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.

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 Neil Jenkins Fullback Pontypridd Tim Stimpson Fullback Newcastle Nick Beal Wing Northampton John Bentley Wing Newcastle Ieuan Evans Wing Llanelli Tony Underwood Wing Newcastle Allan Bateman Centre Richmond Scott Gibbs Centre Swansea Will Greenwood Centre Leicester Jeremy Guscott Centre Bath Alan Tait Centre Newcastle Paul Grayson Fly-half Northampton Gregor Townsend Fly-half Northampton Matt Dawson Scrum-half Northampton Austin Healey Scrum-half Leicester Rob Howley Scrum-half Cardiff Paul Wallace Prop Saracens Replaced the injured Peter Clohessy before the start of the tourJason Leonard Prop Harlequins Graham Rowntree Prop Leicester Tom Smith Prop Watsonians Dai Young Prop Cardiff Mark Regan Hooker Bristol Barry Williams Hooker Neath Keith Wood Hooker Harlequins Jeremy Davidson Lock London Irish Simon Shaw Lock Bristol Doddie Weir Lock Newcastle Neil Back Back row Leicester Lawrence Dallaglio Back row Wasps Richard Hill Back row Saracens Eric Miller Back row Leicester Scott Quinnell Back row Richmond Tim Rodber Back row Northampton Rob Wainwright Back row Watsonians Tony Stanger Wing Hawick Later addition to the tourMike Catt Fly-half Bath Later addition to the tourKyran Bracken Scrum-half Saracens Later addition to the tourTony Diprose Back row Saracens Later addition to the tourNigel Redman Lock Bath 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 JuneKing'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

FB 15André JoubertRW 14James Small OC 13Japie MulderIC 12Edrich Lubbe LW 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 FB 17Boeta Wessels SH 18Werner SwanepoelLK 19Krynauw OttoHK 20James DaltonPR 21Dawie TheronCoach: Carel du Plessis FB 15 Neil JenkinsRW 14 Ieuan Evans OC 13 Scott GibbsIC 12 Jeremy GuscottLW 11 Alan TaitFH 10 Gregor TownsendSH 9 Matt DawsonN8 8 Tim RodberOF 7 Richard HillBF 6 Lawrence DallaglioRL 5 Jeremy DavidsonLL 4 Martin Johnson (c)TP 3 Paul Wallace HK 2 Keith WoodLP 1 Tom Smith Replacements:PR 16 Jason Leonard WG 17 John Bentley CE 18 Mike Catt SH 19 Austin HealeyHK 20 Barry WilliamsFL 21 Rob WainwrightCoach: Ian McGeechan

Second Test

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 RL 5 Mark AndrewsLL 4 Hannes StrydomTP 3 Adrian Garvey HK 2 Naka DrotskéLP 1 Os du RandtReplacements:PR 16Dawie Theron LK 17Fritz van Heerden FB 18Russell BennettFB 19Boeta Wessels SH 20Werner SwanepoelHK 21James DaltonCoach: Carel du Plessis FB 15 Neil JenkinsRW 14 John BentleyOC 13 Scott GibbsIC 12 Jeremy GuscottLW 11 Alan Tait FH 10 Gregor TownsendSH 9 Matt DawsonN8 8 Tim Rodber OF 7 Richard Hill BF 6 Lawrence DallaglioRL 5 Jeremy DavidsonLL 4 Martin Johnson (c)TP 3 Paul Wallace HK 2 Keith WoodLP 1 Tom SmithReplacements:SH 16 Austin Healey FL 17 Neil Back N8 18 Eric Miller CE 19 Mike Catt HK 20 Barry WilliamsPR 21 Jason LeonardCoach: Ian McGeechan

Third Test

FB 15Russell BennettRW 14André SnymanOC 13Percy Montgomery IC 12Danie van SchalkwykLW 11Pieter RossouwFH 10Jannie de Beer SH 9 Joost van der Westhuizen N8 8 Gary Teichmann (c) OF 7 Rassie Erasmus BF 6 André Venter RL 5 Krynauw OttoLL 4 Hannes StrydomTP 3 Dawie Theron HK 2 James Dalton LP 1 Os du Randt Replacements:FH 16Henry Honiball WG 17Justin Swart SH 18Werner Swanepoel PR 19Adrian Garvey HK 20Naka Drotské LK 21Fritz van Heerden Coach: Carel du Plessis FB 15 Neil JenkinsRW 14 John BentleyOC 13 Jeremy Guscott IC 12 Scott GibbsLW 11 Tony Underwood FH 10 Mike CattSH 9 Matt Dawson N8 8 Lawrence DallaglioOF 7 Neil BackBF 6 Rob WainwrightRL 5 Jeremy DavidsonLL 4 Martin Johnson (c)TP 3 Paul Wallace HK 2 Mark ReganLP 1 Tom SmithReplacements:CE 16 Allan Bateman FB 17 Tim Stimpson SH 18 Austin Healey FL 19 Richard Hill HK 20 Barry WilliamsPR 21 Dai YoungCoach: Ian McGeechan

References