Bill McLaren's DREAM LIONS - Hardcover

Bill McLaren

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0002188619 ISBN 13: 9780002188616

Publisher: Collins Willow, 1998

Synopsis

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.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Since the first tour to South Africa in 1910, to play for the British Lions remains the ultimate accolade for any Home Union rugby player. After an introduction by Willie McBride, probably the greatest of all Lions’ captains, Bill McLaren , the voice of rugby for over 35 years and one of the game’s great characters, remembers the highlights of the great tours of recent years beginning with the victorious squad of 1971, the only Lions team to have travelled to New Zealand and beaten the All Blacks.

McLaren goes on to paint pen portraits in his own inimitable style of the sixty Lions selected as the greatest players to have worn the famous red shirt since the 1971 tour – including John McBride, Gareth Edwards, Bill Beaumont, Gavin Hastings and Jeremy Guscott – culminating with his final ‘Dream XV’. Ian McGeech, the most successful Lions coach of all time , adds a postscript to the book with his own appraisal of the fifteen players selected for this definitive Lions team, and describes how he would have had them play today against the dominant sides from the Southern hemisphere. The book also includes a summary of the results of all the Lions’ tours since 1910.

'Bill McLaren’s Dream Lions' is a special tribute to the unique spirit of the British Lions. It is not only a trip down memory lane for all rugby enthusiasts but a chance to pit your selectorial skills against one of rugby’s keenest eyes.

Synopsis:

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 text 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 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.

About this edition

• Publisher: Collins Willow
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0002188619
• ISBN 13: 9780002188616
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 159