british lions tour of south africa 1974

The Legendary (and Violent) 1974 British & Irish Lions Tour of South Africa

• March 25, 2020
• Ultimate Rugby

The 70s: a decade largely remembered for questionable hairstyles, economic uncertainty, social upheaval and the Bee Gees. In rugby terms, however, it was the stage of one of the most controversial sporting series in history; the 1974 Lions tour to South Africa.

Under the apartheid regime, South Africa had gradually cultivated a reputation for itself as an international pariah.

Many of the British public and their leaders were fundamentally opposed to the tour going ahead, though it did materialise, albeit under fiery circumstances.

The Lions were captained by the legendary Willie-John McBride and boasted other revered names among their ranks such as Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams, Phil Bennett, Ian McGeechan, Fergus Slattery and JJ Williams.

McBride was well aware of the daunting task ahead of the team – the Springboks had never lost a series on home soil before – and it was imperative to him that they were all on the same page when he sat his players down before they departed.

“I said, ‘I’m going to South Africa...I have one objective: to win the series...it’s nothing to do with politics, as far as I’m concerned, nothing. If anybody has any doubt about going on this tour, the door is open. Please leave now. Don’t come to me in a week, don’t come to me tomorrow, don’t come to me in three weeks, because you’re no use to this team if you have the slightest doubt and you’re certainly no use to me,’” McBride recalls, “Nobody moved. And I said, ‘Okay, we now are on the road.’”  

The first significant game of the tour was against Eastern Province- then tough customers in the South African provincial scene – who were led by the Springbok captain, Hannes Marais.

With the tensions electric off the field, it was inevitable that violence would rear its head on it, and the Lions were prepared.

At the shout of McBride’s famous “99” call, the men in red swarmed with steely aggression and clenched fists, administering brutal  beatings on any opposition player who dared antagonise one of their own. The Lions had made a statement, in no uncertain terms, that their days of being bullied by the burly Afrikaners were over and the spirit of the tour was forged.

Lions  28 – 14  Eastern Province.

McBride’s charges marched on to Newlands to take on giants Western Province one week before the first test at the same venue and emerged 17 – 8 victors, as yet unbeaten on the tour.

The Springboks took on their rivals at a wet and muddy Newlands on the 8 th of June and were defeated 12-3, the first Lions victory at that venue since 1938.

“It [the victory] gave everybody that tremendous feeling that we were dominant and we were believing in ourselves.” said McBride.

The road to the second test saw the Lions despatch the Southern Universities XV (26-4), Transvaal (23-15) and Rhodesia (42-6) before they took the field in Pretoria.

The team bus pulled up to Loftus Versveld with its occupants in full song – belting out the rousing lyrics of Flower Of Scotland and revelling in a spirit of confidence which manifested on the field of play.

“When we got off that bus and into the dressing room, we knew that something special was going to happen that day.” former Lions lock Gordon Brown recounts.

Brown was right, and the Lions were dominant, winning the second test 28-9 in front of a shocked crowd to go up 2-0 in the series.

The 13 th of July 1974 saw the sides clash in the vital third test, again, in Port Elizabeth.

The Springboks, now desperate for victory blasted out of the tunnel onto the field like green bullets from a gun, a tongue-lashing from the Minister of Sport in the dressing room still ringing in their ears. What transpired was the most brutal, violent game of the tour, “Fitting more for the boxing ring,” a commentator quipped. At the final whistle the players left the blood-stained pitch with the scoreboard reading 26-9 in the Lion’s favour and McBride’s men were forever etched in history.

The fourth and final test ended in a 13-13 draw, but the writing was already on the wall; that the Springboks had been out-played and out-fought, suffering their first ever home series defeat to a Lions team that would go down as one of the greatest in the tradition.

The Lions returned home unbeaten, having played 22 games, winning 21 and drawing 1, scarring the pride of the Springbok jersey.

As we look towards the tour of 2021, the mouth waters at the prospect of the now world champion South Africans taking on the best of Britain and Ireland in another clash of physicality and flair.

In this Article

Latest News

Never miss a try, transfer or tackle!

Roger Uttley reflects on 1974 Tour

Roger Uttley played a crucial role as The British & Irish Lions went unbeaten on their iconic tour of South Africa in 1974.  [more]

Roger Uttley played a crucial role as The British & Irish Lions went unbeaten on their iconic tour of South Africa in 1974. 

He was part of a cohort that would become immortalised as ‘The Invincibles’ in the years to come and the Tour was as memorable for the friendships formed off the pitch as it was for the results on it. 

As part of a new series for The British & Irish Lions, the former England forward reflects on his experiences in South Africa 49 years on.

• Enter our competition to win tickets for the 2025 British & Irish Lions Tour of Australia

As a young teenager, my first two sporting loves were cycling and basketball.

The first helped to develop a big engine and a strong pair of legs, the second gave me excellent hand-eye coordination which became invaluable as my rugby career developed in my later ‘teens.

Growing up in Blackpool, I was lucky to have a couple of influential teachers who helped shape my path.

At Montgomery School, I had my PE teacher Bryn Jones to thank for instilling in me a desire to better myself, and when I moved on to the sixth form at Blackpool Grammar School, I came under the influence of Jack Quarmby.

Jack gave me a copy of the original RFU coaching manual which had just come out and told me to take a look because I was going to be captain the following year and I might find it interesting!

I had a good couple of years there and during that time, I played for Lancashire Schools and in my final year was selected to play for England Schools on an Easter tour.

• Nick Popplewell reflects on 1993 Tour

We played Wales down in Bridgewater, Scotland under lights at Kingsholm and then flew to Paris to play France.

That experience just made me think “Wow” if this is what rugby is all about, I really want to be part of it.

In 1971, I played in all six games on an England tour of the Far East but frustratingly had to wait until two years later for a full cap.

I watched all of the 1971 British & Irish Lions Tour to New Zealand. It was just fantastic watching and listening to Cliff Morgan’s commentary.

I was playing county rugby with Northumberland back then. John Elders was a teacher at Newcastle Royal Grammar School and Northumberland County coach, and then in the early 1970s, he became England coach.

I was just in the right place at the right time.

The Lions had previously toured South Africa in 1968 and I had seen pictures of Frik du Preez, the great Springbok second row forward, in action.

