1971 British Lions tour to New Zealand | |
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Date | 12 May – 14 August |
Coach(es) | Carwyn James |
Tour captain(s) | John Dawes |
Test series winners | British Lions (2-1) |
Top test point scorer(s) | Barry John (30) |
1971 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia | |||||
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Total |
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New Zealand |
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In 1971 the British Lions toured New Zealand, also playing two matches in Australia. Despite losing the first match to Queensland the tour was a great success, the Lions winning the Test series against the All Blacks. They are still the only Lions side to have won a Test series in New Zealand. The side was captained by John Dawes, coached by Carwyn James and managed by Doug Smith.
Although the Lions had done poorly when touring New Zealand in 1966 (they lost all four Tests to the All Blacks), the seeds had been sown for the successful series of 1971.[ citation needed ] Wales had won the Grand Slam in the Five Nations Championship in 1971, and appropriately supplied more players than any other home nation to the touring squad. Both the coach and captain were also Welsh. This was the only tour to result in a Lions victory over the All Blacks.
New Zealand, after a long period of success, had lost their most recent series in 1970 away to South Africa.
A major factor in their victory was self belief. Gerald Davies explained, "...somewhere along the line it becomes a mental thing...We grew in confidence; we came to believe it was possible to beat the All Blacks." [1] The coaching team had also done important reconnaissance work. [2]
Colin Meads said Mervyn Davies was "the one player who probably had the biggest impact on that 1971 Lions Test series," particularly as he prevented New Zealand winning line out ball via Brian Lochore. [3] [4]
The Lions won the first Test in Dunedin 9–3, with a penalty goal to the All Blacks, and two penalties and a try, (scored by Ian McLauchlan) to the Lions. Several Lions players later admitted they were overconfident following their initial Test victory. The Lions were thus convincingly beaten 22–12 in the second Test in Christchurch, with the All Blacks outscoring them five tries (Bob Burgess (2), Sid Going, Ian Kirkpatrick, pen try) to two (Davies (2)). The third Test was played at Athletic Park, Wellington. The Lions did not make the same mistake they had in Christchurch, resulting in a 13–3 win, the Lions scored two converted tries and a drop goal. The All Blacks managed only a try.
Following the third Test the Lions led the series 2–1. The final game played in Auckland would require an All Black victory for New Zealand to draw the series. A draw or Lions victory would give the Lions a series win. Scores were level 8–8 at half time with a try, conversion and penalty each. The first 15 minutes of the second half saw the Lions land a penalty goal and the All Blacks score a try. With the scores tied 11–11, Lions fullback JPR Williams received the ball 45 metres out and attempted a drop goal, it was successful and put the Lions ahead 14–11. Williams's drop goal was the only one he landed in his Test career. The All Blacks could only manage three further points from a penalty to draw the game 14-14, which gave the Lions the series.
Match | Date | Opponent | Location | Result | Score |
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Match 1 | 12 May | Queensland | Lang Park, Brisbane | Lost | 11–15 |
Match 2 | 15 May | New South Wales | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | Won | 14–12 |
Match 3 | 22 May | Counties / Thames Valley | Pukekohe Stadium, Pukekohe | Won | 25–3 |
Match 4 | 26 May | Wanganui / King Country | Spriggens Park, Wanganui | Won | 22–9 |
Match 5 | 29 May | Waikato | Rugby Park, Hamilton | Won | 35–14 |
Match 6 | 2 June | New Zealand Māori | Eden Park, Auckland | Won | 23–12 |
Match 7 | 5 June | Wellington | Athletic Park, Wellington | Won | 47–9 |
Match 8 | 9 June | South Canterbury / Mid Canterbury / North Otago | Fraser Park, Timaru | Won | 25–6 |
Match 9 | 12 June | Otago | Carisbrook, Dunedin | Won | 21–9 |
Match 10 | 16 June | West Coast-Buller | Rugby Park, Greymouth | Won | 39–6 |
Match 11 | 19 June | Canterbury | Lancaster Park, Christchurch | Won | 14– 3 |
Match 12 | 22 June | Marlborough / Nelson Bays | Lansdowne Park, Blenheim | Won | 31–12 |
First Test | 26 June | New Zealand | Carisbrook, Dunedin | Won | 9–3 |
Match 14 | 30 June | Southland | Rugby Park, Invercargill | Won | 25–3 |
Match 15 | 3 July | Taranaki | Rugby Park, New Plymouth | Won | 14–9 |
Match 16 | 6 July | New Zealand Universities | Athletic Park, Wellington | Won | 27–6 |
Second Test | 10 July | New Zealand | Lancaster Park, Christchurch | Lost | 12–22 |
Match 18 | 14 July | Wairarapa Bush | Memorial Park, Masterton | Won | 27–6 |
Match 19 | 17 July | Hawke's Bay | McLean Park, Napier | Won | 25–6 |
Match 20 | 21 July | Poverty Bay / East Coast | Rugby Park, Gisborne | Won | 18–12 |
Match 21 | 24 July | Auckland | Eden Park, Auckland | Won | 19–12 |
Third Test | 31 July | New Zealand | Athletic Park, Wellington | Won | 13–3 |
Match 23 | 4 August | Manawatu / Horowhenua | Showgrounds, Palmerston North | Won | 39–6 |
Match 24 | 7 August | North Auckland | Okara Park,Whangarei | Won | 11–5 |
Match 25 | 10 August | Bay of Plenty | Tauranga Domain, Tauranga | Won | 20–14 |
Fourth Test | 14 August | New Zealand | Eden Park, Auckland | Draw | 14–14 |
The Canterbury game was particularly violent. [5]
26 June 1971 |
New Zealand | 3–9 | British Lions |
Pen: McCormick | Report | Try: McLauchlan Pen: John (2/6) |
Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 45,000 Referee: John Pring (New Zealand) |
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10 July 1971 |
New Zealand | 22–12 | British Lions |
Try: Burgess (2) Going Kirkpatrick Penalty try Con: Mains (2) Pen: Mains | Report | Try: Davies (2) Pen: John Drop: John |
Lancaster Park, Christchurch Attendance: 57,500 Referee: John Pring (New Zealand) |
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31 July 1971 |
New Zealand | 3–13 | British Lions |
Try: Mains | Try: Davies John Con: John (2) Drop: John |
Athletic Park, Wellington Referee: John Pring (New Zealand) |
NEW ZEALAND: Laurie Mains, Bruce Hunter, Howard Joseph, Wayne Cottrell, Ken Carrington, Bob Burgess (rep Mick Duncan), Sid Going, Brian Muller, Tane Norton, Richie Guy, Colin Meads (c), Brian Lochore, Alan McNaughton Ian Kirkpatrick, Alex Wyllie
LIONS: Williams, Gerald Davies, Dawes (c), Gibson, Duckham, John, Edwards, Lynch, Pullin, McLauchlan, McBride, Brown, Quinnell, Slattery, Mervyn Davies.
