Coach’s Corner | Even England villains like Will Carling welcome in Scottish lounge rooms as British & Irish Lions’ magic brings foes together
Former Scotland international Andy Hall – now Hong Kong assistant coach – reflects on his earliest memories of rugby’s most captivating side
The year of my first concrete memory of the British & Irish Lions was 1993. I recall my dad cheering far more fervently than usual at the television and, as a proud Scot, was astonished to see him supporting a side containing England’s Will Carling and Jeremy Guscott!
There must be something very special about this team, I thought. I remember plastering my schoolbooks top to toe in Lions heroes including the likes of the Hastings brothers – Gavin and Scott – Scott Gibbs and Scottish prop Paul Burnell.
I even made room for some of the English players (albeit on the back covers) with my dad reassuring me that this was OK in a Lions year, with the understanding that normal service would be resumed post tour with Rob Andrew and Mike Teague et al being consigned to the rubbish bin thereafter!
The 1993 tour to New Zealand certainly captured my interest for the mystery and tradition of this historic team and the 1997 series to South Africa couldn’t come quickly enough.
The ‘97 Lions made history for a number of reasons and for a young impressionable player it was not until a few weeks after the series win that the Lions made their biggest impact on me.
