1924 British Lions tour to South Africa
Encyclopedia
The 1924 British Isles tour to South Africa was the tenth tour by a British Isles
team and the fifth to South Africa
. The tour is retrospectively classed as one of the British Lions tours, as the Lions naming convention was not adopted until 1950. As well as South Africa, the tour included a game in Salisbury in Rhodesia
, in what would become present day Harare
in Zimbabwe
.
Led by 's Ronald Cove-Smith
and managed by former international Harry Packer
, the tour took in 21 matches. Of the 21 games, 17 were against club or invitational teams and four were test matches against the South African national team. The British Isles lost three and drew one of the test matches making it one of the least successful Lions tours to South Africa - the 1962
and 1968
tourists also lost their test series three matches to nil with one draw. The tourist also suffered badly in the non-test games losing six and drawing one, including a run where they failed to win over an eight match period.
Several reasons have been put forward regarding the poor performance of the British Isles. The team itself was fairly unrepresentative of the best the home nations could have supplied, during a period where British rugby wasn't in its finest phase. The team also suffered from a heavy attrition rate to injury attributed to the very dry South African playing pitches; conditions that once suited British back play, and were so short of players during some periods the team was forced to use players in foreign positions.
On their return at least two of the players on the tour, Roy Muir Kinnear
and Thomas Holliday
went on to become dual code rugby internationals after they switched to rugby league
.
The match against Orange Free State Country was a peculiar match with the home team being much weaker. Fortune shone upon the home team though, when they won the toss and decided to play with a howling wind on their backs. Half time, the wind died down and proceeded to blow with the same vengeance in the opposite direction. This advantage was enough to ensure a 6-0 win for the home side.
Ian Smith and Roy Muir Kinnear had not been capped by Scotland at the time of the 1924 tour.
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
team and the fifth to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. The tour is retrospectively classed as one of the British Lions tours, as the Lions naming convention was not adopted until 1950. As well as South Africa, the tour included a game in Salisbury in Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
, in what would become present day Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
.
Led by 's Ronald Cove-Smith
Ronald Cove-Smith
Dr Ronald Cove-Smith was a distinguished English physician and sportsman. He represented Old Merchant Taylors and King's College Hospital RFC...
and managed by former international Harry Packer
Harry Packer
Harry Packer was an English-born international rugby union prop who played club rugby for Newport and was capped seven times for Wales...
, the tour took in 21 matches. Of the 21 games, 17 were against club or invitational teams and four were test matches against the South African national team. The British Isles lost three and drew one of the test matches making it one of the least successful Lions tours to South Africa - the 1962
1962 British Lions tour to South Africa
In 1962 the British Lions rugby union team toured Southern and Eastern Africa. Overall the tourists played twenty-five matches, winning sixteen, losing five and drawing four....
and 1968
1968 British Lions tour to South Africa
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...
tourists also lost their test series three matches to nil with one draw. The tourist also suffered badly in the non-test games losing six and drawing one, including a run where they failed to win over an eight match period.
Several reasons have been put forward regarding the poor performance of the British Isles. The team itself was fairly unrepresentative of the best the home nations could have supplied, during a period where British rugby wasn't in its finest phase. The team also suffered from a heavy attrition rate to injury attributed to the very dry South African playing pitches; conditions that once suited British back play, and were so short of players during some periods the team was forced to use players in foreign positions.
On their return at least two of the players on the tour, Roy Muir Kinnear
Roy Muir Kinnear
Roy Muir Kinnear was a Scottish dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1920s and 30s, who at representative level played rugby union for British Lions, and , and at representative level played rugby league for Great Britain and Other...
and Thomas Holliday
Thomas Holliday
Thomas Edward Holliday, nicknamed "Tom" or "Tosh" , was an English rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1920s...
went on to become dual code rugby internationals after they switched to rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
.
