The Lions Rampant: Mail Sport casts an eye over Scotland's proud links to the iconic red jersey and asks who would make an all-time Scots-only Lions select?

The death of Ian McLauchlan over the weekend makes it a compelling time to consider the rugby legends Scotland has contributed to the Lions cause over the years.

From leading Lions points scorer Gavin Hastings to men like Ian McGeechan and Jim Telfer — both of whom contributed so much in terms of playing and coaching — Scottish grit has been central to large chunks of what the Lions have achieved in the post-war era.

McLauchlan, however, was the embodiment of what it took to star at Test level, the Ayrshireman defying his smaller frame to emerge as a central pillar in the tourists’ dominant success in New Zealand and South Africa in 1971 and 1974 respectively.

Earning the nickname ‘Mighty Mouse’ with his unflinching performances against the Southern Hemisphere behemoths, McLauchlan possessed that vital ingredient of being able to raise his game to uncharted heights when wearing the iconic red jersey.

So, who are the Lions rampant? Who would be picked for an all-time British and Irish Lions team comprised only of Scots?

The perfect candidate for such an intriguing if contentious task is Peter Burns. His credentials would cover the table in the coffee shop where we discuss his selection. 

Author and publisher Burns has written, with Tom English, This is Your Everest, a spellbinding account of the 1997 Lions tour, and When Lions Roared, the chronicle of the historic 1971 tour of New Zealand. He also worked with Gavin Hastings on Legacy of the Lions, a book that lifted the lid on the stresses faced by players and how they dealt with them.

He also, with Rob Robertson, wrote This is Murrayfield, a splendid and entertaining history of the stadium in 100 matches. These works are further complemented by Scottish Rugby 101, a pocket guide that bristles with information and beguiling detail.

Burns came up with some rough ground rules for his selections. His team is based on Lions’ performances, not just the quality of a player in a Scotland shirt. But this criterion can be softened to include, in at least one case, the power of potential.

‘In terms of historic contribution to the cause, the list would read Wales first, then England, Scotland and Ireland,’ he says.

However, he agrees with the theory that Ian McGeechan and Jim Telfer were pivotal in making the Lions roar again with their inspirational coaching in that sensational triumph in South Africa in 1997.

‘But how do you gauge individuals, weigh up their contribution and put it all in context?’, he asks. His reply is the selection below. He does not follow a scientific formula. His knowledge and insight have provided a team that is not the final word but, rather, a recipe for provoking further comment.

BACKS — 15 Gavin Hastings

Tours: 1986, 1989, 1993

This was a tough one and I have had to move someone to another position to accommodate Gavin. He is still such a big man and he would have played no bother in any era. A terrific captain, a wonderful kicker, what a boy to have on tour. He just loves people and you can’t argue with his playing record. Stuart Hogg could have been in the conversation, but he’s not. Ken Scotland? He was on a hard tour, playing just one Test, but he invented full-back play. But it has to be Gav.

14 Andy Irvine

Tours: 1974, 1977, 1980

I have moved him to right wing to accommodate Gav. Gav couldn’t play on the wing but Andy could, he had that pace. They were different players, but both greats. Andy was also part of the 1974 Lions, who went through a tour of South Africa undefeated. An outstanding player. My other options were Bruce Hay, Alastair Biggar and Sean Maitland, an amazing footballer. Duhan van der Merwe doesn’t come into it for me. Needs must for Scotland in terms of project players, but not for the Lions. It’s a tough one, but that’s my view.

13 Jim Renwick

Tour: 1980

The wee man from Hawick was on a tough tour of South Africa but he is the best 13 that played for Scotland. You could put Alan Tait and Chris Rea in, yet Renwick is head and shoulders above them. Touched by genius, he was a hard character. I remember he coached Edinburgh Accies when I was there and he had to come on in a 3rd XV game. He was challenged by a young buck and soon sorted that out. He was 58 at the time. That’s what makes the greats, that attitude.

12 Scott Hastings

Tours: 1989, 1993

It was a tough one between Scott and McGeechan. Geech was a 74’ Lion and played all four tests. Scott was a physical presence we had never had before. He was also a good footballer. He worked on all aspects of his game, particularly his speed. He would do special sprinting sessions and he got everything out of every ounce of his talent. McGeechan was a good player but mostly a link player who played within the system. Scott was a game-changer.

11 Roger Baird

Tour: 1983

My shortlist was Roger Baird, Billy Steele and Arthur Smith. Smith was a trailblazing, try-scoring machine in the early days (1955, 1962). I went for Roger Baird. He played in four tests and got whitewashed. He was a brilliant player, though. He pips it in a tough selection. Billy Steele was there in 1974 but was part of the team rather than a star.

