We welcome to the den a Lion who is regarded as one of Scotland’s best ever players, who won 20 caps as Captain and 61 caps in total.

Gavin Hastings OBE was part of the 1989 and 1993 (as Captain) Lions Tours to Australia and New Zealand respectively.

Gavin was the records points scorer for Scotland with 667 points until 2008, and record points scorer in the Rugby World Cup until 2011

Awarded an OBE in 1993 for services to Rugby Union, he was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2003 and the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2013.

England rugby international Brian Moore won 64 caps between 1987 and 1995. Brian played for Nottingham, Harlequins and Richmond throughout his club career.

He toured twice with the Lions, in 1989 to Australia and in 1993 to New Zealand. Brian was also World Rugby Player of the Year in 1991.

Brian is a leading rugby commentator, notably for BBC Sport and talkSPORT and was part of the 2011 Rugby World Cup broadcast team. He is also a journalist and author.

We welcome to the Den Welsh Lion John Taylor. John won 26 caps between 1967 and 1973. Playing all his club games for London Welsh, he is now their President.

John toured twice with the Lions, in 1968 to South Africa and in 1971 as part of the Tour to New Zealand. John opted out of the 1974 Tour to South Africa, announcing his stand against apartheid. Misgivings that began on the 1968 Tour had turned into convictions.

John is a leading sports and rugby commentator, notably for ITV Sport and as part of the 2012 London Olympics broadcast team. He is also a journalist and filmmaker.

We were delighted when former England rugby international, county cricketer, BBC broadcaster and award-winning author Alastair Hignell agreed to chair our event.Add to this Alastair’s personal and professional achievements and commitments away from the sportsground, and it is clear to see why in 2008 he became a BBC Sports Personality Award Winner and in 2009 received a CBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

A little bit more about Alastair

– 14 caps as an England Rugby International, between 1975 and 1979

– Between 1974 and 1983, Gloucestershire County Cricketer

– Alastair worked in broadcasting between 1985 and 2008, commentating on World Cup rugby and cricket, Test Match Specials, Lions tours and over 100 internationals for both the BBC and ITV

– In 2008, Alastair took medical retirement, having being diagnosed in 1999 with MS; he first announced he has MS in 2000, when he became involved with MS charities

– In 2008 he won a BBC TV Sports Personality Award: the Helen Rollason Award for courage in the face of diversity

– The following year, Alastair received a CBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace for services to sport and charity

– And in 2012, Alastair’s autobiography Higgy… Matches, Microphones and MS became Rugby Book of the Year

Alastair is Patron of MS-UK and works with and raises funds for many organisations close to his heart.

David Tanner is one of the UK’s most recognisable sports broadcasters – as a TV and talkSPORT radio presenter. He has led live coverage of UEFA Champions League football, Scotland international fixtures and Scottish domestic league and cup matches for nearly 20 years at Sky Sports, interviewing and rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in sport in the process.

With his extensive reputation as an event host, David brings his wealth of professionalism, experience of events and knowledge of sport to any project he undertakes – and we are delighted for David to be involved with our event.

A little bit more about David

–      David has an extensive interview range in the world of sport, from Pele to Jose Mourinho, Johan Cruyff, Kenny Dalglish and Sir Alex Ferguson. From Jonah Lomu to Francois Pienaar.

–      He worked for Sky Sports from 1999 to 2017, with his last game being Celtic v Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final

–      David is a lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University

–      David joined the BT Sports Team in 2018, focusing on their Scottish football content– He hosts The Match football coverage at all Hibernian home games, which he joined for the 2020/21 season