The match against Orange Free State Country was a peculiar match with the home team being much weaker. Fortune shone upon the home team though, when they won the toss and decided to play with a howling wind on their backs. Half time, the wind died down and proceeded to blow with the same vengeance in the opposite direction. This advantage was enough to ensure a 6-0 win for the home side.
Full Backs
- D DrysdaleDan DrysdaleDaniel "Dan" Drysdale was a Scottish international rugby union player, who played for and the Lions.Born in Kippen, Stirlingshire Drysdale, went to George Heriots and also played for Heriot's FP,, London Scottish F.C. and Barbarian F.C....
(Heriots FP and ) - W.F. Gaisford (St. Bart's HospitalBarts and the London RFCSt Barts and The Royal London RFC is the name given to the modern amalgam of two formerly distinct hospital rugby clubs each with a long history, having both been founded in the 1860s...
) - T.E. HollidayThomas HollidayThomas Edward Holliday, nicknamed "Tom" or "Tosh" , was an English rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1920s...
(AspatriaAspatria RUFCAspatria Rugby Union Football Club is based in Aspatria, Cumbria in north west England, not far from the Scottish Border. They are nicknamed the "black reds", and have a red cockerel as their logo....
)
Three-Quarters
- Rowe HardingRowe HardingW. Rowe Harding was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Swansea. An intelligent player, Harding played for several teams at club and international level. In 1926 he attended Cambridge University and played for Cambridge in a varsity match...
(SwanseaSwansea RFCSwansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
) - Ian SmithIan Smith (Scottish rugby player)Ian Scott Smith was a Scottish rugby union wing who played 32 Tests for Scotland and two Tests for British Isles. Although he was born in Melbourne, Australia, and bought up in New Zealand, Smith moved to England and ended up at Winchester College, Oxford University and Edinburgh University...
(Oxford UniversityOxford University RFCThe Oxford University Rugby Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University at Twickenham.-History:...
and ) - Stanley "Stan" Wakefield Harris (BlackheathBlackheath R.C.Blackheath Football Club is a rugby football club based in Blackheath in south-east London, now playing at the Rectory Field . It was founded in 1858 and is the oldest open rugby club in the world...
) - William "Bill" Wallace (Percy Park)
- Roy Muir KinnearRoy Muir KinnearRoy Muir Kinnear was a Scottish dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1920s and 30s, who at representative level played rugby union for British Lions, and , and at representative level played rugby league for Great Britain and Other...
(Heriots FP and ) - J.H. Bordass (Cambridge UniversityCambridge University R.U.F.C.The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
) - Reginald "Reg" Bellamy Maxwell (Birkenhead Park)
Half backs
- Harold DaviesHarold Davies (rugby player)Harold Davies was a Welsh rugby union player who represented Wales and the British Lions. Davies played club rugby for Newport and captained the team in the 1925/26 season.-Rugby career:...
(Newport) - Vince GriffithsVince GriffithsVince Griffiths was a Welsh rugby union player who represented Wales and the British Lions. Griffiths played club rugby for Newport and captained the team in the 1928/29 season....
(Newport) - Herbert WaddellHerbert WaddellHerbert Waddell was a Scottish rugby union fly-half who played club rugby for Glasgow Academicals and international rugby for Scotland and the British Isles...
(Glasgow AcademicalsGlasgow Academicals RFCThe Glasgow Academical Football Club is one of the oldest rugby football clubs in Scotland. This history is notable for a number of reasons, including the clubs longevity, its early foundation in the timeline of rugby, and the fact that the club produced many internationals...
and ) - Bill Cunningham (Lansdowne)
- Arthur Tudor Young (BlackheathBlackheath R.C.Blackheath Football Club is a rugby football club based in Blackheath in south-east London, now playing at the Rectory Field . It was founded in 1858 and is the oldest open rugby club in the world...
) - Herbert Whitley (NorthernNorthern Football ClubNorthern Football Club are a rugby union club that was founded in 1875, and are based in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne. Their strip is coloured navy Blue, Red and White...
