1950 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia

1950 British Lions Tour to New Zealand and Australia
Date 10 May  – 18 September
Coach(es) Leslie B. Osborne
Tour captain(s) Ireland Karl Mullen
Test series winners (v New Zealand)  New Zealand (3–0)
(v Australia) British and Irish Lions (2–0)
Top test point scorer(s) Wales Lewis Jones (26)

The British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia in 1950 was the first post-war tour made by the Lions; there had not been one since 1938.

The 1950 team was the first to be nicknamed "the British Lions", rather than just "British Isles" and sported newly redesigned jerseys and a fresh style of play, managing to win 22 and draw one of 29 matches over the two nations. The Lions won the opening four fixtures before losing to Otago and Southland, but succeeded in holding the All Blacks to a nine-all draw. The Lions performed well in the remaining All Black tests though they lost all three, the team did not lose another non-test in the New Zealand leg of the tour. The Lions won all their games in Australia except for their final fixture against a New South Wales XV in Newcastle. They won both of the two tests against Australia, in Brisbane and in Sydney.

Because the team was travelling by boat, rather than by air, as modern tours do, they also stopped off in Ceylon to play an unofficial game against the national team.

Squad

Backs:

Forwards:

Manager: LB Osborne

Results

Scores and results list British Isles' points tally first.

Opposing Team For Against Date Venue Status
Nelson, Marlborough, Golden Bay and Motueka24310 May 1950Tour Match
Buller24913 May 1950Tour Match
West Coast32316 May 1950Tour Match
Otago92319 May 1950Tour Match
Southland01123 May 1950Tour Match
New Zealand9927 May 1950Carisbrook, DunedinTest Match
South Canterbury27830 May 1950Tour Match
Canterbury1653 June 1950Tour Match
Ashburton County-North Otago2966 June 1950Tour Match
New Zealand0810 June 1950ChristchurchTest Match
Waiparapa Bush271314 June 1950Tour Match
Hawke's Bay20017 June 1950Tour Match
East Coast – Poverty bay – Bay of Plenty27321 June 1950Tour Match
Wellington12624 June 1950Athletic Park, Wellington, Tour Match
New Zealand361 July 1950Athletic Park, WellingtonTest Match
Wanganui3135 July 1950Tour Match
Taranaki2538 July 1950Tour Match
Manawatu–Horowhenua13812 July 1950Tour Match
Waikato, Thames Valley and King Country30015 July 1950Tour Match
North Auckland8619 July 1950Tour Match
Auckland32922 July 1950Tour Match
New Zealand81129 July 1950Eden Park, AucklandTest Match
New Zealand Māori1492 August 1950Athletic Park, WellingtonTour Match
Combined Country4739 August 1950Tour Match
New South Wales22612 August 1950Cricket Ground, SydneyTour Match
Australia19619 August 1950The Gabba, BrisbaneTest Match
Australia24326 August 1950Cricket Ground, SydneyTest Match
Metropolitan Union261729 August 1950Cricket Ground, SydneyTour Match
New South Wales12172 September 1950NewcastleTour Match
Ceylon44618 September 1950ColomboTour Match

References