Blacked Out

It is 12 years since the British and Irish Lions last visited New Zealand. Coach Ian McGeechan's book of that tour was titled So Close to Glory - and indeed it was. Having narrowly lost the First Test, the Lions came back to square the series in the Second, only to run out of steam in the final game a week later. It was another case of what might have been and John Dawes' team of 1971 still remain the last Lions squad to have defeated the All Blacks. Having meticulously planned England's World Cup success, Sir Clive Woodward has accepted the only challenge left for him in rugby: to set up a Lions victory in New Zealand. He will take with him the biggest ever squad of players and an impressive back-up team of coaches, physios, doctors, lawyers, cooks, etc. But will he manage to find a combination on the field that is good enough to beat an All Black team under the direction of Graham Henry, ironically the man who edged out Sir Clive as coach on the 2001 Lions tour to Australia?The Lions squad predicted at the beginning of the year has been reworked by most journalists after disappointing performances by both England and Ireland in this year's Six Nations championship, so competition will be fierce for a spot in the Test team. The 2005 Lions tour will also be a battle between the supporters. A sea of red shirts is assured at every game and, after failure in the World Cup in 2003 and losing to South Africa in the Tri Nations in 2004, the fanatical rugby followers of New Zealand will be demanding nothing less than a whitewash. The scene is set for one of the great contests in world rugby. The Complete Book of the Lions in New Zealand will record every moment of the tour. Leading rugby writer Mick Cleary of the Daily Telegraph will describe the build-up to the tour and provide an indepth match-by-match analysis, assessing the performances of each team and its players. This will be supported by quotes from players and coaches on both sides, while integrated player portraits and action shots will be provided by Getty Images, world leaders in sports photography. This is the definitive souvenir of what is sure to be a legendary Lions Tour.