2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
Encyclopedia
In 2005 the British and Irish Lions
(the Lions) rugby union
team toured New Zealand
for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship
series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori
club, and 3 official test matches against the New Zealand All Blacks (the All Blacks). The Lions lost all 4 games to the national Māori and All Blacks sides, with their 0-3 test match record against the All Blacks marking the first time in 22 years that the Lions lost every test match on tour.
This tour marked the first time that the team toured under the name of "British and Irish Lions". It followed the 2001 British Lions tour to Australia
and preceded the 2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa
.
The team was managed by former England
international Bill Beaumont
, coached by former England coach Sir Clive Woodward
, and originally captained by Ireland
captain Brian O'Driscoll
. O'Driscoll suffered a controversial tour-ending injury two minutes into the first test and England captain Martin Corry took over the captaincy for the remainder of that match. Wales
captain Gareth Thomas
took over as captain for the final 4 games of the tour.
The poor test results of the 2005 Lions, despite having one of the most experienced playing squads and the largest management team of any Lions tour, led to criticism of Woodward, particularly his selection policy, and prompted commentators to question the future of the Lions.
in March 2008) before the departure for New Zealand, three Tests against the All Blacks, and several tour matches, where the quality of the opposition was expected to be high. This proved to be the case against New Zealand Māori
and Auckland, and most of the other tour matches were close for at least the first half. But the match against Manawatu
(the Lions' only opponent from the second division of New Zealand's domestic league, the National Provincial Championship
) was a one-sided affair, the Lions winning by a score of 109–6.
score shows 'British and Irish Lions' result first
Total: Played 12. Won 7, drew 1, lost 4. Points for 353, against 245.
. There was also concern that the squad included English players who had retired from international rugby, were returning from injury or had little international experience. The original 44-man squad was named as:
Injured England
players Jonny Wilkinson
, Phil Vickery
and Mike Tindall
were pencilled in, to be added to the squad subject to them regaining fitness. Only Wilkinson subsequently did so and was called up on 8 May. Iain Balshaw
suffered a torn thigh muscle and was replaced in the squad by Mark Cueto
on 17 May. Additional players were called up when players suffered injury (and in one case a ban) during the tour proper. The full list of call ups is:
Three team members did not travel to New Zealand with the bulk of the touring party. Jason Robinson was excused in order to spend time with his pregnant wife. Stephen Jones and Gareth Thomas were forced to delay their departures due to commitments to their French
clubs. Jones arrived in New Zealand on 31 May, before the Lions played their first tour match, while Robinson arrived on 7 June. For a time, it was doubtful whether Thomas would be able to contend for a spot in the first Test, as he had not been released by his club, Toulouse
. However, Toulouse, who were trying to add a French League title to their Heineken Cup
, crashed out in the French semi-finals, allowing Thomas to leave for New Zealand. Thomas also arrived in New Zealand on 7 June. Eventually, Thomas would replace Brian O'Driscoll as tour captain after O'Driscoll suffered a tour-ending dislocated shoulder soon after the start of the first All Blacks
Test on 25 June.
at the Millennium Stadium
in Cardiff
on 23 May in a warm-up Test match. The Pumas were without 25 players who may have made their first-choice team due to club commitments and the Lions rested many of their top players to field a second-string combination. Tour captain Brian O'Driscoll
was rested, so Wales vice-captain Michael Owen
took his place.
The Lions looked disjointed, turning over the ball 15 times in open play. Their pack was outplayed; the Pumas shoved them off their own scrum three times. The Lions also conceded five penalties for holding on to the ball while grounded, usually because their support failed to arrive in time. In the meantime, the Pumas played a match that was almost universally called "inspired" by rugby media worldwide. The Pumas led 19–16 at half-time, and could easily have been ahead by more. The main plus for the Lions was the performance of Jonny Wilkinson
, making his first appearance against international opposition since the 2003 World Cup, who set up their first try, converted it, and kicked six penalties. His last penalty saved the Lions from defeat, salvaging a 25–25 draw in the eighth minute of stoppage time. The match was granted full test status by the IRB in 2006.
on 4 June in Rotorua
. The Lions started the match strongly, with Josh Lewsey scoring a try after two minutes and then a second four minutes later. The Lions were up 17–0 after 11 minutes but the Steamers recovered for a 17–17 half-time score. The Lions controlled the second half and won 34–20. A significant injury was the fractured ankle suffered by experienced back-rower Lawrence Dallaglio
, who had to withdraw from the tour.
. The first half was closely fought in more ways than one, as the Lions' Danny Grewcock
and Taranaki's Paul Tito came to blows. The Amber and Blacks had a 7–6 lead at half time but soon after the break Martin Corry scored a Lions' try. Shortly afterwards, Taranaki's Andrew Hore was sin-binned
for holding the ball, and the Lions took control. Consensus man of the match
Charlie Hodgson
kicked two penalties during Hore's absence, and the Lions kept their momentum even after Hore returned. Shane Horgan
added a try and Geordan Murphy
two as the Lions won 36–14.
match at Hamilton
on 11 June promised to be the most competitive test lead-up, being billed by rugby media as virtually a fourth Test. In the first half, the Māori had the better of possession and tackling, but the Lions had the better of the set pieces, and the half ended 6–6.
Just before the break, the Lions' Andrew Sheridan
was sin-binned for punching Māori Luke McAlister
. When the sin-bin period ended Sheridan was replaced by Gethin Jenkins
. A McAlister penalty shortly afterwards, a Leon MacDonald
try (converted by McAlister), and then a second McAlister penalty, gave the Māori a 19–6 lead. The last 15 minutes were the Lions' best period, rewarded by a Brian O'Driscoll
try which was converted by Stephen Jones
. The Lions threatened strongly but the Māori, inspired by their replacement first-five Carlos Spencer and stalwart captain Jono Gibbes, held on for a historic 19–13 win—their first ever over the Lions.
to take on the city's NPC
side, the Wellington Lions
, on 15 June. The British & Irish Lions team was selected primarily from players in contention for the Test team, including Jonny Wilkinson
in his first tour match.
The British and Irish Lions had most of the possession and scoring chances, but committed numerous unforced errors when points looked likely. Tries came from Gethin Jenkins
and Gareth Thomas
, both converted by Wilkinson who also scored three penalties. The British & Irish Lions' 23–6 win, while seemingly showing their tour was back on track, left almost as many questions as answers. In post-match comments, O'Driscoll said "The ball was like a bar of soap out there and both sides made a lot of unforced errors," and Wellington Lions coach John Plumtree remarked, "The All Blacks
would have put 50 or 60 points on us."
the Lions played the Otago Razorbacks on 18 June at Carisbrook Stadium. The stadium is known to visiting teams as the "House of Pain", particularly for the Lions who lost games to the Otago side on four previous tours. Otago began strongly and the Lions were penalised four times in the first eleven minutes, Otago converting two. The Lions' stronger scrum play brought them back into the game, and the first half was closely fought, ending 13–13. The Lions clearly had the momentum, as Will Greenwood
had scored a try, converted by Charlie Hodgson
, just before the break.
Otago took a 16–13 lead shortly after half-time, but strong Lions scrum play led to a try by man of the match Ryan Jones, who put himself in contention for a Test position. The try and Hodgson's conversion gave the Lions a solid, though far from insurmountable, lead. Otago rallied to 20–19 with a penalty, but the Lions pulled away soon afterwards. A Hodgson penalty, Shane Williams
try and Hodgson conversion took the final margin to 30–19.
on 21 June was the last before the first Test. Lions coach Clive Woodward announced that no players in the night's line-up would play in the Test. In the first 15 minutes, the Lions looked formidable as they took an early 10–0 lead over the Stags, keyed by a Gavin Henson
try. However, they became disjointed and by half-time had turned over the ball 14 times and were considered lucky to be ahead 10–3 at the break.
The first few minutes of the second half were even worse for the Lions, as Hale T-Pole
scored a converted try. Woodward immediately substituted four players to settle down his team. T-Pole made an interception to save a Mark Cueto try, but the Lions kept the pressure on, and Henson scored his second try. The Lions then changed tactics, choosing to kick for territory more often, and were never truly threatened again, winning by 26–16.
on 25 June at Jade Stadium in Christchurch
, the Lions lost their captain Brian O'Driscoll
, who suffered a dislocated shoulder after having been cleaned out of a ruck by Tana Umaga
and Keven Mealamu
. Eight minutes into the game, Daniel Carter
opened the scoring for the All Blacks with a penalty. Three minutes later, the Lions suffered a further blow when Paul O'Connell
was sin-binned
for a professional foul
, and Carter kicked the penalty. Already a player short, the Lions then lost Richard Hill
to injury. Ali Williams
scored the first All Blacks try shortly after O'Connell returned, and the half ended with the Lions down 11–0.
Carter kicked a penalty in the second half, followed by a converted try from Sitiveni Sivivatu
to end the All Blacks' scoring, and Jonny Wilkinson
kicked a penalty in the 56th minute to provide the Lions with their only points of the night. The 21–3 win was considered by almost every commentator to be even more one-sided than the score indicated. The Lions' sloppy set-piece play included ten losses of their own lineouts.
It was announced post-match that three injured Lions were out for the rest of the tour—O'Driscoll and Hill from incidents in the match, and Tom Shanklin
for inflammation from an existing knee injury. Also, Danny Grewcock
was suspended for two months after he was cited for biting All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu
.
and hooker Keven Mealamu
were accused of a spear tackle
in the incident that ended Lions captain O'Driscoll's tour.
