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Since the game went professional, in 1995, the lure and mystique of the Lions has grown beyond all recognition. Every tour is now followed by a vast army of fans from the four Home Nations which often outnumbers the home support. It was very different back in 1971, when only a hardy handful travelled to New Zealand to follow what was arguably the greatest of all Lions teams. Managed by Doug Smith, coached by Carwyn James and captained by John Dawes, the 1971 Lions made history with a first (and still only) series win over the All Blacks It was a tour which still resonates with me and made for one of the most memorable summers of my life.

DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 26: Barry John of the British Lions is pursued by Tane Norton of New Zealand during the First Test match between New Zealand and the British Lions at Carisbrook on June 26, 1971 in Dunedin, New Zealand. The British Lions won the match 9 - 3. (Photo by Getty Images)

1970/1 was my first year at London University. I was at one of the out-of-town colleges, not far from what is now that monument to stationary traffic known as the M25. I threw myself into student life and played for the college first XV, but I also tried to attend as many top-flight club matches as possible. Far and away the most exciting team of the era was London Welsh, captained and coached by Dawes. They played some irresistible rugby, with established international stars like JPR Williams, Gerald Davies, John Taylor and Mervyn Davies in their ranks.

Dawes had captained Wales to a Five Nations Grand Slam, so it was no surprise to see the Lions tour party stacked with Welsh players. Thirteen made the pick, with London Welsh represented by the five already mentioned, plus lock Mike Roberts. Their contingent was to rise to seven, when Geoff Evans came out as a replacement, in mid-tour.

Back in those days, the traditional end--of-season jamboree came in the shape of the Middlesex Sevens. It was not to be missed and I arranged to meet up with a friend in Richmond, on the Saturday morning. As we began our walk down the A316, we saw a group of players practicing on the back pitch at Richmond Athletic Ground. When we got closer, we realised that this was a Lions training session. We immediately stopped and looked on for about half-an-hour. Apart from excitement, our main reaction was delight, mixed with some surprise, that the greats of the game cheated and skived in training, every bit as much as coarse rugby players like ourselves.

Down the road in Twickenham, London Welsh, despite the absence of their superstars, romped to another sevens title and we went to the pub and prepared for a summer of excitement from Down Under. The Lions flew out from Heathrow the following week. I was among a small group of fans seeing them off and managed to collect the autographs of nearly all the party.

The tour of New Zealand was prefaced by matches against Queensland and New South Wales, with the Brisbane game being played only a couple of days after they arrived there. Not surprisingly, the team was suffering from severe anti circadian dysrhythmia (jet lag) and the Australian province beat them by fifteen points to eleven. The result and performance prompted the Queensland coach Des Connor (a former Wallaby and All Black scrum half) to immediately dismiss the Lions as the worst team ever to be sent to New Zealand.

Two days after the Queensland game, a friend and I went camping in Henley-on-Thames. Before setting off on our Friday night crawl, we had sneakily pitched our tent on the edge of the local cricket field, just over the river from the town centre.

When we woke up on Saturday morning, I switched the radio on and was relieved to hear that the tourists had scraped a narrow win over New South Wales. We celebrated all day, having made an early departure from the cricket club to erect the tent in some woods outside the town, before visiting the pubs we hadn't reached on the previous night.

After the narrow victory in Sydney, the Lions moved on to the main course - New Zealand. Local supporters, who had viewed them as another flock of lambs to the slaughter, were soon changing their tune, as the tourists swept all before them in a run of ten victories before the First Test of a twenty-six-match tour!

They began with a 25-3 win over Counties-Thames Valley and followed it up with a 22-9 victory over King Country-Wanganui, who included the legendary Colin 'Pinetree' Meads. He suffered two broken ribs after only two minutes but had them strapped up and played for the whole game. Afterwards, he observed that the Lions pack was a unit to be taken seriously.

British Lions scrum half Gareth Edwards starts the movement which ended with loose forward Peter Dixon going over for a try, 20th August 1971. Wayne Cottrell of the All Blacks slows Edwards, with Alex Wyllie (rear) and Ian Kirkpatrick also racing in on the action. Lions flanker John Taylor backs up. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Waikato (35-14) and New Zealand Maoris (23-12) were then seen off, before a trip to Wellington to take on one of the country's strongest provinces. The hosts were swept away by a devastating display of attacking rugby. Welsh winger John Bevan scored four of the nine tries in a 47-9 rout. With today's scoring values, that would be 65-9! After the game, Wellington captain Graham Williams joined other experienced critics in hailing "The greatest Lions ever". From the worst to the greatest in just three-and-a-half weeks!

Back home, even non-rugby fans were beginning to take notice and televised highlights were being screened in midweek. I have to confess that my studies were not my first priority. Three more victories followed. 25-6 against South Canterbury-North Otago, 21-9 against Otago and 39-6 against West Coast-Buller - a game in which David Duckham ran in six tries.

Next up were Canterbury at Lancaster Park, the stadium which has since been devastated by the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. This was not a game of rugby. It was a battle and one of the most notorious games in Lions history, punctuated by violence which could never happen today. The photographs of prop Sandy Carmichael's battered face are still as chilling as they were at the time. Displaying great courage and no little skill, the Lions showed that brains can beat brawn and brutality and registered a magnificent 14-3 win. Victory, though, came at a cost. The nauseating attacks on Carmichael had ended his tour, while fellow prop Ray McLoughlin broke his thumb and was also ruled out of the rest of the tour, just a week before the First Test, in Dunedin.

The Lions licked their wounds and cruised to a comfortable 31-12 midweek win against another combined side, Marlborough-Nelson.

And so to the First Test, at Dunedin's 'House of Pain', Carisbrook - another famous old venue which has been consigned to history. This was the first chance to hear live radio commentary from New Zealand, albeit at the highly antisocial hour of 4 a.m.

