
- News & Advice
- Simon Calder
- Australia & New Zealand
- South America
- C. America & Caribbean
- Middle East
- Politics Explained
- News Analysis
- Today’s Edition
- Home & Garden
- Broadband deals
- Fashion & Beauty
- Travel & Outdoors
- Sports & Fitness
- Climate 100
- Sustainable Living
- Climate Videos
- Solar Panels
- Behind The Headlines
- On The Ground
- Decomplicated
- You Ask The Questions
- Binge Watch
- Travel Smart
- Watch on your TV
- Crosswords & Puzzles
- Most Commented
- Newsletters
- Ask Me Anything
- Virtual Events
- Wine Offers
Thank you for registering
Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in
The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission.
Finn Russell backs Owen Farrell to shine at Racing 92 and eyes British & Irish Lions reunion
Russell spent five seasons at the paris club that farrell will call home next year and could combine in playmaking partnership with his long-time rival in australia next summer, article bookmarked.
Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Finn Russell, left, feels Owen Farrell will be well suited to Racing 92](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/01/23/15/23151616-a374d931-2bd6-4018-b66c-6f85baece394.jpg)
Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing
Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news, thanks for signing up to the sport email.
Finn Russell believes that Owen Farrell could thrive at Racing 92 as the Scotland fly half eyes a potential British & Irish Lions reunion with his fellow playmaker in Australia next summer.
Russell spent five seasons at the Paris club before joining Bath last year , with Farrell now set to take the reins in the French capital after a sensational switch from Saracens.
While the England fly half will be ineligible for selection for Steve Borthwick while playing overseas, he could come under consideration for a fourth Lions selection when Andy Farrell chooses his touring party next summer.
Russell spent time working alongside England’s record points scorer in New Zealand in 2017 and South Africa in 2021, though is yet to feature in a full Lions Test alongside Farrell.
The 31-year-old, speaking at a TNT Sports event ahead of the new Gallagher Premiership season, feels that the pair’s contrasting strengths would complement each other nicely in partnership should the opportunity arise next year.
“We have always had an interesting relationship when we have played against each other,” Russell explained. “At the start it was head to head almost, and recently, even before the Lions, it turned into a friendship.
“It is still me against you but we could have a laugh while we were doing it – have a bit of fun. It shows how he has relaxed with his mindset.
![british and irish lions tour 1997 England’s Owen Farrell (left) and Scotland’s Finn Russell have forged a friendship](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/02/05/11/GettyImages-652124568.jpg)
“I think we view the game differently so there would be a bit of a clash there, but I think we would be good enough mates that we would get on with it and find that middle ground. Potentially what I do better than him, he would do [other] things better than me and we would have to find that balance between us. But he is a brilliant player and I would love to play with him.”
Russell’s stint at Racing 92 included a run to the Champions Cup final in 2020, but he was unable to help the club to a trophy during his time in Paris.
The club finished sixth last season in their first campaign under former England boss Stuart Lancaster, and will again boast one of the Top 14’s best squads with Farrell bolstering their fly half group.
“He will fit in really well,” Russell said of his successor in the number ten shirt at La Defense Arena. “I got on really well with him in 2021 with the Lions. I had heard he was so focussed and he was intense, but I didn’t see any of that at all. I thought he was quite chilled out. I had a laugh with him and we got on really well. If he has got that mindset over there he will be fine.
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Russell believes Farrell should make a success of his move to Racing 92](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/08/18/10/newFile-1.jpg)
“It is a long league. I don’t think he will be used to the length of it. You have to change your mindset. But I think Stuart Lancaster will manage the players differently to French coaches. Lancaster and Farrell know each other already and will get on really well.
“Racing were probably in a transition period last year. He has got some brilliant players there: Nolann [Le Garrec] at 9, Owen Farrell at 10, Gael Fickou, Josua Tuisova, Max Spring at full-back. Faz could be the gel that brings it all together.
“I hope he learns the language because that will help him a lot in terms of communication. It is quite easy when you get over there just to speak English with the English players and have broken conversations with the other boys. He has got one of the best brains in the game so I hope he can get his point across and drive the boys.”
Russell’s Bath open their Premiership season on Friday September 20, hosting champions Northampton at The Rec in a rematch of last season’s final.
