Almost more than the tour itself, the behind the scenes documentary of The British and Irish Lions Tour is a thing of legend.
Kangaroo Courts, Dice Rolling, Pool Pushing, Bungee Jumps and clips from the Physio Room are part of rugby folklore and are a key component of the Lions fan appeal.
That behind-the-curtain view is what first sparked the public interest in professional rugby and now at times it seems it is craving that authenticity for which rugby was once famous more than ever.
In preparation for this years British and Irish Lions Tour of Australia – I took a look back at some of the best of the best Lions Documentaries over the years.
1. Living with Lions (1997)
The OG, The Gold Standard and widely regarded as the greatest rugby documentary of akk tune, Living with Lions captures the British & Irish Lions’ legendary 1997 tour of South Africa.
Pioneering at the time this behind-the-scenes film offers a raw, unfiltered look at the camaraderie, grit, and emotional rollercoaster of an iconic series. The documentary reveals team meetings, training sessions, and personal struggles as players face the physical and mental challenges of what was a grueling tour.
Coach Ian McGeechan’s and Jim Telfers now famous “This is our Everest” inspirational speeches and the iconic Kangaroo Court showcase both the intensity but also the heart of what makes Rugby the greatest game in the world.
A victorious tour only added to the lustre and a 45 Man Squad Strong rendition of Wonderwall led to the universal banning of the Oasis classic on team buses around the world – a true piece of epic Rugby History.
2. The Lions Uncovered (2017)
This modern classic chronicles the British & Irish Lions’ dramatic 2017 tour of New Zealand. The “Kissing Your Sister” tour with both teams ending in a draw was not wihtout its drama on and off the pitch.
The persecution of Gats by the NZ Public and the Warburton/Omahony Captaincy Saga added to the intensity of the doc. The humour however is equally balanced by Brand Haskell (James Haskell) and Sean Obrien’s off field bromance and Joe Marlers pre bed beauty routine again showcase the balance of bruality and humour in this excellent doc.
3. Two Sides: Lions Tour to South Africa (2021)
Documenting the Lions’ 2021 tour of South Africa amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Behind the Pride explores the unprecedented logistical and emotional challenges faced by the team.
Some will bemoan this inclusion at Number 3 but the sheer scale of bizarreity that led to the tour taking place made for a very insightful behind the scenes look at how sporting operations can continue in difficult circumstances.
The Lazarus-like return of Skipper Alun Wyn Jones and RassieGate are key moments of the film and the full circle irony of a certain Mr Morne Steyn for the series clincher make for a high drama doc which is a must watch for lions fans.
4. The Lions Raw (2013)
“The Dropping of Bod” is of course the showpiece drama of the Aussie Tour of 2013. An epic successful tour with a lions performance for the ages in the third test in Australia leads to a fantastic documentary of one of the Lions Great Tours.
The inspiring vision of Paul Occonnel talking to his team in Hong Kong at Full-Time lauding praise on a then youthful Owen Farrell and that epic AWJ speech before the third test makes my hairs stand on end just thinking about it.
Add to that the infamous Captaincy Call from Zebo to his Munster Head Coach this is a true classic of Lions documentaries.
5. Lions 2009 – The Lions Tour to South Africa
The sheer brutality of this tour is what makes this documentary the most heart wrenching blood pumping display of Rugby Media possibly in History.
A star was born with the emergence of Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira and his dominance of a lions scrum and Simon Shaw with one of the great lions performances showcase The Lions and The Springboks in their purest form.
Ian Mcgeechan delivered one of his calls to arms followed by a moment that would make even the stoniest of rugby fanatics cry as he wept into the arms of support staff in the hallway.
Coined “the most brutal test match in history” – The Lions 2nd Test, a series clinched by a bright eyed Morne Steyn (2009 Vintage) after a moment to forget by a certain Mr O’Gara. This series…..had….everything,
The modern game requires access, the modern audience requires personalities to get behind. Long live the Lions but long live the unfiltered access given to rugby fans all over the world.