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. 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 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. Squad. Backline. Fullbacks: Wings: Centres: Flyhalves: Scrumhalves: Forwards. Hookers Props Locks Loose Forwards 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. 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. 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". 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'. JPR Williams later recalled that he struggled to understand the elation that South Africans felt in drawing  the match. Appraisal. 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 2 years before playing the Lions. Danie Craven said the 1974 Lions were "the greatest team to visit South Africa". Many of the players who played also on the 1971 Lions tour believe the 1974 team would have beaten the 1971 team, due to having  better forwards and because many of the 1971 players had become better players by 1974.