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 and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
Date	15 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)
← South Africa 1980 Australia 1989 →

1983 British Lions tour to New Zealand
Summary	P W D L
Total	18 12 00 06
Test match	04 00 00 04
Opponent	P W D L
New Zealand	4 0 0 4

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

• Manager Willie John McBride (Ireland)
• Coach Jim Telfer (Scotland)
• Doctor Donald McLeod
• Physio Kevin Murphy

Backs

• Robert Ackerman (London Welsh and Wales)
• Roger Baird (Kelso and Scotland),
• Ollie Campbell (Old Belvedere and Ireland),
• John Carleton (Orrell and England),
• Gwyn Evans (Maesteg and Wales),
• Dusty Hare (Leicester and England)
• Terry Holmes (Cardiff and Wales)
• David Irwin (Instonians and Ireland)
• Mike Kiernan (Dolphin and Ireland)
• Roy Laidlaw (Jedforest and Scotland)
• Hugo MacNeill (Oxford University and Ireland)
• Nigel Melville (Wasps)
• Trevor Ringland (Ballymena and Ireland)
• John Rutherford (Selkirk and Scotland)
• Steve Smith (Sale and England)
• Clive Woodward (Leicester and England)

Forwards

• Steve Bainbridge (Gosforth and England)
• John Beattie (Glasgow Academicals and Scotland)
• Steve Boyle (Gloucester and England)
• Eddie Butler (Pontypool and Wales)
• Jim Calder (Stewart's Melville FP and Scotland)
• Maurice Colclough (Angoulême and England)
• Colin Deans (Hawick and Scotland)
• Ciaran Fitzgerald (capt) (St Mary's College and Ireland)
• Nick Jeavons (Moseley and England)
• ST 'Staff' Jones (Pontypool and Wales)
• Donal Lenihan (Cork Constitution and Ireland)
• Gerry McLoughlin (Shannon and Ireland)
• Iain Milne (Heriot's FP and Scotland)
• Bob Norster (Cardiff and Wales)
• John O'Driscoll (London Irish and Ireland)
• Iain Paxton (Selkirk and Scotland)
• Graham Price (Pontypool and Wales)
• Jeff Squire (Pontypool and Wales)
• Ian Stephens (Bridgend and Wales)
• Peter Winterbottom (Headingley and England)

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, Whangārei	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 (France)

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),Stephens, Fitzgerald (cpt), Price, Paxton, Winterbotom, Norster, Colclough, Squire, .

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 (France)

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, Jones, Fitzgerald (cpt), Price, Paxton (rep Beattie), Winterbotom, Norster, Colclough, O'Driscoll.

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 (Australia)

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, Jones, Fitzgerald (cpt), Price, Paxton, Winterbotom, Bainbridge, Colclough, Calder.

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 (Australia)

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

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.

External links

• 1983 British Lions tour history
• 1983 British Lions tour at ESPN