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1959 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand

Field	Value
team	British Lions
yearstart	1959
date	23 May – 19 September
coach	O.B. Glasgow
captain	IRE Ronnie Dawson
test series winners	(v Australia) British and Irish Lions (2–0)
(v New Zealand) (3–1)
top test point scorer	IRE David Hewitt (16)
preceded by	[South Africa 1955](1955-british-lions-tour-to-south-africa)
succeeded by	[South Africa 1962](1962-british-lions-tour-to-south-africa)
matchplayed	33
matchwon	27
matchdraw	0
matchlost	6
testplayed	6
testwon	3
testdraw	0
testlost	3
opponent1
played1	2
won1	2
draw1	0
lost1	0
opponent2
played2	4
won2	1
draw2	0
lost2	3

(v New Zealand) (3–1) |top test point scorer = IRE David Hewitt (16) |top test try scorer =

In 1959, the British Lions rugby union team toured Australia and New Zealand. The Lions won the two test matches against but lost the international series against the All Blacks by three matches to one. They also played two matches in Canada, on the return leg of the journey.

Although New Zealand won the series, the results in three of the tests were close. The Lions scored four tries to nil in the first test but six penalties by Don Clarke saw the All Blacks win 18–17. Clarke also scored a late try and conversion to win the second test, 11–8. New Zealand won the third test comfortably by 22–8 to win the series but the fourth test, which the Lions won 9–6, could have gone the All Blacks' way had Clarke not missed a late penalty attempt.

Overall the tourists played thirty-three matches, winning twenty-seven and losing six. In Australia the Lions played six matches, winning five and losing one, to New South Wales. In New Zealand they played twenty-five matches, winning twenty and losing five – in addition to their three test defeats they also lost to Otago and Canterbury. They also played two matches in Canada, winning both.

The tour was notable for the 842 points scored in 33 games, a record number of points for a Lions tour and for the 22 tries scored by Tony O'Reilly, also a Lions tour record.

The touring party was captained by Ronnie Dawson. The manager was A. W. Wilson and the assistant manager was O.B. Glasgow.

Touring party

Management

Manager A. W. Wilson
Assistant Manager O. B. Glasgow

Backs

N. H. Brophy (UCD and )
J. Butterfield (Northampton and )
S. Coughtrie (Edinburgh Academicals and )
Terry Davies (Llanelli and )
M. A. F. English (Bohemians and )
David Hewitt (Queen's University RFC and )
J. P. Horrocks-Taylor (Leicester and )
Peter Jackson (Coventry and )
Dickie Jeeps (Northampton and )
Tony O'Reilly (Old Belvedere and )
Andy Mulligan (Wanderers and )
William "Bill" Michael Patterson (Sale)
Malcolm Price (Pontypool and )
Bev Risman (Manchester and )
Ken Scotland (Cambridge University and )
Malcolm Thomas (Newport and )
G. H. Waddell (Cambridge University and )
J. R. C. Young (Harlequins and )

Forwards

Alan Ashcroft (Waterloo and )
Ronnie Dawson (Wanderers and )
Roddy Evans (Cardiff and )
John Faull (Swansea and )
Hugh McLeod (Hawick and )
David Marques (Harlequins and )
Bryn Meredith (Newport and )
Syd Millar (Ballymena and )
Haydn Morgan (Abertillery and )
Bill Mulcahy (UCD and )
Noel Murphy (Cork Constitution and )
Ray Prosser (Pontypool and )
Ken Smith (Kelso and )
R. H. Williams (Llanelli and )
Gordon Wood (Garryowen and )

Results

Test matches

Date	Opponent	Location	Result	Score
23 May	Victoria Victoria	Melbourne, Australia	Win	53–18
30 May	New South Wales New South Wales	Sydney, Australia	Loss	14–18
2 June	Queensland Queensland	Brisbane, Australia	Win	39–11
6 June		Brisbane, Australia	Win	17–6
9 June	New South Wales New South Wales Country Districts	Tamworth, Australia	Win	27–14
13 June		Sydney, Australia	Win	24–3
20 June	Hawke's Bay	Napier, New Zealand	Win	52–12
24 June	Poverty Bay /
East Coast	Gisborne, New Zealand	Win	23–14
27 June	Auckland	Auckland, New Zealand	Win	15–10
1 July	New Zealand Universities	Christchurch, New Zealand	Win	25–13
4 July	Otago	Dunedin, New Zealand	Loss	8–26
8 July	South Canterbury /
Mid Canterbury /
North Otago	Timaru, New Zealand	Win	21–11
11 July	Southland	Invercargill, New Zealand	Win	11–6
18 July		Dunedin, New Zealand	Loss	17–18
22 July	West Coast-Buller	Greymouth, New Zealand	Win	58–3
25 July	Canterbury	Christchurch, New Zealand	Loss	14–20
29 July	Marlborough /
Nelson /
Golden Bay-Motueka	Blenheim, New Zealand	Win	64–5
1 August	Wellington	Wellington, New Zealand	Win	21–6
5 August	Wanganui	Wanganui, New Zealand	Win	9–6
8 August	Taranaki	New Plymouth, New Zealand	Win	15–3
11 August	Manawatu /
Horowhenua	Palmerston North, New Zealand	Win	26–6
15 August		Wellington, New Zealand	Loss	8–11
19 August	King Country /
Counties	Taumarunui, New Zealand	Win	25–5
22 August	Waikato	Hamilton, New Zealand	Win	14–0
25 August	Wairarapa /
Bush	Masterton, New Zealand	Win	37–11
29 August		Christchurch, New Zealand	Loss	8–22
2 September	New Zealand Juniors	Wellington, New Zealand	Win	29–9
5 September	New Zealand New Zealand Māori	Auckland, New Zealand	Win	12–6
9 September	Bay of Plenty /
Thames Valley	Rotorua, New Zealand	Win	26–24
12 September	North Auckland	Whangārei, New Zealand	Win	35–13
19 September		Auckland, New Zealand	Win	9–6
27 September	British Columbia	Vancouver, Canada	Win	16–11
29 September	Eastern Canada All-Stars	Toronto, Canada	Win	70–6

