The 1950s proved a golden age for Lions rugby, although only in the 1970s did style begin to match the substance of victory in New Zealand and South Africa.

In 1927 a short nine-game series took place in Argentina, with the Lions winning all nine encounters ; the tour did however become a financial success for Argentine rugby.

The Lions won all of their games that did not have test status except for the matches against Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury ; they did however lose three of their four test matches against the All Blacks, winning the first test 6 – 3 ..

The Lions performed well in the remaining All Black tests though they lost all three, the team did not lose another non-test in the New Zealand leg of the tour.

The Lions easily won both tests against Australia and lost the first three tests against the All Blacks, but did find victory ( 9 – 6 ) in the final test.

The 1962 tour to South Africa saw the Lions still win 16 of their 25 games, but did not fare well against the Springboks, losing three of the four tests.

The Lions did however lose the first three tests to South Africa, winning the last one, though the series had already been won by the Springboks.

Although the white jerseys of the Minnesota Vikings at the time also had a similar striping pattern and continued as such ( as well as the throwbacks the New England Patriots wore in the Thanksgiving game against the Detroit Lions in 2002, though the Patriots later wore the same throwbacks in 2009 with truncated stripes and in 2010 became their official alternate uniform ), the Colts and most college teams with this striping pattern did not make this adjustment.

The Super Bowl did return to Michigan for Super Bowl XL but that game was played at Ford Field in Detroit, which by 2006 had replaced the Pontiac Silverdome as the home site for the Detroit Lions.

Many sports writers predicted that the NFC Championship Game would be much closer than the Redskins ' win over the Lions in the season opening game because Detroit's future hall of fame running back Barry Sanders did not play in it due to injury.

He was inactive until Week 12 against the Detroit Lions, but did not play in that game.

The Royals did enjoy brief run of form in late June in which they won three straight games, including an exciting 3-2 victory at home over Greenville Lions, and they followed that up with a comprehensive 3-0 win over the Chesapeake Dragons in early July, but this as good as it got for the team in 2003.

The first National Football League team in New York City, the New York Brickley Giants used the stadium in 1921, as did the NFL's Brooklyn Lions in 1926.

Despite his international retirement, Dallaglio was called up for his third Lions tour in 2005 but he fractured his ankle during the first tour match, against Bay of Plenty on 4 June, and did not play again during the tour.

It was generally thought that the Lions Club and others would have liked to have returned the football game to Montgomery, but it did not do so because of deteriorating condition of the Cramton Bowl stadium.

In 1997, they did not qualify, the 4th South African team being the Orange Free State ( now the Free State Cheetahs at Currie Cup level ; the region would later be represented in Super 12 by the Cats ( now known as the Lions ) and in Super 14 by the Central Cheetahs ).

The following season, in 1997, the Western Province did not gain promotion to the Super 12, and the Cape Town area was not represented that season, as the South Africa teams in competition were instead the Natal Sharks, Gauteng Lions, Free State and Northern Transvaal.

However, Jenkins did gain his fourth Lions cap as a late replacement in the second test.

Great Britain dominated in the early years, and Australia did not win a Test against the Lions until 11 November 1911 under captain Chris McKivat.

This marked the first time since the 2002 season that Harrington did not appear in a Lions ' game, breaking a string of 37 consecutive appearances.

He was a member of the 1930 British Lions tour of Australasia but did not represent the Lions in any of the test matches.

In 2001 Gibbs was called up as a replacement to the 2001 British Lions tour to Australia, though he did not play in any of the Tests.

From 1984 Norman & the Young Lions, which comprised his brother, Charly Norman, Ken " Kenny Bam Boom " DeRouchie, Jon Linn, and Bill Romansky, commenced the Third World Tour, which continued until his return to the USA in 1985.

At the beginning of 1985 Norman announced that he and his second wife, Sarah Finch, who was now pregnant with their son, Michael, would return to the US to live, and that he and the Young Lions would undertake a 200 city tour of all fifty of the United States during 1985 and 1986.

Montana would not return until the final game of the 1992 season, a Monday Night home game against the Detroit Lions.

A long battle with chronic fatigue syndrome threatened his career ; however, after many years in absence Lynch's return to form at a relatively late age in his career was hailed by the football community, and he became part of Brisbane Lions ' celebrated premiership winning formula.

Monro came under some criticism for opposing the visit of a South African Barbarians rugby team to the UK and a return visit by the British Lions rugby team the next year.

Dooley also went on the 1993 British Lions tour to New Zealand, but left the tour to return home for the funeral of his father.

Pike was disappointed with his performance in that match, and was reportedly involved in an altercation with a club official in the early hours of the morning on return to Brisbane, the only display of the behaviour which caused him problems before signing with the Lions.

A return to the 2005 Six Nations was expected and Dawson rejoined the Elite Player Squad for the tournament, playing well enough to earn a place on the 2005 British Lions tour to New Zealand, managed by Sir Clive Woodward.

Damon Allen failed to ignite the Argos offence early in the second quarter, despite two quick chances thanks to a punt return fumble by Aaron Lockett of the Lions.

He retired from international rugby union shortly after his return from Lions duty.

The first of which was a 50-yard return in week 10 to help the Packers to a 20 – 10 victory over the Detroit Lions.

He also racked up 786 career punt return yards for the Nittany Lions, ranking him second in school history.

Hakim joined the Detroit Lions as a free agent in 2002 and proceeded to have a rebound season in terms of receiving yards and in the punt return game.

He signed a one-year deal to return to the Lions in 2006, despite new head coach Rod Marinelli in charge.

* Ken Jenkins-NFL running back from 1983 to 1986 with Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins ; finished third in league in combined return yards in 1985

In his return he found his old form and enjoyed a successful spell, even helping the Lions to the season's UEFA Cup final.

On October 7, Rogers recorded his first career interception return for a touchdown, when he intercepted a pass from Jon Kitna and returned it a career-best 61 yards in the 34-3 win over the Detroit Lions.

Simmons return to FWA with new tag team partner, Eamon O ' Neill, as The United Lions.

Against the Detroit Lions in the 1994 playoffs, he recorded the longest interception return for a touchdown in playoffs history ( 101 yards ).

Justin Matthew Miller ( born February 14, 1984 ) is an American football cornerback and return specialist for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League ( NFL ).

The anthem did not return for the 2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa.

Prior to his scheduled return to the starting lineup against the BC Lions in Week 7, Avery suffered a leg injury in practice which delayed his comeback for another two weeks.