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Twelve years ago The Beast turned Lions into pussycats.
The first Test of the 2009 series offered up a one-man destruction of British & Irish dreams – loose-head prop Tendai Mtawarira the nightmare figure.
Poor old Phil Vickery, on the Lions’ tight-head, was eaten for dinner in Durban, once even being practically catapulted out of the scrum before he was substituted 44 minutes in.
Twelve years ago The Beast (middle) turned the British & Irish Lions into pussycats
Described by commentator Stuart Barnes at the time as a ‘full scale sporting disaster zone’ for the Lions, it was Mtawarira living up to his nickname in brutal style.
‘We just went into beast mode!’ reflects Beast now with a huge laugh.
‘Crazy man. It was amazing. I can’t even explain it – everything just worked out on the day.
‘Facing someone like Phil Vickery, he’s a legend and always will be. To have been English captain, played at so many World Cups, he was such a big challenge for me and I was just happy I got my way against him. I still respect him.’
The first Test of the 2009 series offered up a one-man destruction of British & Irish dreams – loose-head prop Tendai Mtawarira (right) the nightmare figure
