No-one is more steeped in British & Irish Lions history than Syd Millar. A player on the tours of 1959, 1962 and 1968, he coached the unbeaten Lions in South Africa in 1974, was a selector in 1977, manager in 1980, a committee member in 1993 and 1997, and Chairman of the last tour, to Australia, in 2001.

The vivid red of their jerseys has been synonymous with the Lions for more than half a century. But the team's colours have changed almost as much as the game itself since the first tour of 1888.

Having lost only once in the last 10 years, New Zealand Maori have a recent record as proud as their long rugby tradition. On Saturday in Hamilton , though, they will seek one of the few big prizes that still eludes them - a victory over the British and Irish Lions.

After finishing eighth in last season's NPC, Otago will not start as favourites to send the Lions into the Test series on the back of a second successive Saturday defeat. History, however, shows that few teams have surprised the Lions as often as the inventors of the ruck.

The Lions will be hoping a change of name brings a change of fortune when they open the 2005 Test series against New Zealand in Christchurch on Saturday.

As the 2005 Lions discovered in their provincial game against Wellington , it's not just the opposition they have to master in New Zealand 's windy capital.

The Lions may have lost the series in Wellington, but a Test victory in Auckland on Saturday would still be a major achievement in its own right.

More than any other member of the Lions coaching staff, Ian McGeechan would have recognised the full significance of the tourists defeat in the opening Test of the 2005 series against New Zealand.

When the British and Irish Lions play Argentina in Cardiff on May 23 rd , they will be making only their third official appearance on home soil.

Lions manager Bill Beaumont says the work the 2005 Lions do before they set off to New Zealand will have a key influence on the success of the tour.