Ian McGeechan did such a full-on, fine, passionate job with the British and Irish Lions that, over in Blighty, the knighted the bloke.
The proud Scotsman was head coach for tours in 1989, 1993, 1997 and 2009, winning two Test Series’ against Australia and South Africa.
‘Geech’ has launched a book, When The Going Gets Tough, ahead of the 2017 Lions Tour to New Zealand and it should go down a treat with most rugby fans.
As part of the book, which The Telegraph has exclusive extracts from, he selects a starting XV of Lions legends drawn from the four tours he acted as head coach for. There are only two Irish inclusions and, given how wretched the Ireland team was for most of the late 1980s and all of the 1990s, it is not too shabby.
Interesting, there is no place for Brian O’Driscoll. He loses out to 1997 drop goal hero Jeremy Guscott for the No.13 jersey.
While O’Driscoll had a fine tour under McGeechan in 2009, his best tour was 2001 when Graham Henry was head coach. Guscott was excellent in 1989 and 1997.
No.5 for McGeechan is Paul O’Connell, who captained the Lions in 2009 and impressed the hell out of the Scot. He edges out England’s Simon Shaw and there is an honourable mention for Jeremy Davidson.
As for the second Irishman, there is a surprise inclusion for Tommy Bowe. As class as the Monaghan native is, we say surprise because he was the winger on the unsuccessful 2009 Tour to South Africa.
McGeechan was going to plump for England flyer Rory Underwood but ‘was so impressed by Bowe that I had to select him’.
There is no place, either, for Keith Wood. The former Ireland captain misses out on the hooker role to pugnacious Englishman Brian Moore.
MCGEECHAN’S LIONS LEGENDS
15. Gavin Hastings
14. Ieuan Evans
13. Jeremy Guscott
12. Scott Gibbs
11. Tommy Bowe
10. Gregor Townsend
9. Matt Dawson
1. David Sole
2. Brian Moore
3. Dai Young
4. Martin Johnson
5. Paul O’Connell
6. Mike Teague
7. Richard Hill
8. Lawrence Dallaglio
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