The British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa in 2009 will live long in Ugo Monye’s memory.
His five tries were the most of any Lions player across the 10 matches they played.
Amongst them was one of their most iconic tries, coming in the third Test in Johannesburg with his side already beaten in the series.
However, it is another moment which sticks in Monye’s head more than a decade on from the tour.
The Lions had suffered defeats in each of the opening two Tests against the Springboks.
It was the second Test which proved the most crushing as the hosts edged the encounter 28-25 following a late fight back.
Ian McGeechan’s side had been 19-8 in front after an hour before surrendering their lead in the final 20 minutes.
The brutal Test was not without controversy as two Springbok stars were suspended following the match.
Schalk Burger infamously appeared to gouge Luke Fitzgerald’s eye in the first minute.
Meanwhile, Adam Jones was left with a dislocated shoulder by a dangerous charge from Bakkies Botha.
The physical nature of the Test prompted McGeechan to make seven changes for the third and final match.
Monye was one of those who found himself back among the starting 15 as he went on to score the Lions’ third try in a 28-9 victory for the tourists.
2009 Lions tour of South Africa
- 30 May – Royal XV 25-37 British & Irish Lions
- June 3 – Golden Lions 10-74 British & Irish Lions
- June 6 – Free State Cheetahs 24-26 British & Irish Lions
- June 10 – Sharks 3-39 British & Irish Lions
- June 13 – Western Province 23-26 British & Irish Lions
- June 16 – Southern Kings 8-20 British & Irish Lions
- June 20 – South Africa 26-21 British & Irish Lions
- June 23 – Emerging Springboks 13-13 British & Irish Lions
- June 27 – South Africa 28-25 British & Irish Lions
- July 4 – South Africa 9-28 British & Irish Lions
Intercepting the ball deep in his own half, he ran 70m up the pitch before storming away to score.
The win was later hailed as ‘one of the best and most heroic performances in the history of the Lions’.
McGeechan’s player gathered in a huddle on the pitch in an emotional moment for the squad.
Monye even pinpoints the team talk as the one thing that sticks with him the most from the tour.
He told the Lions website in 2022: “If I was to dial it down to one moment I’d say it was the huddle that we had on the pitch after the third Test.
“It just represented so many different things. To finish the Tour on the right note was so important for us as a group of players, for what the Lions was and actually for the supporters, not just the travelling ones but everyone back home as well.”
The gravity of the moment reduced some members of the squad to tears during the emotional huddle.
Amongst them was centre Jamie Roberts, the towering 6ft 5in Wales centre.
Roberts, who featured for Cardiff, Harelquins and Bath during his career, had been named player of the series.
Monye added: “To be in that huddle and looking around, I remember looking up and seeing Jamie Roberts – who was man of the series – he had tears in his eyes.
“He deserved to play in that game but that second Test was so brutal and I think we lost a third of our starting Test team in that second Test alone, so seeing him balling his eyes out was unbelievable.
“Just to get everyone in that centre circle, not just the players but everyone who had contributed to what was a really special Tour – not the result we wanted but it was incredibly special.
“That for me encapsulated exactly what the Lions is, what it stands for. It stands for all the things we would like to see more in our society: togetherness, putting personal agendas to one side.
“It’s uniting everyone in Great Britain and Ireland, coming together for one common cause, whether you are able to be a part of that in the Test matches or the guys who don’t normally get on the pitch.”
The 2009 tour was Monye’s only selection for the Lions after not making Warren Gatland’s squad for Australia four years later.
Australia will once again host the Lions this summer for their 2025 tour.
The three Tests are part of a nine-match schedule Down Under along with a meeting with Argentina in Dublin prior to the tour.
Gatland has been replaced as head coach by Ireland’s Andy Farrell after three straight tours at the helm.
2025 Lions tour of Australia
- June 20 – Argentina – Dublin
- June 28 – Western Force – Perth
- July 2 – Queensland Reds – Brisbane
- July 5 – New South Wales Waratahs – Sydney
- July 9 – ACT Brumbies – Canberra
- July 12 – Invitational AU & NZ – Adelaide
- July 19 – Australia – Brisbane
- July 22 – First Nations & Pasifika XV – Melbourne
- July 26 – Australia – Melbourne
- August 2 – Australia – Sydney
Farrell announced his five assistant coaches in March with John Dalziel, Simon Easterby, John Fogarty, Andrew Goodman and Richard Wigglesworth revealed as his support staff.
It is the Lions’ first tour of Australia since a 2-1 series victory over the Wallabies in 2013.
The action can be followed live on talkSPORT as the audio broadcast partner for the tour.
talkSPORT will deliver more than 200 hours of coverage including live match commentary. Dedicated programmes and podcasts will also be available during the tour.
Now, though, the players face a nervous wait to see if they are selected in the 37-man squad for the tour, which will be confirmed on May 8 at the O2 Arena in London.
