In 1974, the British & Irish Lions toured South Africa, with matches in South West Africa and Rhodesia. Under the leadership of Willie John McBride, the Lions went through the tour undefeated, winning 21 of their 22 matches and being held to a draw in the final match, albeit in controversial circumstances. The 1974 squad became known as 'The Invincibles' and regarded as the greatest rugby tour in history.

Apartheid backdrop and controversy The Lions tour took place against the backdrop of widespread condemnation of the apartheid regime. Under pressure from other African nations, the International Olympic Committee had excluded South Africa from competing in the Summer Games since 1964, and there had also been protests against visiting sporting teams from South Africa.

Several rugby players, like Welsh flanker John Taylor, took a stand against apartheid by making themselves unavailable for squad selection. Gerald Davies declined the tour on his personal uncomfortable position at the consequences and realities of apartheid.

By November 1973, the United Nations had declared apartheid "a crime against humanity" and in November 1974 South Africa was suspended from participating in the General Assembly.

The Lions made one more tour during Apartheid (in 1980), and did not tour South Africa again until 1997.

The 99 call

The test series was beset by violence. The management of the Lions unilaterally declared that in their opinion the Springboks dominated their opponents with physical aggression because of their famous size advantage, 'off the ball' and 'blind side' play. In the buildup games, and in McBride's previous tours of South Africa, provincial sides had tended to use their physical size, late tackling and dirty play to deliberately intimidate and injure Lions players prior to Test matches. McBride again saw this tactic of targeting certain players being used by the provinces in 1974, and decided that the '99 call' (originally the '999 call' but it was too slow to shout out) was meant to show that the Lions were a team and would not take any more of the violence being meted out to them. It was intended to show that the Lions would act as one and fight unsporting behaviour with more of the same. The idea was that the referee would be unlikely to send off all of the Lions if they all attacked.

At the 'Battle of Boet Erasmus Stadium', in Port Elizabeth, one of the most violent matches in rugby history, there is famous video footage of J. P. R. Williams running over half the length of the pitch to launch himself at Moaner van Heerden after such a call. According to McBride, the 99 call was only used once, as it sent out the message that the Lions were willing and more than able to respond in kind and protect themselves.

Squad

Management Manager: Alun Thomas (Wales) Coach: Syd Millar (Ireland)

Backs Fullbacks J. P. R. Williams (London Welsh and Wales) Andy Irvine (Heriot's FP and Scotland)

Wings Tom Grace (St Mary's College RFC and Ireland) J. J. Williams (Llanelli and Wales) William Steele (Bedford and R.A.F. and Scotland) Clive Rees (London Welsh and Wales) Alan Morley (Bristol and England) as replacement

Centres Richard Milliken (Bangor and Ireland) Ian McGeechan (Headingley and Scotland) Roy Bergiers (Llanelli and Wales) Geoff Evans (Coventry and England)

Fly-halves Phil Bennett (Llanelli and Wales) Alan Old (Leicester and England) Mike Gibson (North of Ireland FC and Ireland) as replacement

Scrum-halves Gareth Edwards (Cardiff and Wales) John Moloney (St. Mary's College and Ireland)

Forwards Hookers Bobby Windsor (Pontypool and Wales) Ken Kennedy (London Irish and Ireland)

Props Ian McLauchlan (Jordanhill College RFC and Scotland) Sandy Carmichael (West of Scotland and Scotland) Fran Cotton (Coventry and England) Mike Burton (Gloucester and England)

Locks Willie John McBride (capt) (Ballymena and Ireland) Chris Ralston (Richmond and England) Gordon Brown (West of Scotland and Scotland) Roger Uttley (Gosforth and England)

Loose forwards Fergus Slattery (Blackrock College and Ireland) Stewart McKinney (Dungannon and Ireland) Tommy David (Llanelli and Wales) Tony Neary (Broughton Park and England) Andy Ripley (Rosslyn Park and England) Mervyn Davies (Swansea and Wales)

