1983 British Lions tour to New Zealand

In 1983 the British and Irish Lions toured New Zealand for the first time since 1977. The Lions went down to a 4–0 whitewash for only the second time in history – the previous was also inflicted by the All Blacks on the 1966 Lions. Overall the Lions played eighteen matches, winning twelve and losing six. In addition to their four test defeats they also lost to the Auckland and Canterbury provincial unions.

1983 British Lions tour to New Zealand
Date15 May  – 16 July
Coach(es)Jim Telfer
Tour captain(s) Ciaran Fitzgerald
Test series winners New Zealand (4–0)
Top test point scorer(s) Ollie Campbell (15)

The tour was captained by Ciaran Fitzgerald, coached by Jim Telfer and managed by Willie John McBride. The tour lasted 18 matches and almost 3 months, between May and July 1983.

Injuries and replacements

In addition to the players originally selected, six players subsequently joined as replacements or cover for injured players;

  • Nigel Melville, who had not yet been capped by England, replaced Terry Holmes who was injured in the first test.
  • Melville was injured himself in his second match and was replaced by Steve Smith.
  • Eddie Butler replaced Jeff Squire.
  • Nick Jeavons replaced John O'Driscoll although O'Driscoll did resume playing on the tour.
  • Donal Lenihan, an original selection who had to withdraw after being diagnosed with a hernia, subsequently replaced Robert Norster.
  • Gerry McLoughlin replaced Ian Stephens.

Squad

Management

Backs

Forwards

Results
Date Opponent Location Result Score
Match 1 15 May Wanganui Spriggens Park, Wanganui Won 15–47
Match 2 18 May Auckland Eden Park, Auckland Lost 13–12
Match 3 21 May Bay of Plenty Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua Won 16–34
Match 4 25 May Wellington Athletic Park, Wellington Won 19–27
Match 5 28 May Manawatu The Showgrounds, Palmerston North Won 18–25
Match 6 31 May Mid Canterbury The Showgrounds, Ashburton Won 6–26
Match 7 4 June New Zealand Lancaster Park, Christchurch Lost 16–12
Match 8 8 June West Coast Rugby Park, Greymouth Won 16–52
Match 9 11 June Southland Rugby Park, Invercargill Won 3–41
Match 10 14 June Wairarapa Bush Memorial Park, Masterton Won 10–57
Match 11 18 June New Zealand Athletic Park, Wellington Lost 9–0
Match 12 25 June North Auckland Okara Park, Whangarei Won 12–21
Match 13 28 June Canterbury Lancaster Park, Christchurch Lost 22–20
Match 14 2 July New Zealand Carisbrook, Dunedin Lost 15–8
Match 15 6 July Hawke's Bay McLean Park, Napier Won 19–25
Match 16 9 July Counties Pukekohe Stadium, Pukekohe Won 16–25
Match 17 12 July Waikato Rugby Park, Hamilton Won 13–40
Match 18 16 July New Zealand Eden Park, Auckland Lost 38–6

The matches

First Test
4 June 1983
 New Zealand 16–12 British and Irish Lions
Try: Shaw
Pen: Hewson (3)
Drop: Hewson		 Pen: Campbell (3)
Drop Campbell
Lancaster Park, Christchurch
Attendance: 52,000
Referee: F Palmade

NEW ZEALAND; Allan Hewson (Well), Stu Wilson (Well), Steven Pokere (Sthl), Bernie Fraser (Well), Warwick Taylor (Cant), Ian Dunn (N Auck), Dave Loveridge (Tar), Murray Mexted (Well), Jock Hobbs (Cant), Andy Haden (Auck), Gary Whetton (Auck), Mark Shaw (Man), John Ashworth (Cant), Andy Dalton (Count, cpt), Gary Knight (Man).

LIONS; MacNeill, Baird, Irwin, Ringland, Ackerman, Campbell, Holmes (rep Laidlaw), Paxton, Winterbotom, Norster, Colclough, Squire, Stephens, Fitzgerald (cpt), Price.

Second Test
18 June 1983
 New Zealand 9–0 British and Irish Lions
Try: Loveridge c
Con: Hewson
Pen: Hewson
Athletic Park, Wellington
Attendance: 39,000
Referee: F Palmade

NEW ZEALAND; Allan Hewson (Well), Stu Wilson (Well), Steven Pokere (Sthl), Bernie Fraser (Well), Warwick Taylor (Cant), Wayne Smith (Cant), Dave Loveridge (Tar), Murray Mexted (Well), Jock Hobbs (Cant), Andy Haden (Auck), Gary Whetton (Auck), Mark Shaw (Man), John Ashworth (Cant), Andy Dalton (Count, cpt), Gary Knight (Man).

LIONS; MacNeill, Baird, Irwin, Kiernan, Carleton, Campbell, Laidlaw, Paxton (rep Beattie), Winterbotom, Norster, Colclough, O'Driscoll, Jones, Fitzgerald (cpt), Price.

Third Test
2 July 1983
 New Zealand 15–8 British and Irish Lions
Try: Wilson c
Con: Hewson
Pen: Hewson (3)		 Try: Baird, Rutherford
Carisbrook, Dunedin
Attendance: 32,000
Referee: R Byres

NEW ZEALAND; Allan Hewson (Well), Stu Wilson (Well), Steven Pokere (Sthl), Bernie Fraser (Well), Warwick Taylor (Cant), Wayne Smith (Cant) (rep Arthur Stone (Wai)), Dave Loveridge (Tar), Murray Mexted (Well), Jock Hobbs (Cant), Andy Haden (Auck), Gary Whetton (Auck), Mark Shaw (Man), John Ashworth (Cant), Andy Dalton (Count, cpt), Gary Knight (Man).

LIONS; Evans, Baird, Kiernan, Rutherford, Carleton, Campbell, Laidlaw, Paxton, Winterbotom, Bainbridge, Colclough, Calder, Jones, Fitzgerald (cpt), Price.

Fourth Test
16 July 1983
 New Zealand 38–6 British and Irish Lions
Try: Wilson (3), Hobbs, Hewson, Haden
Con: Hewson (4)
Pen: Hewson (2)		 Pen: Campbell, Evans
Eden Park, Auckland
Attendance: 53,000
Referee: R Byres

NEW ZEALAND; Allan Hewson (Well), Stu Wilson (Well), Steven Pokere (Sthl), Bernie Fraser (Well), Warwick TaylorBernie Fraser (rugby union) (Cant), Ian Dunn (N Auck), Dave Loveridge (Tar), Murray Mexted (Well), Jock Hobbs (Cant), Andy Haden (Auck), Gary Whetton (Auck), Mark Shaw (Man), John Ashworth (Cant), Andy Dalton (Count, cpt), Gary Knight (Man).

LIONS; Evans, Baird (rep Ackerman), Irwin, Kiernan, Campbell (rep MacNeill), Laidlaw, Paxton, Winterbotom, Bainbridge, Colclough, O'Driscoll, Jones, Fitzgerald (cpt), Price.

References
  • McLean, Terry; Ian Robertson (1983). Two Sides to the Argument:Lions v All Blacks '83. London: Stanley Paul & Co Ltd. ISBN 0-09-154500-5.
  • Thomas, Clem; Thomas, Greg (2005). The History of The British and Irish Lions. Mainstream Books. ISBN 1-84596-030-0.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.