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Finn Russell was speaking at a TNT Sports launch event ahead of the new Gallagher Premiership season](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/08/19/15/newFile-4.jpg)
Another good season for club and country should see him earn selection for Farrell’s Lions squad next summer, with the Scot well placed to enter the series against the Wallabies as the first-choice fly half.
It would represent a first proper tour for Russell, who was called up late as one of Warren Gatland’s infamous “Geography Six ” in 2017 before featuring in 2021 in a series played without fans in South Africa due to the Covid pandemic.
“[In 2017], we knew from the start we were out there for 10 days to do the midweek games then we are going home. It was a different kind of mindset. You have not been there for the build-up, you are in the team and in the squad but it is very different.
“In 2021, you were there from the start, you have got all the games and the build-up, the midweek games, you have got the friendships and relationships to build throughout it and you are all driving to get that series win at the end.
“I loved that tour, even though it was during Covid. It was an amazing experience but if I was to be able to do one with the fans that is something I would love to do. To experience it fully and go on a tour with fans, be part of it all again, that would be a complete Lions tour.”
Tune into TNT Sports to enjoy all the best that live sport has to offer this season. TNT Sports is available through its streaming destination discovery+ and across all major TV platforms. Only sport can do this. For more info visit: tntsports.co.uk .
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
New to The Independent?
Or if you would prefer:
Hi {{indy.fullName}}
- My Independent Premium
- Account details
- Help centre
- Live on Sky
- Get Sky Sports
- Sky Mobile App
- Kick It Out
- Black Lives Matter
- British South Asians in Football
Rugby Union
Rassie Erasmus: Joe Schmidt will have Australia competitive for 2025 British and Irish Lions series
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus backed Joe Schmidt to have Australia competitive in next year's series vs British and Irish Lions; stream Rugby Championship and more with NOW on Sky Sports; Watch every game of 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia exclusively live on Sky
Sunday 18 August 2024 12:20, UK
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
![british and irish lions tour 1997 RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP HIGHLIGHTS.](https://e0.365dm.com/24/08/768x432/skysports-highlights-rugby-championship_6659078.png?20240817160830)
Rassie Erasmus backed Joe Schmidt to lead Australia into next year's high-profile Test series against the British and Irish Lions, live on Sky Sports , despite making a mixed start to his tenure with the Wallabies.
Erasmus' South Africa handed Australia a 30-12 defeat on Saturday in Perth as Schmidt endured a second loss in five matches since replacing Eddie Jones.
But while Australia's record so far has raised questions over their hopes of success against the Lions, Erasmus dismissed concerns that the Wallabies would not be ready for their high-profile visitors next year.
Springboks too strong for Australia again in Perth rain
All Blacks exact revenge with big win over Argentina
- Rassie Erasmus: Springbok changes not 'disrespectful' to Australia
- Stream The Rugby Championship and more with NOW
"A week in rugby is long," said Erasmus. "We saw New Zealand losing to Argentina [last week] and now have given them a proper hiding.
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Credit - Inpho Photography](https://e0.365dm.com/24/01/768x432/skysports-andy-farrell-lions_6419089.jpg?20240112092548)
"You can't take out the fact there are key players injured, you can't take out the fact there's new coaching staff. The Lions are only next year.
- Chelsea vs Servette LIVE! Madueke adds second after Nkunku's opener
- Transfer Centre LIVE! Guehi, Toney, Ugarte latest
- Man Utd transfers: Juventus exploring Sancho deal
- Chelsea transfers: Blues talking to interested parties over Sterling move
- Arsenal agree deal in principle to sign Merino from Real Sociedad
- Arsenal transfers: Saints preparing loan bid for Ramsdale
- Talks advance between Man Utd and PSG for Ugarte
- Liverpool transfers: Clark joins RB Salzburg in £10m deal
- PL build-up: Ten Hag gives injury update
- EFL transfers: Leeds complete Ramazani signing
- Latest News
"You [have to] get the right people on board, which I think Joe is, and you get the right players on board. I do think they'll be competitive with Joe Schmidt as their coach."
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Joe Schmidt](https://e0.365dm.com/24/08/768x432/skysports-joe-schmidt-australia_6659816.jpg?20240818085828)
While Erasmus gave Schmidt his backing, the Springboks coach believes his own side's upcoming Rugby Championship Tests against New Zealand in South Africa will provide his team with a greater challenge than their match-ups with Australia.
