# History of rugby union matches between South Africa and the British & Irish Lions

In rugby union, since their first meeting in 1891, the British & Irish Lions and the South Africa national team have contested 13 series, with South Africa winning nine to the Lions' four, and one drawn series in 1955. The two teams have played 49 matches; South Africa have won 25 times to the Lions' 18, with the remaining six matches finishing as draws. The Lions won the first two series between the two sides in 1891 and 1896, including wins in the first six matches, but then did not win another series until their unbeaten 1974 tour. After South Africa's victory in the 1980 series, the two teams did not meet again until 1997 as a result of apartheid sanctions; the Lions won the 1997 series, before South Africa won the next two tours; 2009 and 2021.

## List of series

| Details | Played | Won by South Africa | Won by Lions | Draw |
| Overall | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 |
| Series | South Africa wins | Lions wins | Victor |
| 1891 | 0 | 3 | British Lions |
| 1896 | 1 | 3 | British Lions |
| 1903 | 1 | 0 | South Africa |
| 1910 | 2 | 1 | South Africa |
| 1924 | 3 | 0 | South Africa |
| 1938 | 2 | 1 | South Africa |
| 1955 | 2 | 2 | drawn |
| 1962 | 3 | 0 | South Africa |
| 1968 | 3 | 0 | South Africa |
| 1974 | 0 | 3 | British Lions |
| 1980 | 3 | 1 | South Africa |
| 1997 | 1 | 2 | British Lions |
| 2009 | 2 | 1 | South Africa |
| 2021 | 2 | 1 | South Africa |

## List of matches

| Details | Played | Won by South Africa | Won by Lions | Drawn | South Africa points | British & Irish Lions points |
| Overall | 49 | 25 | 18 | 6 | 636 | 554 |
| Date | Venue | Score | Victor | Series |
| 30 July 1891 | Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth | 0–4 | British Lions | 1891 tour |
| 29 August 1891 | Eclectic Cricket Ground, Kimberley | 0–3 | British Lions | 1891 tour |
| 5 September 1891 | Newlands, Cape Town | 0–4 | British Lions | 1891 tour |
| 30 July 1896 | Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth | 0–8 | British Lions | 1896 tour |
| 22 August 1896 | Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg | 8–17 | British Lions | 1896 tour |
| 29 August 1896 | Athletic Club, Kimberley | 3–9 | British Lions | 1896 tour |
| 5 September 1896 | Newlands, Cape Town | 5–0 | South Africa | 1896 tour |
| 26 August 1903 | Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg | 10–10 | Draw | 1903 tour |
| 5 September 1903 | Athletic Club, Kimberley | 0–0 | Draw | 1903 tour |
| 12 September 1903 | Newlands, Cape Town | 8–0 | South Africa | 1903 tour |
| 6 August 1910 | Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg | 14–10 | South Africa | 1910 tour |
| 27 August 1910 | Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth | 3–8 | British Lions | 1910 tour |
| 3 September 1910 | Newlands, Cape Town | 21–5 | South Africa | 1910 tour |
| 16 August 1924 | Kingsmead, Durban | 7–3 | South Africa | 1924 tour |
| 23 August 1924 | Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg | 17–0 | South Africa | 1924 tour |
| 13 September 1924 | Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth | 3–3 | Draw | 1924 tour |
| 20 September 1924 | Newlands, Cape Town | 16–9 | South Africa | 1924 tour |
| 6 August 1938 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | 26–12 | South Africa | 1938 tour |
| 3 September 1938 | Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth | 19–3 | South Africa | 1938 tour |
| 10 September 1938 | Newlands, Cape Town | 16–21 | British Lions | 1938 tour |
| 6 August 1955 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | 22–23 | British Lions | 1955 tour |
| 20 August 1955 | Newlands, Cape Town | 25–9 | South Africa | 1955 tour |
| 3 September 1955 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | 6–9 | British Lions | 1955 tour |
| 24 September 1955 | Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth | 22–8 | South Africa | 1955 tour |
| 23 June 1962 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | 3–3 | Draw | 1962 tour |
| 21 July 1962 | Kings Park, Durban | 3–0 | South Africa | 1962 tour |
| 4 August 1962 | Newlands, Cape Town | 8–3 | South Africa | 1962 tour |
| 25 August 1962 | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | 34–14 | South Africa | 1962 tour |
| 8 June 1968 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | 25–20 | South Africa | 1968 tour |
| 22 June 1968 | EPRFU Stadium, Port Elizabeth | 6–6 | Draw | 1968 tour |
| 13 July 1968 | Newlands, Cape Town | 11–6 | South Africa | 1968 tour |
| 27 July 1968 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | 19–6 | South Africa | 1968 tour |
| 8 June 1974 | Newlands, Cape Town | 3–12 | British Lions | 1974 tour |
| 22 June 1974 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | 9–28 | British Lions | 1974 tour |
| 13 July 1974 | EPRFU Stadium, Port Elizabeth | 9–26 | British Lions | 1974 tour |
| 27 July 1974 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | 13–13 | Draw | 1974 tour |
| 31 May 1980 | Newlands, Cape Town | 26–22 | South Africa | 1980 tour |
| 14 June 1980 | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | 26–19 | South Africa | 1980 tour |
| 28 June 1980 | EPRFU Stadium, Port Elizabeth | 12–10 | South Africa | 1980 tour |
| 12 July 1980 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | 13–17 | British Lions | 1980 tour |
| 21 June 1997 | Newlands, Cape Town | 16–25 | British Lions | 1997 tour |
| 28 June 1997 | Kings Park, Durban | 15–18 | British Lions | 1997 tour |
| 5 July 1997 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | 35–16 | South Africa | 1997 tour |
| 20 June 2009 | Kings Park, Durban | 26–21 | South Africa | 2009 tour |
| 27 June 2009 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria | 28–25 | South Africa | 2009 tour |
| 4 July 2009 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | 9–28 | British & Irish Lions | 2009 tour |
| 24 July 2021 | Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town | 17–22 | British & Irish Lions | 2021 tour |
| 31 July 2021 | Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town | 27–9 | South Africa | 2021 tour |
| 7 August 2021 | Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town | 19–16 | South Africa | 2021 tour |