Willie John McBride voted the Lion King

WILLIE JOHN McBride has been voted the greatest ever Lion by best-selling magazine Rugby World – though there is no place in the Top 50 for 2009 captain, Paul O’Connell.

McBride became a Lion veteran, making five tours in 1962, ‘66, ‘68, ‘71 and ‘74. The legendary Ireland lock first toured South Africa in ‘62 at the age of 22, though it took him nine years to taste success in a Test match.

The Ballymena man’s greatest moments came on the 1974 tour when he led the Lions to a Test series win over the Springboks on their 22-match tour across South Africa. On their return home they were feted as the ‘Invincibles’ and McBride the most invincible of all.