In those days, radio broadcasts from the other side of the world left much to be desired. Commentary would often disappear in a cloud of static, but that did nothing to dampen my joy as the Lions registered a backs-to-the-wall 9-3 win. After the departure of the two first-choice props, Ian 'Mighty Mouse' McLauchlan and Sean Lynch had been named in the Test line-up and it was McLauchlan who scored the game's only try, as he charged down a clearance kick and dived on to the ball to score. The rest of the game was marked by Barry John's masterly tactical kicking, which ran All Black fullback Fergie McCormick ragged and controlled Lions defence in the face of sustained New Zealand pressure.

Later that day, a group of us went into the West End, to see a matinee of The Merchant of Venice, at the Old Vic. Being impecunious students, we had bought tickets up in the gods. The exertions of the previous two nights had left me so stiff and exhausted that I could barely walk and almost had to be carried up the stairs, much to the amusement of my unsympathetic mates. When I went to bed that night, I slept long and well. A Lions win and the Immortal Bard. What a day.

There were three games before the second Test, which would be played back at the scene of the battle against Canterbury. The Lions comfortably beat Southland 25-3, before holding out for a 14-9 win over Taranaki, who outscored them by two tries to one. The midweek game before the Test was against New Zealand Universities, back at Athletic Park, where Wellington had been put to the sword. It ended in a 27-6 Lions win and included a try which, to this day, remains one of the most remarkable I have ever seen.

The Lions won a scrum inside the Universities' 22, directly in front of the posts. Barry John received the ball and dummied a drop at goal. He then jinked to the left and weaved his way past a series of defenders to touch down between the posts. After a similar piece of wizardry in that year's Five Nations clash at Murrayfield, the great Scottish journalist Norman Mair wrote of 'King' John, "It is with relief to see Barry John enter a room by the doorway rather than materialise through the wall."

An old school-friend had asked me to sing in the choir at a family wedding in Staffordshire that weekend, so the early hours of Saturday, June the 26th found me lying on a camp-bed, earphone in place and tuning in on the little transistor radio. This time, it was an unhappy experience, as the Lions suffered what was to be their only defeat on New Zealand soil. The winning margin was 22-12, with the highlight being a spectacular try by New Zealand flanker Ian Kirkpatrick. The Lions produced two tries of their own, both scored by Gerald Davies. After the game Carwyn James famously told his team that he was more confident than ever that the Lions could go on to win the series.

Next up were Wairarapa-Bush and the Lions cruised to a 27-6 win. That was followed by an a tough encounter with Hawke's Bay. At one point, Barry John showed his contempt for the opposition's tactics by sitting on the ball, beckoning them to tackle him, then standing up and thumping the ball downfield. Four magnificent tries by Gerald Davies guided the Lions to a 25-6 win.

The next two games were again close-run affairs. In midweek, East Coast-Poverty Bay, captained by Kirkpatrick, were beaten 18-12, with Dawes landing a last-minute drop goal to clinch the victory. Three days later, it was the skipper's last-minute try which made the game safe, as Auckland were beaten 19-12.

With no midweek game ahead of the Third Test, the Lions headed off for some R & R in the Bay of Islands. While they were up there, I was also down at the seaside. I was singing with an opera group, who had a two-week run in Budleigh Salterton, in Devon. The final performance was on Friday, July the 30th. Not surprisingly, there was a lively end-of-tour party, so I was not in the best of shape when I crawled into my sleeping bag, shortly before the game in Wellington kicked off.

We were students, so it was basic accommodation, with the men billeted in the local scout hut and the ladies next door, in the guides hut. I showed extraordinary restraint, not to mention commendable consideration for my fellow hut-dwellers, as I somehow stopped myself from screaming with excitement as the Lions roared into a 13-0 lead after eighteen minutes. I can still see Gareth Edwards's hand-off on Bob Burgess, as the scrum-half's dynamic burst sent John in for a try. The Lions did not add to their score, but the All Blacks never looked like coming back and could only muster a consolation try to end up 13-3 losers. The result meant that the Lions could not lose the series. After the game, Colin Meads congratulated them on drawing the series, before saying that they were the best side to tour New Zealand in his time.

Three provincial games remained, before the crucial final Test. Manawatu-Horowhenua were beaten 39-6, with John Bevan scoring four of the Lions' eight tries. North Auckland, fielding three Going brothers - Sid, Brian and Ken - proved a tough nut to crack, in a game which ended 11-5 in favour of the tourists. Bevan scored the last of their three tries, to equal Tony O'Reilly's record tally of seventeen, in the 1959 tour.

The provincial clean sweep was completed with victory over Bay of Plenty, in another close-run contest. It ended 20-14 to the Lions, with a late drop goal by John making the game safe.

The weekend of the final Test, at Auckland's Eden Park, I made another visit to my pal in Staffordshire. No wedding involved, just the simple pleasures of eating and drinking well, and this time I was in a proper bed as I listened to the last eighty minutes of a historic tour.

It was a tight and nerve-wracking contest. At halftime it was level at eight-all. A penalty apiece in the second half made it 11-all, before JPR Williams landed a memorable long-range drop goal to put the Lions ahead. Another abiding image of the game was that of the Lions full-back turning to the main stand and saluting the rest of the squad. He had never dropped a goal in his life, but, on the way to the ground, had jokingly predicted that this would be the day. Another New Zealand penalty levelled things six minutes from time and the Lions held on for the draw which secured a series win. Before the tour, manager Doug Smith had predicted that the Lions would win the series 2-1, with one game drawn. Eat your heart out, Nostradamus.

DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 26: General action during the First Test match between New Zealand and the British Lions at Carisbrook on June 26, 1971 in Dunedin, New Zealand. The British Lions won the match 9 - 3. (Photo by Getty Images)

History had been made and rugby was making the headlines, back in the British Isles. When the team returned in triumph, a huge crowd was waiting to welcome them at Heathrow. Years later, Gerald Davies recalled their reception. "The reaction when we came back was as if we were the Beatles. Heathrow was so crowded there was no room to move. It brought home how phenomenal an achievement it was, but I am not sure we would have succeeded without Carwyn as coach. Thanks to him, we were true to our talent."

About the Author - Barney Burnham has been a Tour Guide at Twickenham Stadium since 2005. A Wasps supporter for over 25 years, he has been the club's official match reporter for 12 seasons, has a regular column in their matchday programme, and co-wrote ' 150 Years of Wasps '.

12 July 2021

1971 Lions march on in New Zealand

26 June 2021

Lions Victorious in Carisbrook, 1971

18 July 2023

Uncapped half backs in Lions tests 1891-1939

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Full coverage of the British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand

The British & Irish Lions have ended a gruelling 10-game tour of New Zealand with a record of five wins, three losses and two draws.

ESPN has been there every step of the way.

The three-Test series against the world champion All Blacks has ended drawn at 1-1 after the two sides couldn't be separated in a pulsating 15-15 finale.

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Match coverage

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Tour Diary - Day 38

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Adam Jones recalls facing a wound-up New Zealand side with Wales in 2006, and losing by 35 points.

Lions tours much more than just rugby

Former All Blacks prop Craig Dowd has hailed the off-field impact of the Lions tour, saying the thousands of supports who've flocked to New Zealand have created a wonderful feeling up and down the country.

Tour Diary - Day 34

Tom Hamilton checks in from the scenic Queenstown as the Lions shun the spotlight ahead of the deciding third Test.

How each side can win the series decider

Tom May assesses how the Lions can repeat their second test heroics and how the All Blacks can bounce back in the decider.

Masoe: My proudest moment was playing the Lions

New Zealand's Chris Masoe insists that facing the British and Irish Lions in 2005 was one of the proudest moments of his career.

Tour Diary - Day 28

After the Lions drew with the Hurricanes, ESPN's Tom Hamilton gives us his view on all of the game's main talking points.

Tour Diary - Day 27

ESPN's Tom Hamilton discusses with Alex Lowe whether Warren Gatland was right to accuse the All Blacks of targeting Conor Murray in the first Test.

Tour Diary - Day 26

ESPN's Tom Hamilton discusses who will be playing ahead of Tuesday's match between the British and Irish Lions and the Hurricanes.

Jones: All Blacks a different class to the Lions

Former Lion Adam Jones believes the All Blacks had too much quality for the Lions to deal with in their first test defeat.

Tour Diary - Day 25

ESPN's Tom Hamilton believes the Lions will need to improve their discipline if they are to stand a chance in the second test against the All Blacks.

Tour Diary - Day 24

On the eve of the first Test, Tom Hamilton explains one part of Warren Gatland's pre-match routine between him and his family.

Tour Diary - Day 23

Tom Hamilton reports on a number of surprising selections Warren Gatland has made for the Lions first Test against the All Blacks.

Tour Diary - Day 22

Tom Hamilton recaps the Lions comfortable win over the Chiefs in Hamilton and casts an eye on selection issues ahead of the first Test.

Tour Diary - Day 21

Sir Colin Meads was honoured in his hometown, as big crowds turned up to watch the unveiling of the rugby legend's statue.

Tour Diary - Day 20

Tom Hamilton is in Hamilton as the touring media discuss whether there will be any surprises in Warren Gatland's selection for the first Test.

Tour Diary - Day 19

Tom Hamilton reacts from New Zealand as the British and Irish Lions dominate against the Maori All Blacks.

Tour Diary - Day 18

Tom Hamilton, Chris Foy and Owen Slot react to the All Blacks' demolition of Samoa, and what it means for the Lions.

Tour Diary - Day 17

Tom Hamilton is in Rotorua ahead of the Lions clash against the Maori All Blacks.

Adam Jones: Lions must be smarter at scrum time to beat All Blacks

Former Lion Adam Jones believes Gatland's side need to be smarter especially in the scrum if they are to beat the All Blacks.

Life on the farm with Andrew Hore

Tom Hamilton met former All Black Andrew Hore to ask how life has changed since he returned to his farming roots.

Tour Diary - Day 1 4

Tom Hamilton reflects on the Highlanders' win against the Lions, where Warren Gatland's side were again let down by their lack of discipline.

Tour Diary - Day 13

Tom Hamilton is joined by Chris Jones to visit former All Black Andrew Hore's farm near Dunedin.

Tour Diary - Day 12

Tom Hamilton has touched down in Dunedin where Nando's and Sam Warburton's return are on everybody's lips.

Tour Diary - Day 11

The Lions have a lot to be proud of following their win over the Crusaders, believes Tom Hamilton.

Tour Diary - Day 10

Tom Hamilton brings you the latest from the Lions tour, as they prepare for the match against the Crusaders.

Tour Diary - Day 9

Tom Hamilton brings you the latest from the Lions tour, as they prepare for a Crusaders side packed with All Blacks.

Tour Diary - Day 8

Tom Hamilton reports from Auckland after the tourists suffered their first defeat in New Zealand to the Blues.

Tour Diary - Day 7

Tom Hamilton is joined by Stephen Jones and Alan Dymock to discuss the recent criticism of the Lions head coach Warren Gatland.

Tour Diary - Day 6

Tom Hamilton reports from New Zealand as the Lions prepare to face the Blues.

Tour Diary - Day 5

The Lions were treated to a memorable Maori welcome to mark the true beginning of their tour.

Tour Diary - Day 4

Tom Hamilton reports from Whangarei, where the Lions snuck past the NZ Provincial Barbarians.

