History of rugby union matches between the British & Irish Lions and other countries

Since 1989, the British & Irish Lions have developed a regular 12-year cycle of tours visiting one of the following three Southern Hemisphere nations, in turn, every four years: New Zealand (previous 2017, next 2029) South Africa (previous 2021, next 2033) Australia (previous 2025, next 2037)

However the history of their tours is more variable and diverse than the current status quo might indicate. Prior to the Second World War the Lions routinely toured Argentina, tours of Australia and New Zealand were frequently carried out in the same trip, intervals between tours were sometimes as much as 14 years (1910–1924) and sometimes as little as one year (1903, 1904) or even in the same year (1910 South Africa and Argentina). Additionally, whilst making tours the Lions would frequently play other neighbouring nations or teams in countries where the ship pulled into port or where the aircraft landed en route.

The Lions have also played several one-off matches when not on tour; these have all taken place in the United Kingdom with the exception of one match played in France.

The Lions have not always awarded caps for these matches, depending on whether it was felt by the team management that the opposition merited full-international status.

Matches in minor rugby playing nations The Lions played Rhodesia (a territory which, at different times in history comprised one or more of the modern day countries of Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe), South-West Africa (now Namibia) and East Africa (a British colony composed of Kenya, Tanzania/Tanganyika and Uganda) on some of their earlier South African tours. While travelling to or from Australia, New Zealand or Argentina, the Lions also played matches against teams in Canada, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and Fiji.

+British Lions matches outside the major tour receiving nations Date Year Venue City Result 1 30 July 1910 Bulawayo Rhodesia 11–24 British Lions 2 24 July 1924 Salisbury 3–16 British Lions 5 1 October 1930 The Racecourse Colombo 0–45 British Lions 3 20 July 1938 Salisbury 11–25 British Lions 4 23 July 1938 Bulawayo 11–45 British Lions 5 18 September 1950 The Racecourse Colombo 6–44 British Lions 6 5 July 1955 Windhoek South-West Africa 0–9 British Lions 7 27 July 1955 Rhokana Ground Kitwe Rhodesia 14–27 British Lions 8 30 July 1955 Police Ground Salisbury Rhodesia 12–16 British Lions 9 7 January 1955 RFUEA Ground Nairobi 12–39 British Lions 10 7 January 1959 British Columbia 11–16 British Lions 11 28 August 1959 Eastern Canada 6–70 British Lions 12 26 May 1962 Hartsfield Ground Bulawayo Rhodesia 9–38 British Lions 13 12 June 1962 South West Stadium Windhoek South-West Africa 6–14 British Lions 14 28 August 1962 RFUEA Ground Nairobi 0–50 British Lions 15 14 September 1966 Empire Stadium Vancouver British Columbia 8–3 British Lions 16 17 September 1966 8–19 British Lions 17 3 June 1968 Police Ground Salisbury Rhodesia 6–32 British Lions 18 12 June 1968 South West Stadium Windhoek South-West Africa 0–23 British Lions 19 18 May 1974 South West Stadium Windhoek South-West Africa 16–23 British Lions 20 18 June 1974 Police Ground Salisbury Rhodesia 6–42 British Lions 21 16 August 1977 Buckhurst Park Suva 25–21 British Lions 22 4 June 1980 South West Stadium Windhoek South African Country XV 7–27 British Lions

Canada One of the most famous matches in Canadian rugby history became known as the "victory for the ages"; it was British Columbia's defeat of the 1966 British Lions

Teams FB 15Don BurgessRW 14Brian McKeeOC 13Tom BrownIC 12Tim CummingsLW 11Jim RyanFH 10Ted Hunt (c)SH 9 Ross McDonaldLP 1 Bill TaylorHK 2 Garry FumanoTP 3 Peter GranthamLL 4 Dave MilneRL 5 Dick LayzellOF 6 Chuck PentlandBF 7 Mike ChambersN8 8 Al Bianco FB 15 Stewart WilsonRW 14 Sandy HinshelwoodOC 13 Colin McFadyeanIC 12 Barrie BresnihanLW 11 Dewi BebbFH 10 Dai WatkinsSH 9 Roger YoungLP 1 Denzil WilliamsHK 2 Frank LaidlawTP 3 Ray McLoughlinLL 4 Mike Campbell-Lamerton (c)RL 5 Brian PriceBF 6 Howard NorrisOF 7 Gary ProtheroN8 8 Willie John McBride

see: 1959 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand 1966 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand

Ceylon On the return journey to the UK, the Lions stopped off in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to play the final tour match of the 1930 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia and the 1950 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia. The games were played on 1 October 1930 and 18 September 1950, both at the Racecourse in Colombo. The 1930 game was won 45–0. The 1950 local team was composed of executive staff from British companies, British armed forces and three local players: Summa Navaratnam, Leslie Ephraims and Clair Roeloffsz. The Lions won 44–6. This was to be the last Lions match played by the great Irish outside-half, Jack Kyle. see: 1930 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia 1950 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia

East Africa When the British Lions went to South Africa for their 1955Kenya Rugby Historical Highlights at kenyarfu.com retrieved 24 August 2009 and 1962 tours, they played East Africa in Nairobi on the return legs of their journeys. The Lions won both of these games, 39–12Thomas (2001) pp. 100–117 and 50–0Thomas (2001) pp. 127–133 respectively. The 1955 game was East Africa's first international and also saw the official opening of the team's home stadium, the RFUEA Ground,IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy IRB.com then called the Ngong Road Ground.Godwin (1981) pp24 see: 1955 British Lions tour to South Africa 1962 British Lions tour to South Africa