At a ruck early in the match, Mealamu and Umaga each attempted to clear O'Driscoll from the ruck; in the process each of them lifted one of O'Driscoll's legs off the ground before letting go. O'Driscoll fell badly and dislocated his shoulder when he hit the ground. While O'Driscoll was being driven from the ruck, the touch judge was heard telling Mealamu and Umaga to let O'Driscoll go, but he took no further action regarding the incident. Opinions differed on the incident. Many British and Irish commentators and fans claimed that it was an illegal "spear tackle" and Lions coach Clive Woodward
reported the pair to the IRB-appointed citing commissioner, William Venter, who decided, on the basis of the video footage available to him at the time, not to refer the matter to a disciplinary tribunal. New Zealand commentators and fans were largely of the view that the two All Blacks were merely clearing out the ruck and that there had been no intention to injure O'Driscoll.
The incident raised several issue, both about the legality of "clearing out" and about the citing process.
Under the Laws, it is illegal to play an opponent without the ball, except in a scrum, ruck or maul; referees usually interpret this as authorising the common practice of "clearing out the ruck", that is, physically removing an opponent who is taking part in the ruck, and rarely penalise the practice if it happens within close proximity to the ruck. The Laws also prohibit dangerous tackles, though they make no specific mention of the "spear tackle". The O'Driscoll incident did not involve a tackle, as he was not carrying the ball, and any sanction against Mealamu and Umaga could only have been applied under the general provision outlawing acts "contrary to good sportsmanship". In the light of the video footage, laws, and referee reports, the citing commissioner concluded that there was no case for Mealamu and Umaga to answer. In September 2005, in response to a request for clarification from O'Driscoll's home union, the Irish Rugby Football Union, the IRB's Laws Committee ruled that the act of lifting a player off his feet in a tackle and dropping him in such a way that his head or upper torso hits the ground first is a dangerous tackle; they further ruled that such an act constitutes dangerous play no matter where it occurs in the game.
While not directly related to the issue of legality, the incident also raised questions about the citing process itself. Under the protocol applying to the Lions Tests, the citing commissioner had to make any decisions on whether to cite players within 12 hours of the end of the game. This, it was suggested, did not allow enough time for him to gather video evidence and properly analyse it. Subsequently, the citing 'window' has been extended to 24 hours for most matches.
against NPC
second division side Manawatu Turbos
, winning 109-6. They led 38–6 at half time and scored 71 unanswered points in the second. Welshman Shane Williams scored five tries to help the Lions post their all-time record score in New Zealand, surpassing their 64–5 victory over Marlborough/Nelson 46 years ago.
Tries were shared by Williams (5), Ronan O'Gara (2), Mark Cueto (2), Geordan Murphy, Charlie Hodgson, Jason Robinson, Martin Corry, Neil Back, Gareth Cooper, Gordon D'Arcy and Ollie Smith, with Manawatu restricted to two Jonathan Hargreaves penalties.
Lock Donncha O'Callaghan and flanker Martyn Williams both retired at half-time but had impressed enough to secure Test selection for the next Saturday. Murphy also impressed at full-back but it was wing Williams, with elusive running and awareness, who most thrilled Lions supporters.
in Wellington
on 2 July, losing 48–18 and conceding the highest number of points against a New Zealand team in a Test.
Woodward selected a radically different Test squad from the one that had been embarrassed in Christchurch
a week earlier, replacing eleven players. Key to the Lions' hopes of staying in the series was Woodward's decision to add several of the Welsh team
that won the Grand Slam in the 2005 Six Nations
.
The Lions started strongly, with captain Gareth Thomas
scoring a try under the posts and Jonny Wilkinson
converting two minutes in. A minute later, Wilkinson hit the post with a penalty attempt, but gathering the rebound the Lions were in a good attacking position when Paul O'Connell
was penalised for diving over a ruck. The All Blacks settled down and then scored through two Daniel Carter
penalties before he set up their first try, racing 50 metres off a turnover before offloading to captain Tana Umaga
to score near the posts. Although the rest of the half remained close, the All Blacks went into the break with a 21–13 lead.
The second half turned into a showcase for the All Blacks in general and Carter in particular. He scored two tries, converted three, kicked two penalties, and constantly kept the Lions on the back foot with his distribution. Flanker Richie McCaw
powered his way over for a try after Carter missed a hat trick by a matter of inches. Rugby media were in virtually unanimous agreement that 1) the Lions were greatly improved; and 2) the All Blacks were completely dominant. Carter's tally of 33 points broke the all-time record for points by an All Black against the Lions.
, the match was marked by the Lions' inability to find touch and Auckland's willingness to attack and run the angles. Auckland gave up some guaranteed points from early penalties to take the Lions on in set piece play. Auckland tighthead prop John Afoa was denied a try after a tap and run saw him held up in goal. A series of handling errors throughout the first half let Auckland down and saw the Lions to a 14–3 lead at the half. The second half saw the Lions give away points to a stoic Auckland pack and the scoreline was narrowed to 14–13 Lions lead. A late Ronan O'Gara
penalty saw the Lions extend to a 4 point winning margin of 17–13. This victory completed an impressive clean sweep of matches for the mid week Lions against host Unions throughout New Zealand.
and Ali Williams
, both converted by Luke McAlister
. The Lions were awarded two more penalties, which Stephen Jones kicked, but just before the break, Umaga scored a try to give the All Blacks a half-time lead of 24–12.
Seven minutes into the second half Umaga scored another try. Soon after, scrum-half Byron Kelleher
was replaced by Justin Marshall
, who then played his final half-hour of All Black rugby. Another All Black try was thwarted when Jerry Collins
was sin-binned for a late tackle. The All Blacks then spent several minutes defending as the Lions pushed towards the line from within ten meters, and after a long struggle Lewis Moody managed to score, making it 31–19. Both sides made errors that cost them tries. Sitiveni Sivivatu had two very close calls but it was Rico Gear
who followed his own deep kick to toe the ball over the line and score a fine individual try. McAlister converted, giving him a 100 percent kicking rate, to make the full-time score 38–19.
, specially for the 2005 tour. Neil Myers composed the tune, and the piece was performed for the first time in public by Welsh opera singer Katherine Jenkins
before the Lions' match against Argentina at the Millennium Stadium in 2005. It was played before all games on the tour, but was not used in the Lions tour to South Africa in 2009
.
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
(the Lions) rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team toured New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship
National Provincial Championship
The National Provincial Championship, or NPC, is the major domestic rugby competition in New Zealand. The NPC has seen many alterations to its format and brand. Since 2006 the National Championship has been split into 2 competitions, the ITM Cup and the Heartland Championship...
series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
club, and 3 official test matches against the New Zealand All Blacks (the All Blacks). The Lions lost all 4 games to the national Māori and All Blacks sides, with their 0-3 test match record against the All Blacks marking the first time in 22 years that the Lions lost every test match on tour.
This tour marked the first time that the team toured under the name of "British and Irish Lions". It followed the 2001 British Lions tour to Australia
2001 British Lions tour to Australia
The 2001 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia was a series of matches played by the British Lions rugby union team in Australia.This tour followed the Lions' 1997 tour to South Africa and preceded the 2005 tour to New Zealand....
and preceded the 2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa
2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa
The 2009 British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa was an international rugby union tour which took place in South Africa from May to July 2009....
.
The team was managed by former England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
international Bill Beaumont
Bill Beaumont
William "Bill" Blackledge Beaumont CBE was captain of the England rugby union team at a time when they struggled to win games. His greatest moment as captain was the unexpected 1980 Grand Slam. He played as a lock...
, coached by former England coach Sir Clive Woodward
Clive Woodward
Sir Clive Ronald Woodward OBE is an English former rugby union player and coach. He was coach of the team from 1997 to 2004, managing them to victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is currently the British Olympic Association's Director of Elite Performance.-Early life:Woodward was born in Ely...
, and originally captained by Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
captain Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll is an Irish professional rugby union player. He is the current captain of the Ireland Rugby team and captained Leinster Rugby until the start of 2008 season. He also captained the British and Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand...
. O'Driscoll suffered a controversial tour-ending injury two minutes into the first test and England captain Martin Corry took over the captaincy for the remainder of that match. Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
captain Gareth Thomas
Gareth Thomas (rugby player)
Gareth Thomas , known as Alfie, is a retired Welsh professional rugby footballer who played rugby league for the Crusaders RL in the Super League. He also previously played rugby union for the Cardiff Blues and as a fullback, wing or centre.On 26 May 2007, Thomas surpassed Gareth Llewellyn as the...
took over as captain for the final 4 games of the tour.
The poor test results of the 2005 Lions, despite having one of the most experienced playing squads and the largest management team of any Lions tour, led to criticism of Woodward, particularly his selection policy, and prompted commentators to question the future of the Lions.
Schedule
The Lions' campaign involved a warm-up match against Argentina (which was retroactively awarded Test status by the International Rugby BoardInternational Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
in March 2008) before the departure for New Zealand, three Tests against the All Blacks, and several tour matches, where the quality of the opposition was expected to be high. This proved to be the case against New Zealand Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
and Auckland, and most of the other tour matches were close for at least the first half. But the match against Manawatu
Manawatu Rugby Union
Manawatu Rugby Union is the governing body of the sport of Rugby union in the Manawatu rugby province. The Union is based in the city of Palmerston North but has a catchment area from nearby towns in the province, including Feilding, Rongotea, Linton, Bulls, Pahiatua, Dannevirke and...
