How difficult is it to keep a Lions shirt?

2001 - 2005 - 2009

15. Matt Perry - Jason Robinson - Lee Byrne
14. Dafydd James - Josh Lewsey - Tommy Bowe
13. Brian O'Driscoll - Brian O'Driscoll - Brian O'Driscoll
12. Rob Henderson - Jonny Wilkinson - Jamie Roberts
11. Jason Robinson - Gareth Thomas - Ugo Monye
10. Jonny Wilkinson - Stephen Jones - Stephen Jones
9. Rob Howley - Dwayne Peel - Mike Phillips
1. Tom Smith - Gethin Jenkins - Gethin Jenkins
2. Keith Wood - Shane Byrne - Lee Mears
3. Phil Vickery - Julian White - Phil Vickery
4. Martin Johnson (c) - Paul O'Connell - Paul O'Connell
5. Danny Grewcock - Ben Kay - Alun Wyn Jones
6. Martin Corry - Richard Hill - Tom Croft
7. Richard Hill - Neil Back - David Wallace
8. Scott Quinnell - Martin Corry - Jamie Heaslip


It's pretty difficult to stay at the top in your position for 4 years.

Only O'Driscoll was managed 3 tours, Gethin Jenkins would have had a chance to do it if it wasn't for his injury.

If O'Driscoll starts the first test 4 times in a row will anyone be able to match him?

Looking at that, Robinson should be counted too, even if he was at fullback in 2005 rather than wing? Likewise Corry.

Also, that 2005 team

BamBam wrote:Looking at that, Robinson should be counted too, even if he was at fullback in 2005 rather than wing? Likewise Corry.

Also, that 2005 team

Ah, missed that one

The instructions are on a little tag on the inside right seam. - follow them and the shirt should keep for a long time. I'd add that if you are not going to wear it regularly later then get it dry cleaned and store it in an airtight bag so the moths don't get at it.

Happy wearing!

GloriousEmpire wrote:The instructions are on a little tag on the inside right seam. - follow them and the shirt should keep for a long time. I'd add that if you are not going to wear it regularly later then get it dry cleaned and store it in an airtight bag so the moths don't get at it.

Happy wearing!

BamBam wrote:
Also, that 2005 team

That 2009 team could still do a job if you replace Mears, Vickery, Wallace and Monye

And Stephen Jones!!

BamBam wrote:And Stephen Jones!!

He could still do a job

After washing it, inside out if course, on a 30 or 40o wash. Hang it on the line or over a clothes horse of some kind. DO NOT tumble dry. When dried, hang said shirt up in a wardrobe. Job done...

Plus remember to wash it on it's own first time, dyed pink shirts are so naff

If you go back a bit further, Johnson (93, 97 & 01) and Hill (97, 01, 05) would also be three-time Lions from that group. Injury kept Dallaglio out of the Test team in 01 and 05 but he was a first choice on his first tour in 97.

Only Johnson has held down his place three tours running (and he was captain for two of them)

If fit, BOD would have been first choice for every Test match on his three tours. If he starts in Australia, that will be a remarkable record. You would have to start your Lions career young, and stay fit, to get on four tours.

Halfpenny must be in with a shout since he's already a double Lion and will only be 32 in eight years time. George North is just starting out but he'll be 33 in 12 years time, which could still see him active. He'll hit four World Cups before he hits four Lions tours, though.

Wilkinson at 12,oh dear!!! Remember that experiment?! After Henson playing so well all year. And Hill and Back on the flanks despite being in international retirement and a Welsh grand slam led by Ryan Jones and Martyn Williams. Good old sir Clive!

It's very hard. Take a moment to consider how utterly amazeballs fricking awesome Willie John McBride and Mike Gibson were to make the test team on five consecutive Lions tours.

Well no ones hardly gonna want to pinch it.

Guscott was first choice in 3 tours winning 8 caps, playing a huge part in all 3 and winning 2 series... Almost winning the 3rd. That's much more impressive than BOD in truth..... Guscott was born for the lions.

George Carlin wrote:It's very hard. Take a moment to consider how utterly amazeballs fricking awesome Willie John McBride and Mike Gibson were to make the test team on five consecutive Lions tours.

Did Gibson make 5 tours? Either way he "only" made test appearances on the 66, 68 and 71 tours. He is a Lions legend with 12 caps, but they were spread across just a 5 year window.

McBride's Lions record of 17 caps will stand for ever.

Had greenwood been fit in 2001 it's unlikely BOD would have been selected at 13.... He perhaps may have formed a partnership with greenwood but he would not have been the first choice centre.

In fact had mike Catt also been fit a Catt greenwood combination would probably have been more likely to have taken the field.

Luck and fitness has a huge part to play in anyone's selection.

Post greenwood there is really no one world class to have pushed him... Shanklin was closest in 05... The rest were average. It's not a huge position of strength like blindside flanker for instance... We have those players falling out of trees... On this tour we could have had croft, wood, robshaw, brown, O'brien, lydiate, jones alone.

He's done we'll to stay ahead of the class... Not his fault no one else has been decent during his tenure.