In 1983 the

British and Irish Lions The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Lions are a test side and most often select players who have already played for their national ...

toured New Zealand for the first time since 1977. The Lions went down to a 4–0

whitewash Whitewash, or calcimine, kalsomine, calsomine, or lime paint is a type of paint made from slaked lime ( calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2) or chalk calcium carbonate, (CaCO3), sometimes known as "whiting". Various other additives are sometimes used ...

for only the second time in history – the previous was also inflicted by the

All Blacks The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987 ...

on the 1966 Lions. Overall the Lions played eighteen matches, winning twelve and losing six. In addition to their four test defeats they also lost to the Auckland and Canterbury provincial unions. The tour was captained by

Ciaran Fitzgerald Ciaran Fitzgerald (born 4 June 1952) is an Irish former rugby union player. He captained Ireland to the Triple Crown in 1982 and 1985, and the Five Nations Championship in 1983. Fitzgerald also captained the Lions on their 1983 tour. After t ...

, coached by

Jim Telfer James Telfer (born 17 March 1940) is a Scottish former rugby union coach and player. As a player, he won 21 international caps in the amateur era, also having a career as a headmaster at Hawick High School and Galashiels Academy and Forrester H ...

and managed by

Willie John McBride William James McBride, CBE, better known as Willie John McBride (born 6 June 1940) is a former rugby union footballer who played as a Lock (rugby union), lock for Ireland national rugby union team, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions. He pla ...

. The tour lasted 18 matches and almost 3 months, between May and July 1983.

Injuries and replacements

In addition to the players originally selected, six players subsequently joined as replacements or cover for injured players; *Nigel Melville, who had not yet been capped by England, replaced Terry Holmes who was injured in the first test. *Melville was injured himself in his second match and was replaced by Steve Smith. *Eddie Butler replaced Jeff Squire. *Nick Jeavons replaced John O'Driscoll although O'Driscoll did resume playing on the tour. *Donal Lenihan, an original selection who had to withdraw after being diagnosed with a hernia, subsequently replaced Robert Norster. *Gerry McLoughlin replaced Ian Stephens.

Squad

Management

* Manager

(Ireland) * Coach

(Scotland) * Doctor Donald McLeod * Physio Kevin Murphy

Backs

* Robert Ackerman (

London Welsh London Welsh Rugby Football Club ( cy, Clwb Rygbi Cymry Llundain) was a rugby union club formed in 1885. Based in Old Deer Park, Richmond-upon-Thames, London Welsh RFC played in the English Premiership in the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seasons, ...

and Wales) *

Roger Baird Roger Baird (born 12 April 1960 in Kelso, Scotland) is a former Scotland international rugby union player. Rugby Union career Amateur career Baird attended St. Mary's School, Melrose and Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh. Both schools ...

( Kelso and Scotland), *

Ollie Campbell Seamus Oliver Campbell (born 5 March 1954) is an Irish former rugby union player. He played flyhalf for Ireland national rugby union team, Ireland from 1976 to 1984. He is most well known for his role in orchestrating Ireland's Triple Crown vict ...

(

Old Belvedere Old Belvedere R.F.C. is a senior Irish rugby union club based on Anglesea Road in Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland. Old Belvedere was originally founded in 1918–19 by former pupils of Belvedere College. Old Belvedere enters senior men's teams in th ...

and Ireland), * John Carleton (

Orrell Orrell may refer to: *Orrell, Greater Manchester, a district of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan **Orrell (ward), an electoral ward of the Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council *Orrell, Merseyside, an urban area east of Bootle, in the Metropolitan Bo ...

and England), * Gwyn Evans (

Maesteg Maesteg is a town and community in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. Maesteg lies at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley, close to the border with Neath Port Talbot. In 2011, Maesteg had a population of 20,612. The English translation of Mae ...

and Wales), *

Dusty Hare William Henry "Dusty" Hare (born 29 November 1952) is a former international rugby union footballer who played fullback. Hare holds the world record for points scored in a first-class rugby career, with 7,337 points. He was born in Newark ...

