Lions memories: So, who the hell were the 'Geography 6'?
Following the failed Graham Henry experiment in 2001, there was not much enthusiasm for another overseas Lions coach as the emphasis went back to culture.
But then the calamity that was 2005 happened, and all bets were off once again. And, as it turned out, Henry's fellow Kiwi Warren Gatland ended up with a distinguished Lions record after being involved with four consecutive tours.
Having impressed as an assistant on the 2009 tour, Gatland got the lead role in 2013 and oversaw a series win in Australia. Lions head coach Warren Gatland in 2017. Pic:He then got the gig again four years later for the daunting trip to New Zealand in 2017 to take on the back-to-back world champions and, despite intense pressure from the local media, managed to draw the series when the Lions had been widely written off.
An impressive result by any standards, but there was one aspect of Gatland's management of that 2017 expedition which brought a lot of criticism — his selection of what became known as the 'Geography Six'.
This was a decision straight from Clive Woodward's pragmatic, culture-banishing playbook from 2005, with Gatland looking for the best way to protect his Test starters towards the end of the arduous tour. Finn Russell with the Lions in 2017. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan
His solution was to call up six players from the Scotland and Wales tours to Australia and the Pacific Islands, respectively, so that members of his Test squad would not be required for bench duties in midweek games.
This flew in the face of more than 100 years of Lions tradition, where call-ups to tours had always been exclusively due to injury and withdrawal.
The six players involved were the Scots Alan Dell and Finn Russell, along with Cory Hill, Kristian Dacey, Tomas Francis and Gareth Davies from Wales.
This selection decision was based primarily on proximity and it attracted outrage from Lions traditionalists, among the media, supporters and former players. The general consensus was that the history and culture of the institution was being diminished by Gatland in the interests of expediency. Tomas Francis, Kristian Dacey, Liam Williams, Gareth Davies and Cory Hill look on as the Lions took on New Zealand Maori in 2017. Pic: Huw Evans/REX/Shutterstock
The criticism of Lions icon Ian McGeechan – Gatland's head coach on the 2009 tour – was especially damaging.
'It's that geography part – where you are shouldn't determine that you're in a Lions jersey,' said McGeechan, while former Ireland and Lions flanker Stephen Ferris said Gatland was 'devaluing the badge'.
Gatland admitted afterwards that the criticism got to him and the 'Geography Six' were used sparingly, in the clash against the Hurricanes, all six were named on the bench but only one – Russell – was used.The Lions led 31-17 but ran out of gas and ended up drawing the game.
The whole episode was an unfulfilling experience for everyone concerned and while it could not be directly linked to the Lions failing to win the series, it definitely contributed to Gatland failing to emulate the same levels of popularity enjoyed by McGeechan — adding another layer of ire for his detractors on the back of his controversial call to axe Brian O'Driscoll in 2013.
Gatland was retained for the Covid-dominated tour to South Africa in 2021, but that was a slog from beginning to end for all involved — including the fans shut out of the stadiums and forced to watch on TV — and felt like a tour too far for the New Zealander.
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