Results summary DateOpponentLocationResultScoreTour Match 115 MayWestern TransvaalPotchefstroomWon59–13Tour Match 218 MaySouth West AfricaWindhoekWon23–16Tour Match 322 MayBolandWellingtonWon23–6Tour Match 425 MayEastern ProvincePort ElizabethWon28–14Tour Match 529 MaySouth West DistrictsMossel BayWon97–0Tour Match 61 JuneWestern ProvinceCape TownWon17–8Tour Match 74 JuneSA Federation XV (Proteas)Goodwood, Cape Town Won37–6First Test8 JuneSouth AfricaCape TownWon12–3Tour Match 811 JuneSouthern UniversitiesCape TownWon26–4Tour Match 915 JuneTransvaalJohannesburgWon23–15Tour Match 1018 JuneRhodesiaSalisburyWon42–6Second Test22 JuneSouth AfricaPretoriaWon28–9Tour Match 1127 JuneQuaggasJohannesburgWon20–16Tour Match 1229 JuneOrange Free StateBloemfonteinWon11–9Tour Match 133 JulyGriqualand WestKimberleyWon69–16Tour Match 146 JulyNorthern TransvaalPretoriaWon16–12Tour Match 159 JulySA Africans (Leopards)East LondonWon56–10Third Test13 JulySouth AfricaPort ElizabethWon26–9Tour Match 1617 JulyBorderEast LondonWon26–6Tour Match 1720 JulyDurbanWon34–6Tour Match 1823 JulyEastern TransvaalSpringsWon33–10Fourth Test27 JulySouth AfricaJohannesburgDraw13–13

Test matches

First test In muddy conditions at Newlands, the Lions took a while to settle, conceding the lead for the first time on the tour before steadying to win the opening test comfortably.

South Africa: Ian McCallum, Chris Pope, Johan Oosthuizen, Peter Whipp, Gert Muller, Dawie Snyman, Roy McCallum, Morne du Plessis, Jan Ellis, Jan Boland Coetzee, John Williams, Kevin de Klerk, Hannes Marais (c), Piston van Wyk, Sakkie Sauerman

Lions: J. P. R. Williams, Steele, Milliken, McGeechan, J. J. Williams, Bennett, Edwards, Davies, Uttley, Slattery, Brown, McBride (c), Cotton, Windsor, McLauchlan

Second test The Lions went in at half-time with a 10–3 advantage, thanks to two tries from J. J. Williams. The lead was reduced to 10–6 when Bosch scored a penalty early in the second half, but that was as close as the Springboks came. Thereafter the Lions took control, with tries to Bennett, Brown and Milliken. It was up to that point the heaviest defeat in Springbok history.

South Africa: Ian McCallum (replaced Snyman, replaced Vogel), Chris Pope, Jackie Snyman, Peter Whipp, Gerrie Germishuys, Gerald Bosch, Paul Bayvel, Dugald MacDonald, Jan Ellis, Morne du Plessis, John Williams, Kevin de Klerk, Hannes Marais (c), Dave Frederickson, Nic Bezuidenhoudt

Lions: J. P. R. Williams, Steele, Milliken, McGeechan, JJ Williams, Bennett, Edwards, Davies, Uttley, Slattery, Brown, McBride (c), Cotton, Windsor, McLauchlan

Third test Following the humiliation of Pretoria, the Springbok selectors made drastic changes, keeping only five players from the previous match in the starting line-up. One of the most bizarre changes, however, involved bringing in Free State loose forward Gerrie Sonnekus to play out of position at scrumhalf, a move which had disastrous consequences. In the opening half-hour, the Springboks produced their best rugby of the series so far, and the desperation with which they played prompted Lions centre Dick Milliken to reflect years later that he had "never experienced such intensity on a rugby pitch". Much like the earlier match against Eastern Province at the same venue, the occasion was marred by outbreaks of violence, such that the match has since been dubbed the 'Battle of Boet Erasmus'. The brawling was probably fueled by the win-at-all-costs mentality with which the Springboks were playing, as well as the resolution of the Lions players not to be cowed by their opponents' famed physicality. Despite the Springboks having the better of most of the first half, they still went into the main break down 7–3 after Gordon Brown snatched the ball from a lineout and crashed over the line in injury time.