(

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands. The city l ...

and England) *

Terry Holmes Terence David "Terry" Holmes (born 10 March 1957) is a Welsh former rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer who won 25 caps for as a scrum-half, and later played rugby league for Bradford Northern. Holmes was a highly physical ...

(

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

and Wales) * David Irwin (

Instonians Instonians is a sports club based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, that incorporates rugby union, men's and ladies' hockey and cricket sections. There is also a golf society that plays under the Instonians name. Instonians Rugby Football, Cricke ...

and Ireland) *

Mike Kiernan Michael Joseph Kiernan (born 17 January 1961) is a former international rugby union player. He had 43 caps for Ireland, from 1982 to 1991, scoring 6 tries, 40 conversions, 62 penalties and 6 drop goals, in an aggregate of 308 points. He was cal ...

(

Dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the ...

and Ireland) *

Roy Laidlaw Roy James Laidlaw (born 5 October 1953) is a former Scotland international rugby union player.Bath, pp145, 146 Rugby Union career Amateur career Much of his domestic rugby was played with Jed-Forest RFC, who were in the Scottish Second Divi ...

( Jedforest and Scotland) * Hugo MacNeill (

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

and Ireland) *

Nigel Melville Nigel David Melville (born 6 January 1961) is a former England national rugby union team scrum half and captain and currently serves as Director of Professional Rugby for Rugby Football Union. Melville became the youngest player to captain E ...

(Wasps) *

Trevor Ringland Trevor Maxwell Ringland, (born 13 November 1959) is a Northern Irish solicitor, former rugby union player and politician. From June 2013 to July 2014, he served as Co-Chairman of the NI Conservatives. After attending Larne Grammar School, he rea ...

(

Ballymena Ballymena ( ; from ga, an Baile Meánach , meaning 'the middle townland') is a town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is part of the Borough of Mid and East Antrim. The town is built on land given to the Adair family by King Charles I i ...

and Ireland) * John Rutherford ( Selkirk and Scotland) *

Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to: Academics * Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager * Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...

( Sale and England) *

Clive Woodward Sir Clive Ronald Woodward (born 6 January 1956) 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 also coached the 2005 British & Irish Lions ...

(Leicester and England)

Forwards

Steve Bainbridge Stephen Bainbridge (born 7 October 1956) is a former international rugby union player. In 1983 he toured with the British and Irish Lions on their tour to New Zealand and in the 1987 Rugby World Cup. He played amongst other teams for club rug ...

(

Gosforth Gosforth is a suburb of the city and metropolitan borough of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It constituted a separate Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland), urban district from 1895 until 1974 before officially merging with the city of New ...

and England) * John Beattie (

Glasgow Academicals The Glasgow Academical Football Club is the third oldest rugby football club in Scotland. The club was also a founder member of the Scottish Football Union (the future SRU) in 1873. History Glasgow Hawks In 1997 the decision was made to ...

and Scotland) * Steve Boyle (

Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east ...

and England) * Eddie Butler (

Pontypool Pontypool ( cy, Pont-y-pŵl ) is a town and the administrative centre of the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales. It has a population of 28,970. Location It is situated on the Afon Lwyd ri ...

and Wales) * Jim Calder ( Stewart's Melville FP and Scotland) *

Maurice Colclough Maurice John Colclough (2 September 1953 – 27 January 2006) was an international rugby union player. He was selected for the 1980 British Lions tour to South Africa and the 1983 British Lions tour to New Zealand, playing in all four inte ...

(Angoulême and England) *

Colin Deans Colin Thomas Deans (born 3 May 1955) is a former Scotland international rugby union player. Rugby Union career Amateur career He was born in Hawick in the Scottish borders. He played for Hawick Trades and then Hawick.Bath, p133 His nickname w ...

(

Hawick Hawick ( ; sco, Haaick; gd, Hamhaig) is a town in the Scottish Borders council area and historic county of Roxburghshire in the east Southern Uplands of Scotland. It is south-west of Jedburgh and south-south-east of Selkirk. It is one of ...

and Scotland) *

(capt) ( St Mary's College and Ireland) *

Nick Jeavons Nicholas Clive Jeavons (born ) is a former international rugby union player. In 1983 he toured with the British and Irish Lions on their tour to New Zealand and at the time played club rugby for Moseley Moseley is a suburb of south Birmin ...

