"Perfect player" - Gareth Edwards named the best British & Irish Lions player of all-time
Rugby NewsMonday, 15 April 2024 at 10:43
In an exclusive release by the Guardian a few years back, Gareth Edwards has clinched the title of the greatest Lion of all time, as revealed in a comprehensive list of the top 50 British and Irish Lions.
A distinguished panel consisting of 12 experts, among them former Lions captains Bill Beaumont, Phil Bennett, and Finlay Calder, were tasked with nominating players based on their skill and individual impact on the Lions.
Contributors from both the Guardian and the Observer, including correspondents, editors, and other knowledgeable figures, also had a hand in shaping the final rankings.
Check out the full list below
50 best British & Irish Lions of all-time
50. Robert Jones (Wales) - Scrum-half - 1989 - P3 W2 D0 L1 - 73
49. Tom Smith (Scotland) - Prop - 1997, 2001 - P6 W3 D0 L3 - 75
48. Matt Dawson (England) - Scrum-half - 1997, 2001, 2005 - P7 W2 D0 L5 - 76
47. David Sole (Scotland) - Prop - 1989 - P3 W2 L1 - 90
46. Rhys Williams (Wales) - Lock - 1955, 1959 - P10 W5 L5 - 94
45. Neil Jenkins (Wales) - Fly-half - 1997, 2001 - P4 W2 D0 L2 - 99
44. Jason Robinson (England) - Fullback/Wing - 2001, 2005 - P5 W1 D0 L4 - 105
43. Roger Uttley (England) - Back row - 1974 - P4 W3 D1 L0 - 107
42. Bobby Windsor (Wales) - Hooker - 1974, 1977 - P5 W3 D1 L1 - 109
41. Jonny Wilkinson (England) - Fly-half - 2001, 2005 - P6 W1 D1 L4 - 110
40. Rob Andrew (England) - Fly-half - 1989, 1993 - P5 W3 D0 L2 - 110
39. Paul O'Connell (Ireland) - Lock - 2005, 2009 - P6 W1 D0 L5 - 114
38. Peter Wheeler (England) - Hooker - 1977, 1980 - P7 W2 L5 - 119
37. David Duckham (England) - Centre - 1971 - P3 W1 D1 L1 - 128
36. Jack Kyle (Ireland) - Fly-half - 1950 - P6 W2 D1 L3 - 147
35. Finlay Calder (Scotland) - Back row - 1989 - P3 W2 D0 L1 - 149
34. Dean Richards (England) - No. 8 - 1989, 1993 - P6 W3 D0 L3 - 174
33. Dickie Jeeps (England) - Scrum-half - 1955, 1959, 1962 - P13 W4 D1 L8 - 191
32. Bill Beaumont (England) - Lock - 1977, 1980 - P7 W2 D0 L5 - 191
31. Graham Price (Wales) - Prop - 1977, 1980, 1983 - P12 W2 D0 L10 - 204
30. Jim Telfer (Scotland) - No. 8 - 1996, 1968 - P8 W2 D1 L5 - 204
29. Syd Millar (Ireland) - Prop - 1959, 1962, 1968 - P9 W2 D2 L5 - 219
28. Lawrence Dallaglio (England) - No. 8 - 1997 - P3 W2 D0 L1 - 219
27. Fergus Slattery (Ireland) - Flanker - 1971, 1974 - P4 W3 D1 L0 - 232
26. Mike Teague (England) - Flanker - 1989, 1993 - P3 W3 D0 L0 - 238
25. Ieuan Evans (Wales) - Wing - 1989, 1993, 1997 - P7 W4 D0 L3 - 258
24. John Dawes (Wales) - Centre - 1971 - P4 W2 D1 L1 - 258
23 Cliff Morgan (Wales) - Fly-half - 1955 - P4 W2 D0 L2 - 272
22. Richard Hill (England) - Back row - 1997, 2001, 2005 - P5 W3 D0 L2 - 286
21. Tony O'Reilly (Ireland) - Wing - 1955, 1959 - P10 W5 D0 L5 - 287
20. JJ Williams (Wales) - Wing - 1974, 1977 - P7 W4 D1 L2 - 300
19. Scott Gibbs (Wales) - Centre - 1993, 1997 - P5 W3 D0 L2 - 305
18. Ian McGeechan (Scotland) - Centre - 1974, 1977 - P8 W4 D1 L3 - 315
17. Keith Wood (Ireland) - Hooker - 1997, 2001 - P5 W3 D0 L2 - 325
16. Gavin Hastings (Scotland) - Fullback - 1989, 1993 - P6 W3 D0 L3 - 337
15. Gordon Brown (Scotland) - Lock - 1971, 1974, 1977 - P8 W5 D1 L2 - 346
14. Andy Irvine (Scotland) - Fullback/Wing - 1974, 1977, 1980 - P9 W3 D1 L5 - 346
13. Jeremy Guscott (England) - Centre - 1989, 1993, 1997 - P8 W5 D0 L3 - 362
12. Fran Cotton (England) - Prop - 1974, 1977 - P7 W4 D1 L2 - 375
11. Ian McLauchlan (Scotland) - Prop - 1971, 1974 - P8 W5 D2 L1 - 382
10. Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland) - Centre - 2001, 2005, 2009 - P6 W1 D0 L5 - 399
9. Phil Bennett (Wales) - Fly-half - 1974, 1977 - P8 W4 D1 L3 - 411
8. Mervyn Davies (Wales) - No. 8 - 1971, 1974 - P8 W5 D2 L1 - 448
7. Mike Gibson (Ireland) - Centre - 1966, 1968, 1971 - P12 W2 D2 L8 - 489
6. Gerald Davies (Wales) - Wing - 1968, 1971 - P5 W2 D1 L2 - 495
5. Barry John (Wales) - Fly-half - 1968, 1971 - P5 W2 D1 L2 - 501
4. JPR Williams (Wales) - Fullback - 1971, 1974 - P8 W5 D2 L1 - 529
3. Martin Johnson (England) - Lock - 1993, 1997, 2001 - P8 W4 D0 L4 - 535
2. Willie John McBride (Ireland) - Lock - 1962, 1966, 1968, 1971, 1974 - P17 W5 D3 L9 - 546
1. Gareth Edwards (Wales) - Scrum-half - 1968, 1971, 1974 - P10 W5 D3 L2 - 574
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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