Rugby Championship fixtures
Stream rugby and more with NOW
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Highlights: New Zealand 42-10 Argentina](https://e0.365dm.com/24/08/768x432/skysports-rugby-union-rugby-championship_6659066.jpg?20240817155953)
South Africa comfortably won both fixtures and will face the All Blacks in Johannesburg and Cape Town after Scott Robertson's side bounced back from an opening loss against Argentina to defeat the Pumas 42-10 in Auckland on Saturday.
"It's another step up, just because Joe Schmidt is new in the role here and he has to find his feet and get to know all the players and how Australian rugby works," said Erasmus. "It takes some time.
![british and irish lions tour 1997 South Africa's director of rugby Rassie Erasmus watches players warming up at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Friday, July 7, 2023, ahead of their Rugby Championship test against Australia scheduled for Saturday, July 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)](https://e0.365dm.com/24/01/768x432/skysports-rassie-erasmus-south-africa_6434768.jpg?20240127115915)
"It will be a much tougher challenge [against New Zealand], and that's no disrespect to Australia, it's just because of where Australia currently are and they're in a rebuilding phase.
"The All Blacks, I saw last week when they lost, a lot of people had a lot of stuff to say, but they knuckled down and said they'd show you guys today. They got proper points on against Argentina.
"We play them at altitude and then in Cape Town. It's almost a mini-series against the All Blacks and we're in for a tough two weeks."
What's next?
World No 1-ranked South Africa next host New Zealand in Johannesburg on Saturday August 31, live on Sky Sports (4pm kick-off).
Australia travel to play Argentina in round three of the Rugby Championship, also on Saturday August 31, live on Sky Sports (11pm kick-off).
Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV , streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app , giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.
![british and irish lions tour 1997 Get Sky Sports](https://e0.365dm.com/24/08/768x432/skysports-gss-get-sky-sports_6645156.jpg?20240802000306)
- Upgrade Now
![british and irish lions tour 1997 ****DO NOT USE - FOR NOW TV ONLY****](https://e0.365dm.com/24/08/768x432/skysports-now-tv-premier-league_6657010.jpg?20240815083213)
Stream the Premier League and 1000+ EFL games this season with NOW!
![](http://adsite.space/777/templates/cheerup/res/banner1.gif)
COMMENTS
2. 0. 1. The 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa was a series of matches played by the British Lions rugby union team in South Africa. This tour followed the Lions' 1993 tour to New Zealand and preceded their 2001 tour to Australia. The much-anticipated tour was the first after the end of apartheid in South Africa, and the first Lions tour ...
SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/SkySportsSubRelive the British & Irish Lions 1997 tour of South Africa. The Lions won the first Test of the series with Neil Jenkin...
21 June 2022 11:25 Reading Time: 5 mins. Every successful British & Irish Lions Tour is characterised by the make-or-break moments, where time seems to stand still and matches are won or lost in a single play - in 1997 it was Matt Dawson's dummy that made South Africa sit up and take notice. Against the world champions in Cape Town, the ...
In the second video in our series, we look back at the 1997 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa and all the tries the Lions scored against provincial ...
As with the 2009 tour, The British & Irish Lions of 1997 travelled to South Africa to take on the World Champions in their own backyard. The series will always be remembered for that moment of brilliance from Jeremy Guscott, a late dropgoal that sealed the win in the second Test. "The Lions have provided most of my best moments in rugby, but ...
IRB video over the British and Irish Lions in South Africa, in 1997.Results:24 May vs Eastern Province XV / 39--11 / Boet Erasmus Stadium, Port Elizabeth 28 ...
The infamous 1997 British & Irish Lions Tour of South Africa has been etched into the history books ever since the ball for Jeremy Guscott's winning drop goal left his boot as the Lions became only the third touring side to have ever won a Test series in South Africa. And, it is also fondly remembered for the accompanying 1999 documentary ...
But for all the iconic moments surrounding The 1997 British & Irish Lions second Test win over South Africa that sealed the series, there is one oft-forgotten fact - the Lions did not actually play all that well. At least according to head coach Sir Ian McGeechan and forwards coach Jim Telfer who had to endure a nerve-shreddingly close clash ...
One such highlight came in 1997, when the British and Irish Lions defied their underdogs billing to stun world champions South Africa. ... 1997 Lions tour. May 24 v Eastern Province XV W 39-11
The British & Irish Lions' 1997 tour to South Africa was notable for being the first of rugby union's professional era, but it also gave hitherto unseen insights to what it is like for the players ...
