Epic clashes over the years: British Lions v Springboks

As they gear up for another series of battles, with organisers confirming the Lions tour to South Africa will go ahead next year, we take a look back at some of the epic clashes between the two teams.

1974: Fourth Test, Ellis Park (SA 13, Lions 13)

It was arguably the Boks’ worst season in history with Lions captain Willie-John McBride’s team dubbed the ‘invincibles’ after remaining unbeaten on their 13-match tour including winning the Test series 3-0.

The tourists won the first Test 12-3 in Cape Town, the second 28-9 at Loftus and the third 26-9 in Port Elizabeth, before the Boks salvaged some pride by drawing the fourth and final Test.

Centre Peter Cronje scored the Boks’ first and only try of the series, but there was also some controversy around Lions flank Roger Uttley’s try, with newspaper images later showing that Bok wing Chris Pope had got his hands on the ball first.

The Boks also missed a try-scoring opportunity when wing Gert Muller knocked the ball on with an open tryline begging.

1980: First Test, Newlands (SA 26, Lions 22)

The Boks were scintillating on attack and outscored the visitors by five tries to one, yet the kicking boot of the Lions’ Irish flyhalf Tony Ward kept the visitors in the match by kicking five penalty goals
as well as a drop goal.

It took the Boks until the final minute
to clinch the game with a superb try by scrumhalf Divan Serfontein, and the Boks were well on their way to making up for the embarrassing performances they had produced in 1974.

The Boks went on to secure a 26-19 victory in the second Test in Bloemfontein 26-19, before clinching  the series with a nail-biting 12-10 win in Port Elizabeth.

The Lions scored a consolation 17-13 in the final Test at Loftus, but it was too late for the tourists as the Boks won the exciting series 3-1.

1997: Second Test, Durban (SA 15, Lions 18)

The Boks were thrown into disarray when Andre Markgraaff was replaced
as Bok coach by Carel du Plessis just weeks before the arrival of the tourists, while iconic captain Francois Pienaar was dropped and replaced by Gary Teichmann.

The Boks lost the first Test 25-16 at Newlands, and while they were superb in the second match in Durban where they scored three unanswered tries, Henry Honiball and Andre Joubert let the side down by failing to convert a single kick, and Lions centre Jeremy Guscott clinched the series by grabbing an 18-15 win for the Lions with a dropgoal three minutes from time.

The Boks won the final Test 35-16 in great style at Ellis Park, but the performance came a little too late
and the Lions took the series 2-1.

2009: Second Test, Loftus (SA 28, Lions 25)

After the Boks earned a 26-21 victory in the first Test in Durban, but in the second the Lions ran up a big 16-8 lead at half-time before the Boks fought back.

Following a great try by centre Jacque
Fourie, however, the scores were locked at 25-25 with time running out on the lock.

A charge in the air by Ronan O’Gara on Bok scrumhalf Fourie du Preez gave the hosts a last-minute chance to salvage the game and reserve flyhalf Morne Steyn made no mistake by converting a pressure kick from inside his own half to hand the Boks a narrow 28-25 win.

The Lions went on to win the third and final Test 28-9 at Ellis Park, after the Boks were weakened by suspensions to flank Schalk Burger and lock Bakkies Botha, but South Africa grabbed a 2-1 series triumph, making amends for the national side’s defeat 12 years earlier.

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