HE LED the ferocious Lions who tore apart packs of Springboks and Kiwis in South Africa and New Zealand.

In the 1970s, South Africa's Springbok rugby team had a fearsome reputation as the world's most physically intimidating team.

For years they had left their opponents bruised and broken as they swept all before them on the killing fields of Bloemfontein - that is, until the British Lions tour in 1974.

According to pop star Billy Ocean "when the going gets tough, the tough get going". Never has this saying been more appropriate than in the case of the Lions' inspirational captain, the Irish colossus Willie John McBride.

In the most controversial and physical test series ever played, he led the Lions team, which came to be known as the Invincibles, to victory, winning three games with one match drawn.

The Lions management and Willie John knew that the Springboks dominated their opponents with physical aggression at a time when there were no cameras or officials to keep the punching, biting and head butting to a minimum.

They refused to be intimidated and decided to get their retaliation in first with the infamous "99 call", which was a signal to all the players to attack their nearest rivals.

Willie John, 66, who was in Bournemouth to give a talk at a dinner hosted by Wessex Cancer Trust at the Marriott Hotel, said: "The Lions' tours were tough and we were often away from home for three to four months.

"The hardest was certainly the 1974 tour. We really had to dig deep in some of those games. But we always enjoyed the tours and we made a lot of friends."

Willie John, who played in a record 17 tests for the Lions, added that he was delighted to be able to support the charity in Bournemouth.

"There's not a family anywhere that hasn't been touched by this dreadful disease," he said.

"Cancer is a dreadful scourge on humanity and if there is anything I can do I am only delighted to be able to help.

"It's also lovely to be back in Bournemouth. I've been here before and it's a lovely town."

The rugby legend, who is a keen supporter of Wooden Spoon, a charity for disadvantaged children and young people, is no stranger to public speaking.

In 2001 he was invited to speak to the Lions squad in their first tour of Australia as professional players.

"I was amazed to find so many things still apply today as they did when I was playing," he revealed.

"You can do all the preparations you want, but if you're head isn't right you'll never win the game. Thankfully they went on and won that night."

Willie John was joined at the event by another rugby legend, British Lion David Duckham, who won 36 caps for England between 1969 and 1976, scoring 10 tries.

His game was marked by pace, swerves, sidesteps and an ability to wrong-foot his opponents, but it was on the Lions tour to New Zealand in 1971 that, thanks to the encouragement of coach Carwyn James, he found an attacking freedom that was lacking in the English game.

The Englishman, known as "Dai" by Welsh fans because he played like one of their own, went on to score 11 tries in 16 games, helping the Lions overcome the mighty All Blacks for the first time 2-1 in the test series, with one game drawn.

"We knew we had a very good side, but the Lions had never beaten New Zealand in a test series," he said.

"But we stuck together and in many cases made lifelong friends."