Page 32 - Crusaders v The Lions

1959 (20-14) and and 1983 (22-20) and and the the records contain many other close-fought matches that could have gone either way When the the the Lions arrived on on on on the the the overnight ferry at Lyttelton in in 1930 they were still smarting from their 8-12 loss to to Wellington Nine All Blacks and three who would later achieve
that status lined out in in the the home team while another would play league for New Zealand They were too strong for the the Lions winning 14-8 the the sides scored two tries each but the the the goal-kicking of Herb Lilburne and Syd Carleton made the difference By 1959 Canterbury had assembled another formidable side with 11 All Blacks including three who would make key contributions: ankers John Graham and and Kel Tremain and fullback Fergie McCormick Canterbury made the the most of the the Lions not elding a a a a a full-strength side Tremain scored two tries and Mick Bremner another in in in the the the the 20-14 win If there was was a a a a a a a surprise about the the the the 1966 game it was was that while everyone else seemed capable of beating the Lions Lions Canterbury couldn’t The Lions Lions won 8-6 But that wasn’t what was was remembered most about the the game it it became widely criticised as the the the Lions management used the the game to launch
“Captain Doug Prentice said [Archie Strang’s] was one of the nest individual games he had seen in his life ”
a a a a a a a a a tirade on New Zealand referees allowing local teams to get away with illegalities Captain for the day Jim Telfer made a a a a a a a a post-match speech described by NZRFU president Harry Blazey brother of Ces as “a peevish ill-mannered attack on referees ”
Fergie Fergie McCormick said in his autobiography Fergie: “I know damned well what happened in that game and so do the the the rest of the the the players on on both sides The way the the the the reporters went hopping on on on a a a a a a bandwagon was ludicrous in in the the the eyes of the players “I know know Canterbury players players better than than most I I I know know know they’re they’re hard but I I I know know they’re they’re no no no better or or worse than than players from anywhere else – and that includes South Africans Lions Aussies Aucklanders Wellingtonians ”
The 1971 Lions v Canterbury game is remembered for its high tension Canterbury Coach Sir James Stewart and prop Alister Hopkinson have said that they expected the the Lions to to play dirty and chose to to not take it it lying down a a a a a a spirited front row battle ensued but the Lions emerged 14-9 victors Later Canterbury games proved more even-tempered In 1977 the Lions won 14-13 but in in 1983 Canterbury during their glorious Ranfurly Shield era won 22-20 The Lions scored three tries to two with one of the try scorers future Crusaders and and Australia Coach Robbie Deans adding a a a a a a a a a a a a a conversion and and four penalty goals The Union’s last game against the the tourists was in in 1993 when the the the Lions won 28-10 Traditionally the the the the other unions in what is now the the the Crusaders’ geographic region played as as combined sides In 1930 the the West Coast-Buller side side had probably their most memorable game with the the Lions The coal-mining Coast communities were a a a a a a stronghold of rugby league at the the the time but they provided the the the the Lions with with a a a a good test and with with 15 minutes left the the the score was 11-11 However the the home side 32 // OFFICIAL SOUVENIR PROGRAMME