Ian McGeechan was hailed as rugby's own Sir Alex Ferguson after being
appointed Lions head coach for next year's tour to South Africa.
McGeechan has become synonymous with the Lions over a 34-year association
which stretches back to the unbeaten 1974 trip to South Africa, when he
started all four Tests as a centre.
The Wasps director of rugby, a "unanimous choice" by the Lions
board, will take charge for the fourth time having already overseen series
victories over Australia in 1989 and the Springboks in 1997.
Now 61, McGeechan has been a leading coach in the world game for two
decades, earning success at both club and international level and still
going strong.
And Lions chairman Andy Irvine said: "We approached him and the big
question was: 'Is the hunger still there?'
"He is as fired up as he has ever been and there are similarities in
that between Geech and Sir Alex Ferguson."
McGeechan plans to take just one coaching unit - four or five specialists
whom he hopes to have in place by the autumn £ and around 35 players, who
will be expected to share rooms in a back to roots approach.
"I firmly believe you need a very tight group on and off the pitch,"
said McGeechan.
"We will have one coaching team and one group of players."
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