The unique history of locks leading Lions teams to SA
Alun Wyn Jones follows in the footsteps of 1974 captain Willie-John McBride, Bill Beaumont in 1980, Martin Johnson in 1997 and Paul O’Connoll in 2009.
Alun Wyn Jones from Wales is the fifth lock forward to captain the British and Irish Lions to South Africa. Picture: Dan Sheridan – Pool/Getty Images
Locks and captains of the British and Irish Lions have a rare connection when it comes to touring South Africa.
After Welshman Alun Wyn Jones was named as skipper of the Lions to tour SA in July and August, he has become the fifth straight lock to get that honour.
He follows in the footsteps of 1974 captain Willie-John McBride, Bill Beaumont in 1980, Martin Johnson in 1997 and Paul O’Connoll in 2009.
While there have been other great captains like Irish centre Brian O’Driscoll to New Zealand in 2005 and Welsh flank Sam Warburton, also to New Zealand in 2017, locks have a special link when it comes to the South African safari.
McBride, the prominent Irishman who had a liking to smoking his pipe on tour, lead the “invincibles” on an unbeaten tour to South Africa where only the last Test at Ellis Park was drawn 13-13.
England’s Beaumont, currently the chairman of World Rugby, saw his side losing the series 3-1 in ’80 where the tourists could only win the fourth Test at Loftus 17-13.
In the preceding three Tests the Bok backline including flyhalf Naas Botha, fullback Gysie Pienaar and wing Gerrie Germishuys, and a brilliant Rob Louw at flank, ran rings round the Lions backline.
In ’97 another Englishman in Johnson lead the Lions to a 2-1 series win over the Boks who just two years previously had won the World Cup at the first time of asking in an epic final at Ellis Park.
But despite the Boks scoring nine tries to three in the series the Lions won the opening two Tests courtesy of the kicking boot of Welsh maestro, fullback Neil Jenkins.
On the ’09 tour the Lions won the third and final Test 28-9 at Ellis Park but it only served as minor consolation after the Boks won the opening Tests in Durban and at Loftus.
In the opening Test prop Beast Mtawarira demolished the Lions scrum, but in the second Test it was only a last-second penalty by a certain Morne Steyn who proved the difference after the scores were locked at 25-25.
Significantly, however, the score stands at 1-1 when it comes to the Lions facing the Boks as reigning world champs which they were in the series of 1997 and 2009.
But as a veteran of the ’09 tour Wyn Jones would have experienced what it takes to win a series in South Africa.
The Lions will also have the experience of coach Warren Gatland who was an assistant in 2009, and after the 2017 drawn series against New Zealand, will be confident of also doing the job in South Africa.
So who will open the champagne corks in 2021?