(the Lions' only opponent from the second division of New Zealand's domestic league, the National Provincial Championship
National Provincial Championship
The National Provincial Championship, or NPC, is the major domestic rugby competition in New Zealand. The NPC has seen many alterations to its format and brand. Since 2006 the National Championship has been split into 2 competitions, the ITM Cup and the Heartland Championship...
) was a one-sided affair, the Lions winning by a score of 109–6.
score shows 'British and Irish Lions' result first
| Date | Opponent | Location | Result | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match A | 23 May | Argentina Argentina national rugby union team The Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British... |
Millennium Stadium Millennium Stadium The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage... , Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
Drew | 25–25 |
| Match 1 | 4 June | Bay of Plenty Steamers Bay of Plenty Steamers The Bay of Plenty Steamers are the top representative team under the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union in New Zealand. They compete in the ITM Cup. They have a total of 20 All Blacks, the latest being Tanerau Latimer in 2009... |
Rotorua International Stadium Rotorua International Stadium Rotorua International Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located on Devon Street West in Westbrook suburb of Rotorua, New Zealand. It is currently used mostly for rugby union and rugby league matches, being one of two home stadiums for the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union... , Rotorua Rotorua Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns... |
Won | 34-20 |
| Match 2 | 8 June | Taranaki Amber and Blacks Taranaki Rugby Union Taranaki Rugby Football Union is the governing body of Rugby in the New Zealand province of Taranaki. The main stadium is Yarrow Stadium which is in the main centre of New Plymouth. Taranaki plays in the annual ITM Cup in which it also competes for the Ranfurly shield... |
Yarrow Stadium Yarrow Stadium Yarrow Stadium is situated in the central suburb of Westown in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, with main vehicle access off Maratahu St... , New Plymouth New Plymouth New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England, from where the first English settlers migrated.... |
Won | 36-14 |
| Match 3 | 11 June | NZ Māori New Zealand Maori rugby union team New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often... |
Waikato Stadium Waikato Stadium Waikato Stadium is a major sporting and cultural events venue in Hamilton, New Zealand, with a total capacity of 25,800. Four areas contribute to this capacity: The Brian Perry Stand holding 12,000, the WEL Networks Stand holding 8,000, the Goal Line Terrace holding 800 and the Greenzone can hold... , Hamilton Hamilton, New Zealand Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland... |
Lost | 13-19 |
| Match 4 | 15 June | Wellington Lions | Westpac Stadium Westpac Stadium Westpac Stadium, is a major sporting venue in Wellington, New Zealand. Due to its shape and silver coloured external walls, it is colloquially known as The Cake-Tin to the locals and other New Zealanders... , Wellington Wellington Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range... |
Won | 23-6 |
| Match 5 | 18 June | Otago Razorbacks | Carisbrook Carisbrook Carisbrook was a major sporting venue in Dunedin, New Zealand. The city's main domestic and international rugby union venue, it has also been used for other sports such as cricket, football, rugby league and motocross. Carisbrook has also hosted a Joe Cocker concert and frequently hosted pre-game... , Dunedin Dunedin Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until... |
Won | 30-19 |
| Match 6 | 21 June | Southland Stags | Rugby Park Stadium Rugby Park Stadium Rugby Park Stadium is a rugby union venue and home ground for ITM Cup team Southland. Rugby Park Stadium is located on the corner of Elles Road and Tweed Street in Invercargill. It has a capacity of 20,000, although in former incarnations has accommodated up to 30,000 in the 1960s before the... , Invercargill Invercargill Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,... |
Won | 26-16 |
| Match 7 | 25 June | All Blacks - 1st Test | Jade Stadium, Christchurch Christchurch Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of... |
Lost | 3-21 |
| Match 8 | 28 June | Manawatu Turbos Manawatu Rugby Union Manawatu Rugby Union is the governing body of the sport of Rugby union in the Manawatu rugby province. The Union is based in the city of Palmerston North but has a catchment area from nearby towns in the province, including Feilding, Rongotea, Linton, Bulls, Pahiatua, Dannevirke and... |
Arena Manawatu Arena Manawatu Arena Manawatu is the current name of the 180,000 square metre publicly owned recreational complex just west of the Palmerston North city centre in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand.It has three linked indoor stadiums, with movable tiered seating... , Palmerston North Palmerston North Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank... |
Won | 109-6 |
| Match 9 | 2 July | All Blacks - 2nd Test | Westpac Stadium Westpac Stadium Westpac Stadium, is a major sporting venue in Wellington, New Zealand. Due to its shape and silver coloured external walls, it is colloquially known as The Cake-Tin to the locals and other New Zealanders... , Wellington Wellington Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range... |
Lost | 18-48 |
| Match 10 | 5 July | Auckland | Eden Park Eden Park Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable... , Auckland Auckland The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world... |
Won | 17-13 |
| Match 11 | 9 July | All Blacks - 3rd Test | Eden Park Eden Park Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable... , Auckland Auckland The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world... |
Lost | 19-38 |
Total: Played 12. Won 7, drew 1, lost 4. Points for 353, against 245.
Tour squad
The 44-man tour squad was announced on 11 April 2005, with 20 Englishmen, eleven Irishmen, ten Welshmen and three Scots selected. Three further Englishmen were selected subject to them proving their fitness. Many criticised this distribution as England had performed poorly in the 2004 and 2005 Six Nations Championship and Wales had won the 2005 Grand SlamGrand Slam (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
. There was also concern that the squad included English players who had retired from international rugby, were returning from injury or had little international experience. The original 44-man squad was named as:
Forwards
| Player | Position | Home Union | Club | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Hayes John Hayes (rugby player) John Hayes is an Irish rugby union player, who plays in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup for Munster. Having spent his underage career playing with the local Cappamore GAA club, he was 18 when he started playing rugby. It was his size which enabled him to overcome his late start to the sport... |
Prop | Munster Munster Rugby Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish... |
||
| Gethin Jenkins Gethin Jenkins Gethin Jenkins is a Wales and British Lions international rugby union player, currently playing for Cardiff Blues. He is the most capped prop-forward for Wales.-Early career:... |
Prop | Cardiff Blues Cardiff Blues Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club.... |
||
| Graham Rowntree Graham Rowntree Graham Christopher Rowntree is a former English rugby union player. He played loosehead prop for Leicester Tigers and England. He was capped 54 times for England, despite having to compete for his position with the world's second most capped player, Jason Leonard.Rowntree was born in... |
Prop | Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010... |
||
| Andrew Sheridan Andrew Sheridan Andrew Sheridan is an English rugby union player and musician, who plays loosehead prop for Sale Sharks.Sheridan is tall, which is unusually tall for a prop, and weighs... |
Prop | Sale Sharks Sale Sharks Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the... |
||
| Matt Stevens Matt Stevens (rugby player) Matthew Stevens is an English rugby union player, who plays at prop for Saracens F.C. and .He can cover both sides of the scrum and most of his England caps have come at tighthead. He formerly played for Bath Rugby club... |
Prop | Bath Bath Rugby Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league... |
||
| Julian White Julian White Julian White MBE is an English rugby union footballer who plays prop for Leicester Tigers and England.White is regarded as one of the most powerful forwards in the game... |
Prop | Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010... |
||
| Gordon Bulloch Gordon Bulloch Gordon Bulloch is a rugby union player who is hooker for West of Scotland F.C. and formerly Scotland. Gordon Bulloch is Scotland’s third most capped player with a total of 75 and their most-capped hooker. He previously played for Glasgow and Leeds Tykes.Gordon has played for Scotland at U19 and... |
Hooker | Glasgow Glasgow Warriors The Glasgow Warriors, formerly Glasgow Rugby, are one of two professional rugby union teams in Scotland, Edinburgh being the other. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12 and their home ground is Firhill Stadium, also the home of Partick Thistle Football Club.-History:Glasgow Rugby were created to... |
||
| Shane Byrne | Hooker | Leinster Leinster Rugby Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup... |
||
| Steve Thompson Steve Thompson (rugby player) Steve Thompson MBE is a rugby union player who plays at hooker for London Wasps and England.He is England's most capped hooker, and has played for the British and Irish Lions.-Northampton Saints:... |
Hooker | Northampton Saints Northampton Saints Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591.... |
||
| Andy Titterrell Andy Titterrell Andrew James Titterrell is a rugby union player who plays at hooker for Leeds Carnegie and England.-Biography:... |
Hooker | Sale Sharks Sale Sharks Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the... |
||
| Danny Grewcock Danny Grewcock Daniel Jonathan Grewcock MBE is a retired English rugby union rugby lock who played for Bath, England and the British and Irish Lions... |
Lock | Bath Bath Rugby Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league... |
||
| Ben Kay Ben Kay Benedict James Kay MBE is a retired English international rugby union footballer who played Second row forward for Leicester Tigers and .-Background:... |
Lock | Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010... |
||
| Donncha O'Callaghan Donncha O'Callaghan Donncha O'Callaghan is an Irish rugby union footballer. He plays as a lock for Munster and Ireland.- Early career :He began his rugby education in Highfield Rugby Club, on the Model Farm Road in Cork. During the 1997/98 season he won a Schools Senior Cup with the Christian Brothers College, Cork,... |
Lock | Munster Munster Rugby Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish... |
||
| Paul O'Connell Paul O'Connell Paul O'Connell is an Irish rugby union player who plays lock for Munster and Ireland. He also captained the British and Irish Lions on their 2009 tour to South Africa.-Early life:... |
Lock | Munster Munster Rugby Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish... |
||
| Malcolm O'Kelly Malcolm O'Kelly Malcolm O'Kelly is a retired Irish rugby union player who played as a lock for Ireland and Leinster.... |
Lock | Leinster Leinster Rugby Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup... |
||
| Simon Shaw Simon Shaw Simon Dalton Shaw MBE is an English rugby union player who plays at lock for Toulon and England.-Biography:... |
Lock | Wasps London Wasps London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999... |
Replacement for Malcolm O'Kelly | |
| Neil Back Neil Back Neil Antony Back is a former international rugby union footballer for England, who also played for Leicester Tigers, and captained both England and Leicester during his career.... |
Back Row | Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010... |
||
