1978 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland

New Zealand tour of Britain and Ireland 1978
Manager: Russell Thomas
Captain: Graham Mourie
Type P W D L
Total: 18 17 0 1
Test match: 4 4 0 0
Test match opponents
Opp. P W D L
 Ireland 1 1 0 0
 Wales 1 1 0 0
 England 1 1 0 0
 Scotland 1 1 0 0

In 1978 the New Zealand national rugby union team, the All Blacks, toured Britain and Ireland. They were the eighth All Black team to undertake a full tour of the countries and became the first to achieve a Grand Slam in beating the national teams of Ireland, Wales, England and Scotland. The previous seven touring parties had either lost or drawn at least one international, or had not played all four nations.

The tourists played eighteen matches, winning seventeen and losing one. Their sole defeat was by Munster at Thomond Park, Limerick. This was the first occasion that an All Black team had been beaten in Ireland and as of 2008 it remains the All Blacks' only defeat by any Irish team. The victory inspired a subsequent stage play, Alone it Stands.

Although the All Blacks won their four internationals, three of the matches remained undecided until close to the end. The match against Ireland was level 6-6 at the end of normal time and was settled by Andy Dalton's try in injury time. Against Wales, a 78th minute penalty goal by replacement full-back Brian McKechnie turned a 12-10 deficit into a 13-12 win. In the Scotland game the All Blacks led 12-9 going into injury time and a drop goal attempt by Ian McGeechan, which would have tied the scores if successful, was charged down and led to a breakaway try for New Zealand by Bruce Robertson.

Contents

Matches

Scores and results list New Zealand's points tally first.
Opposing Team For Against Date Venue Status
Cambridge University 32 12 18/10/1978 Grange Road, Cambridge Tour Match
Cardiff 17 7 21/10/1978 Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff Tour Match
West Wales XV 23 7 25/10/1978 St Helen's, Swansea Tour Match
London Counties 37 12 28/10/1978 Twickenham, London Tour Match
Munster 0 12 31/10/1978 Thomond Park, Limerick Tour Match
Ireland 10 6 04/11/1978 Lansdowne Road, Dublin Test Match
Ulster 23 7 07/11/1978 Ravenhill, Belfast Tour Match
Wales 13 12 11/11/1978 Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff Test Match
South and South-West Counties 20 0 15/11/1978 Memorial Ground, Bristol Tour Match
Midland Counties 20 15 18/11/1978 Welford Road, Leicester Tour Match
Combined Services 34 6 21/11/1978 Aldershot Military Stadium, Aldershot Tour Match
England 16 6 25/11/1978 Twickenham, London Test Match
Monmouthshire 26 9 29/11/1978 Rodney Parade, Newport Tour Match
North of England 9 6 02/12/1978 Birkenhead Park, Birkenhead Tour Match
North and Midland of Scotland 31 3 05/12/1978 Linksfield Stadium, Aberdeen Tour Match
Scotland 18 9 09/12/1978 Murrayfield, Edinburgh Test Match
Bridgend 17 6 13/12/1978 Brewery Field, Bridgend Tour Match
Barbarians 18 16 16/12/1978 Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff Tour Match

Touring party

Full Back

Three-Quarters

Half-Backs

Forwards

Tour Box

New Zealand Rugby Tours
New South Wales (1884) • Australia (1893) • Australia (1897) • Australia (1903) • Australia and New Zealand (1905) • The Originals (1905-06) • Australia (1907) • Australia (1910) • North America (1913) • Australia (1914) • New South Wales (1920) • New South Wales (1922) •New South Wales (1924) •Invincibles tour (1924-25) •New South Wales (1925) • South Africa (1928) • Grand Slam tour (1935-36) • South Africa (1949) • Grand Slam tour (1953-54) • Britain, Ireland, France & North America (1963-64) •Grand Slam tour (1972-73) • Ireland, Wales and England (1974) • Grand Slam tour (1978) • England and Scotland (1979) • Australia and Fiji (1980) •North America and Wales (1980) • Grand Slam tour (2005) •
Australia
 1927–28  •  1947–48  •  1957–58  •  1966–67  •  1975–76  •  1981–82  •  1984  •  2009
New Zealand
 1905-06  •  1935–36  •  1953–54  •  1963–64  •  1972–73  •  1978  •  2005  •  2008  •  2010
South Africa
 1906–07  •  1912–13  •  1931–32  •  1951–52  •  1960–61  •  1969–70  •  1998  •  2004  •  2010

External links