1930 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia


The 1930 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia was the twelfth tour by a British Isles team and the fifth to New Zealand and Australia. This tour is recognised as the first to represent a bona fide British team and the first to be widely dubbed the 'Lions', after the nickname was used by journalists during the 1924 tour of South Africa.
Led by England's Doug Prentice and managed by James Baxter the tour took in 28 matches, seven in Australia and 21 in New Zealand. Of the 28 games, 24 were against club or invitational teams, four were test matches against New Zealand and one was a test match against Australia. The test match results saw the Lions lose to Australia, and win only one of the four New Zealand tests.
As with earlier trips, the selectors had a difficult time putting together the final team that made up the British Isles tour. Roughly a hundred players were approached before the 29 who eventually sailed could be chosen. Of the Lions, the players who stood out on the tour included Roger Spong, Harry Bowcott and Jack Bassett, while Ivor Jones impressed in the pack and set up a memorable try in the first game against New Zealand which gave the Lions their only test win.

Touring party

Complete list of matches played by the British Isles in New Zealand and Australia:
Test matches
#DateRivalCityCountryResultScore
121 MayWanganui RUWanganuiNew ZealandWon19–3
224 MayTaranaki RUNew PlymouthNew ZealandWon23–7
328 MayManawhenua RUPalmerston NorthNew ZealandWon34–8
431 MayWairarapa–Bush RUMastertonNew ZealandWon19–6
53 JuneWellington RUWellingtonNew ZealandLost8–12
67 JuneCanterbury RUChristchurchNew ZealandLost8–14
711 JuneWest Coast/Buller RUGreymouthNew ZealandWon34–11
814 JuneOtago RUDunedinNew ZealandWon33–9
921 JuneDunedinNew ZealandWon6–3
1025 JuneSouthlandInvercargillNew ZealandWon9–3
1128 JuneAshburton/South Canterbury/North Otago RUTimaruNew ZealandWon16–9
125 JulyChristchurchNew ZealandLost10–13
139 JulyNew Zealand MāoriWellingtonNew ZealandWon19–13
1412 JulyHawke's Bay RUNapierNew ZealandWon14–3
1516 JulyEast Coast/Poverty Bay/Bay of Plenty RUGisborneNew ZealandWon25–11
1619 JulyAuckland RUAucklandNew ZealandLost6–19
1726 JulyAucklandNew ZealandLost10–15
1830 JulyNorth Auckland RUWhangareiNew ZealandWon38–5
192 AugWaikato/Thames Valley/King Country RUHamiltonNew ZealandWon40–16
209 AugWellingtonNew ZealandLost8–22
2112 AugNelson, Marlborough, Golden Bay and MotuekaBlenheimNew ZealandWon41–3
2223 AugNSW WaratahsSydneyAustraliaWon29–10
2330 AugSydneyAustraliaLost5–6
243 SepQueensland RedsBrisbaneAustraliaWon26–16
256 SepAustralian XVBrisbaneAustraliaWon29–14
2610 SepNSW WaratahsSydneyAustraliaLost3–28
2713 SepVictoriaMelbourneAustraliaWon41–36
2822 SepWestern AustraliaPerthAustraliaWon71–3
291 Oct Ceylon ColomboSri LankaWon45–0

;Notes
Played inPlWDLPsPc
New Zealand211506420205
Australia7502204113
Sri Lanka1100450
Total292108669318

Match details

New Zealand (First test)

Team details-

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