Revisiting the youngest player from the last five Lions tours

The mascot sits by the side of the pitch for every tour match and since 2013 that mascot has been BIL – standing for British and Irish Lion.

According to the Lions, BIL replaced the previous Lions mascot Leo, who was in place for “almost two decades of duty”.

Wales and Gloucester wing Louis Rees-Zammit will look after the plush lion in South Africa. 

The England second-row went on to appear in all three Test matches as the Lions came from behind to secure a historic draw against the All Blacks, with the then 22-year-old one of the standout performers. He will once again be a key player for Warren Gatland as the Lions take on the Springboks this summer.

After heading to Australia as the youngest player on Tour in 2013, he went to New Zealand four years later with his sights set on securing the Test full-back jersey after some stellar displays for Scotland.  

But his trip to the Land of the Long White Cloud was ended before the Test series against the All Blacks could get underway – he suffered a facial injury when he accidentally collided with Conor Murray in the third match of the Tour against the Crusaders.  

However, Hogg will head to South Africa for his third British & Irish Lions Tour shortly after his 29th birthday – a fantastic achievement for a man mature beyond his years.  

He was the youngest player in the 37-strong squad selected for the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa, but had his trip cut short through a thigh injury. He quickly recovered to establish himself as a key weapon in Warren Gatland’s Welsh side and he played in six of the seven games at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

He was selected for a second Lions tour in 2013 and punished the Australians as he steered his side to a 2-1 series victory from full-back. In 2017, Halfpenny appeared four times, including emerging from the bench in the first Test against the All Blacks at Eden Park, and racked up 31 points with the boot.

He was in the England team for the 2005 Six Nations, and was one of the better performers in England's disappointing campaign. He was selected for the 2005 British & Irish Lions tour and featured in six games, though he did not play in any of the Test matches.

The prop was chosen in the 37-man squad for the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia, but again failed to win a cap.

The 2003 World Cup hero toured with the British & Irish Lions twice - to Australia in 2001 and New Zealand in 2005 scoring 67 Test points in the 6 Lions Test matches he has started.

He missed the 2009 tour of South Africa through injury before turning down a call-up in 2013 due to club commitments with Toulon.