Lomu, Kirwan in dream team
All Blacks greats Jonah Lomu and John Kirwan have been named by former British and Irish Lions coach Ian McGeechan in his all-time rugby dream team. McGeechan – a midfielder for Scotland and the Lions in the 1970s
– is selecting his all-star XV in a series of articles in
London’s Daily Telegraph.
He named Kirwan on the right wing and Lomu on the left, with 1970s Wales and Lions great JPR
Williams as fullback in the first instalment, published yesterday. McGeechan said Lomu was ‘‘unique’’ and his impact on the sport was ‘‘immense’’. ‘‘He was the first giant winger in rugby. He was built like a train, and could run like one. But he could also really play rugby.’’ Kirwan, according to McGeechan, was also ‘‘a prototype for what came after him’’. ‘‘He was big and strong as well as being incredibly fast. He was a lethal finisher, too. That 80m try against Italy in the first World Cup in 1987 has gone down in history.’’