)
Forwards
- R. Cove-SmithRonald Cove-SmithDr Ronald Cove-Smith was a distinguished English physician and sportsman. He represented Old Merchant Taylors and King's College Hospital RFC...
(Old Merchant TaylorsOld Merchant Taylors' FCThis article concerns the rugby club. For a list of eminent Old Merchant Taylors' please see Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood#Old Merchant Taylors ...
) (captain) - Arthur Frederick "Freddie" Blakiston (BlackheathBlackheath R.C.Blackheath Football Club is a rugby football club based in Blackheath in south-east London, now playing at the Rectory Field . It was founded in 1858 and is the oldest open rugby club in the world...
) - A. Thomas "Tom" Voyce (Gloucester)
- Neil McPhersonNeil McPherson (rugby player)Neil McPherson OBE, was a Welsh rugby union player who represented Scotland and the British Lions. McPherson played club rugby for Newport and captained the team in the 1921/22 season....
(Newport) - R.G. Henderson (NorthernNorthern Football ClubNorthern Football Club are a rugby union club that was founded in 1875, and are based in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne. Their strip is coloured navy Blue, Red and White...
and ) - K.G.P. HendrieKelvin HendrieKelvin G.P. Hendrie was a Scottish international rugby union player, who played for and the Lions.He also played for Heriot's FP.He was on the 1924 British Lions tour to South Africa.-References:...
(Heriots FP and ) - D.S. Davies (HawickHawick RFCHawick Rugby Football Club is a semi-professional rugby union side, currently playing in the Premiership Division One and Border League. The team are based at Mansfield Park at Hawick in the Scottish Borders....
and ) - R.A. HowieBob HowieRobert Howie was a Scottish rugby union player for and Kirkcaldy RFC.He was capped seven times for between 1912-13. He also played for Kirkcaldy RFC, and was selected for the 1924 British Isles tour to South Africa.-Family:...
(Kirkcaldy RFCKirkcaldy RFCKirkcaldy Rugby Football Club are a rugby union side from Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland.The team was established in 1873 and currently play in Scottish Premiership division 3...
and ) - Douglas Marsden-JonesDouglas Marsden-JonesDouglas Marsden-Jones CBE was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff and London Welsh. Marsden-Jones was also a member of Ronald Cove-Smith's British Isles team that toured South Africa in 1924....
(CardiffCardiff RFCCardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
and London Welsh) - Andrew Ross (KilmarnockKilmarnock RFCKilmarnock Rugby Football Club, nicknamed Killie, is a Scottish rugby union club which was founded in 1868, and is based in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire in west central Scotland. They play in RBS NATIONAL 1...
and ) - James Daniel Clinch (Dublin UniversityDublin University Football ClubDublin University Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Dublin, Trinity College, in Dublin, Ireland.-History:...
) - William RocheWilliam Roche (rugby player)William Joseph Roche was an Irish rugby union player who represented Munster, Ireland and the British Lions. He also played club rugby for both University College Cork and Newport.-Club career:Between 1920 and 1927 Roche played club rugby for Newport and was captain during the 1926-27 season...
(UCCUniversity College Cork RFCUniversity College Cork Rugby Football Club is the rugby union team of University College Cork, based in Cork in the Republic of Ireland. They currently play in Division 1B of the AIB League. Founded in 1872, they originally played as Queen’s College Cork, as UCC was then known. Recent successes...
and Newport) - Jim McVicker (CollegiansCollegians (Belfast)Collegians is the name of a club for former pupils of Methodist College Belfast. In the 108-year history of the club, it had rugby union, cricket, hockey, basketball and athletics sections...
) - Michael James Bradley (DolphinDolphin RFCDolphin Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club in Cork. It was founded in 1902, by members of Dolphin Swimming Club seeking to find a wintertime activity.They play in Division 1 of the All-Ireland League. In 2007/08 they finished in their highest ever league position- 6th...
) - Norman Brand (North of Ireland FCNorth of Ireland FCNorth of Ireland Football Club is a former Irish rugby union club that was based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was the first rugby club formed in what is now Northern Ireland and only two other clubs - Dublin University and Wanderers - were formed earlier anywhere else in all Ireland . It was...