Tour Diary - Day 3

Tom Hamilton reports from a wet and windy Whangarei ahead of the Lions' opening match of their tour of New Zealand.

Tour Diary - Day 2

Having been mistaken for a possible Lion, ESPN's Tom Hamilton wonders whether the tourists are being underestimated in New Zealand.

Tour Diary - Day 1

After making the trip from London, Dubai and Melbourne the Lions touched down in Auckland. ESPN's Tom Hamilton was there to give his first tour diary.

What is it like playing under Gatland?

Adam Jones, who played under Lions coach Warren Gatland for Wales, lifts the lid on what it's like to play under his guidance.

Adam Jones' 5 Lions to watch

Adam Jones lists the players the British and Irish Lions will need to be aware of if they want to secure victory in New Zealand.

Adam Jones' 5 All Blacks to watch

Adam Jones lists the players the Lions will need to be aware of if they want to secure victory in New Zealand.

Lions Memories: Martin Johnson

Lions legend Martin Johnson looks back to 1997 for his fondest memory of wearing the famous red jersey.

Lions Memories: Richie McCaw

All Blacks legend Richie McCaw looks back to 2005 in Wellington when his New Zealand side faced the Lions in a defining Test match.

Lions Memories: Gareth Edwards

Welsh legend Gareth Edwards represented the Lions 10 times, he spoke to us about his fondest moment.

Lions Memories: Warren Gatland

Lions coach Warren Gatland looks back to 2013 to when his team had just clinched a memorable series win over Australia.

At home with Anthony Watson

Akin Solanke-Caulker sat down with the England and Lions wing to discuss Lions selection, Eddie Jones and haircuts.

Rewind: Previous Lions Tours

1904: The tourists who awoke the beast

The Lions from the start confronted issues which complicate their existence, and in some cases have persisted to this day. Not the least of their difficulties was raising a half-decent team. The time taken to travel to and from New Zealand in the age before air travel meant that the only players who could accept a tour invitation were those who could afford several months off work.

1908: An unmitigated shambles

The 1908 tour of New Zealand is something of an anomaly. The squad was described, correctly, at the time as an Anglo-Welsh team. It played in red shirts with white hoops and attempted to counter the haka with a 'war cry' consisting of the words "Rule Britannia, Cymru am Byth (both repeated three times) hip, hip, hurrah (also repeated three times)".

1930: The tour remembered most for its manager Bim Baxter

Some Lions tours are associated with particular players, often captains, in the way that the undefeated 1974 team in South Africa will for ever more be identified with Willie John McBride. With others it is coaches -- Carwyn James in 1971 or Clive Woodward in 2005. But the 1930 party which visited New Zealand is remembered most of all for its manager, the forthright James 'Bim' Baxter.

1950: The Lions who revitalised New Zealand rugby

The team of 1950 were the first modern Lions, recognisable except in the matter of playing 30 matches to the eyes of 2017. They adopted the red shirts which are now as synonymous with them as gold is with Australian rugby and Brazilian football, also late adopters. And they were much more representative than their predecessors of the strength of British and Irish rugby.

1959: 'Attacking, silly rugby' that won Kiwi hearts

No British & Irish Lions party can have departed with less reason to hope, but few have returned to greater acclaim than Ronnie Dawson's 1959 team. They did not win the Test series, but could claim to have got closer to beating New Zealand than any of their predecessors.

1966: 'Haphazard' Lions continue decade to forget

The 1966 Lions could have got everything right and still lost their Test series against the All Blacks. By ultimately they were the co-conspirators in their own downfall.

1971: The Lions that stand alone in history

The Lions team of 1971 stands out from the other 11 which have visited New Zealand by virtue of one fact -- they won.

1977: Injuries, intolerable hope & relations

Measured purely by results the 1977 British & Irish Lions were among the most successful visitors to New Zealand, winning one Test out of four and coming within minutes of sharing the series. But it certainly was not seen that way at the time. Few if any Lions teams have been quite such a disappointment.

1983: The tour that began in hope but ended in calamity

The 1983 Lions tour of New Zealand looks to modern eyes like a marathon, an 18-match expedition including four tests. But to contemporaries, not least the Lions management team of Willie John McBride and coach Jim Telfer, who had been team-mates on the 35-match trip to New Zealand, Australia and Canada in 1966, it looked more like a sprint.

1993: The tour of great missed opportunity

The 1993 British Lions tour to New Zealand, the first for a decade, the last by players who were still officially amateur and the first since 1908 with only three Tests rather than four, comes into the category of 'missed opportunities'. Like the squad who visited Australia four years earlier they went into the final Test with a chance to win the series, but they didn't.

2005: The tour that threatened the Lions' existence

The most recent British & Irish Lions trip to New Zealand is by definition the most vividly remembered, not least by those of us who were lucky enough to be there. Yet it was at the time a venture whose failure, with a comprehensive whitewashing in the tests, seemed to threaten the future of the Lions.

Fun & Games

The Lions XV to face the All Blacks voted by you

The Lions will name their first to face the All Blacks on Wednesday -- these are the players who ESPN's readers have voted will start on Saturday at Eden Park.

Pick your Lions XV

Who do you think should start the first Test against the All Blacks on June 24? Ranked the contenders to let us know.

5 Lions to watch

Which players will be crucial as the Lions attempt to secure a series win over the All Blacks?

Not-so-early predictions

Ahead of the first game of the tour against the NZ Provincial Barbarians, we asked our experts to look into their crystal balls.

Lions Tour tipping game

Earn bragging rights among your friends by predicting the winner of all 10 tour matches.

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British & Irish Lions Tours to New Zealand

The series was drawn 1-1 with the 3rd game a draw. It was the first time a British & Irish Lions side had drawn a series with New Zealand.

There was a controversial finish to the final test and the series when the referee awarded a penalty to New Zealand in the Lions 22m area but then changed it to a scrum. The kick would have won both the game and the series for New Zealand.

