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1997 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland | |||||
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Test match |
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Opponent |
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The New Zealand national rugby union team toured Britain and Ireland in November and December 1997. They played nine matches, including test matches against Wales, Ireland and two against England. They won each of the first eight games, but drew the second test against England in their final match, avoiding a clean sweep.
Scores and results list New Zealand's points tally first.
Opponent | For | Against | Date | Venue | Status |
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Llanelli | 81 | 3 | 8 November 1997 | Stradey Park, Llanelli | Tour match |
Wales A | 51 | 8 | 11 November 1997 | Sardis Road, Pontypridd | Tour match |
Ireland | 63 | 15 | 15 November 1997 | Lansdowne Road, Dublin | Test match |
Emerging England | 59 | 22 | 18 November 1997 | McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield | Tour match |
England | 25 | 8 | 22 November 1997 | Old Trafford, Manchester | Test match |
English Rugby Partnership XV | 18 | 11 | 25 November 1997 | Ashton Gate, Bristol | Tour match |
Wales | 42 | 7 | 29 November 1997 | Wembley Stadium, London | Test match |
England A | 30 | 19 | 2 December 1997 | Welford Road Stadium, Leicester | Tour match |
England | 26 | 26 | 6 December 1997 | Twickenham Stadium, London | Test match |
The New Zealand Rugby selection panel named a squad of 36 for the tour, including six uncapped players: full-back Todd Miller, flanker Aaron Hopa, prop Gordon Slater, half-back Mark Robinson, number 8 Steve Surridge and centre Jeremy Stanley. Wing Jonah Lomu, second five-eighth Walter Little and flanker Andrew Blowers returned to the squad after illness and injury. Number 8 Zinzan Brooke was picked for his final All Black tour ahead of a move to English club Harlequins in 1998. [1]
England coach Clive Woodward named a 28-man training squad for their four tests in November and December. [1]
Wales named a combined group of 52 covering both their senior team and the development squad for their November internationals. The most significant omission was their former captain, wing Ieuan Evans, but coach Kevin Bowring said this was for fitness reasons rather than Evans being on the verge of international retirement. [1]