LIONS TOUR ROAR
Ex-players Tait, Dawson and Bowe explain why the Boks will be a test unlike any other
TURNING into 2021 can only mean one thing — it is Lions year. So with fingers firmly crossed that the trip to South Africa can go ahead in July, Sportsmail spoke to a Scotsman, an Englishman and an Irishman about the most famous tour in sport.
ALAN TAIT (right) (2 LIONS TEST CAPS; 1997 TOUR; 27 SCOTLAND CAPS)
It wAS a whirlwind time for me as I had only returned to rugby union f rom rugby l eague in November after nine years away. I was still finding my feet with my new club Newcastle and had played there for a couple of months before I was asked to join up with Scotland ahead of the 1997 Five Nations.
I played against Ireland at Murrayfield and France in Paris in the 1997 Five Nations and Newcastle was doing well at club level when I returned to them, which was fantastic. then as the season came to a close, there was the wait to see if I would be going on the Lions tour to South Africa a few months later.
to be honest, I was j ust delighted to be back playing for Scotland, so a Lions call-up at the end of that season if it happened was going to be a bonus for me. when the letter arrived — and that was the way we first found out in those days — it was a great feeling.
I went on that tour to South Africa with a sense of just going out there and enjoying it as I was at the latter end of my career. I was 33 years old and I had nothing to lose. So I went out to South Africa thinking to myself, whatever happens, happens.
the Li o n s coaches Ian McGeechan and Jim telfer had taken a few boys with rugby league experience like myself who they thought could add something extra because of what they had experienced in the professional ranks in rugby league.
Scott Quinnell, Scott Gibbs, John Bentley, Dai Young, Allan Bateman. we had been to league and gone through the professional set-up and training regimes and felt we had become better players because of that experience.
I would say because of that, we were tougher mentally and physically than what the union guys that we joined up with were.
I felt us league guys had a bit of a head start on the union guys as they had just turned professional, whereas I had been a professional for eight, nine seasons before I returned to rugby union.
I played on the wing in the first two tests against South Africa that we won to clinch the three-match series. In the first test in Cape town, Matt Dawson got a superb opening score for us and then I got a try late on as we won 25-16.
I tore my groin near the end of the second test in Durban just before Jerry Guscott’s drop goal. I was in real pain and had just managed to sit down on the bench and put ice on my leg and then I was jumping up and down again when he put it over. we had won 18-15 and it was a great moment for the Lions.
MATT DAWSON (below) 7 LIONS TEST CAPS; 1997, 2001, 2005 TOURS; 77 ENGLAND CAPS
I wAS 16 during the 1989 tour and had a poster of Fi n l a y Cal d e r holding a Lion on my wall — a friend of mine managed to go to Australia, and I was insanely jealous.
By 1993, I was playing f or Northampton and Buck Shelford told Sportsmail I should go on the tour as a leftfield pick, which blew my mind!
I remember watching Ceefax when they announced the squad with a quarter of an eye checking if I’d made it — which was just ridiculous.
By 1997, Northampton were in the second division having been relegated, but had Lions boss Ian
McGeechan as a coach. He told us we were still in contention for the Lions as he wanted them to play like Northampton.
Geech would give nothing away before selection but, from Saints, Gregor townsend, Nick Beal, tim Rodber, Paul Grayson and I all ended up going. It was complete euphoria, but it meant I had to honour a bet with Allen Clarke, the Irish hooker, who had said: ‘I promise you’re going to go’. I said: ‘ No way, Sniffer, and if I do you can shave my head’.
I had lovely long blond curtains but he clippered them straight away — that was the end of my hair from then on!
we were told we’d be filmed, the News of the World came in to brief us on the sorts of stories they’d be looking for and we flew first-class on Virgin.
It was absolutely bonkers having recently turned professional. the f i l m crew produced the now l egendary Living with the Lions video.
they f i l med everything, no fudging, and I’m so glad they did. we trusted them — they sat in the corner of meetings, gyms, all the pubs and court sessions and showed the heartache, pain and euphoria. You couldn’t have scripted it better.
Everyone thinks I planned my first test try where I dummied down the blind side. But it was instinct — if Rob Howley had done it, South Africa would never have fallen for it as they knew he was brilliant, but they knew sweet FA about me!
I don’t believe they thought I had the audacity. It’s going to be a fabulous trip. It’ll be attritional, but the Lions will have the firepower to deal with them. Key game breakers will win it. It’s impossible to call.
TOMMY BOWE (below) 5 LIONS TEST CAPS; 2009, 2013 TOURS; 69 IRELAND CAPS
I WENT on two tours and South Africa was t he best. One of my fondest memories was the first wednesday we met in 2009. Monday and tuesday training at Pennyhill Park had been of a different level to anything I’d experienced. the intensity, speed and skill were phenomenal.
On the tuesday, I had to go down to dinner on my a**e as I was in bits! On the wednesday we were tucked up in our rooms at 9.30pm but got a text saying: ‘tomorrow’s session is off, get down to the bar before 10pm.’
there were 30 pints ready for everyone. Coach Ian McGeechan and captain Paul O’Connell said: ‘this is the opportunity to get to know somebody you’ve not spoken to before, find out their stories.’
that set the tone. Sunchyme by Dario G was our theme tune. whenever that came on, the whole bus were shouting, clapping, roaring. we ended up doing two laps of Cape town once, with a bus driver we thought looked like Peter Clohessy, not wanting to get off!
there was such a camaraderie with the likes of Donncha O’Callaghan and Andy Powell keeping everyone entertained, and Euan Murray had to tell us a joke each day. the support was outrageous. that rivalry was everywhere. In every hotel you went to, the staff wore South Africa jerseys.
I’ll never forget the bus journey into Pretoria for that second test. the South Africa supporters were nearly trying to topple the bus! It was crazy. they were making gestures, it was an intimidating atmosphere to enter. It was a match f or the times. It had everything. You couldn’t have been anything but blown away by it. For South Africa to come back and win with the last kick was heartbreaking.
I hope the 2021 tour happens — you have to have fans, though. It isn’t the Lions without them.
It’s going to be a tough season injury-wise. I fear if our players don’t get a rest after the Six Nations it could be last man standing. South Africa’s players will be rested, fit and healthy.