Greatest British and Irish Lions XV: Left wing

James While

With the 2021 Lions tour to South Africa complete, Planet Rugby takes a stab at selecting the greatest British and Irish Lions XV of all time.

For the next 15 days, we will pick our favourite players from four nominations per position – if you don’t agree with us you can vote on social media for your dream team.

We have judged our criteria solely on contributions to the Lions in Test matches and there’s a few surprises in store.

With something like 120 years worth of players to choose from, it’s been a tough task but here we go with left wing.

Nominees

David Duckham (England)

Caps: 3
Tours: 1
Points: 0

An elusive wing with a devastating side-step and aggressive hand-off, Duckham made 36 appearance for England between 1969 and 1976.

He made his international debut against Ireland at Lansdowne Road in the 1969 Five Nations Championship, lining up in the centres alongside John Spencer, and scored a try in England’s 17-15 defeat. From 1971 he was largely preferred on the wing where he would go on to cement his reputation as one of England’s best-ever players.

Considered a shining creative light in a conservative era for the national side, he would later gain three caps for the British Lions on their victorious 1971 tour of New Zealand scoring a total of 11 tries in 16 appearances and was a key cog in three Tests, featuring in a backline considered the finest in the history of British and Irish rugby.

Greatest Lions moment: His six-try haul for the midweek side against West Coast/Buller remains a record – which he shares with JJ Williams.

Jason Robinson (England)

Caps: 5
Tours: 2
Points: 10

Robinson is arguably the greatest running threat that English rugby has ever seen. A side-stepping genius, his acceleration and change of direction decimated many defences he faced.

Robinson made the leap from rugby league, where he made his name as a devastating game-breaker, into rugby union in 2000, and it didn’t take him long to make an impact in his new code.

Robinson was then selected by the British & Irish Lions for their 2001 tour of Australia, and was one of the outstanding players in the side that won the first Test in Brisbane 29–13. In that game he side-stepped past Australian full-back Chris Latham. He went on to score another try in the last Test.

He also appeared at full-back for the Lions in 2005 v New Zealand.

Greatest Lions moment: After scoring five tries on his Lions debut in a provincial fixture, Robinson bamboozled Latham to score a wonder try and set the tourists on their way to a first Test victory in Brisbane.

JJ Williams (Wales)

Caps: 7
Tours: 2
Points: 20

Considered by many to be one of the greatest wings in Lions history, Lion #523 scored a remarkable 22 tries in just 26 games across the 1974 and 1977 tours.

Williams was instrumental to the ‘Invincibles’ tour of South Africa in 1974, starting on the wing in all four Tests and scoring two tries in each of the second and third Tests. Earning himself the nickname of ‘The Welsh Whippet’ in the process, Williams’ performances helped the Lions win a series in South Africa for the first time since 1896.

In the second Test, Williams’ two tries came in the first half as the Lions established a 10-6 lead before eventually going on to triumph 28-9 to take a 2-0 series advantage. His brace in the third Test was also part of another history-making feat for the Lions, who became the first touring side to beat the Springboks at Boet Erasmus Stadium since 1910.

Greatest Lions moment: There are so many in such an illustrious career, but that brace in the brutal ‘Battle of Boet Erasmus’ was a shining beacon of skill in a game that was amongst the most physical ever witnessed.

Rory Underwood (England)

Caps: 7
Tours: 2
Points: 5

A flying wing in every sense of the phrase, Underwood fused his day job as an RAF Pilot with his hobby as one of England’s greatest wings. His England career began against Ireland in the 1984 Five Nations. He quickly pinned down a starting slot for his country, and was on hand for the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.

Two years later Underwood made his debut for the Lions, playing in all three Tests as the tourists recorded a famous series victory. After glory in Australia in 1989 he was part of the England side that won the Grand Slam in 1991 and also played in the 1991 World Cup final, losing out to the Wallabies at Twickenham.

His second Lions tour came in 1993, when he scored his only try in the famous red shirt. The try helped the Lions win the second Test against the All Blacks at Athletic Park, but the series was lost 2-1.

Greatest Lions moment: You don’t win many Tests in New Zealand and it was Underwood’s incredible gas that ensured a Lions win in 1993 in Wellington.

Our pick

How can you choose one single player from four such incredible rugby talents? In truth, we’d be happy with any of our quartet and although the mercurial Robinson pushes him very close, the five Test tries scored by Welsh whippet, JJ Williams, means he simply has to be our Lions left wing.

by James While

 

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