The pictures were just in black and white on the television but it was amazing seeing this, seemingly giant figure, catching the ball from the kick-off before going the length of the field to score at the other end.

Clips like that just made you think ‘Wow’, what are we going to be facing?’

I knew it was going to be a big challenge but I was confident I could hold my own and when we got out there, it became clear almost immediately that South Africa is a great rugby environment.

Touring was a welcome change from the dark, dismal winters over here back in the 1970s when there were power cuts.

I finished my college dissertation by candlelight because the power went off during the evenings.

It was just a different world. To go from muddy pitches training in poor light conditions to hard tracks, and everything being made available for you, was fantastic, it was the closest I was to get to being a professional sportsman.

South Africa had some excellent players but I didn’t feel intimidated, partly because I was on tour with some of the greats of the British game.

Gareth Edwards and all the Welsh boys were fantastic, Willie John McBride was the captain, and Syd Millar was the coach.

They were legendary figures even then, this was to be Willie’s fifth tour and for me, it was a bit like going on tour with your dad!

I can still remember the final team meeting before the first Test, sitting in a small office in the Arthur’s Seat Hotel in Cape Town.

Willie John was there at the head of a circle of chairs, quietly smoking his pipe and tapping his foot as everyone came in.

He waited until the last man was in there, quietly sat there and didn’t say anything, his eyes just kept moving around the room from player to player, acknowledging each individuals presence with a nod of the head for what seemed like ages, then just tapped his pipe out and said: “Right, I think we are ready. Let’s go.”

The weather had changed just before the first Test and we went from playing on burnt-hard tracks to a quagmire.

We took them on, we out-scrummaged them and put them in all sorts of disarray.

It wasn’t a fantastic scoreline [12-3] but we bested them in every area and badly dented their confidence for the rest of the series.

What people probably don’t realise nowadays is that back then, there were no neutral referees, no TMO referrals or tactical substitutions.

Syd, Willie John and the senior pros knew that to be successful we would have to respond immediately to any physical intimidation that traditionally happened to Lions sides in the southern hemisphere, what came our way had to go back!

We couldn’t tolerate it, we operated on the premise that if it was one against one, you might get sent off. But if it was 15 against 15, what were they going to do then?

That was basically what the ‘99 call’ was all about – and there were a few incidents along the way.

There was a big dust-up in the third Test at Port Elizabeth when the Lions were two up in the series and looking to make it three and a series win. Things got heated for a while but the Lions won well. There were a couple of provincial matches where they tried to soften us up but we had senior pros and some good, hard lads – it was just a real ‘band of brothers’ scenario, on and off the pitch.

If you were at a lunch table with Mike Burton, for example, you would laugh your socks off. He, Bobby Windsor and Andy Ripley were just fun people to be with.

After the second Test, we had a few days off, so we went into the bush. We stayed in lodges at Kruger National Park and that was really something.

One white knuckle trip in the back of open-top pick-up trucks springs to mind chasing rhinos through the bush remains indelibly printed in my mind.

• Are these the greatest ever Lions tries?

Those are the off-field experiences you remember from the Tours, as well as things like the Sunday morning gin and tonics with JPR Williams and Mervyn Davies. There were some good parties while we were in Cape Town, as well.

We went on a trip to the far side of the Cape with Morné du Plessis and one or two of the other Western Province boys to a beach BBQ, which was just really nice to be able to do.

It was all good fun, Syd just insisted we were in good shape for training on Monday morning, which we were – as was displayed in the results.

Communication with home was a lot more taxing then.

No mobile phones or internet.

You had to book telephone calls home, but you had to be organised to do that. The alternative was to write home via airmail letter and I have got a box of correspondence that Kristine and I had over the course of those three months.

Once we had won the third Test and won the series, the big challenge was whether we could go unbeaten.

We had won the series anyway and we came away with our honour intact, while South Africa were able to regain a little bit of their dignity with that draw in the last Test.

• Alun Wyn Jones: The heart of a Lion

Looking back on it now, it is a pleasure to reflect on it all. There were just great men in that squad, every one of whom I have been proud to be able to call a friend.

Despite coming from a wide range of different backgrounds we came together to make it a truly special British & Irish Lions tour.

I consider myself to have been very fortunate to be part of that winning team.

But you learn nothing if you win all the time, particularly in rugby so the big lesson I have learnt in life is that in order to give yourself the best opportunity to win you need to concentrate on the quality of the individual and team performance rather than focussing on the imperative to win!

Roger Uttley played 23 times for England between 1973 and 1980 and later coached his country at the 1991 World Cup. He was also an assistant coach on the victorious 1989 British & Irish Lions Tour of Australia. Uttley combined his playing career with a role as a PE teacher and was director of physical education at Harrow School for two decades.

Related Players

Related fixtures, latest news, royal london | lions watch with shaunagh brown: part two, john o'shea: wales and lions prop dies aged 83, charlotte gibbons appointed as director of operations at the british & irish lions, rugby legends attend howden big rugby day out in oxford.

• Management News
• 2017 Tour Schedule & TV Guide
• Match Reports
• Match Previews
• Travel Packages
• Lions Tour Tickets
• The History
• The Management
• New Zealand 2017
• Australia 2013
• Sat 3 Jun Prov XV Lions 7 13
• Wed 7 Jun Blues Lions 22 16
• Sat 10 Jun Crusaders Lions 3 12
• Tue 13 Jun Highlanders Lions 23 22
• Sat 17 Jun Maori ABs Lions 10 32
• Tue 20 Jun Chiefs Lions 6 34
• Sat 24 Jun New Z Lions 30 15
• Tue 27 Jun Hurricanes Lions 31 31
• Sat 1 Jul New Z Lions 21 24
• Sat 8 Jul New Z Lions 15 15
• Sat 1 Jun Barbarians Lions 8 59
• Wed 5 Jun W Force Lions 17 69
• Sat 8 Jun Qld Reds Lions 12 22
• Tue 11 Jun NSW-QLD Lions 0 64
• Sat 15 Jun Waratahs Lions 17 47
• Tue 18 Jun Brumbies Lions 14 12
• Sat 22 Jun Australia Lions 21 23
• Tue 25 Jun Rebels Lions 0 35
• Sat 26 Jun Australia Lions 16 15
• Sat 6 Jul Australia Lions 16 41
• Gregor Townsend Named British & Irish Lions Coach
• British & Irish Lions 2021 Fixtures Announced
• New Zealand 15 British & Irish Lions 15
• New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24
• Hurricanes 31 British & Irish Lions 31
• New Zealand 30 British & Irish Lions 15
• Chiefs 6 British & Irish Lions 34
• Maori All Blacks 10 British & Irish Lions 32
• Highlanders 23 British & Irish Lions 22
• Stuart Hogg Out Of Lions Tour

1974 South Africa

• Updated: 6th June 2012

Three years after triumphing in New Zealand the Lions faced a much stiffer test in facing a South African side who had not lost a test series that century.

