1997 British Lions tour to South Africa

Rugby union team tour It Tour dei British and Irish Lions 1997 June 2026 March 2014 March 2014 150px 24 May – 5 July SCO Ian McGeechanSCO Jim Telfer ENG Martin Johnson British Lions 2–1 WAL Neil Jenkins (41) ENG Tim Stimpson (111) ENG Matt Dawson (2) ENG John Bentley (7)ENG Tony Underwood (7) New Zealand 1993 Australia 2001 13 11 0 2 3 2 0 1 RSA 3 2 0 1 The 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa was a series of matches played by the British Lions rugby union team in South Africa. The much-anticipated tour was the first after the end of apartheid in South Africa, and the first British Lions tour since rugby union turned professional. It was only the third time that a touring side won a test series in South Africa; the others being the 1974 Lions and the 1996 All Blacks.Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98 1997 Headline Book Publishing London 0-7472-7732-X Mick Cleary and John Griffiths A documentary Living with Lions was produced and contains footage of players and coaching staff during and away from matches. This tour followed the Lions' 1993 tour to New Zealand and preceded their 2001 tour to Australia. Test series The British Lions won the first test at Newlands 25–16 with Neil Jenkins kicking five penalties, and Matt Dawson and Alan Tait scoring tries. Despite scoring three tries in the second test at Durban, the Springboks failed to land any penalties or conversions, while the Lions Neil Jenkins once again kicked five penalties to level the scores at 15–15 before a Jerry Guscott drop goal for an 18–15 lead for the Lions. The Lions then held off a ferocious South African fightback, with Lawrence Dallaglio putting in a try-saving tackle, and won the match 18–15 to take the series. The third test at Ellis Park was won by South Africa, 35–16. The tour was a triumph for the British Lions management of Fran Cotton (manager), Ian McGeechan (head coach), Jim Telfer (assistant coach) and the captain Martin Johnson. It was the last time the Lions won a test series until their tour of Australia in 2013. Lions squad The original 35-man squad was: NamePositionClubHome NationNotesMartin Johnson (c) Lock Leicester ENG Neil Jenkins Fullback Pontypridd WALTim Stimpson Fullback Newcastle ENG Nick Beal Wing Northampton ENG John Bentley Wing Newcastle ENG Ieuan Evans Wing Llanelli WALTony Underwood Wing Newcastle ENGAllan Bateman Centre Richmond WAL Scott Gibbs Centre Swansea WAL Will Greenwood Centre Leicester ENG Jeremy Guscott Centre Bath ENG Alan Tait Centre Newcastle SCO Paul Grayson Fly-half Northampton ENG Gregor Townsend Fly-half Northampton SCO Matt Dawson Scrum-half Northampton ENG Austin Healey Scrum-half Leicester ENG Rob Howley Scrum-half Cardiff WAL Paul Wallace Prop Saracens IRE Replaced the injured Peter Clohessy before the start of the tourJason Leonard Prop Harlequins ENG Graham Rowntree Prop Leicester ENG Tom Smith Prop Watsonians SCO Dai Young Prop Cardiff WAL Mark Regan Hooker Bristol ENG Barry Williams Hooker Neath WAL Keith Wood Hooker Harlequins IRE Jeremy Davidson Lock London Irish IRE Simon Shaw Lock Bristol ENG Doddie Weir Lock Newcastle SCO Neil Back Back row Leicester ENG Lawrence Dallaglio Back row Wasps ENG Richard Hill Back row Saracens ENG Eric Miller Back row Leicester IRE Scott Quinnell Back row Richmond WAL Tim Rodber Back row Northampton ENG Rob Wainwright Back row Watsonians SCO Tony Stanger Wing Hawick SCO Later addition to the tourMike Catt Fly-half Bath ENG Later addition to the tourKyran Bracken Scrum-half Saracens ENG Later addition to the tourTony Diprose Back row Saracens ENG Later addition to the tourNigel Redman Lock Bath ENG Later addition to the tour Matches Scores and results list British Lions' points tally first. DateOpponentVenueResultScore24 MayEastern Province XVBoet Erasmus Stadium, Port ElizabethWon39–1128 MayBorderBasil Kenyon Stadium, East LondonWon18–1431 MayWestern ProvinceNewlands, Cape TownWon38–214 JuneMpumalangaJohann van Riebeeck Stadium, WitbankWon64–147 JuneNorthern TransvaalLoftus Versfeld, PretoriaLost30–3511 JuneGauteng LionsEllis Park, JohannesburgWon20–1414 JuneSharks (Currie Cup)King's Park, DurbanWon42–1217 June Emerging