FranCotton

A veteran of three Lions Tours and the Team Manager for the 1997 Tour of South Africa, Fran Cotton’s name is thoroughly weaved into the Lions tapestry.

First selected for the South African Tour in 1974, the English prop played in all four Tests of that successful series forming a formidable front row with Bobby Windsor and Ian McLauchlan as the Lions sealed a 3-0 series win and went unbeaten over 22 matches in all.

Three years later, Cotton was switched from tight-head to loose-head for the Tour of New Zealand and played in three Tests against the All Blacks.

Cotton was forced to leave the 1980 Tour to South Africa early due to illness but returned to the country as team manager in 1997. Like 1974, it was to be a truly memorable Tour, the first since the sport turned professional, as The British & Irish Lions secured a 2-1 series victory against the then world champions.

Away from rugby he successfully founded the Cotton Traders clothing company in 1987 with England teammate Steve Smith.