For 125 years the British & Irish Lions have stood out as a peerless emblem in world sport. This unique account of the best from the four Home Nations examines every tour in the Lions’ history, including the victorious 2013 tour to Hong Kong and Australia, told in the players’ words.

Behind the Lions sees rugby writers from across the Home Nations delve to the heart of what it means to be a Lion, interviewing a vast array of former and current players to uncover the passion, pride and exhilaration experienced when wearing the famous red jersey. It is a tale of heartbreak and ecstasy, humour and poignancy that is at once inspirational, moving and utterly compelling. This is the story of the British & Irish Lions in their own words.

Stephen Jones is a multi award-winning Sunday Times rugby correspondent and world-renowned rugby expert. Nick Cain is a rugby columnist for The Sunday Times and chief writer for The Rugby Paper. He edited Rugby World magazine for nine years. Tom English is an award-winning BBC Sport writer and broadcaster. He won Rugby Book of the Year at the 2011 British Sports Book Awards for The Grudge, before claiming the prize again in 2016 for No Borders: Playing Rugby for Ireland. David Barnes is a freelance journalist who specialises in rugby. He has covered club, pro-team and international rugby in various publications. Peter Burns is the editor for Arena Sport and author of Behind the Thistle: Playing Rugby for Scotland, Behind the Ryder Cup: The Players’ Stories and co-author of the bestselling When Lions Roared. John Griffiths is Britain’s foremost rugby historian and has worked as consultant on numerous books on the subject as well as authoring many himself. Ross Harries is regularly seen presenting the BBC’s international rugby coverage, and is the author of Behind the Dragon: Playing Rugby For Wales.