The tour was a magnificent success with the tourists setting achievement after achievement by winning the series 3-0 and not losing a single game on tour.

The tour captained by legends Syd Millar and Willie John McBride, saw the Lions defeat the Boks by taking them on where their main strength lay in the forwards. By setting a platform for the backs to operate, the Lions runners attacked at will and with great success.

Despite the Lions attacking prowess the first test was won in desperate conditions with the Lions edging it 12-3. The Lions did regain their superiority in the second though, running in five tries with two from JJ Williams.

The third test however is now legendary for what was to happen on the pitch. The Lions knew what was coming with the selection of a bruising Number 8 at Scrum Half and it was there that the legendary Lions call of “99” was born where each Lion would immediately punch the nearest member of the opposition they could! The Lions emerged unbothered though and clinched the match and series by 26-9.

The final match ended in a 13-13 draw and therefore ended the first tour to South Africa in the 20th century that the Lions remained unbeaten in possibly the greatest Lions tour ever.

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related Posts

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

When not writing articles about the latest issues surrounding the game, Ben spends his time worrying about the fortunes of his beloved Saracens. Ben is responsible for overseeing all output from the L-T.com team and often can't help himself from adding his own take on the issues of the day and has to pen his own article to stick his two-penneth in. Ben also runs our travel section and is a font of all knowledge about the tours having travelled as a tourist on all three tours. He can tell you everything you need to know about touring with the British & Irish Lions from how to get there and where to stay, to where you can hang around to spot the players and where you can get the best steaks in town...! Email Ben - [email protected]

Jakim sposobem mój Kasyno Blik oszczędza mi okres

To na rzecz polskich graczach spore udogodnienie, bo MiFinity to e-portfel, który kumpli na liście metod płatności w mnóstwo...

Copyright © 2015 Lions-Tour.com.

1974 British Lions tour to South Africa

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. [1]

Apartheid backdrop and controversy

The 99 call, results summary, test matches, second test, fourth test, bibliography, external links.

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. [2] Gerald Davies declined the tour on his personal uncomfortable position at the consequences and realities of apartheid . [3] [4]

By November 1973, the United Nations had declared apartheid "a crime against humanity " [5] and in November 1974 South Africa was suspended from participating in the General Assembly. [6]

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

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 JPR 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.

• Manager: Alun Thomas (Wales)
• Coach: Syd Millar (Ireland)
• J.P.R. Williams ( London Welsh and Wales)
• Andy Irvine ( Heriot's FP and Scotland)
• 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
• Richard Milliken (Bangor and Ireland)
• Ian McGeechan ( Headingley and Scotland)
• Roy Bergiers ( Llanelli and Wales)
• Geoff Evans ( Coventry and England)
• 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)
• Bobby Windsor ( Pontypool and Wales)
• Ken Kennedy ( London Irish and Ireland)
• Ian McLauchlan ( Jordanhill College RFC and Scotland)
• Sandy Carmichael ( West of Scotland and Scotland)
• Fran Cotton (Coventry and England)
• Mike Burton ( Gloucester and England)
• 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)

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. [7]

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 : JPR Williams, Steele, Milliken, McGeechan, JJ Williams, Bennett, Edwards, Davies, Uttley, Slattery, Brown, McBride (c), Cotton, Windsor, McLauchlan

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. [8] It was up to that point the heaviest defeat in Springbok history. [9]

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

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, [10] 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". [11] Much like the earlier match against Eastern Province at the same venue, [12] 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. [13]

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". [13]

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

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". [1] JPR Williams later recalled that he struggled to understand the elation that South Africans felt in drawing the match. [10]

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

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. [14]

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

Many of the players who also played on the victorious 1971 Lions tour to New Zealand believe the 1974 Lions team would have beaten the 1971 Lions team, due to having better forwards and because many of the 1971 players had become better players by 1974. [15] J.P.R. Williams has said that whilst the 1971 Lions back division could not be bettered, the 1974 squad was better at winning games. [16]

• Jenkins, Vivian (1975). Rothmans Rugby Yearbook 1975–76 . Brickfield Publications. ISBN   0-362-00221-5 .
• Reason, John (1974). The unbeaten Lions: The 1974 British Isles Rugby Union tour of South Africa . Rugby Books. p.   258. ISBN   9780903194020 .
• Thomas, J. B. G. (1974). The greatest Lions   : the story of the British Lions tour of South Africa, 1974 . London: Pelham. p.   175. ISBN   0720707862 .

Related Research Articles

The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Lions are a test side and most often select players who have already played for their national team, although they can pick uncapped players who are eligible for any of the four unions. The team currently tours every four years, with these rotating between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in order. The most recent test series, the 2021 series against South Africa, was won 2–1 by South Africa.

John Peter Rhys Williams was a Welsh rugby union player who represented Wales in international rugby during their Golden Era in the 1970s. He became known universally as J.   P.   R. Williams four years after his Welsh debut, in 1973 when J.   J. Williams joined the Welsh team.

William James McBride , CBE, better known as Willie John McBride is a former rugby union footballer who played as a lock for Ireland and the British Lions. He played 63 Tests for Ireland including eleven as captain, and toured with the Lions five times; a record that gave him 17 Lions Test caps. He also captained the most successful ever Lions side, which toured South Africa in 1974.

Cameron Michael Henderson Gibson MBE is a former rugby union international player who represented Ireland and the British & Irish Lions.

Thomas Gerald Reames Davies CBE DL is a Welsh former rugby union wing who played international rugby for Wales between 1966 and 1978. He is one of a small group of Welsh players to have won three Grand Slams including Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams, Ryan Jones, Adam Jones, Gethin Jenkins and Alun Wyn Jones.

