1977 British Lions tour to New Zealand

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In 1977 the British Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand. The Lions played 26 matches, including four internationals against the All Blacks. They lost the series against the All Blacks by three matches to one. The team played as the British Isles in their internationals against the All Blacks and the British Lions for the non-international games.

The Lions tourists left London on 10 May 1977 and returned on 19 August. Of their 26 matches on tour, they won 21 and lost 5. Although the Lions lost the test series against the All Blacks they were level 1-1 after the second international and came close to drawing the series; they led 9-6 going into injury time in the fourth test only to concede a match-winning try scored by Lawrie Knight.

Outside the test matches, they beat all their New Zealand provincial opponents, losing only to the New Zealand Universities team just prior to the first international. On their way home the Lions stopped off to play the Fijian national team for the first time and suffered their fifth defeat of the tour.

The 1977 British Lions played one further match, against the Barbarians at Twickenham Stadium on 10th September 1977, to mark the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II. The Lions won by 23 points to 14, and the match was notable for being the first time that a British Lions team had played a "home" fixture.[1]

Contents

[edit] Squad

The touring party as originally announced contained 17 players from Wales (including the as-yet uncapped Elgan Rees and Brynmor Williams), 5 from England, 5 from Scotland and 3 from Ireland . Geoff Wheel had to withdraw on medical advice before the touring party left, being replaced by Moss Keane. Bill Beaumont, Charlie Faulkner and Alan Lewis joined the tour party later in New Zealand as replacements - Lewis never played international rugby for Wales or the Lions.


[edit] Management

  • Manager George Burrell (Scotland)

[edit] Backs

[edit] Forwards

[edit] Results

Lions 41-13 Wairarapa-Bush
Lions 13-11 Hawke's Bay
Lions 25-6 Poverty Bay-East Coast
Lions 21-13 Taranaki
Lions 60-9 King Country-Wanganui
Lions 18-12 Manawatu-Horowhenua
Lions 12-7 Otago
Lions 20-12 Southland
Lions 9-21 New Zealand Universities
Lions 12-16 New Zealand (Wellington)
Lions 45-6 Hanan Shield Districts
Lions 14-13 Canterbury
Lions 45-0 West Coast-Buller
Lions 13-6 Wellington
Lions 40-23 Marlborough-Nelson
Lions 13-9 New Zealand (Christchurch)
Lions 22-19 New Zealand Maoris
Lions 18-13 Waikato
Lions 19-9 New Zealand Juniors
Lions 34-15 Auckland
Lions 7-19 New Zealand (Dunedin)
Lions 35-10 Counties-Thames Valley
Lions 18-7 North Auckland
Lions 23-16 Bay of Plenty
Lions 9-10 New Zealand (Auckland)
Lions 21-25 Fiji

[edit] References

  • Thomas, Clem; updated by Thomas, Greg (2005). The History of The British and Irish Lions. Mainstream Books, pp175-183. ISBN 1-84-596030-0. 
  1. ^ Swansea RFC website "on this day"

[edit] External links

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