)
Ian Smith and Roy Muir Kinnear had not been capped by Scotland at the time of the 1924 tour.
Results
| Date | Opponent | Location | Result | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 1 | 12 July | Western Province (Town & Country) | Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality... |
Lost | 6-7 |
| Match 2 | 15 July | Western Province (Universities) | Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality... |
Won | 9-8 |
| Match 3 | 19 July | Griqualand West | Kimberley Kimberley, Northern Cape Kimberley is a city in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The town has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and siege during the Second Boer War... |
Won | 26-0 |
| Match 4 | 24 July | Rhodesia | Salisbury | Won | 16-3 |
| Match 5 | 30 July | Western Transvaal | Potchefstroom | Won | 8-7 |
| Match 6 | 2 August | Transvaal Golden Lions The Golden Lions is a provincial rugby team based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The team was originally known as Transvaal, before changes to the political landscape in South Africa forced a name change to the Gauteng Lions, before again being changed to the Golden Lions. For sponsorship reason... |
Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa... |
Drew | 12-12 |
| Match 7 | 6 August | Orange Free State (Country) | Kroonstad Kroonstad Kroonstad is the third-largest town in the Free State province of South Africa, and lies two hours drive from Gauteng. In the 1991 census it had a population of 110,963... |
Lost | 0-6 |
| Match 8 | 9 August | Orange Free State Free State Cheetahs The Free State Cheetahs , currently named the Toyota Free State Cheetahs, for sponsorship reasons, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. They are governed by the Free State Rugby Union and are based at the 37,076-capacity Vodacom Park in... |
Bloemfontein Bloemfontein Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and... |
Lost | 3-6 |
| Match 9 | 13 August | Natal Natal Sharks The Natal Sharks are a South African rugby union team that participate in the annual Currie Cup and Super Rugby tournaments. The Sharks home stadium is Kings Park. They draw most of their players from the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The Sharks are the current representative team of the Natal rugby... |
Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality... |
Drew | 3-3 |
| Match 10 | 16 August | South Africa South Africa national rugby union team The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental... |
Durban Durban Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism... |
Lost | 3-7 |
| Match 11 | 20 August | Witwatersrand | Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa... |
Lost | 6-10 |
| Match 12 | 23 August | South Africa South Africa national rugby union team The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental... |
Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa... |
Lost | 0-17 |
| Match 13 | 27 August | Pretoria | Pretoria Pretoria Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is... |
Lost | 0-6 |
| Match 14 | 30 August | Cape Colony | Kimberley Kimberley, Northern Cape Kimberley is a city in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The town has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and siege during the Second Boer War... |
Won | 13-3 |
| Match 15 | 3 September | North Eastern Districts | Aliwal North Aliwal North Aliwal North is a town in central South Africa on the Orange River, Eastern Cape Province. Aliwal North is the seat of the Maletswai Local Municipality which falls within the Ukhahlamba District Municipality.... |
Won | 20-12 |
| Match 16 | 6 September | Border | East London | Won | 12-3 |
| Match 17 | 10 September | Eastern Province Mighty Elephants The Eastern Province Kings are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup tournaments and are governed by the Eastern Province Rugby Union... |
Port Elizabeth | Lost | 6-14 |
| Match 18 | 13 September | South Africa South Africa national rugby union team The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental... |
Port Elizabeth | Drew | 3-3 |
| Match 19 | 16 September | South Western Districts | Oudtshoorn | Won | 12-6 |
| Match 20 | 20 September | South Africa South Africa national rugby union team The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental... |
Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality... |
Lost | 9-16 |
| Match 21 | 25 September | Western Province Western Province (rugby team) DHL Western Province is a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. The team has won the Currie Cup on 32 occasions and has the most supporters of any Currie Cup team... |
Cape Town Cape Town Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality... |
Won | 8-6 |