In 1971 the British Lions toured New Zealand, also playing two matches in Australia. Despite losing the first match to Queensland the tour was a great success, the Lions winning the Test series against the All Blacks. They are still the only Lions side to have won a Test series in New Zealand. The side was captained by John Dawes, coached by Carwyn James and managed by Doug Smith.

EPRU Stadium , also known by its original name of Boet Erasmus Stadium , was a stadium in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The letters "EPRU" in the name represent the Eastern Province Rugby Union, the stadium's historic primary tenants, whose team is now known as the Mighty Elephants. The original name Boet Erasmus Stadium was named after Boet Erasmus, a former mayor of Port Elizabeth. The stadium held a capacity of 33,852 people and served primarily as a venue for rugby union matches but also hosted a number of association football (soccer) fixtures.

A World XV is a rugby union team organised on an unofficial, ad hoc basis and typically composed of invited players from various countries. Several World XVs have been arranged by various bodies since the 1970s, often to take part in celebration and testimonial games, usually against national teams, but these are not considered test matches by most nations.

The 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa was an international rugby union tour which took place in South Africa from May to July 2009.

In 1977 the British Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand. The Lions played 26 matches, including four internationals against the All Blacks. They lost the series against the All Blacks by three matches to one. The team played as the British Isles in their internationals against the All Blacks and the British Lions for the non-international games. Unlike all previous tours to New Zealand, the Lions did not play any matches in Australia, though one game was also played at Buckhurst Park, Suva, against Fiji.

Johannes Lodewikus 'Moaner' van Heerden is a former South African rugby union international player. He played as a lock.

The Proteas was the representative side of the South African Rugby Football Federation, one of three racially segregated rugby union governing bodies in apartheid South Africa.

The History of the South Africa national rugby union team dates back to 1891, when the British Lions first toured South Africa where they played against South African representative sides. The South Africa national rugby union team played few international matches during a period of international sanctions due to apartheid. Since the end of apartheid in 1994, South Africa has once again fully participated in international rugby.

These are the 1975 Five Nations Championship squads :

These are the 1974 Five Nations Championship squads :

These are the 1973 Five Nations Championship squads :

Kevin Brian Henry de Klerk is a former South African rugby union player.

Willem Pieter Stapelberg is a former South African rugby union player.

• 1 2 Mitchell, Kevin (3 May 2009). "The Lion kings" . The Guardian . Retrieved 7 July 2019 .
• ↑ Taylor, John (11 July 2014). "Lions and the fight against apartheid" . ESPN.
• ↑ Bills, Peter (17 July 2008). "Gerald Davies on the adventure of the Lions" . The Independent . London. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022 . Retrieved 3 May 2010 .
• ↑ Live, North Wales (16 May 2009). "Gerald Davies: A Lion's Tale" . North Wales Live .
• ↑ "International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid. Adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 30 November 1973" (PDF) .
• ↑ Teltsch, Kathleen (13 November 1974). "South Africa Is Suspended By U.N. Assembly, 91‐22" . The New York Times . Retrieved 7 July 2019 .
• ↑ "Springboks promise a different result on Pretoria's hard ground" . The Times . No.   59111. Reuters . 10 June 1974. p.   11 . Retrieved 8 July 2019 .
• ↑ Jenkins, Vivian (23 June 1974). "South Africa handed beating of all time" . The Sunday Times . No.   7880. p.   21 . Retrieved 8 July 2019 .
• ↑ "South Africans rake over ashes of heaviest defeat" . The Times . Reuters . 24 June 1974. p.   9 . Retrieved 8 July 2019 .
• 1 2 Dolan, Damian (15 May 2009). "JPR Williams remembers the call of 99" . The Independent . Archived from the original on 1 May 2022 . Retrieved 7 July 2019 .
• ↑ Barclay, Tristan (13 July 1974). "Lions victorious in Battle of Boet Erasmus" . ESPN . Retrieved 7 July 2019 .
• ↑ "Kicking and punching mar Lions' brilliant victory" . The Times . No.   59099. Reuters. 27 May 1974. p.   9 . Retrieved 7 July 2019 .
• 1 2 "British Lions accepted as kings" . The Times . No.   59139. Reuters. 15 July 1974. p.   7 . Retrieved 7 July 2019 .
• ↑ O’Reilly, Peter. "Dick Milliken: The Springboks were physical and frightening – but they believed we were invincible" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
• ↑ Willie John McBride , Ian McLauchlan , Ian McGeechen , Fergus Slattery , Chapter 24, Undefeated, Rhodri Davies
• ↑ Orders, Mark (4 March 2019). "The life of JPR at 70, a Welsh rugby great who was different from the rest" . Wales Online .
• 1974 British Lions tour to South Africa at Lions Rugby
• " The Power of Four "
• Living with Lions

40 years on...The remarkable images that tell the story of the 'invincible' 1974 Lions who humiliated South Africa

On the 40th anniversary of the tour, we remember one of the most courageous teams who ever played the game

• 20:08, 18 JUN 2014
• Updated 12:26, 19 JUN 2014

Get the latest Welsh Rugby news analysis and interviews

We have more newsletters

They were the rugby team that pulverised and humiliated brutal South Africa in their own back yard.

Packed with Welsh legends like Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams JJ Williams, Mervyn Davies and Phil Bennett, the 1974 British Lions were dubbed the “Invincibles” after triumphing in 21 of 22 matches on their South African tour.

Now, on the 40th anniversary of the tour, a new book asks whether the success of the class of 74 puts them ahead of the Lions of 1971, whose series victory in New Zealand has never been repeated.

The 74 side, whose infamous “99 call” saw them match South African brutality punch for punch, were denied the honour of an historic whitewash by South African referee Max Baise, who blew up four minutes early with the Lions two metres from the South African try line.

However, it remains one of rugby's most remarkable achievements to this day.

Here, 40 years on, we've opened up the archives to tell the story of one of the most iconic Test series with these wonderful images.

This is the story of arguably the greatest ever rugby tourists - a group of men who mixed god-given rugby talent with almost unrivalled courage.

Pictures: The story of the 1974 Lions

More like this...

The most iconic rugby pictures in history

The 50 greatest rugby players of the modern era...Who comes out on top?

A backdrop of tragedy and unrest in 1974

The pressures brought to bear during the '74 tour were not only sporting.

