Medics & police

Willie John McBride is a giant among big men in rugby, but he is famous for so much more than just his achievements on the field.

McBride, a legendary Irish lock who famously captained the British and Irish Lions to victory in South Africa in 1974, has some delightful tales.

"The players have medics these days. We had Elastoplast," is one of his many quirky quips.

However, there is a tale from the 1974 tour to SA that epitomises what McBride is really about.

McBride confessed to trashing a few hotel rooms around New Zealand in 1971, but the South African expedition three years later was the most notorious.

In Port Elizabeth the sound of splintering furniture, exploding fire extinguishers and the lapping of water in the lobby brought an apoplectic hotel manager to the room of the Lions' captain.

"Mr McBride," the manager screamed, "your players are wrecking my hotel."

The great man sat cross-legged on his bed in his underpants, puffing on his pipe.

"Are there many dead?" he enquired.

"I've called the police," the manager replied.

"And tell me, these police of yours," McBride said. "Will there be many of them?"

William James McBride, MBE, (born 6 June, 1940) played as a lock for Ireland and the British and Irish Lions.

He played 63 Tests for Ireland - including 11 as captain, and toured with the Lions five times - a record that gave him 17 Lions Test caps. He also captained the most successful ever Lions side which toured South Africa in 1974.