| Martin Corry | Back Row | Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010... |
||
| Lawrence Dallaglio Lawrence Dallaglio Lorenzo Bruno Nero "Lawrence" Dallaglio, OBE is a retired English rugby union player and former captain of the English national team. He played as a flanker or number eight for London Wasps and never played for another club, having arrived at Sudbury as a teenager... |
Back Row | Wasps London Wasps London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999... |
||
| Richard Hill Richard Hill (flanker) Richard Hill MBE is a former rugby union footballer who played flanker for Saracens and England.Often portrayed as the 'silent assassin' at both club and international level, his effective and abrasive style of forward play has made him legendary in rugby union circles... |
Back Row | Saracens | ||
| Lewis Moody Lewis Moody Lewis Walton Moody MBE is an English rugby union rugby player who currently plays for Bath Rugby and was part of the 2003 World Cup winning side. He is renowned for his commitment to the physical aspects of the game.... |
Back Row | Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010... |
||
| Michael Owen Michael Owen (rugby player) Michael Owen , was educated at Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive school in Beddau and was a Welsh rugby union player. He played for Saracens at club level and Wales internationally, having previously represented Newport Gwent Dragons in the Magners League. Owen, who is , most often played Number 8, but... |
Back Row | Newport Gwent Dragons Newport Gwent Dragons Newport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Heineken Cup... |
||
| Simon Taylor Simon Taylor (rugby player) Simon Marcus Taylor is a Scottish professional rugby union footballer for Bath Rugby. He is a back-row forward, usually a number eight. He played for Edinburgh for six seasons between 2000 and 2006 and in 2007 agreed a three year deal with Stade Français joining them immediately after the 2007... |
Back Row | Edinburgh Edinburgh Gunners Edinburgh Rugby is one of two professional rugby union teams in Scotland competing in the RaboDirect Pro12 League along with Glasgow Warriors, their oldest rivals... |
||
| Martyn Williams Martyn Williams Martyn Elwyn Williams is a Welsh international rugby union player. A flanker, he plays for Cardiff Blues and the Wales national rugby union team as an open-side flanker... |
Back Row | Cardiff Blues Cardiff Blues Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club.... |
||
| Simon Easterby Simon Easterby Simon Easterby is an English-born Irish rugby union footballer. He plays for Scarlets, for whom he is a player-coach, and is a recently retired Ireland international. His regular position is at blindside flanker, but he is equally adept on the openside.-Early life:Easterby's father is English and... |
Back Row | Llanelli Scarlets Llanelli Scarlets The Scarlets are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Llanelli, south-west Wales the team play at the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, as well as competing in the LV= Cup and the Heineken Cup... |
Replacement for Lawrence Dallaglio |
Backs
| Player | Position | Home Union | Club | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iain Balshaw Iain Balshaw Iain Robert Balshaw, MBE is a rugby footballer who plays on the wing or at full back for Biarritz.-Early life:... |
Full back | Leeds Tykes Leeds Tykes Leeds Carnegie is an English rugby union club, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, currently playing in the RFU Championship. In recent years, they have bounced between the Premiership and the second-level National Division One, now known as the RFU Championship; they were either promoted or relegated... |
|
| Geordan Murphy Geordan Murphy Geordan Edward Andrew Murphy is an Irish rugby union rugby player and plays fullback or wing for the English club Leicester Tigers and Ireland.... |
Full back | Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010... |
|
| Josh Lewsey Josh Lewsey Owen Joshua Lewsey MBE is a former English rugby union footballer who played fullback, wing or centre for Wasps.-Career:... |
Full back | Wasps London Wasps London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999... |
|
| Gareth Thomas Gareth Thomas (rugby player) Gareth Thomas , known as Alfie, is a retired Welsh professional rugby footballer who played rugby league for the Crusaders RL in the Super League. He also previously played rugby union for the Cardiff Blues and as a fullback, wing or centre.On 26 May 2007, Thomas surpassed Gareth Llewellyn as the... |
Full back/Wing/Centre | Toulouse Stade Toulousain Stade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is one of the finest rugby clubs in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup four times – in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps... |
|
| Shane Horgan Shane Horgan Shane Patrick Horgan born 18 July 1978 in Bellewstown, County Meath is a rugby union player who plays wing or centre for Leinster and Ireland. He is tall. While he was young he played for Boyne RFC. He also played Gaelic football at Minor level with Meath.Horgan joined Lansdowne on leaving... |
Wing | Leinster Leinster Rugby Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup... |
|
| Denis Hickie Denis Hickie Denis Anthony Hickie born 13 February 1976 in Dublin, Ireland is a retired professional rugby union footballer employed by the Irish Rugby Football Union. He played his club rugby for Leinster. His primary position was on the wing. He is also known as Disco Denis as a result of his quick feet... |
Wing | Leinster Leinster Rugby Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup... |
|
| Jason Robinson Jason Robinson Jason Thorpe Robinson OBE is an English former international rugby union and rugby league player of the 1990s and 2000s. Playing at wing or fullback, he won fifty-one rugby union international test caps in total for England, and in rugby league he won twelve caps for Great Britain and seven for... |
Wing | Sale Sharks Sale Sharks Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the... |
|
| Shane Williams Shane Williams Shane Mark Williams is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays as a wing for the Ospreys and who can also play scrum-half. Williams is the record try scorer for the Wales national team and he is third on the international list of leading Rugby union Test try scorers behind Daisuke Ohata... |
Wing | Ospreys | |
| Gordon D'Arcy Gordon D'Arcy Gordon William D'Arcy is an Irish rugby player, more specifically an inside centre. He is registered to Lansdowne RFC and plays for provincial and RaboDirect Pro12 side Leinster.-Career:... |
Centre | Leinster Leinster Rugby Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup... |
|
| Will Greenwood Will Greenwood William John Heaton "Will" Greenwood, MBE is an English former rugby union footballer of the 1990s and 2000s.-Career:... |
Centre | Harlequins | |
| Gavin Henson Gavin Henson Gavin Lloyd Henson is a Welsh rugby union player, born in Pencoed, South Wales, currently playing for Cardiff Blues.He attracted much media attention as part of a Wales national team which achieved Grand Slams in the Six Nations Championship in 2005 and 2008... |
Centre | Ospreys | |
| Brian O'Driscoll Brian O'Driscoll Brian O'Driscoll is an Irish professional rugby union player. He is the current captain of the Ireland Rugby team and captained Leinster Rugby until the start of 2008 season. He also captained the British and Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand... |
Centre | Leinster Leinster Rugby Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup... |
|
| Tom Shanklin Tom Shanklin Tomos George L. Shanklin is a former Welsh rugby union player who played Outside Centre for Cardiff Blues and Wales. He is Wales' most-capped centre... |
Centre | Cardiff Blues Cardiff Blues Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club.... |
|
| Ollie Smith Ollie Smith Oliver James Smith is an English rugby player who plays for Harlequins F.C. Rugby Club as of next season and England usually at outside centre and occasionally inside centre or wing. He sees himself as a centre who has enough pace to deliver on the wing if required. Smith is 6'1" and weighs... |
Centre | Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010... |
|
| Charlie Hodgson Charlie Hodgson Charles Christopher Hodgson is an English rugby union footballer. He plays fly-half for Saracens and England. He is also the leading Premiership points scorer of all time.-Early years:... |
Fly-half | Sale Sharks Sale Sharks Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the... |
|
| Stephen Jones Stephen Jones (rugby player) Stephen Michael Jones is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays primarily at fly-half for Wales, the British and Irish Lions and Scarlets.... |
Fly-half | Clermont Auvergne ASM Clermont Auvergne Association Sportive Montferrandaise Clermont Auvergne are a French rugby union club from Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne that currently competes in Top 14, the top level of the French league system, ASMCA are the were the 2010 France Top 14 Champions. It is the rugby section of the multi-sport club... |
|
| Ronan O'Gara Ronan O'Gara Ronan John Ross O'Gara is an Irish rugby union player, playing at fly-half for both Munster and Ireland. He is the all time highest point scorer for both Munster and Ireland. In addition to his prolific point-scoring, he has captained Munster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions... |
Fly-half | Munster Munster Rugby Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish... |
|
| Jonny Wilkinson Jonny Wilkinson Jonathan Peter "Jonny" Wilkinson OBE is an English rugby union player and member of the England national team. Wilkinson rose to acclaim from 2001 to 2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was acknowledged as one of the world’s best rugby players... |
Fly-half | Newcastle Falcons Newcastle Falcons The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in... |
|
| Gareth Cooper Gareth Cooper Gareth Cooper is a former Wales international rugby union player who plays at scrum-half for the Cardiff Blues. He is renowned for his darting breaks from rucks.-Career:... |
Scrum-half | Newport Gwent Dragons Newport Gwent Dragons Newport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Heineken Cup... |
|
| Chris Cusiter Chris Cusiter Christopher Peter Cusiter is a Scottish rugby union player who plays at scrum-half. Cusiter played for the British and Irish Lions in their 2005 tour of New Zealand. Originally from Aberdeen, where he attended Robert Gordon's College, he now plays for Glasgow Warriors. He left the Border Reivers... |
Scrum-half | The Borders Border Reivers (Rugby) Border Reivers, originally known as 'Scottish Borders Rugby' and also known as 'The Borders' were one of four professional rugby union teams in Scotland, alongside Edinburgh, Caledonia Reds and Glasgow Warriors.... |
|
| Matt Dawson Matt Dawson Matthew James Sutherland "Daws" Dawson, MBE is a retired English rugby union player who played scrum half for Wasps and Northampton Saints. During his international career he toured with the British and Irish Lions three times and was part of England's 2003 Rugby World Cup winning side... |
Scrum-half | Wasps London Wasps London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999... |
|
| Dwayne Peel Dwayne Peel Dwayne John Peel is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for Sale Sharks and Wales. He is the most capped scrum-half for the Wales national rugby union team.... |
Scrum-half | Llanelli Scarlets Llanelli Scarlets The Scarlets are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Llanelli, south-west Wales the team play at the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, as well as competing in the LV= Cup and the Heineken Cup... |
Injured England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
players Jonny Wilkinson
Jonny Wilkinson
Jonathan Peter "Jonny" Wilkinson OBE is an English rugby union player and member of the England national team. Wilkinson rose to acclaim from 2001 to 2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was acknowledged as one of the world’s best rugby players...
