In 1959, the British Lions rugby union team toured Australia and New Zealand. The Lions won the two test matches against but lost the international series against the All Blacks by three matches to one. They also played two matches in Canada, on the return leg of the journey.

Although New Zealand won the series, the results in three of the tests were close. The Lions scored four tries to nil in the first test but six penalties by Don Clarke saw the All Blacks win 18–17. Clarke also scored a late try and conversion to win the second test, 11–8. New Zealand won the third test comfortably by 22–8 to win the series but the fourth test, which the Lions won 9–6, could have gone the All Blacks' way had Clarke not missed a late penalty attempt.

Overall the tourists played thirty-three matches, winning twenty-seven and losing six. In Australia the Lions played six matches, winning five and losing one, to New South Wales. In New Zealand they played twenty-five matches, winning twenty and losing five – in addition to their three test defeats they also lost to Otago and Canterbury. They also played two matches in Canada, winning both.

The tour was notable for the 842 points scored in 33 games, a record number of points for a Lions tour and for the 22 tries scored by Tony O'Reilly, also a Lions tour record.

The touring party was captained by Ronnie Dawson. The manager was A. W. Wilson and the assistant manager was O.B. Glasgow.

Touring party

Management Manager A. W. Wilson Assistant Manager O. B. Glasgow

Backs N. H. Brophy (UCD and ) J. Butterfield (Northampton and ) S. Coughtrie (Edinburgh Academicals and ) Terry Davies (Llanelli and ) M. A. F. English (Bohemians and ) David Hewitt (Queen's University RFC and ) J. P. Horrocks-Taylor (Leicester and ) Peter Jackson (Coventry and ) Dickie Jeeps (Northampton and ) Tony O'Reilly (Old Belvedere and ) Andy Mulligan (Wanderers and ) William "Bill" Michael Patterson (Sale) Malcolm Price (Pontypool and ) Bev Risman (Manchester and ) Ken Scotland (Cambridge University and ) Malcolm Thomas (Newport and ) G. H. Waddell (Cambridge University and ) J. R. C. Young (Harlequins and )

Forwards Alan Ashcroft (Waterloo and ) Ronnie Dawson (Wanderers and ) Roddy Evans (Cardiff and ) John Faull (Swansea and ) Hugh McLeod (Hawick and ) David Marques (Harlequins and ) Bryn Meredith (Newport and ) Syd Millar (Ballymena and ) Haydn Morgan (Abertillery and ) Bill Mulcahy (UCD and ) Noel Murphy (Cork Constitution and ) Ray Prosser (Pontypool and ) Ken Smith (Kelso and ) R. H. Williams (Llanelli and ) Gordon Wood (Garryowen and )

Results Test matches

DateOpponentLocationResultScore 23 May Victoria Melbourne, AustraliaWin 53–18 30 May New South Wales Sydney, Australia Loss 14–18 2 June Queensland Brisbane, Australia Win 39–11 6 June Brisbane, Australia Win 17–6 9 June New South Wales Country Districts Tamworth, Australia Win 27–14 13 June Sydney, Australia Win 24–3 20 June Hawke's Bay Napier, New Zealand Win 52–12 24 June Poverty Bay /East Coast Gisborne, New Zealand Win 23–14 27 June Auckland Auckland, New Zealand Win 15–10 1 July New Zealand Universities Christchurch, New Zealand Win 25–13 4 July Otago Dunedin, New Zealand Loss 8–26 8 July South Canterbury /Mid Canterbury /North Otago Timaru, New Zealand Win 21–11 11 July Southland Invercargill, New Zealand Win 11–6 18 July Dunedin, New Zealand Loss 17–18 22 July West Coast-Buller Greymouth, New Zealand Win 58–3 25 July Canterbury Christchurch, New Zealand Loss 14–20 29 July Marlborough /Nelson /Golden Bay-Motueka Blenheim, New Zealand Win 64–5 1 August Wellington Wellington, New Zealand Win 21–6 5 August Wanganui Wanganui, New Zealand Win 9–6 8 August Taranaki New Plymouth, New Zealand Win 15–3 11 August Manawatu /Horowhenua Palmerston North, New Zealand Win 26–6 15 August Wellington, New Zealand Loss 8–11 19 August King Country /Counties Taumarunui, New Zealand Win 25–5 22 August Waikato Hamilton, New Zealand Win 14–0 25 August Wairarapa /Bush Masterton, New Zealand Win 37–11 29 August Christchurch, New Zealand Loss 8–22 2 September New Zealand Juniors Wellington, New Zealand Win 29–9 5 September New Zealand Māori Auckland, New Zealand Win 12–6 9 September Bay of Plenty /Thames Valley Rotorua, New Zealand Win 26–24 12 September North Auckland Whangārei, New Zealand Win 35–13 19 September Auckland, New Zealand Win 9–6 27 September British Columbia Vancouver, Canada Win 16–11 29 September Eastern Canada All-Stars Toronto, Canada Win 70–6

