Sky Sports shows all the documentaries covering the British & Irish Lions tours from 1997 to 2017. This week, we take a closer look at the 2009 documentary covering the tour of Africa South
By Sky Sports Rugby Union
Last updated: 28/01/21 6:00 am
Ian McGeechan and Phil Vickery accept it after the Lions won over South Africa in the third Test of the 2009 round.
The Lions of Britain and Ireland returned to South Africa in 2009 in an attempt to regain their reputation after the whitewash against New Zealand four years earlier.
Ian McGeechan was back to oversee the team at this point, having done so 12 years earlier when the Lions had a memorable victory over the Springboks.
There would be no repetition in this tour as the guests won 2-1 in the Test series, but the visitors gained a reputation in losses, denying a portion of the damage in the second Test with a penalty the second last and a 28-9 win in the third.
What went on behind the scenes was captured in the documentary ‘Living With The Pride’ and we’ll take a look at some of the key moments you forgot…
1. Call of Captain O’Connell
0:51 Paul O’Connell tells the story of how he was finally discovered as captain of the Lions in 2009.
It is an honor to be called up to the Lions squad to pick a few for himself and it is an honor to be the captain of the team that even fewer players will gain career experience.
Ireland international Paul O’Connell was selected to lead the team in South Africa in 2009, although the second row revealed that he made several attempts to get head coach McGeechan to catch him to tell told him about the good news.
2. Selecting a squad
1:31 Ian McGeechan and his staff will come together to decide on the 37 players to be called up for a tour with the Lions in 2009
Reducing a long list of contenders to the final squad for a trip is no easy task and ‘Living With The Pride’ gave an insight into how the 37-man squad for the series went against Choose South Africa.
Cameras were brought into the last election meeting as McGeechan, tour manager Gerald Davies and the rest of the coaching staff spoke about the features they were looking for and what would be required if the Lions 2009 were to win. on the Springboks.
3. The Last Lion
0:42 Head coach Ian McGeechan explains to the 2009 squad who his last Lion is and why
Who would be the best example of the British and Irish Lions? Many would say Willie John McBride, although there is no doubt that McGeechan himself would also be in the debate for his achievements with the team as a player and coach.
But the Scottish international had his own thoughts on who his last Lions were, revealing who they were and explaining why as he spoke to his squad about his expectations. while on tour.
4. Monye meets a fan
0:26 The Ugo Monye player meets a fan while touring South Africa with the Lions
The Lions always attract a lot of interest wherever they go on a trip and in 2009 that was true when they held an open training session shortly after their arrival in South Africa.
Ugo Monye in particular had a young fan who respected him, though he was surprised when he found out what the youngster’s hoodie with Monye’s name and number on it cost him.
5. Bobby Cup
2:28 Strength and condition coach Paul ‘Bobby’ Stridgeon wins the first Bobby Cup of the 2009 round
Strength and condition coach Paul ‘Bobby’ Stridgeon has become a cult hero to viewers of the Lions’ latest documentaries and it was during the 2009 tour that his unique sense of humor first came to the fore.
At this point, Stridgeon introduced the Bobby Cup, which was awarded to man of the week from a winning team. First to receive this honor was Mike Blair, who received a ‘Through The Keyhole’ video that was shown to his teammates.
6. Geech’s last speech
2:34 Ian McGeechan gave an emotional speech to the Lions team ahead of the third Test against South Africa in 2009
After winning the first two tests, especially the tragic end of the second, the Lions reached Johannesburg for the final game of the series with the intention of finishing at a high level.
McGeechan urged his pre-match team to make sure they give everyone something positive before the next trip to Australia begins four years later, with the feeling of the event getting to the man himself.
Watch all the documentaries covering the 1997 and 2017 British and Irish Lions tours on Sky Sports over the coming weeks. Next up is ‘Lions Raw’, covering the 2013 tour of Australia, on Sky Sports Arena on Tuesday, February 2 at 10pm.