The team, led by Willie John McBride, courted controversy by competing against a Springboks side that for many embodied the hated Apartheid state.

Just two years after the tour the regime shot protesting schoolchildren in Soweto as they demonstrated over the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in local schools.

It’s thought 176 people were killed. Lifelong Welsh rugby fan and former First Minister Rhodri Morgan opposed the tour.

But Mr Morgan, who believes the achievement of McBride’s men does not quite match how the 71 Lions “conquered Everest”, said: “What you couldn’t help noticing was the huge amount of support the Lions had from the black population of South Africa.

“It changed the psychology of South Africa because the He-Man muscularity of the Springboks was at least equalled, if not pulverised from time to time, by the use of the 99 call.”

Labour MP for Neath Peter Hain, who orchestrated opposition, said the tour was a boost for the apartheid regime, which was the subject of ongoing sporting boycotts at the time.

Only former Welsh international John Taylor, who later became a rugby commentator, found he could not reconcile his sporting ambition with his conscience.

Hain said: “I spoke to Willie John McBride immediately before their departure and they were just completely resolute (about going).

“The one exception was John Taylor, who refused to go.”

Edwards admits the refusal to look beyond sport may sound “naive” and “selfish” to some, but adds: “The guys had decided they wanted to go and pit their wits against the best rugby players in the world and that’s what we did.”

Video: The legend of the '99' call

So, how do the 1974 Lions compare to the legends of '71?

Author Rhodri Davies’ book Undefeated – The Story of the 1974 Lions asks whether it’s time for the tour of South Africa to emerge from the shadows of Carwyn James’ 71 vintage and be recognised as the finest ever.

Davies said: “Their historic and iconic (71) series win was rightly lauded on its 40th anniversary, but it started me thinking about the subsequent tour – the 1974 Lions venture to South Africa – which if anything surpassed the feats of the 1971 vintage. Yet that tour has never been celebrated to the same extent. My question was why?”

Gareth Edwards, a key figure in both the New Zealand and South African success, says it’s impossible to choose between the teams.

Now in Ireland with team-mates from the 74 squad marking the 40th anniversary, Edwards said: “I don’t think you can compare like with like. Conditions were different in South Africa.

“For the forwards, the hard ground (in South Africa) made scrummaging very, very difficult,.

“And there’s the altitude – you have to play at 6,500ft in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Bloemfontein – which gave South Africa the advantage.”

Undefeated – The Story of the 1974 Lions is published by Y Lolfa today and priced £9.95.

Download our App: It's  totally free to download  -   simply click here to download to your iOS device  , or   click here to download it if you're on Android

• Rugby fun stuff
• Gareth Edwards
• JJ Williams
• JPR Williams
• Mervyn Davies
• Phil Bennett
• British and Irish Lions
• Most Recent

You have reached ESPN's UK edition. Stay on current site or go to US version .

Lions and the fight against apartheid

Forty years ago I was one of the few British and Irish rugby fans not gearing up to watch history being made so I feel a bit of a party pooper writing this piece. I very much wanted the Lions to beat the Springboks in the third Test to wrap up a series victory for the first time in the modern era but, having declared myself unavailable, I felt it would be inconsistent, hypocritical even, to follow it on radio or television so I just switched off from the whole tour.

It was a very weird feeling. A number of my Lions team-mates from 1971 including a couple of my very closest friends - Mervyn Davies and JPR Williams - were at the heart of the action but how could I watch when I supported a sporting boycott of South Africa as a weapon in the fight against apartheid?

It would be true to say there was not much support for my stance in the rugby community in those days and people still come up to me and say, 'You're the guy who turned down a Lions' Tour - how could you do that?'

First, let's get the facts straight. I do not believe I would have made the touring party in any case but at the start of the season a letter was circulated to all those in contention asking if they were available to tour the following summer. I ruled myself out at that stage - they knew I would because I had refused to play against South Africa for Wales in 1970. By 1974 I was a committed member of the anti-apartheid movement and quite vociferous in my opposition to sporting links with South Africa but, for reasons I have never understood, the refusal to make myself available for the Lions tour has stuck in people's memories more than the refusal to play in 1970.

1970 was the difficult decision because I was aware I was very definitely putting my whole international career in jeopardy. The WRU accepted my withdrawal as a 'matter of conscience' but then left me out of the squad for the Five Nations Championship. Fortunately, Wales had a bad season and (with the National Union of Miners lobbying for me) I was recalled for the final game against France. However, several senior RFU officials went out of their way to let me know I would never have played international rugby again had I been English. My only regret is that it did cost me a place in the great Barbarians game in 1973 but that is another story!

Did I try to get other players to boycott the tour? No - I had been on the 1968 Lions Tour to South Africa and that is what had persuaded me so I did not feel I had the right to proselytise. I talked it through with friends such as JPR and Merve but they took the view they were just playing rugby for their country and that was fine with me.

The rugby mantra trotted out in 1968 - and right up until it finally became accepted that it was impossible to tour in the 80s - was that we were not supporting apartheid, we were building bridges and contact was the best way to win friends and influence people. I was 22 years old and desperately wanted to play for the Lions so although (as a schoolteacher in a big multi-racial school in London) I had misgivings I was happy to toe the party line.

"Rugby people basically believed the brotherhood within the game was greater than the brotherhood of man - if a chap played rugby he had a be a good egg"

Seeing apartheid in action when I got there changed everything - I realised the rugby establishment did not give a damn - and returned believing that nothing would change as long as the sport-mad white South Africans could get their fix of cricket and rugby and was soon persuaded that denying them that was a legitimate and possibly very effective tool. Rugby people basically believed the brotherhood within the game was greater than the brotherhood of man - if a chap played rugby he had a be a good egg.

It is still hard to believe that the New Zealand selectors just left out their Maoris for tours to South Africa until the 70s. There were very few black players in Britain and Ireland in that era but, judging by the way cricket handled the D'Oliveira debacle, our rugby establishment would have done the same.

Did the sporting boycott have any effect? I would like to believe it played a huge part in helping to break down apartheid. Economic factors were massively important, of course, but in the 60s and 70s the laws relating to separation were becoming even more draconian with new measures such as the Group Areas Act coming on to the statute book. Things only started to change when they were isolated by the rest of the sporting world.

