2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand

In 2005 the British and Irish Lions Rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, suffering a 3-0 whitewash at the hands of the New Zealand All Blacks. For the Lions, having toured Australia in 2001 and South Africa in 1997, it was the first time for 22 years they lost every test match on tour.

The matches

Argentina

The Lions only drew with Argentina at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 23 May. This was seen as a warm-up run, and The Pumas were without 25 players who may have made their first-choice team, due to club commitments. 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.

Related Topics:
Argentina - Millennium Stadium - Cardiff - 23 May - Brian O'Driscoll - Michael Owen

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The Lions looked disjointed, turning over the ball 15 times in open play. Their vaunted 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 halftime, 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 competition since the 2003 World Cup, who set up their first try, converted it, and kicked six penalties. His last penalty saved the Lions from a humiliating defeat, salvaging a 25-25 draw. Match referee, Australian Stuart Dickinson, controversially added eight minutes to normal time.

Related Topics:
Jonny Wilkinson - 2003 World Cup

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Bay of Plenty

The first tour match was against the Bay of Plenty Steamers 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.

Related Topics:
Bay of Plenty Steamers - 4 June - Rotorua - Lawrence Dallaglio

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Taranaki

Taranaki hosted the Lions on 8 June at New Plymouth. The first half was closely fought in more ways than one, as the Lions' Danny Grewcock and Taranaki's Paul Tito came to blows. Taranaki 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.

Related Topics:
Taranaki - 8 June - New Plymouth - Danny Grewcock - Sin-binned - Man of the match - Charlie Hodgson - Shane Horgan - Geordan Murphy

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New Zealand Maori

The Maori 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 Maori had the better of possession and tackling, but the Lions had the better of the set pieces, and the half ended 6-6.

Related Topics:
Maori - Hamilton - 11 June

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Just before the break, the Lions' Andrew Sheridan was sin-binned for punching Maori 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 Maori 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 Maori held on for a historic 19-13 win—their first ever over the Lions.

Related Topics:
Andrew Sheridan - Luke McAlister - Gethin Jenkins - Leon MacDonald - Brian O'Driscoll - Stephen Jones

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Wellington

After the loss to the Maori, the British & Irish Lions went to Wellington 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.

Related Topics:
Wellington - NPC - 15 June - Jonny Wilkinson

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The British & 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 Lion's coach John Plumtree remarked, "The All Blacks would have put 50 or 60 points on us."

Related Topics:
Gethin Jenkins - Gareth Thomas - All Blacks

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Otago

In their first appearance in the South Island the Lions played Otago 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.

Related Topics:
South Island - Otago - 18 June - Carisbrook Stadium - Will Greenwood - Charlie Hodgson

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Otago took a 16-13 lead shortly after halftime, 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.

Related Topics:
Ryan Jones - Shane Williams

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Southland

The Southland match at Invercargill 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, keyed by a Gavin Henson try. However, they became disjointed and by halftime had turned over the ball 14 times and were considered lucky to be ahead 10-3 at the break.

Related Topics:
Southland - Invercargill - 21 June - Gavin Henson

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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

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First Test

Less than two minutes into this match against the All Blacks on 25 June at Jade Stadium in Christchurch, the Lions were devastated when captain Brian O'Driscoll suffered a dislocated shoulder after an alleged double spear tackle, which was later proven to be legal by officials. Eight minutes in, 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.

Related Topics:
All Blacks - 25 June - Jade Stadium - Christchurch - Brian O'Driscoll - Daniel Carter - Paul O'Connell - Sin-binned - Professional foul - Richard Hill - Ali Williams

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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.

Related Topics:
Sitiveni Sivivatu - Jonny Wilkinson

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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.

Related Topics:
Tom Shanklin - Danny Grewcock - Keven Mealamu

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Mealamu was also part of a different controversy, as he and All Black captain Tana Umaga were involved in the widely questioned tackle that ended O'Driscoll's tour. At a ruck early in the match Mealamu and Umaga each grabbed one of O'Driscoll's legs then lifted him off the ground. O'Driscoll fell to the ground arm-first and dislocated his shoulder, putting him out of the remainder of the tour. Opinions differed on the incident, with many British and Irish commentators and fans claiming that this was an illegal "spear tackle" and Lions coach Clive Woodward reporting the pair to the citing tribunal. The tribunal however cleared Umaga and Mealamu. New Zealand commentators and fans were largely of the opinion that the two New Zealand players were simply clearing out the ruck and that there had been no intention to injure O'Driscoll. It was also suggested that Alastair Campbell was using the incident to take the spotlight away from the Lions' poor performance in the match.

Related Topics:
Tana Umaga - Clive Woodward - Alastair Campbell

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Manawatu

The Lions scored their first convincing tour victory in this game at Palmerston North against NPC second-division minnows, Manawatu. 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.

Related Topics:
Palmerston North - NPC

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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.

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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.

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Second 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 Stadium in Wellington on 2 July, losing 48-18 and conceding the highest number of points any Lions team has had scored against them in a Test.

Related Topics:
Westpac Stadium - Wellington - 2 July

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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.

Related Topics:
Christchurch - Welsh team - Six Nations

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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.

Related Topics:
Gareth Thomas - Jonny Wilkinson - Paul O'Connell - Daniel Carter - Tana Umaga

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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.

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Auckland

The Lions won 17-13.

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Third Test

Following two early penalties by Stephen Jones, the Lions led 6-0 and looked promising. All Black captain Tana Umaga was sin-binned for 10 minutes for killing the ball, but even without their captain, the All Blacks managed to score two tries, by Conrad Smith andAli Williams, both converted by Luke McAlister. The Lions received two more penalties, but just before the break, Umaga scored a try for an All Blacks lead of 24-12.

Related Topics:
Conrad Smith - Ali Williams - Luke McAlister

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Seven minutes into the second half Umaga scored another try, and halfback 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 10 metres, 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 per cent kicking rate, to make the full-time score 38-19.

Related Topics:
Byron Kelleher - Justin Marshall - Jerry Collins - Rico Gear

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