The British & Irish Lions were whitewashed 3-0 in the test series, the 3rd time that it had happened. All 3 have been at the hands of the All Blacks.

The Lions also played a warm up game in Cardiff, against Argentina, before leaving for New Zealand. They drew this game.

THe British & Irish Lions lost the test series 2-1. They went into the last test at 1-1, and despite having lost 4 provincial games, they were a chance to win the series. It was not to be.

The British & Irish Lions lost the series 4-0, only the second time they had been whitewashed in a series.

The British & Irish Lions lost the test series 3-1. They were unbeaten against the provincial sides but lost to the NZ University team. They also lost a match against Fiji on the way home.

The British & Irish Lions won the test series 2-1 (and 1 draw) and became the first Lions team to win a series in New Zealand. They were also unbeaten in New Zealand outside of the tests but lost a game in Australia on the way to New Zealand.

This was the first British and Irish Lions side to be whitwashed (4-0) in a test series.

NB: This tour followed on from games played in Australia and concluded with 2 matches in Canada on the way home. Results from the games in Australia can be found here

NB: The Lions played further games in Australia after the tour of New Zealand. The results of the games in Australia are here .

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A drawn series, one of rugby’s magic series moments, thousands of fans and a thriving British & Irish Lions – welcome to New Zealand 2017.

Warren Gatland’s Lions drew a remarkable series against the All Blacks 1-1 after a drawn final Test in Auckland failed to separate the two teams.

Roared on by a legion of Lions fans who flooded New Zealand from all over the world, Gatland’s men responded from defeat in the first Test with victory in Wellington to set up a decisive third Test showdown in Auckland.

But after 80 incredible minutes, the teams were locked together at 15-15 to share the series. That told just half the story of the 2017 Lions.

From fantastic events, excursions, Lions legends and much more, fans were treated to rugby memories that will live long in the memory on rugby’s greatest tour.

Navigation for News Categories

Future lions tours will change - nz rugby.

New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew has rubbished suggestions the current British and Irish Lions tour will be the last but says future visits are unlikely to include so many games.

Photo: PhotoSport

Several pundits and former players have said the congested global calendar, and pressure from English and Celtic-nation club teams, might spell the end for the four-yearly tours by the combined side to face the southern hemisphere heavyweights.

The Lions are expected to tour South Africa in 2021 and Australia four years later before returning to New Zealand in 2029.

"We negotiated a new 12-year international calendar with Lions tours factored into that calendar," Tew told NZME, referring to the new global calendar that was signed-off on earlier this year.

"I'm confident that we'll see the Lions back here in the normal schedule that we've got going."

Tew added, however, that future tours were unlikely to have such a packed schedule. The current tour has been heavily criticised with 10 matches scheduled, including games against all five Super Rugby sides, with former Lions and All Blacks coach Graham Henry calling the itinerary "suicidal".

"I think it's reasonable to expect that we probably won't see a 10 game-tour again, the calendar is just too full.

"We have a strong view of what the minimum looks like, and that is around eight," he added.

New Zealand Rugby CEO Steve Tew Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

Tew has said previously that the Lions had requested the games against the Super Rugby sides to help prepare for the intensity of the three test matches.

The tourists played their first tour game less than four days after arriving in the country and were pilloried for an abject performance in a 13-7 victory over the semi-professional Provincial Barbarians.

Warren Gatland said jet lag had been an issue but the Lions coach had chosen to prepare the bulk of his squad in Britain and fly the entire team out after the European club finals, ensuring they only arrived in the week of the first game.

"There are obviously things that need to be considered going into the next series of Lions tours," Tew said.

"They need a longer preparation clearly than they had this year, they could have done that themselves, they could easily have brought the majority of the squad over to play the Barbarians game and just left the guys playing the club finals behind, and join later."

All Blacks captain Kieran Read said the tours were great for the game and pointed to the 20,000 Lions fans who descended on New Zealand as a reason why they should not be scrapped.

"I don't think that will happen," Read told reporters ahead of the second test in Wellington.

"It has just been so exciting being around the country over the last couple of weeks and seeing the supporters from both sides.

"The fans are so passionate about the game. I'm sure it will continue."

Copyright © 2017 , Radio New Zealand

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Australia v british & irish lions, test 2, australia v british & irish lions, test 3, more live sport.

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Rugby-Previous British and Irish Lions tours of New Zealand

Published 30/05/2017 at 10:01 GMT

May 30 (Reuters) - Factbox on previous British and Irish Lions tours of New Zealand:

Image credit: Eurosport

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Combined Australian-New Zealand team to face British and Irish Lions on 2025 tour

British and Irish Lions players after their win against Japan at Murrayfield in 2021.

The British and Irish Lions have confirmed their schedule ahead of their 2025 tour to Australia that includes a fixture against an invitational Australian-New Zealand team, which will be played in Adelaide.

The famous touring team will play the Wallabies in a three-Test series as part of nine tour matches in total, which also features games against every Australian Super Rugby franchise.

The first Test is set to be played on July 19 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and will be followed by matches at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on July 26 and at Accor Stadium in Sydney on August 2.

First clash with Australian-New Zealand team since 1989

The highly anticipated clash against the combined Australian-New Zealand team will be the first time since 1989 that a trans-Tasman team will face the famous touring side.

In their 1989 tour to Australia, the Lions sealed a 19-15 win against an ‘ANZAC XV’ captained by Wallabies legend Nick Farr-Jones at Ballymore in Brisbane.

The Lions will face the combined Australian-New Zealand on July 12 at the Adelaide Oval – seven days ahead of the opening Test in Brisbane.

The tour will start in Perth against the Western Force on June 28 before they take on the Reds in Brisbane on July 2 and the Waratahs in Sydney on July 5.

