History of rugby union matches between South Africa and the British and Irish Lions


In rugby union, since their first meeting in 1891, the British and Irish Lions and the South Africa national team have contested 13 series, with South Africa winning eight to the Lions' four, and one drawn series in 1955. The two teams have played 46 matches; South Africa have won 23 times to the Lions' 17, with the remaining six matches finishing as draws. The Lions won the first two series between the two sides in 1891 and 1896, including wins in the first six matches, but then did not win another series until their unbeaten 1974 tour. After South Africa's victory in the 1980 series, the two teams did not meet again until 1997 as a result of the apartheid scandal; the Lions won the 1997 series, before South Africa won the most recent tour in 2009. The next Lions tour to South Africa will take place in 2021.

List of series

SeriesSouth Africa winsLions winsVictor
189103Lions
189613Lions
190310
191021
192430
193821
195522drawn
196230
196830
197403Lions
198031
199712Lions
200921

List of matches

DateVenueScoreVictorSeries
30 July 1891Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth0–4Lions1891 tour
29 August 1891Eclectic Cricket Ground, Kimberley0–3Lions1891 tour
5 September 1891Newlands Stadium, Cape Town0–4Lions1891 tour
30 July 1896Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth0–8Lions1896 tour
22 August 1896Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg8–17Lions1896 tour
29 August 1896Athletic Club, Kimberley3–9Lions1896 tour
5 September 1896Newlands Stadium, Cape Town5–01896 tour
26 August 1903Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg10–10Draw1903 tour
5 September 1903Athletic Club, Kimberley0–0Draw1903 tour
12 September 1903Newlands Stadium, Cape Town8–01903 tour
6 August 1910Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg14–101910 tour
27 August 1910Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth3–8Lions1910 tour
3 September 1910Newlands Stadium, Cape Town21–51910 tour
16 August 1924Kingsmead, Durban7–31924 tour
23 August 1924Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg17–01924 tour
13 September 1924Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth3–3Draw1924 tour
20 September 1924Newlands Stadium, Cape Town16–91924 tour
6 August 1938Ellis Park, Johannesburg26–121938 tour
3 September 1938Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth19–31938 tour
10 September 1938Newlands Stadium, Cape Town16–21Lions1938 tour
6 August 1955Ellis Park, Johannesburg22–23Lions1955 tour
20 August 1955Newlands Stadium, Cape Town25–91955 tour
3 September 1955Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria6–9Lions1955 tour
24 September 1955Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth22–81955 tour
23 June 1962Ellis Park, Johannesburg3–3Draw1962 tour
21 July 1962Kings Park Stadium, Durban3–01962 tour
4 August 1962Newlands Stadium, Cape Town8–31962 tour
25 August 1962Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein34–141962 tour
8 June 1968Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria25–201968 tour
22 June 1968EPRFU Stadium, Port Elizabeth6–6Draw1968 tour
13 July 1968Newlands Stadium, Cape Town11–61968 tour
27 July 1968Ellis Park, Johannesburg19–61968 tour
8 June 1974Newlands Stadium, Cape Town3–12Lions1974 tour
22 June 1974Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria9–28Lions1974 tour
13 July 1974EPRFU Stadium, Port Elizabeth9–26Lions1974 tour
27 July 1974Ellis Park, Johannesburg13–13Draw1974 tour
31 May 1980Newlands Stadium, Cape Town26–221980 tour
14 June 1980Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein26–191980 tour
28 June 1980EPRFU Stadium, Port Elizabeth12–101980 tour
12 July 1980Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria13–17Lions1980 tour
21 June 1997Newlands Stadium, Cape Town16–25Lions1997 tour
28 June 1997Kings Park Stadium, Durban15–18Lions1997 tour
5 July 1997Ellis Park, Johannesburg35–161997 tour
20 June 2009Kings Park Stadium, Durban26–212009 tour
27 June 2009Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria28–252009 tour
4 July 2009Ellis Park, Johannesburg9–28Lions2009 tour
24 July 2021FNB Stadium, Johannesburg2021 tour
31 July 2021Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town2021 tour
7 August 2021Ellis Park, Johannesburg2021 tour