, Phil Vickery
Phil Vickery (rugby player)
Philip John Vickery MBE is a former English rugby union tighthead prop and member of the England squad. He was a member of England's World Cup winning squad in 2003, playing in all seven matches in the tournament, and is a former England captain. Vickery ended his club rugby career at Wasps,...
and Mike Tindall
Mike Tindall
Michael James Tindall, MBE is an English rugby player who plays outside centre for Gloucester Rugby and has captained the England team...
were pencilled in, to be added to the squad subject to them regaining fitness. Only Wilkinson subsequently did so and was called up on 8 May. Iain Balshaw
Iain Balshaw
Iain Robert Balshaw, MBE is a rugby footballer who plays on the wing or at full back for Biarritz.-Early life:...
suffered a torn thigh muscle and was replaced in the squad by Mark Cueto
Mark Cueto
Mark John "Frank" Cueto is an English international rugby union player. He plays on the wing for Sale Sharks and England.-Biography:...
on 17 May. Additional players were called up when players suffered injury (and in one case a ban) during the tour proper. The full list of call ups is:
- Jonny WilkinsonJonny WilkinsonJonathan Peter "Jonny" Wilkinson OBE is an English rugby union player and member of the England national team. Wilkinson rose to acclaim from 2001 to 2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was acknowledged as one of the world’s best rugby players...
(Newcastle FalconsNewcastle FalconsThe Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...
and England) — Added 8 May - Mark CuetoMark CuetoMark John "Frank" Cueto is an English international rugby union player. He plays on the wing for Sale Sharks and England.-Biography:...
(Sale SharksSale SharksSale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
and England) — Added 17 May for Iain BalshawIain BalshawIain Robert Balshaw, MBE is a rugby footballer who plays on the wing or at full back for Biarritz.-Early life:... - Simon ShawSimon ShawSimon Dalton Shaw MBE is an English rugby union player who plays at lock for Toulon and England.-Biography:...
(WaspsLondon WaspsLondon Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
and England) — Added 2 June for Malcolm O'KellyMalcolm O'KellyMalcolm O'Kelly is a retired Irish rugby union player who played as a lock for Ireland and Leinster.... - Simon EasterbySimon EasterbySimon Easterby is an English-born Irish rugby union footballer. He plays for Scarlets, for whom he is a player-coach, and is a recently retired Ireland international. His regular position is at blindside flanker, but he is equally adept on the openside.-Early life:Easterby's father is English and...
(Llanelli ScarletsLlanelli ScarletsThe Scarlets are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Llanelli, south-west Wales the team play at the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, as well as competing in the LV= Cup and the Heineken Cup...
and Ireland) — Added 4 June for Lawrence DallaglioLawrence DallaglioLorenzo Bruno Nero "Lawrence" Dallaglio, OBE is a retired English rugby union player and former captain of the English national team. He played as a flanker or number eight for London Wasps and never played for another club, having arrived at Sudbury as a teenager... - Ryan Jones (Ospreys and Wales) — Added 10 June for Simon TaylorSimon Taylor (rugby player)Simon Marcus Taylor is a Scottish professional rugby union footballer for Bath Rugby. He is a back-row forward, usually a number eight. He played for Edinburgh for six seasons between 2000 and 2006 and in 2007 agreed a three year deal with Stade Français joining them immediately after the 2007...
- Brent CockbainBrent CockbainBrent John Cockbain is a rugby union player who played lock for Sale Sharks in the English Guinness Premiership, and has won 20 caps for Wales.-Club career:...
(Ospreys and Wales) — Added 26 June for Danny GrewcockDanny GrewcockDaniel Jonathan Grewcock MBE is a retired English rugby union rugby lock who played for Bath, England and the British and Irish Lions...
, who was banned for 2 months after biting the All BlacksAll BlacksThe New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
' Keven MealamuKeven MealamuKeven Mealamu is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays at hooker for the Blues in the Super 14, Auckland in the National Provincial Championship, and the New Zealand national team, All Blacks....
during the first test. - Jason WhiteJason White (rugby player)Jason Phillip Randall White is a Scottish rugby union footballer. He is a utility forward who can play any position in the second or back row of the scrum—lock, flanker, or number eight. White plays at club level for French Top 14 side ASM Clermont Auvergne and also plays for Scotland.He is...
(Sale SharksSale SharksSale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
and Scotland) — Added 27 June for Richard HillRichard Hill (flanker)Richard Hill MBE is a former rugby union footballer who played flanker for Saracens and England.Often portrayed as the 'silent assassin' at both club and international level, his effective and abrasive style of forward play has made him legendary in rugby union circles...
Three team members did not travel to New Zealand with the bulk of the touring party. Jason Robinson was excused in order to spend time with his pregnant wife. Stephen Jones and Gareth Thomas were forced to delay their departures due to commitments to their French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
clubs. Jones arrived in New Zealand on 31 May, before the Lions played their first tour match, while Robinson arrived on 7 June. For a time, it was doubtful whether Thomas would be able to contend for a spot in the first Test, as he had not been released by his club, Toulouse
Stade Toulousain
Stade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is one of the finest rugby clubs in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup four times – in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps...
. However, Toulouse, who were trying to add a French League title to their Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
, crashed out in the French semi-finals, allowing Thomas to leave for New Zealand. Thomas also arrived in New Zealand on 7 June. Eventually, Thomas would replace Brian O'Driscoll as tour captain after O'Driscoll suffered a tour-ending dislocated shoulder soon after the start of the first All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
Test on 25 June.
Management
There were 26 back room staff. After problems with the midweek team feeling disillusioned in 2001, the midweek team got their own coaches.| Name | Role | Home Country |
|---|---|---|
| Sir Clive Woodward | Head coach |  England |
| Bill Beaumont Bill Beaumont William "Bill" Blackledge Beaumont CBE was captain of the England rugby union team at a time when they struggled to win games. His greatest moment as captain was the unexpected 1980 Grand Slam. He played as a lock... CBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... |
Tour manager | England |
| Eddie O'Sullivan Eddie O'Sullivan Eddie O'Sullivan is an Irish rugby union coach and a former footballer. He is a former head coach of the United States national rugby union team and of the Ireland national rugby union team.... |
Assistant Coach | Ireland |
| Ian McGeechan Ian McGeechan Sir Ian Robert McGeechan OBE is a Scottish former rugby union player and coach. His nickname is "Geech".-Playing career:... |
Assistant Coach |  Scotland |
| Gareth Jenkins Gareth Jenkins Gareth Jenkins is a former Welsh rugby union footballer, and former head coach of the Welsh national team. After a long and distinguished career at Llanelli RFC, Jenkins was appointed Wales coach in 2006, succeeding Mike Ruddock... |
Assistant Coach |  Wales |
| Andy Robinson Andy Robinson Richard Andrew 'Andy' Robinson OBE is an English rugby union coach and retired player. He is currently the head coach of Scotland.Robinson played as an openside flanker for Bath, England and the British and Irish Lions... OBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... |
Assistant Coach | England |
| Louise Ramsay MBE MBE MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error... |
Team manager | England |
| Phil Larder Phil Larder Phil Larder MBE , is an English rugby league and rugby union coach.After graduating with a degree in Physical Education and Sports Science from Loughborough University in 1965, he played rugby union at centre for Broughton Park in Manchester and then Sale... MBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... |
Defensive coach | England |
| Mike Ford Mike Ford (rugby) Mike A. Ford is an English former rugby league player and current rugby union coach. He is the England national rugby union team's defence coach.... |
Defensive coach | England |
| Dave Alred | Kicking coach | England |
| Dave Reddin | Fitness Coach | England |
| Craig White | Fitness Coach | England |
| David McHugh David McHugh David McHugh is an international Rugby Union Test referee. Born in Limerick, Ireland, McHugh has refereed matches at the 1995, 1999 and 2003 Rugby World Cups, as well as refereeing the finals of the 1996 and 2001 Heineken Cup... |
Specialist Advisor (referee) | Ireland |
| Tony Biscombe | Video Analyst | England |
| Gavin Scott | Video Analyst | Scotland |
| Dr James Robson | Head Doctor | Scotland |
| Dr Gary O'Driscoll | Doctor | Ireland |
| Phil Pask | Physiotherapist | England |
| Stuart Barton | Physio/Masseur | Scotland |
| Bob Stewart | Physio / Masseur | Scotland |
| Richard Wegrzyk | Masseur | England |
| John Feehan | Chief Executive | Ireland |
| Richard Smith QC Queen's Counsel Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law... |
Legal Support | England |
| Louisa Cheetham | Media Officer |  United StatesUnited States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
| Alastair Campbell Alastair Campbell Alastair John Campbell is a British journalist, broadcaster, political aide and author, best known for his work as Director of Communications and Strategy for Prime Minister Tony Blair between 1997 and 2003, having first started working for Blair in 1994... |
Press relations | England |
| Dave Campbell | Chef Chef A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ... |
England |
| Dave Tennison | Kit Technician | England |
Los Pumas De Argentina
The Lions drew with the Pumas of ArgentinaArgentina national rugby union team
The Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British...