10 Finn Russell

Tours: 2017, 2021

This is a really, really tough one. I am not picking the only one who won a Test series, Gregor Townsend. I am not picking John Rutherford, who is an all-time great Scotland player but perhaps not a great Lion. So I picked Finn. He has only played 60 minutes of Test rugby and he lost. I am wondering if I have picked him on potential. But it was quite a 60 minutes. In the second Test (in 2021) I think Dan Biggar passed the ball six times in the game, Finn did that within minutes of coming on in the third Test. He kicked like a dream, too. Finn just about won them a Test series. So I have gone for Finn and people will be commenting on that.

9 Gary Armstrong

Tour: 1989

Another tough one with loads of scrum halves. There’s Roy Laidlaw, Mike Blair, Chris Cusiter, Dougie Morgan, Ali Price and Greig Laidlaw. But I have gone for Gary Armstrong. In ’89, if it hadn’t been for Robert Jones, he would have played in the Tests and he would have been incredible. He had some outstanding performances on that tour. He was incredible against New South Wales. All the other players were saying: “Who is this guy?” He had just come on the scene and was fending off three players to score a try.

FORWARDS — 1 Ian McLauchlan

Tours: 1971, 1974

This was the hardest one of all. You have Hugh McLeod (1955, 1959), David Sole (1989), Mighty Mouse and Tom Smith (1997, 2001). Those are four of the greatest ever Scotland players, no matter the position. Three of the four (McLauchlan, Sole, Smith) won a Test series, two of them played every test in two tours (McLauchlan, Smith). I originally had picked Tom Smith, but how can you not pick Ian? He went and beat the All Blacks in 1971 for the only time ever and was in the Invincibles in 1974? Tom Smith is one of my favourite players ever but it has to be the Mouse.

2 Colin Deans

Tours: 1983, 1986

This was easy. Kenny Milne and Ross Ford were in there, though it has to be Deans by a country mile. He was captain in 1986 when they cancelled the tour to South Africa, yet he did skipper the Lions against the Rest of the World in Cardiff. He was like a back-row player in speed, movement and link-up. He did all the extras the elite do to make the difference. He was big, athletic and had that triangular-shaped body that spoke of dedicated training.

3 Sandy Carmichael

Tours: 1971, 1974

Euan Murray, if he had not got injured, would have walked into the 1999 team. David Rollo and the Bear, Iain Milne, were considered, too. It goes to Sandy Carmichael, however. He was a crucial member of the 1971 tour. A precursor to the modern prop, he was good in the loose, could pass and tackle.

4 Gordon Brown

1971, 1974, 1977

I had Nathan Hines in there as an honourable mention. He should have been a Lion before 2009 and, in that year, he was incredible. It’s an easy choice, though, to go for Gordon. He was athletic, strong. His brother said that, when Gordon came back from the 1974 tour, he seemed to have grown three inches. He was a perfect foil to Wilie John McBride. He had great hands, picking balls up off his shins. As a tourist he must have been amazing. I only knew him as an after-dinner speaker and he was captivating. The dinner he had before he died, they came from around the world to attend. He is up there with Doddie Weir as the most-loved Scottish rugby player of all time. The success of tours can be down to the character of men as well as the quality of player.

5 Doddie Weir

Tour: 1977

Richie Gray and Peter Stagg are honourable mentions. Doddie would have been a Test player in the series-winning side of 1997 had it not been for that awful injury in the midweek match against Mpumalanga. He was a great player, a great man, a great tourist.

6 and 7 Fin and Jim Calder

Tours: Jim 1983; Fin 1989

The twins who never played together for Scotland or the Lions. Incredible story. Both Grand Slam winners, too. Jim, a 1983 Lion, wins Grand Slam in 1984, drops out of the national team in 1985 and Finlay comes in 1986, is Lions captain in 1989, then wins Grand Slam in 1990. They were proper Lions. There are tons of good back-rowers. These two stand out.

8 Jim Telfer

Tours: 1966, 1968

Again, hard. Simon Taylor (2001), Derek White (1989), John Beattie (1980, 1983), Iain Paxton (1983), and Peter Kininmonth (1950) were all contenders. I initially picked Taylor because of his pure potential that never was quite realised. I have gone for Telfer because, in the Lions jersey, he had the most Test matches and in New Zealand he learned so much that he brought back to Scotland. As a coach, he was central to the Lions success. His speech in 1997 gave us the title for the book on that tour: This is Your Everest.