The Lions will then head south to face the Brumbies in Canberra on July 9, before they take on the Rebels in Melbourne on July 22 between the first and second Tests.

“The British & Irish Lions tour is one of the great sporting festivals – it is a real landmark of Australian and world sport,” said Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh in a statement.

“Rugby Australia is looking forward to welcoming back the Lions for the first time in 12 years – as well as the tens of thousands of Lions fans from the northern hemisphere.

“It is an exciting fixture of matches all around the country with the Lions taking on our Super Rugby franchises, three massive Test matches, and a marquee match in Adelaide featuring a combined invitational Australia-New Zealand side.”

“We are delighted to announce the Tour schedule today as we look ahead to what is to be one of the most eagerly anticipated Series in history,” Lions CEO Ben Calveley added.

“I want to take the opportunity to thank Rugby Australia for the strong level of collaboration in planning for this tour and we look forward to continuing to work with them over the next two years.

“As we begin the countdown to Australia in 2025, The British & Irish Lions brand and organisation has never been stronger with a global fan base of some 14 million people, a significant following and strong level of engagement through our various digital platforms, and a wide range of commercial partners comprised of some of the biggest brands and organisations in the world.

“Our ambition is to further build upon this position and make this upcoming tour the greatest Lions tour ever positioning it as the major global sporting event of 2025.”

2025 British and Irish Lions tour fixtures

Saturday, June 28: Lions vs Western Force, Optus Stadium, Perth

Wednesday, July 2: Lions vs Queensland Reds, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Saturday, July 5: Lions vs New South Wales Waratahs, Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Wednesday, July 9: Lions vs ACT Brumbies, GIO Stadium, Canberra

Saturday, July 12: Lions vs Invitational AU & NZ XV, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

Saturday, July 19: Lions v Wallabies (First Test), Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Tuesday, July 22: Lions v Melbourne Rebels, Marvel Stadium, Melbourne

Saturday, July 26: Lions v Wallabies (Second Test), Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

Saturday, August 2: Lions v Wallabies (Third Test), Accor Stadium, Sydney

READ MORE: Eddie Jones still believes in the Wallabies’ World Cup dream despite horror start

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British & Irish Lions announce itinerary for 2025 Tour of Australia

The British & Irish Lions have today released the nine-match schedule for the 2025 Tour to Australia including three Test matches against the Wallabies.

• Guarantee your place on the Tour, get your Priority Access Pass. 

The British & Irish Lions have today released the nine-match schedule for the 2025 Tour to Australia including three Test matches against the Wallabies. Two years out from the Tour, it’s been confirmed that the eagerly awaited Test clashes will take place on 19 July, 26 July and 2 August. The Lions will travel to Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney respectively for the Test matches.

2025 Lions Tour to Australia (kick off times TBC)

• 28 June, Lions vs Western Force, Perth (Optus Stadium)
• 2 July, Lions vs Queensland Reds, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)
• 5 July, Lions vs NSW Waratahs, Sydney (Allianz Stadium)
• 9 July, Lions vs ACT Brumbies, Canberra (GIO Stadium)
• 12 July, Lions vs Invitational AU & NZ, Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)
• 19 July, 1st Test, Lions vs Wallabies, Brisbane (Suncorp Stadium)
• 22 July, Lions vs Melbourne Rebels, Melbourne (Marvel Stadium)
• 26 July, 2nd Test, Lions vs Wallabies, Melbourne (Melbourne Cricket Ground/MCG)
• 2 Aug, 3rd Test, Lions vs Wallabies, Sydney (Accor Stadium)

The British & Irish Lions will travel throughout Australia with games taking place in some of the most impressive stadiums in world sport.

The Lions will begin the Tour in Perth against the Western Force before facing fellow Australian Super Rugby Pacific sides, the Queensland Reds, the NSW Waratahs, and the ACT Brumbies. The Lions will continue their preparation for the first Test by facing an invitational Australian and New Zealand team in a clash at the Adelaide Oval.

Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium will host the first Test on Saturday 19 July. Following this, a midweek warm up fixture against Melbourne Rebels will take place at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday 22 July.

The second Test will be played on Saturday 26 July at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which has a capacity of 100,000. A potential sell-out crowd at the renowned venue would be a record for a British & Irish Lions Test.

This Test would also represent one of the highest attendances at a rugby match in history. The final Test will be played in front of over 80,000 fans at Sydney’s Accor Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday 2 August.

A strong partnership and a common goal between The British & Irish Lions, Premiership Rugby and the United Rugby Championship has resulted in the Lions having a two-week preparation period before the Tour commences, giving the Lions the best chance of regaining the Series on Australian soil, a country where they enjoyed their last tour win in 2013. Further detail around pre-tour activities, including a pre-tour warm up fixture, will be announced at a later stage.

Details on the Tour schedule follow the announcement of major commercial partners for the Tour, with The British & Irish Lions recently confirming global rugby brand Canterbury as official kit provider and the global insurance group Howden as official front of shirt/jersey sponsor . Confectionery brand Cadbury’s and sportswear manufacturer Asics will continue as the Wallabies official front of shirt and kit partners.

The 2025 Tour to Australia promises to be one of the most eagerly anticipated tours in history considering the absence of fans for the 2021 Tour of South Africa.

Supporters who want to be part of the greatest experience in rugby can guarantee their place for ticket-inclusive travel packages to Australia with The British & Irish Lion’s own travel company, Lions Rugby Travel.

Priority Access Passes are on sale now which will ensure a priority window on packages when they become available. Passes are fully refundable should you choose not to travel and come off your final balance when you book. To purchase Passes or for more information, click here. 

“We are delighted to announce the Tour schedule today as we look ahead to what is to be one of the most eagerly anticipated Series in history,” said Ben Calveley, CEO of The British & Irish Lions.