The matches

First Australia Test

Smith Con: Risman Pen: Hewitt (2) Drop: Scotland

Australia: JK Lenehan (NSW), AR Morton (NSW), JM Potts (NSW), LJ Diett (NSW), KJ Donald (Queensland), AJ Summons (NSW), DM Connor (Queensland), PK Dunn (NSW), PG Johnson (NSW), KJ Ellis (NSW); JH Carroll (NSW), AR Miller (NSW); PT Fenwicke (NSW) Captain, R Outterside (NSW), J Thornett (NSW)

British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, M Price, D Hewitt, AJF O'Reilley, AB Risman, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, S Millar, GK Smith, WA Mulcahy, RH Williams, A Ashcroft, J Faull

Second Australia Test

O'Reilly Price (2) Risman Con: Hewitt (2) Scotland Pen: Scotland

Australia: JK Lenehan (NSW), AR Morton (NSW), RC Kay (Victoria), LJ Diett (NSW), KJ Donald (Queensland), AJ Summons (NSW), DM Connor (Queensland); KJ Ellis (NSW), PG Johnson (NSW), PK Dunn (NSW); JH Carroll (NSW), AR Miller (NSW), JE Thornett (NSW), R Outterside (NSW), PT Fenwicke (NSW) Captain

British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, D Hewitt, M Price, AJF O'Reilley, AB Risman, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, S Millar, WR Evans, RH Williams, NAA Murphy, RWD Marques, GK Smith

First New Zealand Test

O'Reilly Price (2) **Con:**Risman Pen: Hewitt

New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), PT Walsh (Counties), RF McMullen (Auckland), TR Lineen (Auckland), BE McPhail (Canterbury), RH Brown (Taranaki), RJ Urbahn (Taranaki); WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, RC Hemi (Waikato), IJ Clarke (Waikato), SF Hill (Canterbury), BE Finlay (Manauatu), PFH Jones (North Auckland), EAR Pickering (Waikato), IN MacEwan (Wellington)

British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, MJ Price, D Hewitt, AJF O'Reilley, ABW Risman, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, BGM Wood, WR Evans, RH Williams, GK Smith, J Faull, NA Murphy

Second New Zealand Test

DB Clarke Con: DB Clarke **Con:**Davies Pen: Davies

New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), ES Diack (Otago), RF McMullen (Auckland), TR Lineen (Auckland), RW Caulton (Wellington), JF McCullough (Taranaki), KC Briscoe (Taranaki), WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, DS Webb (North Auckland), IJ Clarke (Waikato), SF Hill (Canterbury), IN MacEwan (Wellington), CE Meads (Kings Country), RJ Conway (Otago), KR Tremain (Canterbury)

British Lions: TE Davies, JRC Young, MC Thomas, WM Patterson, AJF O'Reilley, MJ Price, REG Jeeps, S Millar, AR Dawson Captain, HF McLeod, RH Williams, WR Evans, A Ashcroft, RWD Marques, NA Murphy

Third New Zealand Test

Meads Urbahn Con: DB Clarke (2) Pen: DB Clarke Drop: DB Clarke Con: Faull Pen: Faull

New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), RH Brown (Taranaki), TR Lineen (Auckland), RW Caulton (Wellington), JF McCullough (Taranaki), RJ Urbahn (Taranaki), MW Irwin (Otago), RC Hemi (Waikato), WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, SF Hill (Canterbury), IN MacEwan (Wellington), KR Tremain (Canterbury), RJ Conway (Otago), CE Meads (Kings Country)

British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, MJ Price, D Hewitt, AJF O'Reilley, JP Horrocks-Taylor, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, BGM Wood, WR Evans, RH Williams, HJ Morgan, J Faull, GK Smith

Fourth New Zealand Test

O'Reilly Risman

New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), BE McPhail (Canterbury), TR Lineen (Auckland), AH Clarke (Auckland), RW Caulton (Wellington), JF McCullough (Taranaki), RJ Urbahn (Taranaki), MW Irwin (Otago), RC Hemi (Waikato), WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, SF Hill (Canterbury), CE Meads (Kings Country), EAR Pickering (Waikato), RJ Conway (Otago), KR Tremain (Canterbury)

British Lions: TE Davies, PB Jackson, D Hewitt, KJF Scotland, AJF O'Reilley, ABW Risman, AA Mulligan, TR Prosser, AR Dawson Captain, HF McLeod, RH Williams, WA Mulcahy, NA Murphy, J Faull, HJ Morgan

References

jmcconnell. (2020-11-23). "Classic Match: Heroic 1959 Lions win at Eden Park".

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