Ian McGeechan was on Wednesday named as head coach of the British and Irish Lions for their 2009 tour of South Africa.

McGeechan, currently director of rugby at Wasps, coached the Lions to series victories over Australia in 1989 and then-world champions South Africa in 1997 and came desperately close to beating New Zealand in 1993.

The former Scotland and Northampton coach was also an assistant to Clive Woodward on the 2005 New Zealand tour and had been widely expected to take on the role for the three-Test, 10-match tour from May 30-July 4 against the world champion Springboks.

As a player the former Scotland centre featured in all four Tests of the 1974 series victory over South Africa and all four against New Zealand three years later.

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