Page 28 - Barbarians v The Lions

HISTORY
IN NUMBERS
whom the the the crowd hoisted onto their shoulders after the the the the nal whistle Results didn’t get better for the the tourists The Test was followed by a a a a a a a a a a a 0-0 draw with Taranaki-Wanganui-Manawatu in in New Plymouth before a a a a a a a a a a a 13-0
defeat by Auckland and and a a a a a a a a a loss in in in an an an unof cial match in in in Rotorua
rounded off a a a a a a a a a disappointing tour for the the Lions – and gave the the British nations something to think about If the New Zealand public were happy you can only imagine how they would feel the the the following year when the the the the All Blacks returned from the the the the “Originals” tour in in 1905-06 Across 35 matches on a a a a a tour tour of the the United Kingdom Ireland France and and North America the the All Blacks lost just once in a a a a a a a controversial 3-0
defeat to Wales For some of of the Welsh Lions that was a a a a a a nice little piece of of payback with the the talented Rhys “Rusty” Gabe among those to have faced the the the All All Blacks Blacks for for both the the the Lions and Wales As for for the the the All Blacks Blacks of 1904 key
to the the the hosts was Donegal-born Dave Gallaher in in the the the forwards He would go on on to become the the the 1905 Captain – – Billy Stead had the the honour in in 1904 – – and was a a a a a a a a a a a pioneer as as as as well as as as as a a a a a a a a a a a leader He doubled up his role as as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a New Zealand star while also evolving wing forward play detaching himself from the the pack at scrum time meaning the the All Blacks had a a a a a a a a a a two-man front row It was a a a a a a a a side full of true athletes including centre Eric Harper – who happened to be the New Zealand 440-yard hurdles and and and 880 yards champion – and and a a a a a a a a a a wing so quick in in Billy Wallace that he he earned the nickname “Carbine” after New Zealand’s quickest racehorse of the time There was also forward Bill Glenn who would go on to to win the the Military Cross and be be be the the rst All Black to to become a a a a a a a a member of New Zealand Parliament That initial win would be the the the rst of 29 Test victories for the the the All Blacks over the the the Lions Lions heading into this year’s Series with the the Lions Lions managing just six in in in in response It would take the the tourists until 1971 to to nally record a a a a a series win in in in New Zealand History had to to begin somewhere THE KEY MEN
Billy Stead (New Zealand):
A bootmaker from Invercargill Stead was the great early thinker and and tactician of the time and and immediately after that 1905 tour was the main author of The Complete Rugby Footballer alongside Dave Gallaher Teddy Morgan (Lions): One of the immortals of Welsh rugby in the rst decade of the 20th century scoring 13 tries in in his 10 Tests Morgan was a a a a star for the Lions on their tour of Australia and New Zealand but tasted defeat in the solitary New Zealand Test There was revenge of sorts though when he he he scored against the All Blacks for Wales the following year at Cardiff Arms Park 1904 TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND
August 6: v Canterbury-South Canterbury-West Coast (Christchurch) Won 5-3 August 10: v Otago-Southland Combined (Dunedin) Won 14-8 August 13: v All Blacks (Wellington) Lost 3-9
August 17: v Taranaki-Wanganui- Manawatu (New Plymouth) Drew 0-0 August 20: v Auckland (Auckland) Lost 0-13
August 22: v Maori XV (Rotorua) Lost 6-8*
*
unof cial game
4 members of the the tour party would lose their life in World War I – David Bedell-Sivright Blair Swannell Sydney Crowther and Ron Rogers Two All Blacks from the the 1904 Test were also killed during the war: Dave Gallaher and Eric Harper 5 LIONS PLAYED THEIR RUGBY WITH GUYS HOSPITAL
of the 13 Lions forwards were uncapped players and eight of those remained uncapped on their return 379 THE NUMBER OF POINTS BILLY WALLACE SCORED IN 51 GAMES FOR THE ALL BLACKS
Kiwi Medical students in London toured with the Lions IN LONDON
– Arthur O’Brien and Pat McEvedy
28 // OFFICIAL SOUVENIR PROGRAMME
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