Jump to content

1959 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1959 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand
Date23 May  – 19 September
Coach(es)O.B. Glasgow
Tour captain(s)Ireland Ronnie Dawson
Test series winners(v Australia) British and Irish Lions (2–0)
(v New Zealand)  New Zealand (3–1)
Top test point scorer(s)Ireland David Hewitt (16)
1959 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand
Summary
P W D L
Total
33 27 00 06
Test match
06 03 00 03
Opponent
P W D L
 Australia
2 2 0 0
 New Zealand
4 1 0 3

In 1959, the British Lions rugby union team toured Australia and New Zealand. The Lions won the two test matches against Australia but lost the international series against the All Blacks by three matches to one. They also played two matches in Canada, on the return leg of the journey.

Although New Zealand won the series, the results in three of the tests were close. The Lions scored four tries to nil in the first test but six penalties by Don Clarke saw the All Blacks win 18–17. Clarke also scored a late try and conversion to win the second test, 11–8. New Zealand won the third test comfortably by 22–8 to win the series but the fourth test, which the Lions won 9–6, could have gone the All Blacks way had Clarke not missed a late penalty attempt.

Overall the tourists played thirty-three matches, winning twenty-seven and losing six. In Australia the Lions played six matches, winning five and losing one, to New South Wales. In New Zealand they played twenty-five matches, winning twenty and losing five – in addition to their three test defeats they also lost to Otago and Canterbury. They also played two matches in Canada, winning both.

The tour was notable for the 842 points scored in 33 games, a record number of points for a Lions tour and for the 22 tries scored by Tony O'Reilly, also a Lions tour record.

The touring party was captained by Ronnie Dawson. The manager was A. W. Wilson and the assistant manager was O.B. Glasgow.

Touring party

[edit]

Management

[edit]
  • Manager A. W. Wilson
  • Assistant Manager O. B. Glasgow

Backs

[edit]

Forwards

[edit]

Results

[edit]

  Test matches

Date Opponent Location Result Score
23 May Victoria (state) Victoria Melbourne, Australia Win 53–18
30 May New South Wales New South Wales Sydney, Australia Loss 14–18
2 June Queensland Queensland Brisbane, Australia Win 39–11
6 June  Australia Brisbane, Australia Win 17–6
9 June New South Wales New South Wales Country Districts Tamworth, Australia Win 27–14
13 June  Australia Sydney, Australia Win 24–3
20 June Hawke's Bay Napier, New Zealand Win 52–12
24 June Poverty Bay /
East Coast
Gisborne, New Zealand Win 23–14
27 June Auckland Auckland, New Zealand Win 15–10
1 July New Zealand Universities Christchurch, New Zealand Win 25–13
4 July Otago Dunedin, New Zealand Loss 8–26
8 July South Canterbury /
Mid Canterbury /
North Otago
Timaru, New Zealand Win 21–11
11 July Southland Invercargill, New Zealand Win 11–6
18 July  New Zealand Dunedin, New Zealand Loss 17–18
22 July West Coast-Buller Greymouth, New Zealand Win 58–3
25 July Canterbury Christchurch, New Zealand Loss 14–20
29 July Marlborough /
Nelson /
Golden Bay-Motueka
Blenheim, New Zealand Win 64–5
1 August Wellington Wellington, New Zealand Win 21–6
5 August Wanganui Wanganui, New Zealand Win 9–6
8 August Taranaki New Plymouth, New Zealand Win 15–3
11 August Manawatu /
Horowhenua
Palmerston North, New Zealand Win 26–6
15 August  New Zealand Wellington, New Zealand Loss 8–11
19 August King Country /
Counties
Taumarunui, New Zealand Win 25–5
22 August Waikato Hamilton, New Zealand Win 14–0
25 August Wairarapa /
Bush
Masterton, New Zealand Win 37–11
29 August  New Zealand Christchurch, New Zealand Loss 8–22
2 September New Zealand Juniors Wellington, New Zealand Win 29–9
5 September New Zealand New Zealand Māori Auckland, New Zealand Win 12–6
9 September Bay of Plenty /
Thames Valley
Rotorua, New Zealand Win 26–24
12 September North Auckland Whangārei, New Zealand Win 35–13
19 September  New Zealand Auckland, New Zealand Win 9–6
27 September British Columbia Vancouver, Canada Win 16–11
29 September Eastern Canada All-Stars Toronto, Canada Win 70–6

The matches

[edit]

First Australia Test

[edit]
6 June
Australia 6–17British Lions
Pen: Donald (2)Try: O'Reilly
Smith
Con: Risman
Pen: Hewitt (2)
Drop: Scotland
Exhibition Ground, Brisbane
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: B.J. O'Callaghan (Australia)

Australia: JK Lenehan (NSW), AR Morton (NSW), JM Potts (NSW), LJ Diett (NSW), KJ Donald (Queensland), AJ Summons (NSW), DM Connor (Queensland), PK Dunn (NSW), PG Johnson (NSW), KJ Ellis (NSW); JH Carroll (NSW), AR Miller (NSW); PT Fenwicke (NSW) Captain, R Outterside (NSW), J Thornett (NSW)