“I want to take the opportunity to thank Rugby Australia for the strong level of collaboration in planning for this tour and we look forward to continuing to work with them over the next two years. I would also like to thank Premiership Rugby and the United Rugby Championship, whose cooperation has resulted in the longest preparation period for a tour in recent history, which gives us the best possible chance of a Series victory. We look forward to continuing to work with our hosts and our partners to create one of the best tours ever”.

“As we begin the countdown to Australia in 2025, The British & Irish Lions brand and organisation has never been stronger with a global fan base of some 14 million people, a significant following and strong level of engagement through our various digital platforms, and a wide range of commercial partners comprised of some of the biggest brands and organisations in the world.

Our ambition is to further build upon this position and make this upcoming tour the greatest Lions tour ever, positioning it as the major global sporting event of 2025.”

Ieuan Evans, Chairman of The British & Irish Lions, added: “British & Irish Lions Tours are unique in the world of sport, both in terms of the ultimate challenge they represent and the cultural impact they have.  Lions tours to Australia have always been memorable occasions and the 2025 Tour promises to be no different.

I know how special it is to pull on that famous red jersey in Australia, having toured there during the 1989 Tour. What I have learned from those special games is how important the fans are to roaring us on to victory so to be able to announce ticket package details is very exciting.

“Being a part of The British & Irish Lions means being able to unite and inspire through extraordinary rugby experiences, and working closely with our host partners in Rugby Australia, we believe that we can provide an epic tour that will be a global sporting event not to be missed”.

Commenting on the announcement, Rugby Australia CEO, Phil Waugh said: “The British & Irish Lions Tour is one of the great sporting festivals – it is a real landmark of Australian and world sport. Rugby Australia is looking forward to welcoming back the Lions for the first time in 12 years – as well as the tens of thousands of Lions fans from the northern hemisphere.

It is an exciting fixture of matches all around the country with the Lions taking on our Super Rugby franchises, three massive Test matches, and a marquee match in Adelaide featuring a combined invitational Australia-New Zealand side.”

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This will be the last Lions tour to New Zealand: Stephen Jones

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British rugby writer Stephen Jones predicts this will be the last British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand.

The controversial writer for the Times , who has a knack of rubbing New Zealand rugby fans the wrong way, told Newstalk ZB's Rachel Smalley he doesn't think the Lions will return in 2029.

"This will be the last time that you'll see the Lions," he told Smalley on Early Edition .

"The next tour will be in 12 years' time and I don't think it will happen.

"The Lions have been crushed. They've been beaten by New Zealand on the field as yet - but let's be fair there's still two tests to go.

"But they are smashed to bits by rugby itself because they won't give the Lions any type of preparation. The Lions played a game within 72 hours of arriving here at the end of a savage season at home. That's nonsense," Jones said.

"It's the player welfare aspect that is nonsense. Neither the New Zealand hosts nor the organisers in the UK of all the other competitions will give the Lions any proper preparation time and in this day and age it's just not good enough. So I think this will be the last Lions tour."

The current tour includes 10 games in New Zealand with matches against all five Super Rugby franchises, New Zealand Maori, the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians and three tests against the All Blacks.

New Zealand Rugby CEO Steve Tew told the Guardian newspaper recently that the contract between the Lions and Sanzaar runs out after this tour to New Zealand and needs to be renegotiated.

Tew said the tour was "unique and worth preserving" and "the commitment from all of us is that the Lions are locked into the calendar".

Listen: Stephen Jones on Early Edition

The Lions are meant to tour South Africa in four years with talk already of a schedule reduction to seven or eight games.

Jones told Smalley there was plenty of incentive for New Zealand to host the Lions.

"The revenue is a huge motivating factor for New Zealand. On the last tour, I saw an official report that said they made $99 million for your economy. It also made a massive amount for the New Zealand Rugby Union and without it, I don't think they would continue to survive let alone make a profit or prosper.

"The revenue is all one-way. The rugby unions at home get $1m each while New Zealand Rugby will get 20 times that. It's so inequitable, so ridiculous from so many points of view. The Lions are magnificent - there's probably 25,000 Lions fans down here but there won't be another Lions tour unless New Zealand and the home authorities give them a chance to prepare properly."

Jones isn't too confident of Warren Gatland's side squaring the test series in Wellington tomorrow after losing the first test 30-15 at Eden Park.

Gatland made three changes to his starting side for the second test, putting Ireland's Johnny Sexton at first-first and English number 10 Owen Farrell as second-five eighth.

Jones said he didn't agree with the changes.

"The Lions' controversial selections have rather put me off," he told Smalley.

"We all thought they'd pick the biggest, nastiest, naughtiest team they could and take it to the New Zealanders and it appears now that they're going to take New Zealand on at their own game. When you do that you're going to lose. At their own game, New Zealand are really, really good."

Jones is often much maligned in New Zealand for his controversial thoughts on the All Blacks. He joked that he's been wearing a disguise since arriving in the country and hasn't been noticed.

"I've been in disguise actually. I've grown a fake beard and going around in a dress so no one knows it's me. And so far it's worked really well."

He said New Zealand's rugby obsession "is ridiculous" and had a pop at the nation's inability to understand irony.

"It's far wider than that actually. What I've done it put up a mirror against the complete lack of a sense of irony that New Zealanders have and their complete failure to note when someone is trying to wind them up. They're almost as good at not getting irony as they are at rugby.

"Worse than America. In America now and again they see the joke but New Zealanders don't.

"It's rugby that defines you and I think that's a really bad thing. There's a million other things to life than rugby but in New Zealand the obsession is ridiculous."