at the Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
on 23 May in a warm-up Test match. The Pumas were without 25 players who may have made their first-choice team due to club commitments and the Lions rested many of their top players to field a second-string combination. Tour captain Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll is an Irish professional rugby union player. He is the current captain of the Ireland Rugby team and captained Leinster Rugby until the start of 2008 season. He also captained the British and Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand...
was rested, so Wales vice-captain Michael Owen
Michael Owen (rugby player)
Michael Owen , was educated at Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive school in Beddau and was a Welsh rugby union player. He played for Saracens at club level and Wales internationally, having previously represented Newport Gwent Dragons in the Magners League. Owen, who is , most often played Number 8, but...
took his place.
The Lions looked disjointed, turning over the ball 15 times in open play. Their pack was outplayed; the Pumas shoved them off their own scrum three times. The Lions also conceded five penalties for holding on to the ball while grounded, usually because their support failed to arrive in time. In the meantime, the Pumas played a match that was almost universally called "inspired" by rugby media worldwide. The Pumas led 19–16 at half-time, and could easily have been ahead by more. The main plus for the Lions was the performance of Jonny Wilkinson
Jonny Wilkinson
Jonathan Peter "Jonny" Wilkinson OBE is an English rugby union player and member of the England national team. Wilkinson rose to acclaim from 2001 to 2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was acknowledged as one of the world’s best rugby players...
, making his first appearance against international opposition since the 2003 World Cup, who set up their first try, converted it, and kicked six penalties. His last penalty saved the Lions from defeat, salvaging a 25–25 draw in the eighth minute of stoppage time. The match was granted full test status by the IRB in 2006.
Bay of Plenty Steamers
The first tour match was against the Bay of Plenty SteamersBay of Plenty Rugby Union
The Bay of Plenty Rugby Union is the official governing body for rugby union in the Bay of Plenty, in the North-East of the North Island...
on 4 June in Rotorua
Rotorua
Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...
. The Lions started the match strongly, with Josh Lewsey scoring a try after two minutes and then a second four minutes later. The Lions were up 17–0 after 11 minutes but the Steamers recovered for a 17–17 half-time score. The Lions controlled the second half and won 34–20. A significant injury was the fractured ankle suffered by experienced back-rower Lawrence Dallaglio
Lawrence Dallaglio
Lorenzo Bruno Nero "Lawrence" Dallaglio, OBE is a retired English rugby union player and former captain of the English national team. He played as a flanker or number eight for London Wasps and never played for another club, having arrived at Sudbury as a teenager...
, who had to withdraw from the tour.
Taranaki Amber and Blacks
The Taranaki Amber and Blacks hosted the Lions on 8 June at New PlymouthNew Plymouth
New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England, from where the first English settlers migrated....
. The first half was closely fought in more ways than one, as the Lions' Danny Grewcock
Danny Grewcock
Daniel Jonathan Grewcock MBE is a retired English rugby union rugby lock who played for Bath, England and the British and Irish Lions...
and Taranaki's Paul Tito came to blows. The Amber and Blacks had a 7–6 lead at half time but soon after the break Martin Corry scored a Lions' try. Shortly afterwards, Taranaki's Andrew Hore was sin-binned
Penalty box
The penalty box is the area in ice hockey, rugby league, rugby union and some other sports where a player sits to serve the time of a given penalty, for an offense not severe enough to merit outright expulsion from the contest...
for holding the ball, and the Lions took control. Consensus man of the match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
Charlie Hodgson
Charlie Hodgson
Charles Christopher Hodgson is an English rugby union footballer. He plays fly-half for Saracens and England. He is also the leading Premiership points scorer of all time.-Early years:...
kicked two penalties during Hore's absence, and the Lions kept their momentum even after Hore returned. Shane Horgan
Shane Horgan
Shane Patrick Horgan born 18 July 1978 in Bellewstown, County Meath is a rugby union player who plays wing or centre for Leinster and Ireland. He is tall. While he was young he played for Boyne RFC. He also played Gaelic football at Minor level with Meath.Horgan joined Lansdowne on leaving...
added a try and Geordan Murphy
Geordan Murphy
Geordan Edward Andrew Murphy is an Irish rugby union rugby player and plays fullback or wing for the English club Leicester Tigers and Ireland....
two as the Lions won 36–14.
New Zealand Māori
The MāoriNew Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
match at Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
on 11 June promised to be the most competitive test lead-up, being billed by rugby media as virtually a fourth Test. In the first half, the Māori had the better of possession and tackling, but the Lions had the better of the set pieces, and the half ended 6–6.
Just before the break, the Lions' Andrew Sheridan
Andrew Sheridan
Andrew Sheridan is an English rugby union player and musician, who plays loosehead prop for Sale Sharks.Sheridan is tall, which is unusually tall for a prop, and weighs...
was sin-binned for punching Māori Luke McAlister
Luke McAlister
Charles Luke McAlister is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays first five-eighths and second five-eighths ....
. When the sin-bin period ended Sheridan was replaced by Gethin Jenkins
Gethin Jenkins
Gethin Jenkins is a Wales and British Lions international rugby union player, currently playing for Cardiff Blues. He is the most capped prop-forward for Wales.-Early career:...
. A McAlister penalty shortly afterwards, a Leon MacDonald
Leon MacDonald
Leon Raymond MacDonald is a retired New Zealand rugby union footballer, and now assistant coach for the Tasman Makos rugby team, who played 56 tests for the national team, All Blacks. He plays first five-eighths and fullback.-Biography:MacDonald was born in Blenheim, New Zealand, and attended...
try (converted by McAlister), and then a second McAlister penalty, gave the Māori a 19–6 lead. The last 15 minutes were the Lions' best period, rewarded by a Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll is an Irish professional rugby union player. He is the current captain of the Ireland Rugby team and captained Leinster Rugby until the start of 2008 season. He also captained the British and Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand...
try which was converted by Stephen Jones
Stephen Jones (rugby player)
Stephen Michael Jones is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays primarily at fly-half for Wales, the British and Irish Lions and Scarlets....
. The Lions threatened strongly but the Māori, inspired by their replacement first-five Carlos Spencer and stalwart captain Jono Gibbes, held on for a historic 19–13 win—their first ever over the Lions.
Wellington Lions
After the loss to the Māori, the British & Irish Lions went to WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
to take on the city's NPC
National Provincial Championship
The National Provincial Championship, or NPC, is the major domestic rugby competition in New Zealand. The NPC has seen many alterations to its format and brand. Since 2006 the National Championship has been split into 2 competitions, the ITM Cup and the Heartland Championship...
side, the Wellington Lions
Wellington Rugby Football Union
The Wellington Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the city of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand...
, on 15 June. The British & Irish Lions team was selected primarily from players in contention for the Test team, including Jonny Wilkinson
Jonny Wilkinson
Jonathan Peter "Jonny" Wilkinson OBE is an English rugby union player and member of the England national team. Wilkinson rose to acclaim from 2001 to 2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was acknowledged as one of the world’s best rugby players...
in his first tour match.
The British and Irish Lions had most of the possession and scoring chances, but committed numerous unforced errors when points looked likely. Tries came from Gethin Jenkins
Gethin Jenkins
Gethin Jenkins is a Wales and British Lions international rugby union player, currently playing for Cardiff Blues. He is the most capped prop-forward for Wales.-Early career:...
and Gareth Thomas
Gareth Thomas (rugby player)
Gareth Thomas , known as Alfie, is a retired Welsh professional rugby footballer who played rugby league for the Crusaders RL in the Super League. He also previously played rugby union for the Cardiff Blues and as a fullback, wing or centre.On 26 May 2007, Thomas surpassed Gareth Llewellyn as the...
, both converted by Wilkinson who also scored three penalties. The British & Irish Lions' 23–6 win, while seemingly showing their tour was back on track, left almost as many questions as answers. In post-match comments, O'Driscoll said "The ball was like a bar of soap out there and both sides made a lot of unforced errors," and Wellington Lions coach John Plumtree remarked, "The All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
would have put 50 or 60 points on us."
Otago Razorbacks
In their first appearance in the South IslandSouth Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
the Lions played the Otago Razorbacks on 18 June at Carisbrook Stadium. The stadium is known to visiting teams as the "House of Pain", particularly for the Lions who lost games to the Otago side on four previous tours. Otago began strongly and the Lions were penalised four times in the first eleven minutes, Otago converting two. The Lions' stronger scrum play brought them back into the game, and the first half was closely fought, ending 13–13. The Lions clearly had the momentum, as Will Greenwood
Will Greenwood
William John Heaton "Will" Greenwood, MBE is an English former rugby union footballer of the 1990s and 2000s.-Career:...
had scored a try, converted by Charlie Hodgson
Charlie Hodgson
Charles Christopher Hodgson is an English rugby union footballer. He plays fly-half for Saracens and England. He is also the leading Premiership points scorer of all time.-Early years:...
