1908 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia

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1908 British Lions tour
to New Zealand and Australia
1908 Anglo-Welsh rugby team - cropped.jpg
The Anglo-Welsh touring party after arriving in Wellington in 1908. Manager George Harnett is seated in the centre, with captain Arthur Harding holding a rugby ball to Harnett's right
Date23 May – 2 September
Coach(es)George Harnett
Tour captain(s) Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Arthur 'Boxer' Harding
Test series winnersFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand (2–0)
Top test point scorer(s) Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Reggie Gibbs (3)
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Jack Jones (3)
1908 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia
Summary
PWDL
Total
26 190106
Test match
03000102
Opponent
PWDL
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
3 0 1 2

The 1908 British Isles tour to New Zealand and Australia was the seventh tour by a British Isles team and the fourth to New Zealand and Australia. The tour is often referred to as the Anglo-Welsh Tour as only English and Welsh players were selected due to the Irish and Scottish Rugby Unions not participating. It is retrospectively classed as one of the British Lions tours, as the Lions naming convention was not adopted until 1950.

Contents

Led by Arthur 'Boxer' Harding and managed by George Harnett [1] the tour took in 26 matches, 9 in Australia and 17 in New Zealand. Of the 26 games, 23 were against club or invitational teams and three were test matches against the All Blacks. The Lions lost two and drew one match against the All Blacks.

The tour was not received well in Wales, as the Welsh players selected were chosen exclusively from those players from a well-educated and professional-class background. The selection was in fact addressed by the Welsh Rugby Union who stated that when a British Isles team was mooted for a South Africa tour in 1910, that the players should be chosen '...irrespective of the social position of the players.' [2]

Regarding the Lions uniform, 1908 brought a change of format and a change of colours. With the Scottish and Irish unions declining to be involved, red jerseys with a thick white band reflected the combination of England and Wales. Shorts were dark blue with red socks. [3]

Touring party

Results

Complete list of matches played by the British Isles in New Zealand and Australia: [4] [5]

  Test matches

The first test v New Zealand on 6 June 1908 Anglo-Welsh versus New Zealand in Dunedin - cropped.jpg
The first test v New Zealand on 6 June
Cartoon by William Blomfield, published by the New Zealand Observer following the tour's first test match. It depicts the touring Anglo-Welsh as a "dilapidated lion" following their 32-5 defeat to New Zealand After the ball was over.jpg
Cartoon by William Blomfield, published by the New Zealand Observer following the tour's first test match. It depicts the touring Anglo-Welsh as a "dilapidated lion" following their 32–5 defeat to New Zealand
#DateRivalCityCountryResultScore
123 May Wairarapa Masterton New Zealand Won17–3
227 May Wellington Wellington New ZealandLost13–19
330 May Otago Dunedin New ZealandLost6–9
43 June Southland Invercargill New ZealandWon14–8
5 6 JuneFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand Dunedin New ZealandLost5–32
610 June South Canterbury Timaru New ZealandWon12–6
713 June Canterbury Christchurch New ZealandLost8–13
817 June West Coast/Buller Greymouth New ZealandWon22–3
920 June Nelson Bays/Marlborough Nelson New ZealandWon12–0
10 27 JuneFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand Wellington New ZealandDrew3–3
111 July Hawke's Bay Napier New ZealandWon25–3
124 July Poverty Bay Gisborne New ZealandWon26–0
138 July Manawatu/Horowhenua Palmerston North New ZealandWon12–3
1411 July Wanganui Wanganui New ZealandWon9–6
1515 July Taranaki New Plymouth New ZealandLost0–5
1618 July Auckland Auckland New ZealandLost0–11
17 25 JulyFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand Auckland New ZealandLost0–29
185 August NSW Waratahs Sydney Australia Won3–0
198 August NSW Waratahs Sydney AustraliaWon8–0
2012 AugustWestern Districts Orange AustraliaLost10–15
2115 AugustMetropolitan Sydney AustraliaWon16–13
2219 AugustNewcastle Newcastle AustraliaWon42–0
2322 August NSW Waratahs Sydney AustraliaLost3–6
2426 August Queensland Reds Brisbane AustraliaWon20–3
2529 August Queensland Reds Brisbane AustraliaWon11–8
262 SeptemberBrisbane Brisbane AustraliaWon26–3
Balance
Played inPlWDLPsPc
New Zealand17917184153
Australia970213948
Total261619323201

Test details

First Test

6 June
New Zealand  Flag of New Zealand.svg32–5 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Isles
Try: Cameron, Hunter,
Mitchinson (2), Roberts (2), Thompson
Con: Francis, Gillett (2), Roberts
Pen: Roberts
Report Try: Gibbs
Con: Jackson
Carisbrook, Dunedin
Attendance: 23,000
Referee: J Duncan (Otago, New Zealand)

Second Test

27 June
New Zealand  Flag of New Zealand.svg3–3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Isles
Pen: Francis Report Try: Jones
Athletic Park, Wellington
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: A. Campbell (Auckland, New Zealand)

Third Test

25 July
New Zealand  Flag of New Zealand.svg29–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Isles
Try: Deans, Francis, Gillett
Glasgow, Hayward, Hunter
Mitchinson
Con: Colman
Report
Potters Park, Auckland
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: A. Campbell (Auckland, New Zealand)

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References

  1. Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVI, Issue LVI, 1 December 1908, Page 4 Papers Past website
  2. Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881–1981, David Smith, Gareth Williams; University of Wales Press (1980), p. 175 ISBN   0-7083-0766-3
  3. Lions change their stripes on Lions website, 17 April 2005
  4. British & Irish Lions results on Rugby Football History
  5. Early Lions: Squads and results (1888–1938) on BBC Sport, 18 May 2005