The first part of Ian McGeechan’s plan has been completed and on that score at least it has been ‘Mission Accomplished’ for the 2009 British & Irish Lions.
The aim was to go into the first Test against the Springboks with a 100 per cent record and the 20-8 win over the Southern Kings ensured that.
You have to go back to McGeechan’s first tour as coach to the Lions back in 1989 for the last time that happened. Then the Lions won six games on their way into the Test series against the Wallabies.
They lot the first test on that occasion, but returned to take the series 2-1. Since then, though, there has been at least one blemish on the way to the opening Test in 1993 Otago), 1997 (Northern Transvaal), 2001 (Australia A) and 2005 (The Maoris