In the pack, the Lions selected Gordon Brown over Delme Thomas. [6]
14 August 1971 |
New Zealand | 14–14 | British Lions |
Try: Cottrell Lister Con: Mains Pen Mains (2) | Try: Dixon Con: John Drop: Williams Pen: John (2) |
Eden Park, Auckland Referee: John Pring (New Zealand) |
NEW ZEALAND: Laurie Mains, Ken Carrington, Mick Duncan, Phil Gard, Bryan Williams, Wayne Cottrell, Sid Going, Brian Muller, Tane Norton, Richie Guy, Colin Meads (c), Peter Whiting, Ian Kirkpatrick, Tom Lister, Alex Wyllie
LIONS: Williams, Gerald Davies, Dawes (c), Gibson, Duckham, John, Edwards, Lynch, Pullin, McLauchlan, McBride, Brown, Taylor, Dixon, Mervyn Davies.Thomas replaced injured Brown 60mins
The 1971 Lions are often compared to the unbeaten 1974 British Lions tour to South Africa. Many of the players who played on the 1971 Lions tour believe the 1974 Lions team would have beaten the 1971 Lions team, due to having better forwards and because many of the 1971 players had become better players by 1974. [7] J.P.R. Williams has said that whilst the 1971 Lions back division could not be bettered, the 1974 squad was better at winning games. [8]
However South Africa had not played a test match for two years before playing the Lions, whereas the New Zealand team had been active. [9] In addition the 1971 Lions overcame the mental hurdle of the Lions having lost every previous series in New Zealand before.
For years so much of our play had revolved around throwing to Brian Lochore at the back of the line-out, but Mervyn dominated that area of the game for the entire series and stopped us playing.
aDuckham had been playing for England at centre, but was selected on the wing.
bDerek Quinnell had not been capped at the time of the 1971 tour, but later played for Wales.
cPeter Dixon had not played for England at the time of his selection for the 1971 tour but then won his first cap against the President's Overseas XV on 17 April 1971 three weeks prior to the squad's departure for Australia.
Thomas, J. B. G. (1971). The Roaring Lions. London: Pelham Books. ISBN 0720705452.
Barry John was a Welsh rugby union fly-half who played, during the amateur era of the sport, in the 1960s and early 1970s. John began his rugby career as a schoolboy playing for his local team Cefneithin RFC before switching to the first-class west Wales team Llanelli RFC in 1964. Whilst at Llanelli, John was selected for the Wales national team—as a replacement for David Watkins—to face a touring Australian team.
David John Duckham MBE was an English rugby union player. He played 36 games for England, in three tests on the 1971 British Lions tour to New Zealand and for Barbarians F.C. in their 1973 defeat of New Zealand.
Sir Gareth Owen Edwards CBE is a Welsh former rugby union player who played scrum-half and has been described by the BBC as "arguably the greatest player ever to don a Welsh jersey".
John Taylor is a Welsh former rugby union player and current commentator. Nicknamed "Basil Brush" thanks to his wild hair and beard, he played as a flanker for London Welsh, and represented Wales 26 times between 1967 and 1973.
John Peter Rhys Williams was a Welsh rugby union player who represented Wales in international rugby during their Golden Era in the 1970s. He became known universally as J. P. R. Williams four years after his Welsh debut, in 1973 when J. J. Williams joined the Welsh team.
Cameron Michael Henderson GibsonMBE is a former rugby union international player who represented Ireland and the British & Irish Lions.
London Welsh Rugby Football Club was a rugby union club formed in 1885. Based in Old Deer Park, Richmond-upon-Thames, London Welsh RFC played in the English Premiership in the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seasons, after gaining promotion from the RFU Championship in the 2012 and 2014 play-off final. The club returned to Old Deer Park in 2015 after three seasons at the Kassam Stadium, Oxford.
Thomas Mervyn Davies, often known as "Merv the Swerve", was a Welsh rugby union player who won 38 caps for Wales as a No. 8.
Sydney John Dawes was a Welsh rugby union player, playing at centre, and later coach. He captained London Welsh, Wales, the 1971 British Lions and the Barbarians. He is credited with being a major influence in these teams' success, and in the attractive, attacking, free-flowing rugby they played. Dawes also had considerable success as a coach with Wales, and coached the 1977 British Lions. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1972 New Year Honours List for services as Lions captain.
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These are the 1975 Five Nations Championship squads:
These are the 1972 Five Nations Championship squads:
These are the 1971 Five Nations Championship squads: