( CNN ) -- Forget World Cups . For many rugby union players the ultimate accomplishment is being selected to appear for the famed British Lions on their overseas tours . Giant Munster lock Paul O'Connell is leading the 2009 Lions in South Africa . The Lions are comprised of the best players from the four home unions of England , Scotland , Wales and Ireland and competition for places in the squad is fierce as club and country loyalties are put aside . In the modern professional era , Lions tours take place every four years , visiting the southern-hemisphere Tri-Nations powers of New Zealand , South Africa and Australia in rotation . A typical tour will see a series of matches against provincial or regional sides , interspersed with international or Test matches . Midweek fixtures are normally against weaker teams , with the Lions giving all their squad members a chance to play , with stronger opposition for the weekend matches which would include the Tests . The 2009 Lions are touring world champions South Africa , looking to improve on the dismal performance of the 2005 side , which visited New Zealand . Under England 's 2003 World Cup winning coach Clive Woodward , the 2005 squad were expected to prosper , but slipped to defeat in all three Test matches against the All Blacks . The team was captained by Brian O'Driscoll , but his tour ended after just two minutes of the first Test when he was controversially 'spear ' tackled by Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu and dislocated his shoulder . O'Driscoll , who led Ireland to the Six Nations Grand Slam this year , was expected to captain the Lions to South Africa , but coach Ian McGeechan gave the job to Munster lock Paul O'Connell . McGeechan has already gone into Lions history , playing on the 1974 and 1977 tours , and coaching winning teams to Australia and South Africa in 1989 and 1997 . He also took them to New Zealand in 1993 where the Test series was lost 2-1 . The Lions enjoyed their most successful period in the early 1970s with the 1971 team -- inspired by the Welsh half-back pairing of Gareth Edwards and Barry John -- triumphing against the All Blacks in New Zealand . The 1974 Lions were arguably the best-known and most successful of all time , winning three Tests and drawing one in South Africa and going through the tour unbeaten . Under Irish captain Willie John McBride , their uncompromising forward play set up the victories , with their now infamous catch phrase `` get your retaliation in first '' leading to brutal early exchanges in most games . The modern era is a far cry from the first Lions tour back in 1888 which visited Australia and New Zealand with just 21 players from England , Scotland and Wales . They played provincial and local sides without formal Test matches . But it had established a precedent , and the 1891 side was sanctioned by the sport 's ruling body the Rugby Football Union ( RFU ) and played three Tests against South Africa . The 1924 tour to South Africa was the first trip when the term `` the Lions '' became common currency and it has grown from strength to strength since , despite the growing influence of international rugby competitions such as the Tri and Six Nations and the World Cup .
British and Irish Lions are selected from England , Scotland , Wales and Ireland . Tours now take place every four years to Australia , South Africa and New Zealand . Selection for the British Lions is highly-coveted by leading rugby players .