Now I am proselytising - apologies. I first watched the tapes of the 1974 series in the early 90s when I went back to South Africa and there is no question, the Lions were a phenomenal team. Enjoy your 40th anniversary celebrations guys - beating the Boks was a real shock for white South Africa and might even have helped in the end!

• 0 Shopping Cart R 0.00 -->

The 1974 British Lions Tour of South Africa

The British Lions have only toured South Africa six times since 1960 so not many players get the opportunity to represent the Springboks against the tourists. In the 1974 tour, which was probably the most controversial and talked about Lions tour to this country,  there were no less than five Ikey players who represented the Springboks against the tourists. 

Back Row: 2 nd from left, Roy McCallum; 3 rd from left Dugald MacDonald; 2 nd from right Peter Whipp.

Middle Row: 2 nd from right Chris Pope

Front Row: 3 rd from left Ian McCallum

The ’74 Lions side had no weaknesses and they came to South Africa with a thorough understanding of the Springboks mind-set. It was Captain McBride’s 5th tour as a British and Irish Lions; his first Lions tour to South Africa was in 1962. They knew that if you can beat the Springboks in the scrums they can be beaten so they targeted the scrum and practiced this area in particular many months before the tour. 

South Africa didn’t have television in the early 70’s so South Africans didn’t see that coaching and training methods had taken a more professional turn in the UK. The printed press was the only information that was readily available and were very superficial with what it actually revealed about the players.

The games against Western Province, Transvaal and Free State had significant impact on the selectors and the series. Western Province ran the ball at the Lions and scored two good tries on a dry field. This was incidentally the last time a try was registered on a Saturday match against the Lions up to the fourth test. The success of the WP backline and the ability of their pack to manage upfront resulted in eight Province players being selected for the first test.

Ironically, Newlands was heavy with rain on test day and the Lions controlled the match with forwards and scrumhalf while the Springboks never tried to run the ball. SA lost that first test 12-3 and the Springbok selectors panicked and started what is now known as “the farce of ‘74” selection process. That test was the first of Chris Pope’s 9 tests. Sadly that was Roy McCallum first and only test. He deserved a second chance as much as anyone as he was a brilliant scrumhalf, but suffered behind a springbok pack dominated by the British Lions. He paid the ultimate price for his forwards lack of dominance.

For the 2 nd Test, Morné du Plessis was moved from No8 to 6 and Dugald McDonald was brought in as No8. In total there where 6 changes and one positional shift to the team. The Lions won 28 – 9. The selection panic continued and a total of 9 changes and one positional switch was made for the third test, which South Africa Lost 9 – 26. The fourth and final test was drawn 13 – 13 and will be remembered for all the controversy around some of the refereeing decisions.

The tour will be remembered as well for the violence and the ' 99 call ' (originally the '999 call' but it was too slow to shout out) which 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 a harsh response to what the team were facing, but intended to show that the Lions would act as one and fight unsporting behavior 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 JPR Williams running over half of the pitch and launching himself at Moaner van Heerden after such a call. 

The 1974 Tour of the Lions to South Africa was undoubtedly the most unsettling tour ever for Springbok rugby. Touring unbeaten through South Africa superior in every aspect in virtually every single match including the test matches it was a massive wake-up call for South African rugby.

• Encyclopedia
• Sign in / Register

Comprehensive Collection of Scholarly Articles Millions of reviewed and edited articles in all academic interests

Read online or download and save as eDocuments All articles are Print-on-Demand ready

Largest encyclopedia

The largest and most comprehensive Encyclopedia ever compiled A combined aggregation of about 1,000 article database, over 30,000,000 articles in total

Perfect resource

Beautifully presented and an easy to use interface Share the joy of discovery together Register today your eLibrary Card at no cost to you

Where the World goes to explore...

• Great Artwork
• Science/Astronomy
• Tech/Engineering
• Biology/Medicine
• Philosophy/Thinkers
• Architecture/Civil Planning
• Sports/Athletes
• Entertainers/Performers

Among the Sierra Nevada Mountains

Mount corcoran, the creation of adam, the starry night, dogs playing poker, the garden of earthly delights, the son of man, guernica (picasso), the storm on the sea of galilee, girl with a pearl earring, magnolia and erect rock, pillars of creation, mystic mountain, solar flare, hubble space telescope, crab nebula, parkes observatory, dark nebula, solar flare, stationary steam engine, international space station, kismet (robot), national ignition facility, printing press, ford model t, wright flyer, rocketdyne f-1, soyuz tma-14m, large hadron collider, escherichia coli, vibrio cholerae, polio vaccine, cell (biology), cough medicine, mitochondrion, unicellular organism, ogataea polymorpha, mahatma gandhi, gautama buddha, friedrich nietzsche, immanuel kant, sigmund freud, thomas hobbes, florence cathedral, palace of westminster, national congress of brazil, sydney opera house, notre dame de paris, villa capra "la rotonda", palais garnier, falling water, palm jumeirah, ailson brites, randy couture, muhammad ali, michael jordan, roberto clemente, serena williams, tiger woods, michael phelps, dale earnhardt jr., the beatles, carlos santana, steven tyler, elvis presley, frank sinatra, earth, wind & fire, boyz ii men, mark anthony, christina aguilera.

World Heritage Encyclopedia The World Heritage Encyclopedia is the largest and most comprehensive Encyclopedia ever compiled. The combination of articles, dictionary, eBooks, journals, and primary source documents, offers a most unique resource for students and researchers. A combined aggregation of hundreds of article databases, with millions of articles in total. All the articles may be read online or download and save as eDocuments. All articles are Print-on-Demand ready. World Heritage Encyclopedia believes the Common Core Standards are important, and that is why at WorldHeritage.org you'll find tools to help improve student performance, strengthen instructional effectiveness, and maximize the use of your technology. World Heritage Encyclopedia supports learning for all grade levels, from K-12, with a user-friendly interface and grade appropriate content. World Heritage Encyclopedia has aligned itself with the Common Core and State Standards to ensure all of the nonfiction STEM content needed by any student could be found, all in one place. Every month thousands of new articles, images, and multimedia elements are added.

