UNTIL yesterday, the Lions had not started a Test match without an Englishman since the end of their first tour after the Second World War 71 years ago.
The last one standing, Waterloo scrum-half Gordon Rimmer, lost his place to Rex Willis, one of nine Welshmen alongside three Irish and three Scots for the concluding fourth Test against the All Blacks in Auckland on July 29, 1950.
The series had been lost fully four weeks before the Lions lost the last one, 11-8.
Only three England players, one-tenth of the squad, were deemed good enough to make the trip after finishing bottom of the Five ...