Lions great McGeechan diagnosed with prostate cancer

Former Scotland and British and Irish Lions caput manager Sir Ian McGeechan says helium has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

McGeechan won 32 caps for Scotland, captaining them 9 times, and toured with the Lions successful 1974, winning the bid successful South Africa, and successful 1977.

He coached Scotland to the Five Nations Grand Slam successful 1990 and led the Lions to bid victories arsenic manager successful 1989 and 1997.

The 78-year-old is presently advisor manager of rugby astatine Championship nine Doncaster Knights.

McGeechan told the Telegraph, external helium had conscionable completed a six-week people of radiotherapy.

"I don't privation to marque a large happening of it, but it is important to get the connection retired astir urging radical to spell and get tested," helium said.

"I said that to our players here, to marque definite they get themselves tested.

"I person an accidental present astatine Doncaster and I person a bully family, and I conscionable don't deliberation immoderate differently. I americium trying to bash each the close things for my wellness and fitness."

McGeechan triumphed connected his archetypal circuit arsenic Lions caput coach, overseeing the side's 2-1 bid triumph successful Australia successful 1989.

He was astatine the helm for the 2-1 bid decision successful New Zealand 4 years later, earlier masterminding an against-the-odds bid triumph implicit satellite champions South Africa successful 1997.

That circuit was aboriginal immortalised successful the 'Living with Lions' movie which included footage of stirring pre-match speeches to his players.

Appointed Scotland manager successful 1988, McGeechan led his broadside to their astir Grand Slam 2 years later, courtesy of an iconic 13-7 triumph implicit England.

As a manager astatine nine level, helium won the European Cup with Wasps successful 2007 and the English Premiership successful 2008.

He besides returned for a 4th Lions circuit arsenic caput manager successful 2009, a 2-1 decision successful South Africa, and worked arsenic an adjunct connected the 2005 circuit to New Zealand.