, just before the break.
Otago took a 16–13 lead shortly after half-time, but strong Lions scrum play led to a try by man of the match Ryan Jones, who put himself in contention for a Test position. The try and Hodgson's conversion gave the Lions a solid, though far from insurmountable, lead. Otago rallied to 20–19 with a penalty, but the Lions pulled away soon afterwards. A Hodgson penalty, Shane Williams
Shane Williams
Shane Mark Williams is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays as a wing for the Ospreys and who can also play scrum-half. Williams is the record try scorer for the Wales national team and he is third on the international list of leading Rugby union Test try scorers behind Daisuke Ohata...
try and Hodgson conversion took the final margin to 30–19.
Southland Stags
The Southland match at InvercargillInvercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
on 21 June was the last before the first Test. Lions coach Clive Woodward announced that no players in the night's line-up would play in the Test. In the first 15 minutes, the Lions looked formidable as they took an early 10–0 lead over the Stags, keyed by a Gavin Henson
Gavin Henson
Gavin Lloyd Henson is a Welsh rugby union player, born in Pencoed, South Wales, currently playing for Cardiff Blues.He attracted much media attention as part of a Wales national team which achieved Grand Slams in the Six Nations Championship in 2005 and 2008...
try. However, they became disjointed and by half-time had turned over the ball 14 times and were considered lucky to be ahead 10–3 at the break.
The first few minutes of the second half were even worse for the Lions, as Hale T-Pole
Hale T-Pole
Tevita Hale Nai Tu'uhoko, often known simply as Hale T-Pole or Hale T Pole, is a Tongan rugby union footballer who plays as a flanker or number eight for the Ricoh Black Rams in the Top League in Japan...
scored a converted try. Woodward immediately substituted four players to settle down his team. T-Pole made an interception to save a Mark Cueto try, but the Lions kept the pressure on, and Henson scored his second try. The Lions then changed tactics, choosing to kick for territory more often, and were never truly threatened again, winning by 26–16.
First All Black Test
Less than two minutes into this match against the All BlacksAll Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
on 25 June at Jade Stadium in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, the Lions lost their captain Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll is an Irish professional rugby union player. He is the current captain of the Ireland Rugby team and captained Leinster Rugby until the start of 2008 season. He also captained the British and Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand...
, who suffered a dislocated shoulder after having been cleaned out of a ruck by Tana Umaga
Tana Umaga
Jonathan Ionatana Falefasa "Tana" Umaga, ONZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks. He played for the Hurricanes starting with the Super 12's inception in 1996 and took over the captaincy in 2003...
and Keven Mealamu
Keven Mealamu
Keven Mealamu is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays at hooker for the Blues in the Super 14, Auckland in the National Provincial Championship, and the New Zealand national team, All Blacks....
. Eight minutes into the game, Daniel Carter
Daniel Carter (rugby player)
Daniel William "Dan" Carter is a New Zealand rugby union player.He is currently the highest points scorer in test match rugby and is regarded as one of rugby's greatest ever fly-halves.-Early life:...
opened the scoring for the All Blacks with a penalty. Three minutes later, the Lions suffered a further blow when Paul O'Connell
Paul O'Connell
Paul O'Connell is an Irish rugby union player who plays lock for Munster and Ireland. He also captained the British and Irish Lions on their 2009 tour to South Africa.-Early life:...
was sin-binned
Penalty box
The penalty box is the area in ice hockey, rugby league, rugby union and some other sports where a player sits to serve the time of a given penalty, for an offense not severe enough to merit outright expulsion from the contest...
for a professional foul
Professional foul
In sports, a professional foul is a deliberate act of foul play, usually to prevent an opponent's scoring.-Association football:The concept gained notoriety in association football after an infamous incident in the 1980 FA Cup Final when Willie Young of Arsenal committed a deliberate foul on Paul...
, and Carter kicked the penalty. Already a player short, the Lions then lost Richard Hill
Richard Hill (flanker)
Richard Hill MBE is a former rugby union footballer who played flanker for Saracens and England.Often portrayed as the 'silent assassin' at both club and international level, his effective and abrasive style of forward play has made him legendary in rugby union circles...
to injury. Ali Williams
Ali Williams
Alexander James "Ali" Williams is a New Zealand rugby union player at the position of lock. He represented Auckland and plays for the Blues in the Super 14, when he signed for the Tasman provincial side. In 2008, he played for the Crusaders in the Super 14 and in 2010 signed on loan for Nottingham...
scored the first All Blacks try shortly after O'Connell returned, and the half ended with the Lions down 11–0.
Carter kicked a penalty in the second half, followed by a converted try from Sitiveni Sivivatu
Sitiveni Sivivatu
Sitiveni Waica Sivivatu is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, playing on the position of a wing. He was largely successful in the 2005 Super 12 season playing for the Chiefs, and acquired a starting position in the All Blacks. He has scored 29 tries in 45 tests...
to end the All Blacks' scoring, and Jonny Wilkinson
Jonny Wilkinson
Jonathan Peter "Jonny" Wilkinson OBE is an English rugby union player and member of the England national team. Wilkinson rose to acclaim from 2001 to 2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was acknowledged as one of the world’s best rugby players...
kicked a penalty in the 56th minute to provide the Lions with their only points of the night. The 21–3 win was considered by almost every commentator to be even more one-sided than the score indicated. The Lions' sloppy set-piece play included ten losses of their own lineouts.
It was announced post-match that three injured Lions were out for the rest of the tour—O'Driscoll and Hill from incidents in the match, and Tom Shanklin
Tom Shanklin
Tomos George L. Shanklin is a former Welsh rugby union player who played Outside Centre for Cardiff Blues and Wales. He is Wales' most-capped centre...
for inflammation from an existing knee injury. Also, Danny Grewcock
Danny Grewcock
Daniel Jonathan Grewcock MBE is a retired English rugby union rugby lock who played for Bath, England and the British and Irish Lions...
was suspended for two months after he was cited for biting All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu
Keven Mealamu
Keven Mealamu is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays at hooker for the Blues in the Super 14, Auckland in the National Provincial Championship, and the New Zealand national team, All Blacks....
.
Controversy
The First Test, and the available Lions' personnel for remaining games, was marked by controversy. New Zealand captain Tana UmagaTana Umaga
Jonathan Ionatana Falefasa "Tana" Umaga, ONZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks. He played for the Hurricanes starting with the Super 12's inception in 1996 and took over the captaincy in 2003...
and hooker Keven Mealamu
Keven Mealamu
Keven Mealamu is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays at hooker for the Blues in the Super 14, Auckland in the National Provincial Championship, and the New Zealand national team, All Blacks....
were accused of a spear tackle
Spear tackle
A spear tackle is a dangerous tackle in rugby union, rugby league and Australian rules football whereby a player lifts another player into the air and dumps or drops them upside down...
in the incident that ended Lions captain O'Driscoll's tour.
At a ruck early in the match, Mealamu and Umaga each attempted to clear O'Driscoll from the ruck; in the process each of them lifted one of O'Driscoll's legs off the ground before letting go. O'Driscoll fell badly and dislocated his shoulder when he hit the ground. While O'Driscoll was being driven from the ruck, the touch judge was heard telling Mealamu and Umaga to let O'Driscoll go, but he took no further action regarding the incident. Opinions differed on the incident. Many British and Irish commentators and fans claimed that it was an illegal "spear tackle" and Lions coach Clive Woodward
Clive Woodward
Sir Clive Ronald Woodward OBE is an English former rugby union player and coach. He was coach of the team from 1997 to 2004, managing them to victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is currently the British Olympic Association's Director of Elite Performance.-Early life:Woodward was born in Ely...
reported the pair to the IRB-appointed citing commissioner, William Venter, who decided, on the basis of the video footage available to him at the time, not to refer the matter to a disciplinary tribunal. New Zealand commentators and fans were largely of the view that the two All Blacks were merely clearing out the ruck and that there had been no intention to injure O'Driscoll.
The incident raised several issue, both about the legality of "clearing out" and about the citing process.
Under the Laws, it is illegal to play an opponent without the ball, except in a scrum, ruck or maul; referees usually interpret this as authorising the common practice of "clearing out the ruck", that is, physically removing an opponent who is taking part in the ruck, and rarely penalise the practice if it happens within close proximity to the ruck. The Laws also prohibit dangerous tackles, though they make no specific mention of the "spear tackle". The O'Driscoll incident did not involve a tackle, as he was not carrying the ball, and any sanction against Mealamu and Umaga could only have been applied under the general provision outlawing acts "contrary to good sportsmanship". In the light of the video footage, laws, and referee reports, the citing commissioner concluded that there was no case for Mealamu and Umaga to answer. In September 2005, in response to a request for clarification from O'Driscoll's home union, the Irish Rugby Football Union, the IRB's Laws Committee ruled that the act of lifting a player off his feet in a tackle and dropping him in such a way that his head or upper torso hits the ground first is a dangerous tackle; they further ruled that such an act constitutes dangerous play no matter where it occurs in the game.
