History of rugby union matches between South Africa and the British & Irish Lions

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In rugby union, since their first meeting in 1891, the British & Irish Lions and the South Africa national team have contested 13 series, with South Africa winning nine to the Lions' four, and one drawn series in 1955. The two teams have played 49 matches; South Africa have won 25 times to the Lions' 18, with the remaining six matches finishing as draws. The Lions won the first two series between the two sides in 1891 and 1896, including wins in the first six matches, but then did not win another series until their unbeaten 1974 tour. After South Africa's victory in the 1980 series, the two teams did not meet again until 1997 as a result of apartheid sanctions; the Lions won the 1997 series, before South Africa won the next two tours; 2009 and 2021.

List of series

DetailsPlayedWon by South AfricaWon by LionsDraw
Overall14941
SeriesSouth Africa winsLions winsVictor
1891 03British and Irish Lions flag with no Lion.svg  British Lions
1896 13British and Irish Lions flag with no Lion.svg  British Lions
1903 10Flag of the Cape Colony 1876-1910.svg  South Africa
1910 21South Africa Flag 1910-1912.svg  South Africa
1924 30South Africa Flag 1910-1912.svg  South Africa
1938 21Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa
1955 22drawn
1962 30Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa
1968 30Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa
1974 03British and Irish Lions flag with no Lion.svg  British Lions
1980 31Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa
1997 12British and Irish Lions flag with no Lion.svg  British Lions
2009 21Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
2021 21Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa

List of matches

DetailsPlayedWon by South AfricaWon by LionsDrawnSouth Africa pointsBritish & Irish Lions points
Overall4925186636554
DateVenueScoreVictorSeries
30 July 1891 Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth0–4 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Lions 1891 tour
29 August 1891Eclectic Cricket Ground, Kimberley 0–3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Lions
5 September 1891 Newlands, Cape Town0–4 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Lions
30 July 1896 Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth0–8 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Lions 1896 tour
22 August 1896 Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg8–17 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Lions
29 August 1896Athletic Club, Kimberley 3–9 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Lions
5 September 1896 Newlands, Cape Town5–0Flag of the Cape Colony 1876-1910.svg  South Africa
26 August 1903 Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg10–10Draw 1903 tour
5 September 1903Athletic Club, Kimberley 0–0Draw
12 September 1903 Newlands, Cape Town8–0Flag of the Cape Colony 1876-1910.svg  South Africa
6 August 1910 Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg14–10South Africa Flag 1910-1912.svg  South Africa 1910 tour
27 August 1910 Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth3–8 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Lions
3 September 1910 Newlands, Cape Town21–5South Africa Flag 1910-1912.svg  South Africa
16 August 1924 Kingsmead, Durban7–3South Africa Flag 1910-1912.svg  South Africa 1924 tour
23 August 1924 Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg17–0South Africa Flag 1910-1912.svg  South Africa
13 September 1924 Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth3–3Draw
20 September 1924 Newlands, Cape Town16–9South Africa Flag 1910-1912.svg  South Africa
6 August 1938 Ellis Park, Johannesburg26–12Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa 1938 tour
3 September 1938 Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth19–3Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa
10 September 1938 Newlands, Cape Town16–21British and Irish Lions flag with no Lion.svg  British Lions
6 August 1955 Ellis Park, Johannesburg22–23British and Irish Lions flag with no Lion.svg  British Lions 1955 tour
20 August 1955 Newlands, Cape Town25–9Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa
3 September 1955 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria6–9British and Irish Lions flag with no Lion.svg  British Lions
24 September 1955 Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth22–8Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa
23 June 1962 Ellis Park, Johannesburg3–3Draw 1962 tour
21 July 1962 Kings Park, Durban3–0Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa
4 August 1962 Newlands, Cape Town8–3Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa
25 August 1962 Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein34–14Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa
8 June 1968 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria25–20Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa 1968 tour
22 June 1968 EPRFU Stadium, Port Elizabeth6–6Draw
13 July 1968 Newlands, Cape Town11–6Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa
27 July 1968 Ellis Park, Johannesburg19–6Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa
8 June 1974 Newlands, Cape Town3–12British and Irish Lions flag with no Lion.svg  British Lions 1974 tour
22 June 1974 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria9–28British and Irish Lions flag with no Lion.svg  British Lions
13 July 1974 EPRFU Stadium, Port Elizabeth9–26British and Irish Lions flag with no Lion.svg  British Lions
27 July 1974 Ellis Park, Johannesburg13–13Draw
31 May 1980 Newlands, Cape Town26–22Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa 1980 tour
14 June 1980 Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein26–19Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa
28 June 1980 EPRFU Stadium, Port Elizabeth12–10Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa
12 July 1980 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria13–17British and Irish Lions flag with no Lion.svg  British Lions
21 June 1997 Newlands, Cape Town16–25British and Irish Lions flag with no Lion.svg  British Lions 1997 tour
28 June 1997 Kings Park, Durban15–18British and Irish Lions flag with no Lion.svg  British Lions
5 July 1997 Ellis Park, Johannesburg35–16Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
20 June 2009 Kings Park, Durban26–21Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 2009 tour
27 June 2009 Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria28–25Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
4 July 2009 Ellis Park, Johannesburg9–28British and Irish Lions flag with no Lion.svg  British & Irish Lions
24 July 2021 Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town17–22British and Irish Lions flag with no Lion.svg  British & Irish Lions 2021 tour
31 July 2021 Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town27–9Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
7 August 2021 Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town19–16Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa

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