The inside story of The British and Irish Lions on their most famous tour; to South Africa in 1997.The British and Irish Lions' tour to South Africa in 1997 has gone down in sporting folklore. With few giving them a chance, a disparate group of characters bonded into a band of brothers to upset the reigning World Champions, inspired by a coaching team seen by many in rugby as the greatest of ...
Barry Williams, the former Neath and Ospreys hooker who won 24 caps and went on the 1997 British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa. (Image: Gayle Marsh/WalesOnline) Mark Regan.
The British and Irish Lions defied their underdogs billing to stun world champions South Africa. Monday 22 April 2013 11:05, UK. A Lions team billed as underdogs ran out surprise 2-1 winners ...
Adam Kyriacou 03 Apr 2020 3:09 PM. We take a look at the best ever teams to have graced the sport from years gone by and today it is the infamous British & Irish Lions side of 1997. That South Africa tour will go down as rugby's watershed moment. It was the moment that the game truly transitioned from a sporting backwater of amateurism to a ...
Stephen Kisbey-Green. The British and Irish Lions fronted up against one of the biggest scrums in world rugby in the 1997 tour of South Africa, and not only survived, but beat them. The initial announcement of the touring squad to South Africa saw Peter Clohessy named as one of the props on the plane, however a back injury saw the Munster man ...
A Series victory against the Springboks. Here are our top tries from the 1997 British & Irish Lions Tour to South Africa.#Lions #LionsRugby #BritishAndIrishL...
Scrum.com's coverage of the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa 2009. Live scores and the latest rugby union news and features. Menu ESPN. searchSportsTeamPlayers... Football Football. ... 25 British and Irish Lions: Match pack: Jun 28, 1997 : South Africa 15 - 18 British and Irish Lions: Jul 5, 1997 : South Africa 35 - 16 British and ...
Living with the Lions was a trend-setting, behind-the-scenes sports documentary that followed the triumphant 1997 tour and took viewers look deeper inside the British and Irish Lions cage like no other before or since. Living with the Lions was a trend-setting, behind-the-scenes sports documentary that followed the triumphant 1997 tour and took ...
It's 24 years since THAT 1997 #LionsRugby Tour to South Africa 女 So we got the gang back together by reuniting everyone on Zoom to discuss all things...
The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Ireland, ... The tour to South Africa in 1997 was a success for the Lions, who completed the tour with only two losses, and won the test series 2-1. 2000-2009. The British & Irish Lions against New Zealand in 2005.
The 2025 British & Irish Lions tour of Australia officially commences on June 20th 2025, when the Lions take on Argentina in a pre-tour warm-up Test in Dublin's Aviva Stadium. That leaves 310 days before the iconic 'sea of red' is back, as we will see Lions fans inside the stadiums for the first time since the 2017 tour to New Zealand.
Although there are still 11 months to go before the 2025 tour, Russell is viewed as one of the favourites to wear the Lions' number 10 shirt in the Tests against the Wallabies. There is plenty of interest amongst Lions supporters about the upcoming trip to Australia, especially after the 2021 tour was played without fans attending due to ...
Columnist Paul Williams picks his British and Irish Lions XV to play Australia in the first test during the 2025 tour after the Summer Tour internationals. ... Related: One year to go until the Lions tour to Australia. At lock we have Joe McCarthy and George Martin. In McCarthy, the Lions' coaches have access to a lock with South African ...
Finn Russell would welcome the opportunity to forge a creative axis with Owen Farrell on the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia. ... His debut Lions tour in 2017 came as part of the ...
The 1997 Lions Tour to South Africa was one of the most iconic and memorable in our history. With the 2021 Tour also to South Africa, we reunited the 1997 sq...
Finn Russell believes that Owen Farrell could thrive at Racing 92 as the Scotland fly half eyes a potential British & Irish Lions reunion with his fellow playmaker in Australia next summer.
A classic sports videoRipped by me, let me know if you want any special features from the DVD.Due to copyright reasons, I had to use experiment editing, if i...
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus backed Joe Schmidt to have Australia competitive in next years series vs British and Irish Lions; stream Rugby Championship and more with NOW on Sky Sports; Watch ...
Having gone head-to-head with Owen Farrell over the years, Finn Russell would relish the chance to team up with the England star on the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.