Who is the most iconic British & Irish Lion of all time?

Who are the British and Irish Lions ‘ top 10 icons?

Former Lions Matt Dawson and Jamie Roberts join BBC rugby union correspondent Chris Jones in a new podcast series to discuss various Lions tour topics.

The series includes the best lions tours, tries, and test animals.

You can listen to the podcast on BBC Sounds and have your say by ranking your choices at the bottom of this page.

counting down from 10 to one, they have compiled a list of their top 10 Lions icons.

The rich history of the Lions is sadly overlooked by Ireland legend Brian O’Driscoll, who sadly misses out.

Warren Gatland served as the Lions’ head coach for the 2013 and 2021 tours before becoming the Lions’ assistant coach during the 2009 South Africa tour.

The former Wales coach won the 2013 series in Australia, drew an epic series in New Zealand four years later, and suffered a 2-1 series loss in South Africa.

Dawson: “We can’t underestimate his role as assistant coach in 2009, even though he may not have played for the Lions.

In this new professional era, people believe that his contributions and how close he was to the players were significant.

“He was so integral in bringing the ethos of what the Lions are back to where it originated from after 2001 and 2005.

With the Lions, there was something special that the pro era needed.

Roberts: “He has coached on four tours and been the head coach on three. His longevity is incredible.

Sam Warburton, who led the Lions in both 2013 and 2017, became only the second Lions player to lead the team in two Test matches after England’s Johnson, Martin, who won the World Cup.

After calmly speaking to referee Romain Poite to overturn a late penalty call against hooker Ken Owens, Warburton was unable to play in the final Test against the Wallabies in 2013. Four years later, he played a crucial role in the Lions’ draw with New Zealand.

Dawson: “He epitomises the Lions – the way he played and led his players, and the way he talks about it”.

Roberts: “He won one and drew one.” You are a unique player and leader because you are one of only two people to lead the Lions twice.

Former centre Jeremy Guscott was called up to the Lions ‘ tour of Australia in 1989 as a 23-year-old centre with just one England cap to his name.

He won both of the Test victories in 1997, and he also participated in all six of the subsequent tours of New Zealand and South Africa. He is renowned for scoring the winning drop-goal against the Springboks.

Dawson: “Guscott had legendary moments and contributed to tour victories in 1989 and 1997, with a memorable highlight reel for fun.

“Tries, key moments – that’s what sets him apart. For that 1997 victory over South Africa, people will remember where they were.

Barry John suffered a broken leg in the Lions’ first Test against South Africa in 1968, but he made four appearances in New Zealand during that year’s tour, scoring 30 of the Lions’ 48 points.

The visitors won the series in New Zealand by 2-1, making them the first and only Lions team to do so.

Roberts: “He was nicknamed ‘ The King ‘ after the 1971 tour of New Zealand. Best to try to beat that as a player.

During historic triumphant Lions tours to New Zealand in 1971 and 1974 in South Africa, Williams, JPR accumulated eight Test caps.

Known for his elusive running from full-back, Williams, who died last year at the age of 74, helped seal the 1971 series with a long-range drop-goal in the fourth Test.

Dawson: “My dad gave me two middle names for that reason. He wanted me to play rugby as the nickname for “Matt James Sutherland” [. That was because of JPR. “

Roberts introduced a new style of rugby from full-back by playing eight Test matches, all of which were played in 1971 and 1974.

In 2001, Johnson made history when he became the first man to captain the British and Irish Lions on two tours.

Johnson, who played for the Lions for three seasons before taking the captaincy of England, led them on their triumphant tour of South Africa in 1997 at the age of 27.

Dawson: “Sir Ian McGeechan and Jim Telfer [the 1997 Lions coaches] understood Test match animals and Lions greats. They had the secret sauce and formula, which was proven by Johnson, Martin’s appointment in 1997.

When no one else would have chosen him to be skipper, “they nailed that choice.”

“I never witnessed a player taking him.” He delivered a fear factor to the opposition. a remarkable leader.

Alun Wyn Jones led the Lions to their final Test victory over Australia in 2013 by playing in each of the last 12 of the team’s 12 matches.

The former Wales lock started ten of his 12 starts, setting the record for the most international caps (172) and is now the Lions’ third-most Test appearances of all-time.

Dawson: “Four tours and 12 Tests in the modern game is off the charts”.

Mike Gibson is the only player to have gone on five tours and has the most Lions Test caps under his belt, making 17 and doing so.

The Irishman led the Lions’ famous “Invincibles” tour of South Africa in 1974, winning without a single point throughout the 22-game span.

Former Wales scrum-half Sir Gareth Edwards went on three tours from 1968 to 1974.

On the 1971 tour of New Zealand, when the Lions defeated the All Blacks for the first-and-only time, he participated in all four of his Test matches.

McGeechan toured with the Lions as a player, winning the series in South Africa in 1974 before losing the 1977 tour to New Zealand.

As coach, he also helped the Lions win series victories in 1989 and 1997, and they also suffered losses in 1993 and 2009.

class=”ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3″>Jones: “Sir Ian McGeechan is unquestionably the greatest icon of all.” As a player he was part of the ‘ Invincibles’. He played a significant role in all four of the 1974 and 1977 Tests.

His credentials as a player are outstanding. He coached on four Lions tours. He consistently saved the Lions, and in 1989, he helped them resurrect them with a series win in Australia while they were suffering from a poor 1980s tour.

“He brought the Lions back in 1997 after they were flagging after 1993, and they were flagging after 2001 and 2005,” he said.

Dawson: “He has done it as a player in one era and then in two eras – amateur and professional – as a coach. That is 20 years of effective Lions coaching.