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Rugby Union

Autumn Internationals 2024: Fixtures, schedule and kick-off times for England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland and more

When are the rugby Autumn Internationals? Who do England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales play and where? Key dates, fixtures and full schedule as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina all travel to the Northern Hemisphere for Tests in the Autumn Nations Series

Tuesday 23 April 2024 12:41, UK

The full schedule has been confirmed for rugby's Autumn Internationals, with the giants of the Southern Hemisphere once again coming to take on the Six Nations teams in a busy month of rugby.

England will have Tests against New Zealand and Australia before hosting world champions South Africa, a repeat of their World Cup semi-final, before completing their run of fixtures against Japan.

Six Nations champions Ireland have Friday night matches against New Zealand and Argentina ahead of further games against Fiji and Australia, while the All Blacks' autumn tour also contains trips to France and Italy.

• Which Six Nations stars would make the British and Irish Lions squad?
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South Africa also take on Scotland and Wales during their three-Test tour, with Scotland having further games against Fiji, Portugal and Australia during a busy November. Wales' meeting with the Springboks follows matches with Fiji and Australia.

Autumn Internationals: Fixtures and UK kick-off times

Saturday november 2.

3.10pm England vs New Zealand, Twickenham Stadium

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5.40pm Scotland vs Fiji, Murrayfield

Friday November 8

8.10pm - Ireland vs New Zealand, Aviva Stadium

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Saturday November 9

3.10pm England vs Australia, Twickenham

5.40pm Italy vs Argentina, TBC

8.10pm France vs Japan, Stade de France

Sunday November 10

1.40pm - Wales vs Fiji, Principality Stadium

4.10pm Scotland vs South Africa, Murrayfield

Friday November 15

8.10pm - Ireland vs Argentina, Aviva Stadium

Saturday November 16

3.10pm Scotland vs Portugal, Murrayfield

5.40pm England vs South Africa, Twickenham

8.10pm France vs New Zealand, Stade de France

🏉 Here are your 2024 #AutumnNationsSeries Fixtures 🙌 pic.twitter.com/S8GUhS2bw5 — Autumn Nations Series (@autumnnations) April 22, 2024

Sunday November 17

1.40pm - Italy vs Georgia, TBC

4.10pm - Wales vs Australia, Principality Stadium

Friday November 22

8.10pm France vs Argentina, Stade de France

Saturday November 23

3.10pm - Ireland vs Fiji, Aviva Stadium

5.40pm - Wales vs South Africa, Principality Stadium

8.10pm - Italy vs New Zealand, TBC

Sunday November 24

1.40pm Scotland vs Australia, Murrayfield

4.10pm England vs Japan, Twickenham

Saturday November 30

3.10pm - Ireland vs Australia, Aviva Stadium

Watch every game of the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, including all three Test matches against the Wallabies, exclusively live on Sky Sports . Also stream with NOW .

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British and Irish Lions partner with Whisper to form new content production arm

Lions productions will produce official documentary of 2025 tour and be responsible for in-house content offering..

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The British and Irish Lions have teamed up with production company Whisper to create a new in-house production division ahead of the rugby union side’s 2025 tour to Australia.

• Lions Productions to produce the official documentary for the 2025 tour and be responsible for in-house content production and exclusive behind-the-scenes content, including for the newly formed Lions Women’s team
• Lions Productions to also act as the in-tour productions company for Lions partners
• Whisper will film all in-camp content incorporating broadcast, highlight packages and official digital content

The Lions and Whisper previously partnered for the team’s 2021 tour to South Africa, which included producing the Emmy-nominated ‘Two Sides’ all-access documentary. The decision to form the in-house Lions Productions is intended to offer more in-depth content for fans throughout next summer’s tour.

“We are delighted to announce the formation of Lions Productions with Whisper which presents a milestone moment for the British and Irish Lions,” said Ben Calveley, chief executive of the British and Irish Lions.

“For the first time the Lions now has an exclusive, in-house content offering which will allow us to bring fans premium and engaging content throughout our tour cycle. We know how important connecting with our fans is and Lions Productions will allow us to do so like never before as well as providing greater value for our partners.”

Coming next:

The men’s Lions’ 2025 tour to Australia is scheduled for 28 th June to 2 nd August. The Women’s Lions are set to play three Tests against New Zealand in 2027.

Women’s Lions unions get UK£3m funding from Royal London ahead of inaugural tour

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Lions, Penei Sewell reportedly agree to 4-year, $112M deal that makes him highest-paid OT in NFL

The Detroit Lions have had a very busy Wednesday. They've reportedly come to terms on a four-year, $112 million contract with offensive tackle Penei Sewell, making him the new highest-paid player at that position.

This extension is reportedly the largest given to an offensive lineman in NFL history, with a staggering $85 million guaranteed. The $85 million is approximately 75% of the contract's total value. He will be making approximately $28 million per year on average, the most of any other tackle in the NFL.

BREAKING: The Lions are signing OT Penei Sewell to a four-year, $112 million deal that is the largest given to an offensive lineman, per @AdamSchefter . pic.twitter.com/PAttNZVHnd — Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 24, 2024

This news comes just a few hours after it was reported that the Lions have also agreed to a four-year, $120 million extension with standout wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Sewell, 23, just completed his third NFL season. Drafted by Detroit with the seventh pick in 2021, it took almost no time for him to become one of the best at his position at right tackle. He's been to two Pro Bowls and was named first-team All-Pro for the first time in 2023. And he's so young that there's room for him to grow and get even better.

The Lions have made a stunning turnaround in only a handful of years. In 2021, Sewell's first year in the NFL, the Lions went 3-13-1 under first-year head coach Dan Campbell. Then, in 2022, they went 9-8, missing the playoffs by just one game. In 2023, the 12-5 Lions won the NFC North, then won two playoff games before falling to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship.

Sewell has been there for all of that, as has St. Brown. They've helped build a winning culture in Detroit, and now they get to stay and keep working to win the Lions that Super Bowl trophy they've always wanted.