“The tour book along with daily Press reports was how the Lions story was told”

Picture this: John Bentley holds aloft the trophy in front of Lions supporters after the third Test against South Africa in 1997
PICTURE: Getty Images

Hopkins, of course, who memorably described a Lions tour as “a cross between a medieval crusade and a prep school outing”.
In 1980 he was much helped by the pictures of a very young Dave Rogers, who is still going strong 37 years later as Getty’s chief rugby photographer. Rogers is about to embark on his ninth Lions tour. Eat your heart out, Willie John!
During these halcyon years, and certainly in New Zealand, the thirst...

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