Bill McLaren's Dream Lions

A tribute to the special spirit of the British Lions rugby team, with a history of Lions tours and pen portraits of the sixty greatest Lions players since 1971.Playing for the British Lions has been the ultimate accolade for any Home Union rugby player, ever since the first Lions tour to South Africa in 1910. In his capacity as a rugby commentator on national radio and television for more than 35 years, Bill McLaren is the ideal person to uncover the magic and pride in putting on a Lions shirt and playing in the world's most famous rugby touring side. The book features McLaren's personal portraits of the 60 greatest Lions players – including such legendary names as Willie John McBride, Gareth Edwards, Andy Irvine, Bill Beaumont, Gavin Hastings and Jeremy Guscott – culminating in a final Lions Select XV. Top international coach Ian McGeechan appraises this definitive fifteen and provides fascinating tips on training methods to combat the might of the Southern Hemisphere nations. Finally, the book traces the history of the Lions, from their humble beginnings in 1910 through to their much-praised victorious tour of South Africa in 1997, followed by a complete statistical summary of all players and results down the years. Bill McLaren's Dream Lions is a special tribute to the unique spirit of the British Lions, a quality that has won the admiration of rugby followers around the world.