(

Moseley Moseley is a suburb of south Birmingham, England, south of the city centre. The area is a popular cosmopolitan residential location and leisure destination, with a number of bars and restaurants. The area also has a number of boutiques and ot ...

and England) * ST 'Staff' Jones (Pontypool and Wales) *

Donal Lenihan Donal Gerard Lenihan (born 12 September 1959) is a retired Irish rugby union player. He appears regularly as a co-commentator on TV and radio for rugby matches and writes for the Irish Examiner. He also works as a financial consultant in Cork. ...

(

Cork Constitution The Cork Constitution (CC) is a rugby union club based in Cork (city), Cork, playing in Division 1A of the All-Ireland League (rugby union), All-Ireland League. It was founded by staff of the ''Cork Constitution (newspaper), Cork Constitution'' ...

and Ireland) *

Gerry McLoughlin Gerard Anthony Joseph McLoughlin (born 11 June 1952) in Limerick is a former international rugby union player. Rugby career McLoughlin played club rugby for Shannon and Munster. He was part of the Munster team that beat the All Blacks 12 to ...

( Shannon and Ireland) * Iain Milne (

Heriot's FP Heriot's Rugby Club, also known as Heriot's FP, is one of Scotland's senior rugby union, rugby football clubs in the Scottish Rugby Union, whose Men's 1st XV play in the FOSROC . The women play in The club's Goldenacre Sports Ground, home is i ...

and Scotland) * Bob Norster (Cardiff and Wales) * John O'Driscoll (

London Irish London Irish RFC is a professional rugby union club which competes in the Premiership, the top division of English rugby union. The club has also competed in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, the European Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup. While ...

and Ireland) *

Iain Paxton Iain Angus McLeod Paxton (born 29 December 1957) is a Scottish former rugby union player. He won 36 caps for Scotland at number eight and lock between 1981 and 1988, scoring a total of five tries.Bath, p153 He also won four caps for the Brit ...

( Selkirk and Scotland) *

Graham Price Graham Price MBE (born 24 November 1951 in Moascar, Egypt) is a former Welsh rugby union player, who was a member of the famous Pontypool RFC front row known as the "Viet Gwent". He won 41 caps for , and a record 12 for the British and Irish Li ...

(Pontypool and Wales) *

Jeff Squire Jeffrey Squire (born 23 September 1951) in Newport, Wales, Newport, Monmouthshire (historic), Monmouthshire, is a former Wales, Welsh international rugby union player and British & Irish Lions, British Lion. Club career He started his playing ...

(Pontypool and Wales) * Ian Stephens (

Bridgend Bridgend (; cy, Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr or just , meaning "the end of the bridge on the Ogmore") is a town in Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of Cardiff and east of Swansea. The town is named after the Old Bridge, Bridgend, medieval bridge ...

and Wales) *

Peter Winterbottom Peter James Winterbottom (born 31 May 1960 in Otley, West Yorkshire), is a former England rugby union footballer who played as an openside flanker. He was England's most-capped openside (with 58 caps) until being overtaken by Neil Back in 20 ...

(

Headingley Headingley is a suburb of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road. Headingley is the location of the Beckett Park campus of Leeds Beckett University and Headingle ...

and England)

Results

The matches

First Test

NEW ZEALAND;

Allan Hewson Allan Roy Hewson (born 6 June 1954) represented the New Zealand All Blacks in 19 Rugby Union internationals between 1981 and 1984. Hewson played at fullback. Since his retirement from international rugby Hewson has continued to be involved with ...

(Well),

Stu Wilson Stu Wilson (born 22 July 1954, in Gore, New Zealand, Gore) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. He played for Wellington Lions, Wellington and New Zealand, captaining the national team in the 1983 New Zealand rugby union tour of Scotland ...

(Well),

Steven Pokere Steven Tahurata Pokere (born 11 August 1958) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. A second five-eighth and centre, Pokere represented Southland, Auckland and Wellington at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national ...

(Sthl), Bernie Fraser (Well),

Warwick Taylor Warwick Thomas Taylor (born 11 March 1960) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. He won 24 caps for the All Blacks between 1983 and 1988 and played in the victorious New Zealand team at the 1987 Rugby World Cup. Since retiring from rugb ...

