Sir, Mr Gerald N. Collins's letter (June 21st) does not stand up when exposed to the facts of the case. His description of the four Irish Lions as "a few token Irishmen, of no consequence from a rugby or public relations point of view, and so small a representation as to be irrelevant" is, to say the least, shallow and completely divorced from reality.
World rugby may never have heard of Keith Wood, Paul Wallace, or Jeremy Davidson (Eric Miller did not play in the first test match due to illness). But their names are now indelibly etched into world rugby history books after that famous victory last Saturday against the world champions, the Springboks, at Newlands. Though faced by, among others, the awesome giant Os Du Randt and the fearsome, self professed greatest lock on the planet, Mark Andrews, the three stout hearted Irishmen were not overawed. Rather did they ruck, maul and scrummage with such controlled ferocity, fortitude and tactical skill as to neutralise their immediate Springbok opponents.
As for the name "the British and Irish Lions", surely the IRFU has no control over terms the British media or their rugby correspondents use for the team, however inaccurate. Yours, etc.,
North Circular Road,
Limerick.