British and Irish Lions Legends – Wales
The Best Welsh Rugby Players to Have Graced the Lions Jersey
When great Welsh players have swapped the red of Wales for the red of the Lions, something special often happens.
Barry John of Wales
Barry John played outside half to Gareth Edwards for Cardiff, Wales and the British Lions. It’s a measure of his genius that his influence on the 1971 tour to New Zealand was probably greater than Edwards himself.
John’s Lions debut came in South Africa in 1968, but it was painful and short lived. Tackled early in the first test, he broke his collar bone, ending his tour. The story was much happier in New Zealand in ‘71, where the player they called, ‘The King’, ruled the roost, breaking Lions scoring records and establishing himself as rugby’s first global superstar.
Sadly, the fame was to prove too much for him and he retired after the tour at the tender age of 27.
Graham Price of Wales
When Price marked his debut for Wales by racing 80 meters to score in Paris, people stood up and noticed. Props were supposed to scrummage and that was it. Price was the prototype of the modern prop, mobile and dynamic, but was also one of the most devastating scrummagers ever seen in the game.
Price holds the record for front row Lions caps, with 12 earned over three tours from 1977 to 1983, a record unlikely to be beaten.
He even scored a try on the 1980 tour, proving the one on his debut was no fluke.
Scott Gibbs of Wales
Gibbs was selected for the 1993 New Zealand tour at 21. He wasn’t expected to make the test side. but forced his way into the second test team at the expense of England captain Will Carling. Gibbs scored a try in the final test, but couldn’t prevent the All Blacks from winning the series in emphatic style.
Gibbs returned to the Lions in 1997 after a sabbatical in rugby league. Described by fellow centre Jeremy Guscott as, ‘The fastest prop in the world’, Gibbs wreaked havoc on the Springboks with his direct running and ferocious tackling. His contribution to the Lions win was acknowledged when he was voted player of the series.
Delme Thomas of Wales
Delme Thomas is one of those rare individuals capped by the Lions before his own national selectors. The Llanelli giant was selected as a 23 year old for the 1966 tour to New Zealand. The lock repaid the faith shown in him by forcing tour captain Michael Campbell-Lamerton out of the second test team. Even when Lamerton was selected for the third test, Thomas proved too valuable to drop, so was selected at prop!
Thomas was to reprise his propping cameo in two tests on his second Lions tour in South Africa in 1968, first as a replacement and then in his own right.
Despite his skill and commitment, Thomas didn’t taste Lions test match victory until his final tour, New Zealand in 1971. This time in his rightful position of second row, he gained three more caps, to give him a total of seven.
Cliff Morgan of Wales
Greatest outside half debates in Wales usually include Barry John and Phil Bennett, but anyone old enough to have seen Cliff Morgan play will champion his genius. Although Morgan only toured once with the Lions, he was instrumental in their achieving a tied series in South Africa in 1955.
Indeed, such was his influence in a stellar back division that many put the Springbok victory in the final test down to Morgan being hampered with an ankle injury.
Small of stature, Morgan possessed jack rabbit acceleration and made devastating breaks in an era where flankers had a ‘seek and destroy’ remit on opposing outside halves.
A true Lions legend.
Neil Hughes
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