Why Encyclopedias The World Heritage Encyclopedia includes the great general encyclopedias of the past and the present but all types of works that claim to provide in an orderly arrangement the essence of "all that is known" on a subject or a group of subjects, translated from the Koine Greek enkyklios paideia, which literally means "complete knowledge". As French philosopher, and contributor of the Encyclopedie Denis Diderot, said "Indeed, the purpose of an encyclopedia is to collect knowledge disseminated around the globe; to set forth its general system to the men with whom we live, and transmit it to those who will come after us, so that the work of preceding centuries will not become useless to the centuries to come; and so that our offspring, becoming better instructed, will at the same time become more virtuous and happy, and that we should not die without having rendered a service to the human race. "

Accessibility World Heritage Encyclopedia, (WorldHeritage.org) is a live collaboration differing from paper-based reference sources in important ways. Unlike printed encyclopedias, we are continually editing, updating, and appending, articles on historic events appearing within minutes, rather than months or years. WorldHeritage.org is fully accessible on a tablet, smartphone, laptop, desktop computer, or any Internet-connected device with a Web browser.

Is Print Obsolete? "Thinking beyond the format", Encyclopedias join a long list of paper we once thought we couldn't live without, like the Sears catalog, Yellow Pages and maps. Even the world famous Encyclopedia Britannica will no longer be printed after 244 years, the final edition costing almost $1400. Today, the modern encyclopedia is often in electronic form and much more affordable then the traditional paper versions. Unlike many online encyclopedias, World Heritage Encyclopedia is an aggregation of professionally written, crowd sourced, peer reviewed, and edited articles, making our information the most reliable and complete encyclopedia. On-line encyclopedias offer the additional advantage of being dynamic; new information can be presented almost immediately as it is happening in the world. With modern technology we have the extra advantage of information being portable as well.

• Premier League

'I whacked a Springbok... 20 years later he said: JPR, that was the best punch I ever took!': Lions legend Williams recalls the brutal 1974 tour of South Africa... when the best of Britain and Ireland won an incredible 21 matches out of 22

• JPR Williams has fond memories of the Lions' 1974 tour of South Africa
• Williams was part of a side that went undefeated and weren't intimidated
• Williams recalls hitting 'Moaner' van Heerden, who later complimented him

By Alex Bywater For The Daily Mail

Published: 18:11 EDT, 22 June 2021 | Updated: 18:12 EDT, 22 June 2021

View comments

As an aggressive, counter-attacking full back who once returned to the field against New Zealand after having 30 stitches in his face, JPR Williams was never afraid to put his body on the line.

But the legendary former Wales and British & Irish Lions star of the 1970s and 80s admits nothing in his great career came close in terms of brute physicality to the 1974 Lions tour of South Africa .

That trip - which Warren Gatland's class of 2021 will recreate this summer - was the most successful in Lions history with the team undefeated. Winning 21 and drawing one of their 22 matches, Willie John McBride's side stood toe-to-toe with the giant Springboks .

JPR Williams (centre) has fond memories of the Lions' tour of South Africa in 1974

The Lions ended the tour undefeated having won 21 and drew one of their 22 matches

JPR Williams recalls clattering Moaner van Heerden, who complimented him 20 years later

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

In one of the most physical Test series battles of all time, frequently marred by on-pitch violence, the Lions of 47-years-ago decided they would not stand for any opposition aggression, however illegal.

Captain McBride instigated a call of '99' - a cue for every Lions player on the pitch to join the fight if trouble broke out, by hitting the nearest Springbok.

The thinking was that it would make it more difficult for a single Lions player to be punished by the officials if everyone was guilty of something.

'Willie John was our captain and he was on his fifth Lions tour. How the hell he did that I don't know,' said Williams. 'He drummed it into us that we weren't going to be physically intimidated.

'We had this emergency call. It started off as 999 but that was a bit long, so we shortened it to 99. We only used it twice and it paid off! There were no cameras in those days.'

Williams disclosed that he is anticipating a difficult task for the Lions in this year's tour

The Lions won the 1974 Test series 3-0 with the final match drawn 13-13. The third Test - regarded as one of the most brutal in rugby history - became known as the Battle of Boet Erasmus.

'At one point I ran in about 50 yards and hit the biggest South African forward, called Moaner van Heerden,' remembers Williams. 'About 20 years ago, I happened to be on a train with him. He came up to me and said, "JPR, that was the best punch I've ever received in my life!" The third Test was also remarkable because us backs couldn't understand why all the forwards were suddenly looking around on the floor.

'They were looking for Johan de Bruyn's glass eye! I was lucky to play on two successful Lions tours - New Zealand in 1971 and South Africa in 1974. They were a fantastic part of my life.'

Williams' felling of Van Heerden and Gordon Brown's punch on De Bruyn which knocked his glass eye clean from its socket are stories which live on in Lions folklore. Nearly half a century later, rugby is very different as Williams, now 72, agrees.

Still, the need for the Lions to match the giant South Africans physically remains as important as it was then. 'You have to be cleverer than the cameras, which is very difficult to do,' said Williams with a glint in his eye.

'We're not going to pulverise the Springboks up front this summer. Like any tour to South Africa, they will be so tough.

According to Williams, Finn Russell deserves to be involved despite being 'a bit of an enigma'

'We're going to have to try and get parity and then move the ball, which is why I'd like to see Finn Russell play. He's exciting, a bit of an enigma, but he's the sort of player you want.

'We do have an advantage because South Africa haven't played. You have to play, however good you are.

'The series will probably go 2-1 either way. The first Test on any Lions tour is huge - if we lose the first Test, we're done.'

Williams won 55 Wales caps and eight for the Lions. Alongside the likes of Sir Gareth Edwards, Phil Bennett, Barry John and JJ Williams, he entertained for both.

'I was lucky all the teams I played for - Bridgend, London Welsh, Wales, the Lions - played an attacking game. We entertained and enjoyed it ourselves,' recalled Williams. 'Modern players need to realise they are getting paid big money and they have to entertain the public.

'Liam Williams does that. I think I see a bit of myself in him. I've always rated him. He's very comfortable counter-attacking and he's a good tackler. He'd be my No 1 full-back choice for the Lions. Even though I think Stuart Hogg is superb, Liam has that little bit extra.

'I think rugby's laws are quite stagnant. It comes down to the fact there isn't much room to move on the field. When I played, we used to be 20 metres apart so you had a chance of moving. Now, it's man and ball. You can't play like that.

'There are also too many substitutions - it's absurd and a real problem.'

