In May 2005, Clive Woodward’s British & Irish Lions took on Argentina at the Millennium Stadium ahead of the disastrous tour against the All Blacks.
It was a rare warm-up match played on home soil – an event to kick off a tour like no other in New Zealand.
What unfolded was later described as “a bit of a wake-up call” as a thoroughly depleted Pumas side took their much-vaunted hosts to the brink of chastening defeat with the game ending 25-25. This game was later granted test status by the IRB. I
DID YOU KNOW? Sir Clive Woodward commissioned the Lions to have their own anthem and it was written by Neil Myers. It was first performed live by Welsh opera singer Katherine Jenkins before the British & Irish Lions rugby union match against Argentina.
Here we look at five players you may have forgotten played in that rather unmemorable Lions team.
#1. Ollie Smith (England)
- Position Centre
The definition of a bolter, the Leicester centre had only started one Test for England and that had came two years prior to the tour. Scored the home side’s solitary try in the game, but he never played international rugby again after that summer.
#2. Gareth Cooper (Wales)
- Position Scrum-half
The Pencoed product didn’t feature in the Test series, with countryman Dwayne Peel starting all three of them and Matt Dawson on the bench.
#3. Jonny Wilkinson (England)
Position Fly-half
The England fly-half – playing his first Test rugby since he kicked England to Rugby World Cup glory in 2003 – saving Lions blushes with an injury-time penalty to make it 25-25.
DID YOU KNOW? Wilkinson's brother, Mark, was also a Newcastle player who made 16 appearances in the Premiership for the side between 2002 and 2005, predominantly as a centre
#4. Michael Owen (Wales)
Position Number 8
Named captain for the warm-up game against Argentina, having skippered Wales to the Grand Slam earlier that year, but he wasn’t to be involved in the Tests out in New Zealand. From September 2013 Owen took up the position of Director of Rugby at Haileybury College
DID YOU KNOW? In July 2010, Owen announced his retirement from the game at 29 due to a persistent knee problem and embarked on a two-year master's degree course in Business at the University of Hertfordshire
#5. Denis Hickie (Ireland)
Position Winger
Remained on the international scene for a couple more years, taking his tally of Ireland caps up to 62. Since hanging up his boot, the former Leinster wing has worked extensively in the media as a commentator and pundit.
DID YOU KNOW? A box in Dublin's popular concert venue, the Olympia Theatre, carries a nameplate "The Denis Hickie Box" as it is where he tends to watch gigs from
