After Henry Pollock’s remarkable rise from England U20 starter in February to Lions bolter in May, we look back at some other players who came from nowhere to book their seat on the plane.

It used to be customary that an uncapped player made the squad and although that tradition has faded, Pollock only has a mere half-an-hour of senior international action from the rout of Wales on Six Nations Super Saturday under his belt.

Read more: Who is the British & Irish Lions captain?

Seven players who came from nowhere to make it on a Lions tour

Will Greenwood (1997)

Will Greenwood remains the only uncapped player in the professional era to be named in a British & Irish Lions squad.

On the peripheries of the England squad and after a scintillating debut season for Leicester Tigers, Greenwood was preferred to England captain, Phil de Glanville, for selection.

His tour was cut short when he sustained an injury against the Free State Cheetahs. He was knocked unconscious and almost choked to death before tour medic, Dr James Robson, intervened.

Later in 1997, Greenwood did make his England debut and famously went on to win the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

Greenwood toured twice more with the Lions in 2001 and 2005. He finished his playing career with Harlequins in 2006 and is now a pundit.

Alex Corbisiero (2013)

Injury seemed to have put Alex Corbisiero out of Lions contention in 2013. 

But when injury struck down Ireland’s Cian Healy, the American-born front-row was thrown right into the thick of things.

He started the opening Test win against Australia in Brisbane, but was dropped a week later in Melbourne, when the Wallabies edged out their visitors 16-15.

Reinstated for the third Test, Corbisiero scored the opening try in the decisive 41-16 win.

In 2016 he retired from rugby due to persistent injury and was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2019. Corbisiero is currently scrum coach of the San Diego Legion in Major League Rugby.

Martin Johnson (1993)

Martin Johnson had only made one appearance for England before being named on his first British & Irish Lions squad.

With Wade Dooley returning home from New Zealand to attend the funeral of his father, Johnson left an England A tour of Canada and headed to the southern hemisphere.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – JUNE 19: Martin Johnson (middle) of Lions waits for action at a lineout during the tour match between Auckland and the British Lions at Eden Park on June 19, 1993 in Auckland, New Zealand. Auckland won the match 23-18. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Martin Johnson

Johnson returned to New Zealand, where he had spent time between 1989 and 1990, even turning out for New Zealand U21s. 

He formed a formidable partnership with fellow Englishman Martin Bayfield in the second row and went on to play in the final two Tests against New Zealand.

In 1997 the legendary England and Leicester Tigers lock captained the Lions to Test series success against South Africa before again leading the side in 2001.

Kristian Dacey (2017)

In 2017, Kristian Dacey was one of the so-called ‘Geography Six’ selections by Warren Gatland for the British & Irish Lions. 

To bolster his ranks and protect his side from injury, Gatland called-up Dacey, Cory Hill, Tomas Francis, Gareth Davies, Allan Dell and Finn Russell who had all conveniently been touring Australia and the Pacific Islands with Wales and Scotland respectively, and it’s safe to say it didn’t go down well.

Out of the six, only Russell got any minutes on the pitch. Five of them.

Wellington , New Zealand – 27 June 2017; British and Irish Lions substitutes, from left, Allan Dell, Kristian Dacey, Gareth Davies, Cory Hill watch on during the match between Hurricanes and the British & Irish Lions at Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Gatland later went on to suggest that the six players did not get minutes because of the negative media reaction to the selections which many saw as devaluing the honour of playing for the Lions.

Even with hindsight it is one of the most baffling decisions in Lions history. One likely not to be repeated.

Dacey won eight Wales caps and made over 200 appearances for Cardiff before announcing his retirement in 2023 aged 33.

Tony O’Reilly (1995)

Tony O’Reilly knew how to score tries. 

After making his Ireland debut as an 18-year-old in 1955, he was named in the British & Irish Lions squad that was due to tour South Africa that summer.

On that tour O’Reilly crossed the whitewash on 16 occasions in as many games and four years later in New Zealand scored 22 tries in 24 matches.

When his playing career concluded, O’Reilly became a hugely successful businessman and passed away in 2024 aged 88.

Derek Quinnell (1971)

When Derek Quinnell was named in the British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand in 1971, he was the only uncapped player in the squad.

Already a standout performer for Llanelli under Lions coach Carwyn James he played in eight tour games and made his international debut in the third Test against the All Blacks.

Derek Quinnell of the British Lions rugby team, UK, 6th May 1971. (Photo by Wackett/Daily Express/Getty Images)

As first international outings go Quinnell’s could not have gone much better as he helped the tourists to a 13-3 win over their hosts before they went on to seal a 2-1 series win with a draw in the fourth Test.

In 1972, Quinnell finally made his Wales debut against France in the Five Nations. He won 23 caps for his country.

His sons, Scott, Craig and Gavin, all played professional rugby and Scott followed in his father’s footsteps in representing the Lions in 1997 and 2001. 

Jason Robinson (2001)

Everyone knew that Jason Robinson was a talent. 

Read more: Jason Robinson had never heard of his Lions team-mates in 2001

During his time playing rugby league with Wigan Warriors, the back had won everything there was to win in the game, but had just shy of a year’s experience playing rugby union ahead of the 2001 British & Irish Lions tour.

On reflection any of the concern about Robinson’s selection is plain silly, but at the time it was a topic of conversation that duly sapped away as soon as the rugby got underway.

A standout performer in the first Test as the tourists beat Australia 29-13 in Brisbane, the Lions ultimately went home unhappy as the Wallabies rallied to win the series 2-1.

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