While not directly related to the issue of legality, the incident also raised questions about the citing process itself. Under the protocol applying to the Lions Tests, the citing commissioner had to make any decisions on whether to cite players within 12 hours of the end of the game. This, it was suggested, did not allow enough time for him to gather video evidence and properly analyse it. Subsequently, the citing 'window' has been extended to 24 hours for most matches.
Manawatu Turbos (2nd Division)
The Lions scored their first convincing tour victory in this game at Palmerston NorthPalmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
against NPC
National Provincial Championship
The National Provincial Championship, or NPC, is the major domestic rugby competition in New Zealand. The NPC has seen many alterations to its format and brand. Since 2006 the National Championship has been split into 2 competitions, the ITM Cup and the Heartland Championship...
second division side Manawatu Turbos
Manawatu Rugby Union
Manawatu Rugby Union is the governing body of the sport of Rugby union in the Manawatu rugby province. The Union is based in the city of Palmerston North but has a catchment area from nearby towns in the province, including Feilding, Rongotea, Linton, Bulls, Pahiatua, Dannevirke and...
, winning 109-6. They led 38–6 at half time and scored 71 unanswered points in the second. Welshman Shane Williams scored five tries to help the Lions post their all-time record score in New Zealand, surpassing their 64–5 victory over Marlborough/Nelson 46 years ago.
Tries were shared by Williams (5), Ronan O'Gara (2), Mark Cueto (2), Geordan Murphy, Charlie Hodgson, Jason Robinson, Martin Corry, Neil Back, Gareth Cooper, Gordon D'Arcy and Ollie Smith, with Manawatu restricted to two Jonathan Hargreaves penalties.
Lock Donncha O'Callaghan and flanker Martyn Williams both retired at half-time but had impressed enough to secure Test selection for the next Saturday. Murphy also impressed at full-back but it was wing Williams, with elusive running and awareness, who most thrilled Lions supporters.
Second All Black Test
From the high point against Manawatu, the Lions fell to the lowest point of their 114-year history in the second Test at Westpac StadiumWestpac Stadium
Westpac Stadium, is a major sporting venue in Wellington, New Zealand. Due to its shape and silver coloured external walls, it is colloquially known as The Cake-Tin to the locals and other New Zealanders...
in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
on 2 July, losing 48–18 and conceding the highest number of points against a New Zealand team in a Test.
Woodward selected a radically different Test squad from the one that had been embarrassed in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
a week earlier, replacing eleven players. Key to the Lions' hopes of staying in the series was Woodward's decision to add several of the Welsh team
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
that won the Grand Slam in the 2005 Six Nations
2005 Six Nations Championship
The 2005 RBS 6 Nations Championship was the sixth series of the Six Nations Championship to be held since the competition expanded in 2000 to include Italy...
.
The Lions started strongly, with captain Gareth Thomas
Gareth Thomas (rugby player)
Gareth Thomas , known as Alfie, is a retired Welsh professional rugby footballer who played rugby league for the Crusaders RL in the Super League. He also previously played rugby union for the Cardiff Blues and as a fullback, wing or centre.On 26 May 2007, Thomas surpassed Gareth Llewellyn as the...
scoring a try under the posts and Jonny Wilkinson
Jonny Wilkinson
Jonathan Peter "Jonny" Wilkinson OBE is an English rugby union player and member of the England national team. Wilkinson rose to acclaim from 2001 to 2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was acknowledged as one of the world’s best rugby players...
converting two minutes in. A minute later, Wilkinson hit the post with a penalty attempt, but gathering the rebound the Lions were in a good attacking position when Paul O'Connell
Paul O'Connell
Paul O'Connell is an Irish rugby union player who plays lock for Munster and Ireland. He also captained the British and Irish Lions on their 2009 tour to South Africa.-Early life:...
was penalised for diving over a ruck. The All Blacks settled down and then scored through two Daniel Carter
Daniel Carter (rugby player)
Daniel William "Dan" Carter is a New Zealand rugby union player.He is currently the highest points scorer in test match rugby and is regarded as one of rugby's greatest ever fly-halves.-Early life:...
penalties before he set up their first try, racing 50 metres off a turnover before offloading to captain Tana Umaga
Tana Umaga
Jonathan Ionatana Falefasa "Tana" Umaga, ONZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer and former captain of the national team, the All Blacks. He played for the Hurricanes starting with the Super 12's inception in 1996 and took over the captaincy in 2003...
to score near the posts. Although the rest of the half remained close, the All Blacks went into the break with a 21–13 lead.
The second half turned into a showcase for the All Blacks in general and Carter in particular. He scored two tries, converted three, kicked two penalties, and constantly kept the Lions on the back foot with his distribution. Flanker Richie McCaw
Richie McCaw
Richard Hugh "Richie" McCaw is a New Zealand rugby union player, and is the current test captain. He plays in the openside flanker position for the New Zealand, Crusaders and Canterbury rugby teams...
powered his way over for a try after Carter missed a hat trick by a matter of inches. Rugby media were in virtually unanimous agreement that 1) the Lions were greatly improved; and 2) the All Blacks were completely dominant. Carter's tally of 33 points broke the all-time record for points by an All Black against the Lions.
Auckland
Having effectively lost the Test series on the previous Saturday, the mid-week Lions came to Eden Park with something to prove. Refereed by New Zealander Steve WalshSteve Walsh (rugby)
Steve Walsh is a professional rugby union referee from New Zealand.Walsh's rugby playing career ended at age 13, due to a spinal injury resulting from a birth deformity and he began refereeing at the age of 16....
, the match was marked by the Lions' inability to find touch and Auckland's willingness to attack and run the angles. Auckland gave up some guaranteed points from early penalties to take the Lions on in set piece play. Auckland tighthead prop John Afoa was denied a try after a tap and run saw him held up in goal. A series of handling errors throughout the first half let Auckland down and saw the Lions to a 14–3 lead at the half. The second half saw the Lions give away points to a stoic Auckland pack and the scoreline was narrowed to 14–13 Lions lead. A late Ronan O'Gara
Ronan O'Gara
Ronan John Ross O'Gara is an Irish rugby union player, playing at fly-half for both Munster and Ireland. He is the all time highest point scorer for both Munster and Ireland. In addition to his prolific point-scoring, he has captained Munster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions...
penalty saw the Lions extend to a 4 point winning margin of 17–13. This victory completed an impressive clean sweep of matches for the mid week Lions against host Unions throughout New Zealand.
Third All Black Test
Following two early penalties by Stephen Jones, the Lions led 6–0 and things looked promising for them. All Black captain Tana Umaga was sin-binned for killing the ball, but even without their captain, the All Blacks managed to score two tries, by Conrad SmithConrad Smith
Conrad Gerard Smith is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He is a midfield back and plays outside centre . He had been in many Taranaki age group teams. He moved to Wellington where he completed an LLB at Victoria University of Wellington...
and Ali Williams
Ali Williams
Alexander James "Ali" Williams is a New Zealand rugby union player at the position of lock. He represented Auckland and plays for the Blues in the Super 14, when he signed for the Tasman provincial side. In 2008, he played for the Crusaders in the Super 14 and in 2010 signed on loan for Nottingham...
, both converted by Luke McAlister
Luke McAlister
Charles Luke McAlister is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays first five-eighths and second five-eighths ....
. The Lions were awarded two more penalties, which Stephen Jones kicked, but just before the break, Umaga scored a try to give the All Blacks a half-time lead of 24–12.
Seven minutes into the second half Umaga scored another try. Soon after, scrum-half Byron Kelleher
Byron Kelleher
Byron Terrance Kelleher is a rugby union half-back who currently plays for Stade Francais in the French Top 14 competition, and has played over 57 tests with the New Zealand All Blacks...
was replaced by Justin Marshall
Justin Marshall
Justin Warren Marshall, MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He was born in Mataura and educated in Gore before settling in Christchurch. Marshall played 81 games for the New Zealand All Blacks between 1995 and 2005...
, who then played his final half-hour of All Black rugby. Another All Black try was thwarted when Jerry Collins
Jerry Collins
Jerry Collins is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who formerly played for the national team, the All Blacks in which he was capped 48 times. He now plays for Yamaha Jubilo, in Japanese Top league rugby.-Early career:...
was sin-binned for a late tackle. The All Blacks then spent several minutes defending as the Lions pushed towards the line from within ten meters, and after a long struggle Lewis Moody managed to score, making it 31–19. Both sides made errors that cost them tries. Sitiveni Sivivatu had two very close calls but it was Rico Gear
Rico Gear
Rico Levi Gear is a New Zealand rugby union international player. He is a specialist right wing but can also cover midfield positions. He currently plays for Kintetsu Liners in the Top League....
who followed his own deep kick to toe the ball over the line and score a fine individual try. McAlister converted, giving him a 100 percent kicking rate, to make the full-time score 38–19.
Lions anthem
Sir Clive Woodward commissioned an anthem, The Power of FourThe Power of Four
"The Power of Four" is a joint anthem for the four Home Nations of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland...
, specially for the 2005 tour. Neil Myers composed the tune, and the piece was performed for the first time in public by Welsh opera singer Katherine Jenkins
Katherine Jenkins
Katherine Jenkins is a Welsh mezzo-soprano. She is a classical-popular crossover singer who performs across a spectrum of operatic arias, popular songs, musical theatre and hymns.-Early life and education:...
before the Lions' match against Argentina at the Millennium Stadium in 2005. It was played before all games on the tour, but was not used in the Lions tour to South Africa in 2009
2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa
The 2009 British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa was an international rugby union tour which took place in South Africa from May to July 2009....
.