After the initial onslaught, the Lions regrouped and as the Springboks began to tire, they took complete control in the second half. As the forwards began to assert themselves, the backs were able to launch attack after attack on the Springbok line. Winger J. J. Williams scored two superb tries; the first came from a brilliant one-two pass combination with J. P. R. Williams, and the second was the result of a brilliant kick-and-chase.

At the end of the match, Lions captain McBride was carried off on the shoulders of Bobby Windsor and Gordon Brown. It was the first time since 1896 that the British Isles had won a series in South Africa, and the first time since 1910 that a touring side had beaten the Springboks at Boet Erasmus stadium. Danie Craven, the president of the South African Rugby Board, congratulated the Lions on their historic achievement, acknowledging that the visitors had indeed been "the better team".

South Africa: 15 Tonie Roux, 14 Chris Pope, 13 Peter Cronje, 12 Jan Schlebusch, 11 Gert Muller, 10 Jackie Snyman, 9 Gerrie Sonnekus, 8 Klippies Kritzinger, 7 Jan Ellis, 6 Polla Fourie, 5 Johan de Bruyn, 4 Moaner van Heerden (replaced by De Klerk), 3 Hannes Marais (c), 2 Piston van Wyk, 1 Nic Bezuidenhoudt; Replacements: 16 Kevin de Klerk, 17 Malcolm Swanby, 18 Gavin Cowley, 19 Gert Schutte, 20 Andre Bestbier, 21 Rampie Stander

Lions: 15 J. P. R. Williams, 14 Andy Irvine, 13 Ian McGeechan, 12 Dick Milliken, 11 J. J. Williams, 10 Phil Bennett, 9 Gareth Edwards, 8 Mervyn Davies, 7 Fergus Slattery, 6 Roger Uttley, 5 Willie John McBride (c), 4 Gordon Brown, 3 Fran Cotton, 2 Bobby Windsor, 1 Ian McLauchlan; Replacements: 16 Mike Gibson, 17 Billy Steele, 18 John Moloney, 19 Ken Kennedy, 20 Sandy Carmichael, 21 Tony Neary

Fourth test After winning the first three test matches, the Lions drew the final test in controversial circumstances. In the dying minutes, Irish flanker Fergus Slattery broke through the South African line and appeared to successfully ground the ball, only for the (South African) referee to adjudge it held up; the Lions couldn't believe it, and Slattery himself later stated to the British newspapers that even the South African players thought that he had scored a legitimate try. Moreover, the referee blew the final whistle four minutes early with the Lions still just two metres from the South African try line, thus preserving their unbeaten record, but denying them a tour whitewash. When asked about the decision afterward, the referee was said to have replied: "Look boys, I have to live here". J. P. R. Williams later recalled that he struggled to understand the elation that South Africans felt in drawing the match.

South Africa: Tonie Roux, Chris Pope, Peter Cronje, Jan Schlebusch, Gert Muller, Jackie Snyman, Paul Bayvel, Kleintjie Grobler, Jan Ellis, Klippies Kritzinger, John Williams, Moaner van Heerden, Hannes Marais (c), Piston van Wyk, Nic Bezuidenhoudt (replaced by Stander)

Lions: J. P. R. Williams, Irvine, McGeechan, Milliken, J. J. Williams, Bennett, Edwards, Davies, Uttley, Slattery, Ralston, McBride (c), Cotton, Windsor, McLauchlan

Appraisal The Lions previous series in South Africa had all been losses, apart from the drawn 1955 series.

South Africa had not lost a home Test series since 1958 against France. In their most recent internationals they had won series against NZ at home in 1970 and against Australia away in 1971. They won their subsequent series, against NZ at home, in 1976.

However, they had not played a test match for two years before playing the Lions.

Danie Craven said the 1974 Lions were "the greatest team to visit South Africa".