1968 British Lions tour to South Africa

1968 British Lions Tour to South Africa
Date	26 May  – 28 August
Coach(es)	Ronnie Dawson
Tour captain(s)	Tom Kiernan
Test series winners	South Africa (3–0)
Top test point scorer(s)	Tom Kiernan (35)
← Australia and New Zealand 1966 New Zealand 1971 →

In 1968 the British Lions toured South Africa. The tour was not success in terms of international results, the Lions losing the Test series against South Africa by three matches to nil, with the other match drawn. The Lions won 15 of their 16 non-international matches, losing only to Transvaal. The touring party was captained by Tom Kiernan, coached by Ronnie Dawson and managed by David Brooks.

As well as South Africa, games were played against South West Africa (the future Namibia, then part of South Africa) and Rhodesia (the future Zimbabwe).

Unlike the previous two tours to South Africa (1955 and 1962), this British Lions team did not stop off in Nairobi, Kenya, to play East Africa on the way home. However, one member of this tour party was later to play against that team; in 1975 Peter Stagg was living in Zambia and playing rugby for the Ndola Wanderers RFC when the Tuskers visited and he played for Zambia in their first international on 31 August 1975 at Kitwe. Six of the squad would ultimately change codes and play professional rugby league, they are; Mike Coulman, Ken Goodall, Keith Jarrett, Keri Jones, Maurice Richards, and Bryan West.

Squad

Backs:

• Barry Bresnihan (University College Dublin and Ireland)
• Gordon Connell (London Scottish and Scotland)
• Gerald Davies (Cardiff and Wales)
• Gareth Edwards (Cardiff and Wales)
• Mike Gibson (North of Ireland FC and Ireland)
• Bob Hiller (Harlequins and England)
• Sandy Hinshelwood (London Scottish and Scotland)
• Keith Jarrett (Newport and Wales)
• Barry John (Cardiff and Wales)
• Keri Jones (Cardiff and Wales)
• Tom Kiernan (capt) (Cork Constitution and Ireland)
• Billy Raybould (London Welsh and Wales)
• Maurice Richards (Cardiff and Wales)
• Keith Savage (Northampton and England)
• Jock Turner (Gala and Scotland)
• Roger Young (Queen's University RFC and Ireland)

Forwards:

• Rodger Arneil (Edinburgh Academicals and Scotland)
• Mike Coulman (Moseley and England)
• Mick Doyle (Blackrock College and Ireland)
• Ken Goodall (City of Derry and Ireland)
• Tony Horton (Blackheath and England)
• Peter Larter (Northampton and England)
• Willie John McBride (Ballymena and Ireland)
• Syd Millar (Ballymena and Ireland)
• John O'Shea (Cardiff and Wales)
• John Pullin (Bristol and England)
• Peter Stagg (Sale and Scotland)
• John Taylor (London Welsh and Wales)
• Bob Taylor (Northampton and England)
• Jim Telfer (Melrose and Scotland)
• Delme Thomas (Llanelli and Wales)
• Bryan West (Northampton and England)
• Jeff Young (Harrogate and Wales)

Results

	Score	Opposition
Lions	20–12	Western Transvaal
Lions	10–6	Western Province
Lions	24–6	South West Districts
Lions	23–14	Eastern Province
Lions	17–5	Natal
Lions	32–6	Rhodesia
Lions	20–25	South Africa (Pretoria)
Lions	25–5	North West Cape
Lions	23–0	South West Africa
Lions	6–14	Transvaal
Lions	6–6	South Africa (Port Elizabeth)
Lions	37–9	Eastern Transvaal
Lions	22–19	Northern Transvaal
Lions	11–3	Griqualand West
Lions	14–0	Boland
Lions	6–11	South Africa (Cape Town)
Lions	26–6	Border
Lions	9–3	Orange Free State
Lions	40–12	North East Cape
Lions	6–19	South Africa (Johannesburg)

References

• Thomas, Clem; Thomas, Greg (2005). The History of The British and Irish Lions. Mainstream Books. pp. 141–148. ISBN 1-84596-030-0.