1950 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia

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1950 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia
Date10 May  – 18 September
Coach(es)Leslie B. Osborne
Tour captain(s) IRFU flag.svg Karl Mullen
Test series winners(v New Zealand) New Zealand (3–0)
(v Australia) British and Irish Lions (2–0)
Top test point scorer(s) Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg Lewis Jones (26)
1950 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia
Summary
PWDL
Total
30 2316
Test match
6213
Opponent
PWDL
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
4 0 1 3
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
2 2 0 0

The British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia in 1950 was the first post-war tour made by the Lions; there had not been one since 1938.

Contents

The 1950 team was the first to be nicknamed "the British Lions", rather than just "British Isles" and sported newly redesigned jerseys and a fresh style of play, managing to win 22 and draw one of 29 matches over the two nations. The Lions won the opening four fixtures before losing to Otago and Southland, but succeeded in holding the All Blacks to a nine-all draw. The Lions performed well in the remaining All Black tests though they lost all three, the team did not lose another non-test in the New Zealand leg of the tour. The Lions won all their games in Australia except for their final fixture against a New South Wales XV in Newcastle. They won both of the two tests against Australia, in Brisbane and in Sydney.

Because the team was travelling by ship, rather than by air as modern tours do, they also stopped off in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to play an unofficial game against the national team.

Squad

Manager: L.B. Osborne (England)

PlayerPositionNational teamClub/­provinceLions Tests this tour
Grahame Budge Prop Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland Flag of Scotland.svg Edinburgh Wanderers 2
Tom Clifford Prop IRFU flag.svg  Ireland IRFU flag.svg Young Munster 5
Cliff Davies Prop Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg Cardiff 1
John Robins Prop Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales Flag of England.svg Birkenhead Park 5
Dai Davies Prop Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales Flag of England.svg Somerset Police3
Karl Mullen (c) Hooker IRFU flag.svg  Ireland IRFU flag.svg Old Belvedere 4
Roy John Lock Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg Neath 6
Don Hayward Lock Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg Newbridge 3
Jimmy Nelson Lock IRFU flag.svg  Ireland IRFU flag.svg Malone 4
Bob Evans Flanker Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg Newport 6
Jim McCarthy Flanker IRFU flag.svg  Ireland IRFU flag.svg Dolphin 0
Bill McKay Flanker IRFU flag.svg  Ireland IRFU flag.svg Queen's University RFC 6
Vic Roberts Flanker Flag of England.svg  England Flag of England.svg Penryn 0
Peter Kininmonth No. 8 Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland Flag of England.svg Richmond 3
Rees Stephens No. 8 Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg Neath 2
Angus Black Scrum-half Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland Flag of Scotland.svg Edinburgh University 2
Gordon Rimmer Scrum-half Flag of England.svg  England Flag of England.svg Waterloo 1
Rex Willis Scrum-half Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg Cardiff 3
Jack Kyle Fly-half IRFU flag.svg  Ireland IRFU flag.svg Queen's University 6
Noel Henderson Centre IRFU flag.svg  Ireland IRFU flag.svg Queen's University 1
Jack Matthews Centre Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg Cardiff 6
Ivor Preece Centre Flag of England.svg  England Flag of England.svg Coventry 1
Bleddyn Williams Centre Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg Cardiff 5
Ken Jones Wing Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg Newport 3
Mick Lane Wing IRFU flag.svg  Ireland IRFU flag.svg University College Cork 2
Ranald Macdonald Wing Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland Flag of Scotland.svg Edinburgh University 2
George Norton Wing IRFU flag.svg  Ireland IRFU flag.svg Bective Rangers 0
Doug Smith Wing Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland Flag of England.svg London Scottish 1
Malcolm Thomas Wing Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg Newport 3
Billy Cleaver Full-back Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg Cardiff 3
Lewis Jones Full-back Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg Llanelli 3

Results

Scores and results list British Isles' points tally first.

Opposing TeamForAgainstDateVenueStatus
Nelson-Marlborough-Golden Bay-Motueka 24310 May 1950 Nelson Tour Match
Buller 24913 May 1950 Westport Tour Match
West Coast 32316 May 1950 Greymouth Tour Match
Otago 92319 May 1950DunedinTour Match
Southland 01123 May 1950 Invercargill Tour Match
New Zealand 9927 May 1950 Carisbrook, Dunedin Test Match
South Canterbury 27830 May 1950 Timaru Tour Match
Canterbury 1653 June 1950 Christchurch Tour Match
Ashburton County-North Otago 2966 June 1950 Ashburton Tour Match
New Zealand 0810 June 1950 Christchurch Test Match
Waiparapa Bush 271314 June 1950 Masterton Tour Match
Hawke's Bay 20017 June 1950 Napier Tour Match
East CoastPoverty BayBay of Plenty 27321 June 1950 Gisborne Tour Match
Wellington 12624 June 1950 Athletic Park, Wellington,Tour Match
New Zealand 361 July 1950 Athletic Park, Wellington Test Match
Wanganui 3135 July 1950 Wanganui Tour Match
Taranaki 2538 July 1950 New Plymouth Tour Match
ManawatuHorowhenua 13812 July 1950 Palmerston North Tour Match
Waikato- Thames Valley-King Country 30015 July 1950 Hamilton Tour Match
North Auckland 8619 July 1950 Whangarei Tour Match
Auckland 32922 July 1950 Auckland Tour Match
New Zealand 81129 July 1950 Eden Park, Auckland Test Match
New Zealand Māori 1492 August 1950 Athletic Park, Wellington Tour Match
Combined Country4739 August 1950Tour Match
New South Wales 22612 August 1950 Cricket Ground, SydneyTour Match
Australia 19619 August 1950 The Gabba, Brisbane Test Match
Australia 24326 August 1950 Cricket Ground, SydneyTest Match
Metropolitan Union261729 August 1950 Cricket Ground, SydneyTour Match
New South Wales 12172 September 1950 Newcastle Tour Match
Ceylon 44618 September 1950 Colombo Tour Match
10 May 1950
14:45
Combined XV (Nelson, Marlborough, Golden Bay & Motueka)3–24British Lions
Try: KingiTry: I.Preece
M.C.Thomas
Pen: M.C.Thomas (6/6)
Nelson
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Mr E Tindill
13 May 1950
15:00
Buller9–24British Lions
Pen: F.Neighbours 3Try: M.C.Thomas
K.J.Jones
R.MacDonald
J.W.McKay
J.Matthews
Con: G.W.Norton 3
Pen: G.W.Norton
Westport
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Mr E D Hill

References