Fiji On 16 August 1977, Fiji played their 88th test match and first against the British Lions. An examination of Fiji's results in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s demonstrates that they were far more proficient at the 15-man game than they are today. A hard-fought game saw the lead change four times with no side getting more than seven points ahead at any time. Fiji scored five tries to the Lions' three and finished worthy winners. The Lions made one replacement during the match, Gordon Brown going on for Trevor Evans. Fiji picked six replacements but used none.FIJI vs BRITISH LIONS at fijirugby.com retrieved 16 April 2010

Fiji: (15) Kemueli Musunamasi; (14) Joape Kuinikoro; (13) Senitiki Nasave; (12) Qele Ratu; (11) Wame Gavidi; (10) Pio Tikoisuva (captain); (9) Samisoni Viriviri; (8) Viliame Ratudradra; (7) Vuata Narisia; (6) Rupeni Qaraniqio; (5) Ilisoni Taoba; (4) Ilaitia Tuisese; (3) Nimilote Ratudina; (2) Atonio Racika; (1) Josefa RautoReplacements: Livai Volavola; Isimeli Batibasaga; Isikeli Cagilaba; Lepani Tagicakibau; Luke Nabaro; Apenisa Tokairavua British Lions: (15) Andy Irvine (); (14) Gareth Evans (); (13) Ian McGeechan (); (12) David Burcher (); (11) Phil Bennett (captain) (); (10) John Bevan (); (9) Alun Lewis (uncapped); (8) Jefferey Squire (); (7) Trevor Evans (); (6) Tony Neary (); (5) Allan Martin (); (4) Bill Beaumont (); (3) Graham Price (); (2) Bobby Windsor (); (1) Charlie Faulkner ()Replacements: Gordon Brown() see: 1977 British Lions tour to New Zealand

Rhodesia A regular feature of Lions tours to South Africa between 1910 and 1974 were matches played against Rhodesia, though during this period of history in Southern Africa the designation of Rhodesia is not straightforward. At its simplest it can be regarded as the territories that today comprise Zambia and Zimbabwe. These territories in no way can be regarded as a single entity, let alone a country. It is also not apparent if players selected to play for Rhodesia were drawn from one, two or all three of these territories or even (for the period between 1953 and 1963) if any players came from modern day Malawi.

In 1910 when the Lions first visited, Barotziland-North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia were two independent territories (administered by the British South Africa Company that together essentially made up the modern day country of Zambia) and Southern Rhodesia was a British colony that is now Zimbabwe.

By the time of the 1924 and 1938 Lions tours, North-Western and North-Eastern Rhodesia had been merged to form the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia; the colony of Southern Rhodesia still existed.

For the 1955 and 1962 tours, these two territories had been combined and, along with modern-day Malawi, made up the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

In 1964 Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland were granted independence and became Zambia and Malawi respectively. Southern Rhodesia remained a colony and called itself Rhodesia (between 1964 and 1979) and Zimbabwe Rhodesia (in 1979), though this name was not accepted by the British government who, until the independence of Zimbabwe in 1980, continued to call the territory Southern Rhodesia. see: 1910 British Lions tour to South Africa 1924 British Lions tour to South Africa 1938 British Lions tour to South Africa 1955 British Lions tour to South Africa 1962 British Lions tour to South Africa 1968 British Lions tour to South Africa 1974 British Lions tour to South Africa

South West Africa As for Rhodesia above, the designation of South West Africa is not simple but for different reasons. The area of land has always been essentially the territory that makes up modern day Namibia; but its legal status was far from clear. As with South Africa, it was essentially under an apartheid regime.

South West Africa was a German colony (German South West Africa) from 1884, several small parts were annexed by Britain and added to the Cape Colony which itself was combined with Colony of Natal, Transvaal Colony and the Orange River Colony to become the Commonwealth realm of the Union of South Africa in 1910. After World War I South-West Africa was declared a League of Nations Mandate to be administered by South Africa and after World War II it was supposed to become a United Nations Trust Territory, but South Africa objected and refused to allow it to achieve independence. South Africa's position was supported by the International Court of Justice which required, however, that South Africa follow the previously applied League of Nations Mandate.

Thus for the 1955 and 1962 Lions tours South West Africa was being regarded and administered as a fifth province of South Africa though it was never officially incorporated into the Commonwealth realm.

In 1966 the United Nations General Assembly declared the League of Nations Mandate terminated and required that South Africa withdraw from Namibia immediately. There followed a protracted struggle for independence by the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) with the territory finally achieving independence as the Republic of Namibia in 1990. As a result, when the Lions played South-West Africa in 1968, 1974 and 1980 they were technically playing an independent nation that should have been called Namibia, but a nation that was yet to come into existence. see: 1955 British Lions tour to South Africa 1962 British Lions tour to South Africa 1968 British Lions tour to South Africa 1974 British Lions tour to South Africa 1980 British Lions tour to South Africa

One-off matches (not part of a tour) The British & Irish Lions have made three official non-tour appearances, all of which have been on home soil. Teams styled as "the Lions" have turned out on three additional occasions, two on home soil and one in France. Four of these matches have been played in Cardiff (three at the Arms Park and one in the Millennium Stadium), one in London (at Twickenham), one in Edinburgh (at Murrayfield), one in Dublin (at the Dublin Arena) and one in Paris (at the Parc des Princes).

One other match, The Skilball Trophy match has been played by a Four Home Unions side against The Rest of Europe to raise money in aid of the rebuilding of Romania following the overthrow of Nicolae Ceaușescu. It was played at Twickenham on 22 April 1990, the home side wore the Lions badge on their shirts but were not officially a British Lions side.Ellerdale – The Skilball Trophy