As of 26 June 2017, a total of 165 players uncapped players have made an appearance for the British and Irish Lions, a rugby union team selected from players eligible for any of the Home Nations – the national sides of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The Lions generally select international players, but they can pick uncapped players available to any one of the four unions.
The 165 uncapped players represent approximately 19% of the 888 players who have made an appearance for the Lions. Of the 165 players, 41 were later capped by their national side while 124 were never capped. The most recent uncapped player was Will Greenwood who toured South Africa with the Lions in 1997 before getting his first cap for England later that year. The most recent uncapped player for the Lions who was never capped for his national team was Alun Lewis, who featured on the 1977 Lions tour to New Zealand.
The following is a list of rugby union players who have played for the British and Irish Lions but were never capped for their own countries or adopted countries. Where the country of origin of the player is not known, he is identified by the country of his club. By far the majority of the players on this list seem to originate from England. Players who took part in tours to Argentina are italicised.
Name Tour Country of originOr country of club if unknown. Club Matches played for Lions Test Matches played for LionsA'BearJohn Gordon A'Bear1936 Argentina EnglandGloucesterAdamsonCharlie Adamson1899 Australia EnglandDurhamAllenArthur Douglas Allen1927 Argentina EnglandCambridge UniversityAndertonJack Anderton1888 NZ and Australia EnglandSalfordSalford later became a rugby league club.AshbyJohn Francis Ashby1910 Argentina EnglandCheshireAshbyWilliam Joseph Ashby1910 South Africa IrelandQueen's CollegeAyre-SmithAlan Ayre-Smith1899 Australia EnglandGuy's HospitalBanksTom Banks1888 NZ and Australia EnglandSwintonSwinton later became a rugby league club.BellSydney Pyman Bell1896 South Africa EnglandCambridge UniversityBelsonFrederick Belson1899 Australia EnglandAbergavenny, BristolBonnerWilliam Gordon MacGregor Bonner1930 NZ & Australia England BradfordBordassJames Bordass1924 South Africa EnglandCambridge University BrettJohn Brett1936 Argentina EnglandOxford UniversityBrometEdward Bromet1891 South Africa EnglandCambridge UniversityBrooksHerbert Brooks1888 NZ and Australia England/ ScotlandDurham, Edinburgh UniversityBrownH. John C. Brown1962 South Africa EnglandBlackheath & RAFBumbyWalter Bumby1888 NZ and Australia EnglandSwintonBurnetBob Burnet1888 NZ and Australia ScotlandHawickBurnetWillie Burnet1888 NZ and Australia ScotlandHawickCareyWalter Carey1896 South Africa EnglandOxford UniversityChadwickOwen Chadwick1936 ArgentinaAlso a notable academic. EnglandCambridge UniversityClowesJ. "Jack" P. Clowes1888 NZ and Australia EnglandHalifaxHalifax later became a rugby league club.CoghlanGranville Coghlan1927 Argentina EnglandCambridge UniversityCollettGilbert Collett1903 South Africa EnglandOxford UniversityCooksonGeorge Cookson1899 Australia EnglandManchesterCouchmanStanley Couchman1938 South Africa EnglandOld CranleighansCreanEdward Crean1910 South Africa EnglandLiverpoolCrowtherSidney Nelson Crowther1902 Australia and NZ EnglandLennoxDancerGerald Thomas "Beef" Dancer1938 South Africa EnglandBedfordDigglePercy Robert Diggle1910 Argentina EnglandOxford UniversityCumberlandEaglesHarry Eagles1888 NZ and Australia EnglandSalfordEversGuy Evers1899 Australia EnglandMoseleyFisherJ.L. Fisher1904 Australia & NZ EnglandHull and East RidingFrancombJohn Francomb1899 Australia EnglandManchester, Oxford UniversityFraserH.J. Fraser1910 Argentina ScotlandFraserWilliam Lovat Fraser1910 Argentina ScotlandMerchistoniansFullerEdward Newman Fuller1910 Argentina EnglandCambridge University, Old Merchant TaylorsGaisfordW.F. Gaisford1924 South Africa EnglandSt BartsGouldJohn Harding Gould1891 South Africa EnglandOld LeysiansGrayH.G.S. Gray1899 Australia ScotlandCoventryGreenR.K. Green1908 NZ and Australia WalesNeathGriffithsRowland Griffiths1908 NZ and Australia WalesNewportGubbThomas Gubb1927 Argentina South AfricaOxford UniversityHalsamJ.T. Haslam1888 NZ and Australia EnglandHalsamHammondJohnny Hammond1891 South Africa & 1896 South Africa EnglandCambridge University, BlackheathHarrisonEdward Montague Harrison1903 South Africa EnglandGuy's Hospital, MiddlesexHarrisonRobin Harrison1910 Argentina EnglandNorthamptonHobbsPeter Hobbs1936 Argentina EnglandRichmondHordernPeter Hordern1936 Argentina EnglandGloucesterHosackJ.C. Hosack1903 South Africa ScotlandEdinburgh WanderersBath, p117HowardBill Howard1938 South Africa EnglandOld BirkoniansHumphreysNoel Forbes Humphreys1910 South Africa