SpringboksBoland Stadium, WellingtonWon51–2221 JuneSouth AfricaNewlands, Cape TownWon25–1624 JuneFree StateFree State Stadium, BloemfonteinWon52–3028 JuneSouth AfricaKing's Park, DurbanWon18–151 JulyNorthern Free StateNoord-wes Stadium, WelkomWon67–395 JulySouth AfricaEllis Park, JohannesburgLost16–35 First Test 21 June 1997 RSA 16–25 Report British Lions Du Randt 23' mBennett 44' m Dawson 73' mTait 79' m Lubbe (1/1) 3'Honiball (1/1) 50' Jenkins (5/6) 6', 33', 35', 43', 62' Newlands Stadium, Cape Town Colin Hawke (New Zealand) FB 15André JoubertRW 14James Small OC 13Japie MulderIC 12Edrich Lubbe 40LW 11André SnymanFH 10Henry HoniballSH 9 Joost van der Westhuizen N8 8 Gary Teichmann (c)OF 7 André Venter BF 6 Ruben Kruger RL 5 Mark AndrewsLL 4 Hannes Strydom TP 3 Adrian Garvey HK 2 Naka DrotskéLP 1 Os du RandtReplacements:FB 16Russell Bennett 40FB 17Boeta Wessels SH 18Werner SwanepoelLK 19Krynauw OttoHK 20James DaltonPR 21Dawie TheronCoach:RSA Carel du Plessis FB 15WAL Neil JenkinsRW 14WAL Ieuan Evans OC 13WAL Scott GibbsIC 12ENG Jeremy GuscottLW 11SCO Alan TaitFH 10SCO Gregor TownsendSH 9 ENG Matt DawsonN8 8 ENG Tim RodberOF 7 ENG Richard HillBF 6 ENG Lawrence DallaglioRL 5 IRE rugby union Jeremy DavidsonLL 4 ENG Martin Johnson (c)TP 3 IRE rugby union Paul Wallace HK 2 IRE rugby union Keith WoodLP 1 SCO Tom Smith 79Replacements:PR 16ENG Jason Leonard 79WG 17ENG John Bentley CE 18ENG Mike Catt SH 19ENG Austin HealeyHK 20WAL Barry WilliamsFL 21SCO Rob WainwrightCoach:SCO Ian McGeechan Second Test 28 June 1997 RSA 15–18 Report British Lions Van der WesthuizenMontgomeryJoubert Jenkins (5) Guscott Kings Park Stadium, Durban 50,000 Didier Mene (France) FB 15André JoubertRW 14André SnymanOC 13Percy MontgomeryIC 12Danie van Schalkwyk LW 11Pieter RossouwFH 10Henry HoniballSH 9 Joost van der WesthuizenN8 8 Gary Teichmann (c)OF 7 André Venter BF 6 Ruben Kruger 50RL 5 Mark AndrewsLL 4 Hannes StrydomTP 3 Adrian Garvey 67HK 2 Naka DrotskéLP 1 Os du RandtReplacements:PR 16Dawie Theron 67LK 17Fritz van Heerden 50FB 18Russell BennettFB 19Boeta Wessels SH 20Werner SwanepoelHK 21James DaltonCoach:RSA Carel du Plessis FB 15WAL Neil JenkinsRW 14ENG John BentleyOC 13WAL Scott GibbsIC 12ENG Jeremy GuscottLW 11SCO Alan Tait 76FH 10SCO Gregor TownsendSH 9 ENG Matt DawsonN8 8 ENG Tim Rodber 76OF 7 ENG Richard Hill 57BF 6 ENG Lawrence DallaglioRL 5 IRE rugby union Jeremy DavidsonLL 4 ENG Martin Johnson (c)TP 3 IRE rugby union Paul Wallace HK 2 IRE rugby union Keith WoodLP 1 SCO Tom SmithReplacements:SH 16ENG Austin Healey 76FL 17ENG Neil Back 57N8 18IRE rugby union Eric Miller 76CE 19ENG Mike Catt HK 20WAL Barry WilliamsPR 21ENG Jason LeonardCoach:SCO Ian McGeechan Third Test 5 July 1997 RSA 35–16 Report British Lions Van der WesthuizenMontgomerySnymanRossouw De Beer (2)Honiball De Beer (3) Dawson Jenkins Jenkins(3) Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 62,000 Wayne Erickson (Australia) FB 15Russell BennettRW 14André SnymanOC 13Percy Montgomery 53IC 12Danie van SchalkwykLW 11Pieter RossouwFH 10Jannie de Beer 71SH 9 Joost van der Westhuizen 80N8 8 Gary Teichmann (c) 73OF 7 Rassie Erasmus BF 6 André Venter RL 5 Krynauw OttoLL 4 Hannes StrydomTP 3 Dawie Theron HK 2 James Dalton 69LP 1 Os du Randt 63Replacements:FH 16Henry Honiball 53WG 17Justin Swart 71SH 18Werner Swanepoel 80PR 19Adrian Garvey 63HK 20Naka Drotské 69LK 21Fritz van Heerden 73Coach:RSA Carel du Plessis FB 15WAL Neil JenkinsRW 14ENG John BentleyOC 13ENG Jeremy Guscott 40IC 12WAL Scott GibbsLW 11ENG Tony Underwood 30FH 10ENG Mike CattSH 9 ENG Matt Dawson 80N8 8 ENG Lawrence DallaglioOF 7 ENG Neil BackBF 6 SCO Rob WainwrightRL 5 IRE rugby union Jeremy DavidsonLL 4 ENG Martin Johnson (c)TP 3 IRE rugby union Paul Wallace HK 2 ENG Mark ReganLP 1 SCO Tom SmithReplacements:CE 16WAL Allan Bateman 40FB 17ENG Tim Stimpson 30SH 18ENG Austin Healey 80FL 19ENG Richard Hill HK 20WAL Barry WilliamsPR 21WAL Dai YoungCoach:SCO Ian McGeechan References British Lions In South Africa 1997 Category:1997 in South African rugby union Category:1996–97 in Irish rugby union Category:1996–97 in English rugby union Category:1996–97 in Scottish rugby union Category:1996–97 in Welsh rugby union Category:1996–97 in British rugby union