The win rates of all the British & Irish Lions coaches since 1989

Dylan Coetzee
Split with Sir Ian McGeechan, Warren Gatland and Sir Clive Woodward.

Split with Sir Ian McGeechan, Warren Gatland and Sir Clive Woodward.

The British & Irish Lions have entered a new era with Ireland boss Andy Farrell being named as the head coach of the famous side for the tour of Australia in 2025.

There is much anticipation ahead of Farrell’s stint at the helm of the team but first, let’s take a look at some of the coaches that have come before him.

Sir Ian McGeechan (1989-1997, 2009)

The most experienced of the recent coaches with the Scotsman beginning his coaching career on the 1989 tour of Australia where the team came back from a 30-12 defeat in the first Test to claim a 2-1 series win after back-to-back victories.

The coach would remain in the hotseat through the next tour of New Zealand in 1993, which did not have the same success despite the Lions winning one Test. In the end, it was a 2-1 series loss to the All Blacks.

Next up was perhaps McGeechan’s finest tour as Lions coach where he famously led them to a series win in South Africa. The coach rallied his troops brilliantly to bury the hosts in the first two Tests, meaning the third and final game was a dead rubber and did not matter when they lost.

It would be 12 years until the Scot returned to the head coach role in an official Test when he looked to replicate the 1997 success in South Africa. The first two Tests were gruelling and ever so tight, but Morne Steyn’s penalty at the end of the second Test sealed a series win for the Boks.

The Lions would claim a deserved win in the third Test, which meant McGeechan’s win rate while in charge of the Lions was 50%.

Warren Gatland (2013-2021)

The New Zealander led the historic team in three consecutive tours to each of the rival southern hemisphere countries, beginning with Australia in 2013 where the side went on to claim the series 2-1 thanks to a comprehensive 41-16 win in the final Test.

Next up for the experienced coach was to lead the Lions against his home country in what turned into an epic tour loaded with drama. Gatland’s men came back from losing 30-15 in the first Test to level the series with a narrow 24-21 win. However, the series would stay level as it ended with a 15-15 draw.

The coach’s final tour came during a difficult time as all three Tests in South Africa had to be played behind closed doors in 2021 as the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the world. The visitors got under the Springboks’ skin with a 22-17 win that prompted the infamous Rassie Erasmus video. South Africa would stage a remarkable comeback to win the second and third Tests.

When it was all said and done Gatland ended with a 44.4& win rate from his nine official Tests in charge.

Sir Graham Henry (2001)

Another New Zealander in the mix but this time Henry only held the head coach role for one tour, unlike his compatriot Gatland. On the whole, his time with the touring side proved difficult as a strong Australian side, just off the 1999 Rugby World Cup title, proved a tough nut to crack.

Despite the Lions winning the first game, the Wallabies responded incredibly and went on to win the next two Tests and snatch the series from the historic team.

Henry’s time in charge ended with a 33.3% win rate in official Tests.

Sir Clive Woodward (2005)

Fresh off leading the Red Rose to their first-ever Rugby World Cup in 2003, Woodward took charge of the Lions in one of the most challenging tours as they headed to New Zealand.

It proved to be a very difficult tour for the Lions who only managed three points in the first Test that went 21-3 in favour of the All Blacks. Bad went to worse in the final two Tests as the hosts claimed resounding 48-18 and 38-19 wins respectively, meaning Woodward did not manage a Test win during his time in charge.

The series was ultimately an absolute disaster from start to finish, which severely damaged the former England head coach’s reputation.

READ MORE: Andy Farrell: Five things to know about the new British and Irish Lions head coach

Australia Clive Woodward Sir Graham Henry Sir Ian McGeechan Warren Gatland

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