WalesTynedaleHuntingfordWalter Legh Huntingford1910 Argentina EnglandUnited Services, BlackheathIsherwoodG.A.M. Isherwood1910 South Africa EnglandCheshireJacksonFrederick Stanley Jackson1908 NZ and AustraliaJackson was capped by New Zealand, but in rugby league. EnglandCamborne, LeicesterJenningsRoy Jennings1930 NZ & Australia EnglandRedruthJudkinsWilliam Judkins1899 Australia EnglandCoventryKyrkeGerald Kyrke1908 NZ and Australia EnglandMarlborough NomadsLaingA.J. Laing1888 NZ and Australia ScotlandHawickLaxonHerbert Laxon1908 NZ and Australia EnglandCambridge UniversityLeeG.W. Lee1896 South Africa EnglandRockcliffLewisAlun Lewis1977 New Zealand WalesCambridge University & London WelshMcEvedyPatrick Francis McEvedy1904 Australia & NZ & 1908 Australia & NZ New ZealandGuy's HospitalMcIlwaineGeorge Arthren McIlwaine1927 Argentina South AfricaCambridge UniversityMageeJames Magee1896 South AfricaMagee was capped for Ireland at cricket. IrelandBective RangersMalfroyJules Malfroy1927 Argentina New ZealandCambridge UniversityMartelliEsmond Martelli1899 Australia IrelandDublin UniversityMasseyBurnett Staveley Massey1904 Australia & NZ EnglandHull and East RidingMathersCharlie Mathers1888 NZ and Australia EnglandBramleyMaxwellReginald "Reg" Bellamy Maxwell1924 South Africa EnglandBirkenhead ParkMayfieldEdwin Mayfield1891 South Africa EnglandCambridge UniversityMilnesS.H. Milnes1910 Argentina EnglandManchesterMollJ. S. Moll1936 Argentina EnglandLloyds BankMonksHarold Gordon Monks1910 Argentina EnglandLiverpool Old Boys, Wigan RFCMoranGeorge J. Morgan1938 South Africa IrelandClontarfMullineuxMatthew Mullineux1896 South Africa & 1899 AustraliaCaptained the 1899 tour to Australia. EnglandBlackheathMullinsCuth Mullins1896 South Africa Cape Colony (South Africa)Guy's HospitalNolanJohnny Nolan1888 NZ and Australia EnglandRochdale HornetsO'BrienArthur O'Brien1902 Australia and NZ New ZealandGuy's HospitalPattersonC.D. Patterson1904 Australia & NZ IrelandMalonePaulA.G. Paul1888 NZ and Australia IrelandSwintonPenkethA.P. Penketh1888 NZ and Australia Isle of ManDouglas R.U.F.C.PikeTheodore Pike1927 Argentina IrelandPooleHoward Poole1930 NZ & Australia WalesCardiffPrattenDenis Pratten1936 Argentina EnglandBlackheathPurchasGriff Purchas1938 South Africa EnglandCoventryRichardsT.J. Richards1910 South Africa IrelandBristolRobertsonWilliam Albert Robertson1910 South Africa ScotlandEdinburgh UniversityBath, p117 RobinsonC.O. Robinson1896 South Africa EnglandNorthumberlandRogersRonald Joseph Rogers1904 Australia & NZ EnglandBathRoscoeB.G. Roscoe1891 South Africa EnglandLancashireSaundersStuart MacKenzie Saunders1904 Australia & NZ EnglandGuy's HospitalSharlandJ.T. Sharland1904 Australia & NZ EnglandStreathamSimpsonClement Pearson Simpson1891 South Africa EnglandCambridge UniversitySmithJohn Smith1888 NZ and Australia ScotlandEdinburgh UniversityBath, p117 SmithStanley Herbert Smith1910 Argentina EnglandCumberlandSmithThomas William Smith1908 NZ and Australia EnglandLeicesterSmytheAF Hamilton Smythe1927 Argentina EnglandSpeakmanHarry Speakman1888 NZ and Australia EnglandSpoorsJack Spoors1910 South Africa EnglandBristolStranachWhalley Stranach1910 Argentina EnglandGuy's Hospital, KentStrangPeter Denny Strang1910 Argentina EnglandOld Merchant TaylorsSurteesAubone Surtees1891 South Africa EnglandHarlequinsThomasLen Thomas1908 NZ and Australia WalesPenarthThompsonCharles Thompson 1899 Australia EnglandManchesterThomsonRobert Thompson1891 South Africa IrelandThormanWilliam Henry Thorman1891 South Africa EnglandSt Thomas' HospitalTimmsCharles Gordon Timms1910 South Africa ScotlandEdinburgh UniversityBath, p117 TrailDavid Trail1902 Australia and NZ EnglandGuy's HospitalTroupDonald Troup1927 Argentina ScotlandOxford UniversityTweedMartin Tweed1910 Argentina EnglandGuy's HospitalUrenHarold Uren1936 Argentina EnglandWaterlooWaddellR.B. Waddell1910 Argentina ScotlandGlasgow AcademicalsWakefieldRoger Cuthbert Wakefield1927 Argentina EnglandCambridge University, HarlequinsWalkerEdward Forbes Walker1903 South Africa EnglandLennoxWallaceWilliam "Bill" Wallace1924 South Africa EnglandPercy ParkWardH.E. Ward1910 ArgentinaUnknownHarlequins, MiddlesexWhittakerThomas Sherren Whittaker1891 South Africa EnglandManchesterWilliamsGerald Lloyd Williams1908 NZ and Australia EnglandLiverpoolWilliamsIvor Williams1938 South Africa WalesCardiffWilliamsSam Williams1888 NZ and Australia EnglandWoodKenneth Berridge Wood1910 South Africa EnglandLeicester Tigers2WhiteheadHenry Whitehead1910 Argentina EnglandManchester AC, Lancashire
Sources Bath, Richard (ed.) The Scotland Rugby Miscellany (Vision Sports Publishing Ltd, 2007 ) Godwin, Terry Complete Who's Who of International Rugby (Cassell, 1987, ) espnscrum.com
References