British and Irish Lions legend Sir Ian McGeechan reveals he has prostate cancer as he urges others to ‘get tested’

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BRITISH and Irish Lions legend Sir Ian McGeechan has revealed he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The former centre and fly-half, 78, has reportedly had to undergo a six-week course of radiotherapy at a hospital in Leeds following a blood test.

Sir Ian McGeechan, Six Nations Live 2020 TV show.

Queen Elizabeth II knighting Sir Ian McGeechan.

Sir Ian McGeechan is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle back in 2010[/caption]

Photo of a 1973 Five Nations Calcutta Cup rugby match between England and Scotland.

McGeechan with the ball in action during the 1973 Five Nations Calcutta Cup match between England and Scotland[/caption]

Speaking to the Telegraph, McGeechan – who is currently consultant director of rugby at Championship club Doncaster Knights – urged other men to get tested following his diagnosis.

He told the outlet: “I have just completed a six-week course of radiotherapy. I feel all right, really, just a bit more tired.

“I don’t want to make a big thing of it, but it is important to get the message out about urging people to go and get tested.

“I said that to our players here, to make sure they get themselves tested.

“I have an opportunity here at Doncaster and I have a good family, and I just don’t think any differently. I am trying to do all the right things for my health and fitness.”

The rugby legend has had a storied career as a player and coach.

McGeechan enjoyed a successful career as a rugby player before his retirement, racking up an impressive 32 caps for Scotland.

He was also captain for Scotland on nine occasions and toured with the British & Irish Lions in 1974 and 1977.

And the sportsman hasn’t slowed down in the decades since he hung up his playing boots, having embarked on a new path as a coach, teacher and TV pundit.

McGeechan became coach for Scotland’s rugby team in 1988, nearly ten years after he had retired as a player and two years after he joined Scotland as the assistant to then-coach Derrick Grant.

And in 1999, he replaced Jim Telfer as Scottish Director of Rugby.

McGeechan also coached the Lions on four tours to Australia in 1989, New Zealand in 1993 and South Africa in both 1997 and 2009.

The sportsman received an OBE for his services to rugby in the 1990 Birthday Honours and was knighted 20 years later in the 2010 New Year Honours list.

At club level he was appointed as Director of Rugby at Northampton in 1994.

McGeechan was appointed Director of Rugby at London Wasps in 2005, where he stayed until his brief 2010 stint as an advisor to Gloucester Head Coach Bryan Redpath.

Following Steve Meehan’s departure from Bath in 2011, McGeechan joined the team as the director of rugby.

He was then appointed as executive chairman of Championship club Leeds Carnegie, a role he stepped down from in 2019.

During the 2024 Six Nations, McGeechan was one of ITV’s pundits for the tournament.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer affects a small, walnut shaped gland that sits underneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra – the tube carrying pee outside the body.

It usually grows bigger as you get older.

The prostate’s main job is to help make semen – the fluid that carries sperm.

Most men with early prostate cancer don’t have any signs or symptoms – that’s why it’s important to know about your risk.

Possible symptoms include:

Difficulty starting to urinate or emptying your bladder
A weak flow when you urinate
A feeling that your bladder hasn’t emptied properly
Dribbling urine after you finish urinating
Needing to urinate more often than usual, especially at night
A sudden need to urinate – you may sometimes leak urine before you get to the toilet

If you do notice changes in the way you urinate, this is more likely to be a sign of an enlarged prostate, which is very common and non-cancerous.

But it’s still a good idea to get it checked out.

In the UK, about one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Some factors may mean you’re more likely to get it.

This includes: