1959 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand

March 2014 March 2014 British Lions 1959 23 May  – 19 September O.B. Glasgow IRE rugby union Ronnie Dawson (v Australia) British and Irish Lions (2–0) (v New Zealand) NZL (3–1) IRE rugby union David Hewitt (16) South Africa 1955 South Africa 1962 33 27 0 6 6 3 0 3 AUS 2 2 0 0 NZL 4 1 0 3 In 1959, the British Lions rugby union team toured Australia and New Zealand. The Lions won the two test matches against Australia but lost the international series against the All Blacks by three matches to one.jmcconnell 2020-11-23 Classic Match: Heroic 1959 Lions win at Eden Park https://www.lionsrugby.com/2020/11/23/classic-match-heroic-1959-lions-win-at-eden-park/ 2024-12-10 British & Irish Lions en-GB They also played two matches in Canada, on the return leg of the journey. Although New Zealand won the series, the results in three of the tests were close. The Lions scored four tries to nil in the first test but six penalties by Don Clarke saw the All Blacks win 18–17. Clarke also scored a late try and conversion to win the second test, 11–8. New Zealand won the third test comfortably by 22–8 to win the series but the fourth test, which the Lions won 9–6, could have gone the All Blacks' way had Clarke not missed a late penalty attempt. Overall the tourists played thirty-three matches, winning twenty-seven and losing six. In Australia the Lions played six matches, winning five and losing one, to New South Wales. In New Zealand they played twenty-five matches, winning twenty and losing five – in addition to their three test defeats they also lost to Otago and Canterbury. They also played two matches in Canada, winning both. The tour was notable for the 842 points scored in 33 games, a record number of points for a Lions tour and for the 22 tries scored by Tony O'Reilly, also a Lions tour record. The touring party was captained by Ronnie Dawson. The manager was A. W. Wilson and the assistant manager was O.B. Glasgow. Touring party Management Manager A. W. Wilson Assistant Manager O. B. Glasgow Backs N. H. Brophy (UCD and Ireland) J. Butterfield (Northampton and England) S. Coughtrie (Edinburgh Academicals and Scotland) Terry Davies (Llanelli and Wales) M. A. F. English (Bohemians and Ireland) David Hewitt (Queen's University RFC and Ireland) J. P. Horrocks-Taylor (Leicester and England) Peter Jackson (Coventry and England) Dickie Jeeps (Northampton and England) Tony O'Reilly (Old Belvedere and Ireland) Andy Mulligan (Wanderers and Ireland) William "Bill" Michael Patterson (Sale) Malcolm Price (Pontypool and Wales) Bev Risman (Manchester and England) Ken Scotland (Cambridge University and Scotland) Malcolm Thomas (Newport and Wales) G. H. Waddell (Cambridge University and Scotland) J. R. C. Young (Harlequins and England) Forwards Alan Ashcroft (Waterloo and England) Ronnie Dawson (Wanderers and Ireland) Roddy Evans (Cardiff and Wales) John Faull (Swansea and Wales) Hugh McLeod (Hawick and Scotland) David Marques (Harlequins and England) Bryn Meredith (Newport and Wales) Syd Millar (Ballymena and Ireland) Haydn Morgan (Abertillery and Wales) Bill Mulcahy (UCD and Ireland) Noel Murphy (Cork Constitution and Ireland) Ray Prosser (Pontypool and Wales) Ken Smith (Kelso and Scotland) R. H. Williams (Llanelli and Wales) Gordon Wood (Garryowen and Ireland) Results #ffe0e0 silver Test matches DateOpponentLocationResultScore 23 May Victoria Victoria Melbourne, AustraliaWin 53–18 30 May New South Wales New South Wales Sydney, Australia Loss 14–18 2 June Queensland Queensland Brisbane, Australia Win 39–11 6 June Australia Brisbane, Australia Win 17–6 9 June New South Wales New South Wales Country Districts Tamworth, Australia Win 27–14 13 June Australia Sydney, Australia Win 24–3 20 June Hawke's Bay Napier, New Zealand Win 52–12 24 June Poverty Bay /East Coast Gisborne, New Zealand Win 23–14 27 June Auckland Auckland, New Zealand Win 15–10 1 July New Zealand Universities Christchurch, New Zealand Win 25–13 4 July Otago Dunedin, New Zealand Loss 8–26 8 July South Canterbury /Mid Canterbury /North Otago Timaru, New Zealand Win 21–11 11 July Southland Invercargill, New Zealand Win 11–6 18 July New Zealand Dunedin, New Zealand Loss 17–18 22 July West Coast-Buller Greymouth, New Zealand Win 58–3 25 July Canterbury Christchurch, New Zealand Loss 14–20 29 July Marlborough /Nelson /Golden Bay-Motueka Blenheim, New Zealand Win 64–5 1 August Wellington Wellington, New Zealand Win 21–6 5 August Wanganui Wanganui, New Zealand Win 9–6 8 August Taranaki New Plymouth, New Zealand Win 15–3 11 August Manawatu /Horowhenua Palmerston North, New Zealand Win 26–6 15 August New Zealand Wellington, New Zealand Loss 8–11 19 August King Country /Counties Taumarunui, New Zealand Win 25–5 22 August Waikato Hamilton, New Zealand Win 14–0 25 August Wairarapa /Bush Masterton, New Zealand Win 37–11 29 August New Zealand Christchurch, New Zealand Loss 8–22 2 September New Zealand Juniors Wellington, New Zealand Win 29–9 5 September New Zealand New Zealand Māori Auckland, New Zealand Win 12–6 9 September Bay of Plenty /Thames Valley Rotorua, New Zealand Win 26–24 12 September North Auckland Whangārei, New Zealand Win 35–13 19 September New Zealand Auckland, New Zealand Win 9–6 27 September British Columbia Vancouver, Canada Win 16–11 29 September Eastern Canada All-Stars Toronto, Canada Win 70–6 The matches First Australia Test 6 June AUS 6–17 British Lions Pen: Donald (2) Try: O'Reilly Smith Con: Risman Pen: Hewitt (2)Drop: Scotland Exhibition Ground, Brisbane 20,000 B.J. O'Callaghan (Australia) Australia: JK Lenehan (NSW), AR Morton (NSW), JM Potts (NSW), LJ Diett (NSW), KJ Donald (Queensland), AJ Summons (NSW), DM Connor (Queensland), PK Dunn (NSW), PG Johnson (NSW), KJ Ellis (NSW); JH Carroll (NSW), AR Miller (NSW); PT Fenwicke (NSW) Captain, R Outterside (NSW), J Thornett (NSW) British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, M Price, D Hewitt, AJF O'Reilly, AB Risman, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, S Millar, GK Smith, WA Mulcahy, RH Williams, A Ashcroft, J Faull Second Australia Test 13 June AUS 3–24 British Lions Pen: Donald Try: Dawson O'Reilly Price (2) Risman Con: Hewitt (2) Scotland Pen: Scotland Sydney Sports Ground, Sydney 20,000 A.T. Tierney (Australia) Australia: JK Lenehan (NSW), AR Morton (NSW), RC Kay (Victoria), LJ Diett (NSW), KJ Donald (Queensland), AJ Summons (NSW), DM Connor (Queensland); KJ Ellis (NSW), PG Johnson (NSW), PK Dunn (NSW); JH Carroll (NSW), AR Miller (NSW), JE Thornett (NSW), R Outterside (NSW), PT Fenwicke (NSW) Captain British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, D Hewitt, M Price, AJF O'Reilley, AB Risman, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, S Millar, WR Evans, RH Williams, NAA Murphy, RWD Marques, GK Smith First New Zealand Test 18 July New Zealand 18–17 British Lions Pen: DB Clarke (6) Try: Jackson O'Reilly Price (2) Con:Risman Pen: Hewitt Carisbrook, Dunedin 41,500 A.L. Fleury (New Zealand) New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), PT Walsh (Counties), RF McMullen (Auckland), TR Lineen (Auckland), BE McPhail (Canterbury), RH Brown (Taranaki), RJ Urbahn (Taranaki); WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, RC Hemi (Waikato), IJ Clarke (Waikato), SF Hill (Canterbury), BE Finlay (Manauatu), PFH Jones (North Auckland), EAR Pickering (Waikato), IN MacEwan (Wellington) British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, MJ Price, D Hewitt, AJF O'Reilley, ABW Risman, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, BGM Wood, WR Evans, RH Williams, GK Smith, J Faull, NA Murphy Second New Zealand Test 15 August New Zealand 11–8 British Lions Try: Caulton (2) DB Clarke Con: DB Clarke Try: Young Con:Davies Pen: Davies Athletic Park, Wellington 53,000 C.R. Gillies (New Zealand) New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), ES Diack (Otago), RF McMullen (Auckland), TR Lineen (Auckland), RW Caulton (Wellington), JF McCullough (Taranaki), KC Briscoe (Taranaki), WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, DS Webb (North Auckland), IJ Clarke (Waikato), SF Hill (Canterbury), IN MacEwan (Wellington), CE Meads (Kings Country), RJ Conway (Otago), KR Tremain (Canterbury) British Lions: TE Davies, JRC Young, MC Thomas, WM Patterson, AJF O'Reilley, MJ Price, REG Jeeps, S Millar, AR Dawson Captain, HF McLeod, RH Williams, WR Evans, A Ashcroft, RWD Marques, NA Murphy Third New Zealand Test 29 August New Zealand 22–8 British Lions Try: Caulton (2) Meads Urbahn Con: DB Clarke (2) Pen: DB Clarke Drop: DB Clarke Try: Hewitt Con: Faull Pen: Faull Lancaster Park, Christchurch 57,000 C.R. Gillies (New Zealand) New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), RH Brown (Taranaki), TR Lineen (Auckland), RW Caulton (Wellington), JF McCullough (Taranaki), RJ Urbahn (Taranaki), MW Irwin (Otago), RC Hemi (Waikato), WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, SF Hill (Canterbury), IN MacEwan (Wellington), KR Tremain (Canterbury), RJ Conway (Otago), CE Meads (Kings Country) British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, MJ Price, D Hewitt, AJF O'Reilley, JP Horrocks-Taylor, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, BGM Wood, WR Evans, RH Williams, HJ Morgan, J Faull, GK Smith Fourth New Zealand Test 19 September New Zealand 6–9 British Lions Pen: DB Clarke (2) Try: Jackson O'Reilly Risman Eden Park, Auckland 60,000 J.P. Murphy (New Zealand) New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), BE McPhail (Canterbury), TR Lineen (Auckland), AH Clarke (Auckland), RW Caulton (Wellington), JF McCullough (Taranaki), RJ Urbahn (Taranaki), MW Irwin (Otago), RC Hemi (Waikato), WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, SF Hill (Canterbury), CE Meads (Kings Country), EAR Pickering (Waikato), RJ Conway (Otago), KR Tremain (Canterbury) British Lions: TE Davies, PB Jackson, D Hewitt, KJF Scotland, AJF O'Reilley, ABW Risman, AA Mulligan, TR Prosser, AR Dawson Captain, HF McLeod, RH Williams, WA Mulcahy, NA Murphy, J Faull, HJ Morgan References Thomas Clem Clem Thomas Thomas Greg The History of The British and Irish Lions 2005 Mainstream Books 1-84596-030-0 117–125 British Lions British Lions Tour Category:British & Irish Lions tours of Australia Category:British & Irish Lions tours of New Zealand Category:Rugby union tours of Canada British Lions British Lions Lions British Lions