Williams is unlikely to get his wish for free-flowing rugby this summer with South Africa set to continue naming six forwards among their replacements.

This 'bomb squad' helped them dominate the last World Cup where they hammered England in the final. Since then they haven't played a minute of action.

Williams will watch this summer's series at home in Wales, but his strident views on the Lions are replicated when it comes to discussing the state of Welsh rugby.

They might be Six Nations champions, but the country's four regions have long struggled to compete with English, French and Irish clubs for domestic success.

Covid has only exacerbated the financial struggles the Welsh regions have experienced for years.

Williams spoke of his desire for there to be two Welsh teams - East and West in order to improve the standard of rugby in the country

'We are playing above ourselves in the Welsh national side at the moment because our regional rugby is rubbish, I'm afraid,' said Williams. 'The sooner we have two Welsh teams - East and West - the better. I said this about 10 years ago and I stand by it. We can't afford to have four regional sides.

'The whole point is to get players fit to play for Wales and a lot of them aren't good enough.

'We need to bring Swansea and Llanelli and Cardiff and Newport together. I know they won't like it, but financially it makes no sense to have four regional sides. We've got to admit we haven't got that many players in Wales. Wayne Pivac is going against the grain really with the way he wants to play. Everybody loves watching Wales play.

'It's been fantastic and a real breath of fresh air, but another bugbear of mine is that we should encourage Welsh players to go and play in England.

'I've got five grandsons and they all idolise Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester). These are the sorts of players you need to keep the youngsters interested in rugby.'

Share or comment on this article: British & Irish Lions legend JPR Williams recalls brutal 1974 tour of South Africa

Most watched sport videos.

• 'We made mistakes' Brighton boss after Manchester City loss
• Emma Hayes blames Chelsea's loss on 'shocking official decision'
• AFL legend Matthew Richardson roasted by Bubba Watson
• Man bizarrely bites young boy's ear at Snooker World Championships
• Leicester players celebrate their title win after Leeds lose
• Ryan Garcia shows off his fast hands in front of Donald Trump
• Malik Nabers looks upset while greeting NY Giants faculty
• Sheffield Wednesday chairman Dejphon Chansiri SHOVES young fan
• Mo Salah says there will be 'fire' if he speaks to the press
• Ange: Your motivation shouldn't revolve around someone else's demise
• Arsenal legend George Graham picks his ultimate Gunners XI
• AP McCoy answers Quickfire Questions

Comments 24

Share what you think

• Worst rated

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

SPORTS Digest

MORE SPORTS STARS

• Follow DailyMail
• Subscribe Daily Mail
• Follow @dailymail
• Follow MailOnline
• Follow Daily Mail

Get the Rugby RSS feed

• Today's headlines

• MORE HEADLINES
• NFL Draft 2024: Olivia Culpo shares footage of the moment Christian McCaffrey's brother Luke was selected by the Washington Commanders as they go wild at family party
• NFL Draft 2024: Jerry Rice's son Brenden flies to Dallas to carry the coffin of Keith Miller III after his best friend's shock death at 23... as USC receiver waits to receive a call
• Model Grace Boor lifts the lid on her Miami trip with Ryan Garcia, admitting she could be open to dating the boxer and he's nothing like his social media persona: 'It was just an instant click'
• Travis Kelce reveals how he handles life as Taylor Swift's boyfriend... and why he will never do a reality show with brother Jason
• Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce 'hit the Las Vegas Strip for a double date with Patrick and Brittany Mahomes' as Chiefs stars and their WAGs return to scene of Super Bowl glory
• Mohamed Salah and Jurgen Klopp involved in heated CLASH on the touchline against West Ham... as Liverpool duo argue moments before Egyptian winger is substituted on
• NFL Draft 2024: Spencer Rattler fell to the fifth round because teams 'were put off by what they saw on his Netflix show QB1' before the New Orleans Saints finally selected him
• Tom Brady 'doesn't have the personality' to be a good NFL analyst with seven-time Super Bowl winner set to begin his $375million deal with Fox
• Ryan Garcia shows Donald Trump his fast hands as he shadow boxes for the former US President and endorses 'his friend' for White House return
• Why Cody Gakpo was denied a clear goalscoring opportunity against West Ham as Liverpool fans fume at 'ATROCIOUS refereeing by Anthony Taylor' in 2-2 draw
• Alan Shearer sides with Mohamed Salah over touchline spat with boss Jurgen Klopp and says he 'understands' why the Liverpool forward snapped at his manager during 2-2 draw with West Ham
• Is THIS why Mo Salah clashed with Jurgen Klopp? New footage shows Liverpool duo sharing half-hearted handshake before tempers flare in the Reds dugout at West Ham
• Injured Jimmy Butler FUMES over 'praise' for the Boston Celtics after his Miami Heat won Game 2 of playoff series against top East seed: 'I'm tired of hearing that man!'
• NFL Draft 2024: Washington State's Jaden Hicks tells his family he's joining the Kansas City Chiefs in emotional moment while watching event together
• Erik ten Hag comes out fighting to take aim at 'forgetful' Man United legends pundits and fans... calling for patience as his side are BOOED off Old Trafford after disappointing 1-1 draw with Burnley
• Logan Paul stages a gender reveal WRESTLING MATCH as the WWE star and fiancee Nina Agdal announce they are expecting a girl in unique fashion with blue vs pink contest
• LeBron James EXPLODES on Lakers coach Darvin Ham for not challenging out-of-bounds call in Nuggets playoff game... but controversial moment doesn't prove costly in vital win
• Man United 1-1 Burnley - Premier League RECAP: Clarets level late at Old Trafford after Andre Onana's howler as Sheffield United are RELEGATED with defeat at Newcastle
• Erik ten Hag suffers the embarrassment of being booed by his own fans in latest Man United low ebb - as Andre Onana's error gifts Burnley a 1-1 draw, writes JOE BERNSTEIN
• Lionel Messi: Record crowd packs out Gillette Stadium for New England vs Inter Miami as Argentina legend scores TWICE in resounding win for visitors
• MOST READ IN DETAIL
• Back to top

Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group

• AI Generator

Sorry, your search returned zero results for “1974_british_lions_tour_to_south_africa”

Have you tried doing the following:

Check for spelling errors or typos

Clear search filter options

Use fewer keywords