(Cant), Ian Dunn (N Auck),

Dave Loveridge David Steven Loveridge (born 22 April 1952) is an All Black of the late 1970s and early 1980s, known in his time as the greatest halfback in the world. Life and career Loveridge was born in 1952, in Stratford, New Zealand, to Horace and Margar ...

(Tar),

Murray Mexted Murray Graham Mexted (born 5 September 1953) is a former New Zealand rugby union player who played 34 consecutive tests for the All Blacks from 1979 to 1985. He also played 38 non-test games including 7 as captain. During his time with the All B ...

(Well),

Jock Hobbs Michael James Bowie Hobbs (15 February 1960 – 13 March 2012), generally known as Jock Hobbs, was a New Zealand rugby union player and administrator. A Flanker (rugby union), flanker, he played for Canterbury Rugby Football Union, Canter ...

(Cant),

Andy Haden Andrew Maxwell Haden (26 September 195029 July 2020) was a New Zealand rugby union player and All Black captain. He played at lock for Auckland and New Zealand from 1972 until 1985. He also played club rugby in the United Kingdom and Italy. Lif ...

(Auck),

Gary Whetton Gary William Whetton (born 15 December 1959) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. He played 180 matches for Auckland, and 58 tests (15 as captain) at lock for the All Blacks from 1981 to 1991. He serves on the Auckland Blues board and was ...

(Auck), Mark Shaw (Man),

John Ashworth John Ashworth may refer to: * John Ashworth (cricketer) (1850–1901), English cricketer * John Ashworth (footballer), English professional footballer * John Ashworth (judge) (1906–1975), England judge and barrister *John Ashworth (preacher) (181 ...

(Cant),

Andy Dalton Andrew Gregory Dalton (born October 29, 1987) is an American football quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Red Rifle", Dalton previously played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, and ...

(Count, cpt),

Gary Knight Gary Knight (born 1964) is an Anglo-American photographer, editor and author. Co-founder of the VII Photo Agency, co-founder and CEO of the VII Foundation and founder and CEO of the VII Academy. Life and work Knight was born in 1964 in Oakham ...

(Man). LIONS; MacNeill, Baird, Irwin, Ringland, Ackerman, Campbell, Holmes (rep Laidlaw),Stephens, Fitzgerald (cpt), Price, Paxton, Winterbotom, Norster, Colclough, Squire, .

Second Test

NEW ZEALAND;

(Well),

(Sthl), Bernie Fraser (Well),

(Cant), Wayne Smith (Cant),

(Tar),

(Well),

(Cant),

(Auck),

(Auck), Mark Shaw (Man),

(Cant),

(Count, cpt),

(Man). LIONS; MacNeill, Baird, Irwin, Kiernan, Carleton, Campbell, Laidlaw, Jones, Fitzgerald (cpt), Price, Paxton (rep Beattie), Winterbotom, Norster, Colclough, O'Driscoll.

Third Test

NEW ZEALAND;

(Well),

(Sthl), Bernie Fraser (Well),

(Cant), Wayne Smith (Cant) (rep Arthur Stone (Wai)),

(Tar),

(Well),

(Cant),

(Auck),

(Auck), Mark Shaw (Man),

(Cant),

(Count, cpt),

(Man). LIONS; Evans, Baird, Kiernan, Rutherford, Carleton, Campbell, Laidlaw, Jones, Fitzgerald (cpt), Price, Paxton, Winterbotom, Bainbridge, Colclough, Calder.

Fourth Test

NEW ZEALAND;

(Well),

(Sthl), Bernie Fraser (Well),

(Cant), Ian Dunn (N Auck),

(Tar),

(Well),

(Cant),

(Auck),

(Auck), Mark Shaw (Man),

(Cant),

(Count, cpt),

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

References

* *

External links

1983 British Lions tour history
{{DEFAULTSORT:British Lions tour 1983 rugby union tours

1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to Internet protocol suite, TCP/IP is officially completed (this is consid ...

1983 in New Zealand rugby union 1982–83 in British rugby union 1982–83 in Irish rugby union