British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, M Price, D Hewitt, AJF O'Reilley, AB Risman, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, S Millar, GK Smith, WA Mulcahy, RH Williams, A Ashcroft, J Faull

Second Australia Test

[edit]
13 June
Australia 3–24British Lions
Pen: DonaldTry: Dawson
O'Reilly
Price (2)
Risman
Con: Hewitt (2)
Scotland
Pen: Scotland
Sydney Sports Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: A.T. Tierney (Australia)

Australia: JK Lenehan (NSW), AR Morton (NSW), RC Kay (Victoria), LJ Diett (NSW), KJ Donald (Queensland), AJ Summons (NSW), DM Connor (Queensland); KJ Ellis (NSW), PG Johnson (NSW), PK Dunn (NSW); JH Carroll (NSW), AR Miller (NSW), JE Thornett (NSW), R Outterside (NSW), PT Fenwicke (NSW) Captain

British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, D Hewitt, M Price, AJF O'Reilley, AB Risman, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, S Millar, WR Evans, RH Williams, NAA Murphy, RWD Marques, GK Smith

First New Zealand Test

[edit]
18 July
New Zealand 18–17British Lions
Pen: DB Clarke (6)Try: Jackson
O'Reilly
Price (2)
Con:Risman
Pen: Hewitt
Carisbrook, Dunedin
Attendance: 41,500
Referee: A.L. Fleury (New Zealand)

New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), PT Walsh (Counties), RF McMullen (Auckland), TR Lineen (Auckland), BE McPhail (Canterbury), RH Brown (Taranaki), RJ Urbahn (Taranaki); WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, RC Hemi (Waikato), IJ Clarke (Waikato), SF Hill (Canterbury), BE Finlay (Manauatu), PFH Jones (North Auckland), EAR Pickering (Waikato), IN MacEwan (Wellington)

British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, MJ Price, D Hewitt, AJF O'Reilley, ABW Risman, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, BGM Wood, WR Evans, RH Williams, GK Smith, J Faull, NA Murphy

Second New Zealand Test

[edit]
15 August
New Zealand 11–8British Lions
Try: Caulton (2)
DB Clarke
Con: DB Clarke
Try: Young
Con:Davies
Pen: Davies
Athletic Park, Wellington
Attendance: 53,000
Referee: C.R. Gillies (New Zealand)

New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), ES Diack (Otago), RF McMullen (Auckland), TR Lineen (Auckland), RW Caulton (Wellington), JF McCullough (Taranaki), KC Briscoe (Taranaki), WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, DS Webb (North Auckland), IJ Clarke (Waikato), SF Hill (Canterbury), IN MacEwan (Wellington), CE Meads (Kings Country), RJ Conway (Otago), KR Tremain (Canterbury)

British Lions: TE Davies, JRC Young, MC Thomas, WM Patterson, AJF O'Reilley, MJ Price, REG Jeeps, S Millar, AR Dawson Captain, HF McLeod, RH Williams, WR Evans, A Ashcroft, RWD Marques, NA Murphy

Third New Zealand Test

[edit]
29 August
New Zealand 22–8British Lions
Try: Caulton (2)
Meads
Urbahn
Con: DB Clarke (2)
Pen: DB Clarke
Drop: DB Clarke
Try: Hewitt
Con: Faull
Pen: Faull
Lancaster Park, Christchurch
Attendance: 57,000
Referee: C.R. Gillies (New Zealand)

New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), RH Brown (Taranaki), TR Lineen (Auckland), RW Caulton (Wellington), JF McCullough (Taranaki), RJ Urbahn (Taranaki), MW Irwin (Otago), RC Hemi (Waikato), WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, SF Hill (Canterbury), IN MacEwan (Wellington), KR Tremain (Canterbury), RJ Conway (Otago), CE Meads (Kings Country)

British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, MJ Price, D Hewitt, AJF O'Reilley, JP Horrocks-Taylor, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, BGM Wood, WR Evans, RH Williams, HJ Morgan, J Faull, GK Smith

Fourth New Zealand Test

[edit]
19 September
New Zealand 6–9British Lions
Pen: DB Clarke (2)Try: Jackson
O'Reilly
Risman
Eden Park, Auckland
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: J.P. Murphy (New Zealand)

New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), BE McPhail (Canterbury), TR Lineen (Auckland), AH Clarke (Auckland), RW Caulton (Wellington), JF McCullough (Taranaki), RJ Urbahn (Taranaki), MW Irwin (Otago), RC Hemi (Waikato), WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, SF Hill (Canterbury), CE Meads (Kings Country), EAR Pickering (Waikato), RJ Conway (Otago), KR Tremain (Canterbury)

British Lions: TE Davies, PB Jackson, D Hewitt, KJF Scotland, AJF O'Reilley, ABW Risman, AA Mulligan, TR Prosser, AR Dawson Captain, HF McLeod, RH Williams, WA Mulcahy, NA Murphy, J Faull, HJ Morgan

References

[edit]
  • Thomas, Clem; Thomas, Greg (2005). The History of The British and Irish Lions. Mainstream Books. pp. 117–125. ISBN 1-84596-030-0.