The matches

First Australia Test

Australia: JK Lenehan (NSW), AR Morton (NSW), JM Potts (NSW), LJ Diett (NSW), KJ Donald (Queensland), AJ Summons (NSW), DM Connor (Queensland), PK Dunn (NSW), PG Johnson (NSW), KJ Ellis (NSW); JH Carroll (NSW), AR Miller (NSW); PT Fenwicke (NSW) Captain, R Outterside (NSW), J Thornett (NSW)

British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, M Price, D Hewitt, AJF O'Reilly, AB Risman, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, S Millar, GK Smith, WA Mulcahy, RH Williams, A Ashcroft, J Faull

Second Australia Test

Australia: JK Lenehan (NSW), AR Morton (NSW), RC Kay (Victoria), LJ Diett (NSW), KJ Donald (Queensland), AJ Summons (NSW), DM Connor (Queensland); KJ Ellis (NSW), PG Johnson (NSW), PK Dunn (NSW); JH Carroll (NSW), AR Miller (NSW), JE Thornett (NSW), R Outterside (NSW), PT Fenwicke (NSW) Captain

British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, D Hewitt, M Price, AJF O'Reilley, AB Risman, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, S Millar, WR Evans, RH Williams, NAA Murphy, RWD Marques, GK Smith

First New Zealand Test

New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), PT Walsh (Counties), RF McMullen (Auckland), TR Lineen (Auckland), BE McPhail (Canterbury), RH Brown (Taranaki), RJ Urbahn (Taranaki); WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, RC Hemi (Waikato), IJ Clarke (Waikato), SF Hill (Canterbury), BE Finlay (Manauatu), PFH Jones (North Auckland), EAR Pickering (Waikato), IN MacEwan (Wellington)

British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, MJ Price, D Hewitt, AJF O'Reilley, ABW Risman, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, BGM Wood, WR Evans, RH Williams, GK Smith, J Faull, NA Murphy

Second New Zealand Test

New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), ES Diack (Otago), RF McMullen (Auckland), TR Lineen (Auckland), RW Caulton (Wellington), JF McCullough (Taranaki), KC Briscoe (Taranaki), WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, DS Webb (North Auckland), IJ Clarke (Waikato), SF Hill (Canterbury), IN MacEwan (Wellington), CE Meads (Kings Country), RJ Conway (Otago), KR Tremain (Canterbury)

British Lions: TE Davies, JRC Young, MC Thomas, WM Patterson, AJF O'Reilley, MJ Price, REG Jeeps, S Millar, AR Dawson Captain, HF McLeod, RH Williams, WR Evans, A Ashcroft, RWD Marques, NA Murphy

Third New Zealand Test

New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), RH Brown (Taranaki), TR Lineen (Auckland), RW Caulton (Wellington), JF McCullough (Taranaki), RJ Urbahn (Taranaki), MW Irwin (Otago), RC Hemi (Waikato), WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, SF Hill (Canterbury), IN MacEwan (Wellington), KR Tremain (Canterbury), RJ Conway (Otago), CE Meads (Kings Country)

British Lions: KJF Scotland, PB Jackson, MJ Price, D Hewitt, AJF O'Reilley, JP Horrocks-Taylor, REG Jeeps, HF McLeod, AR Dawson Captain, BGM Wood, WR Evans, RH Williams, HJ Morgan, J Faull, GK Smith

Fourth New Zealand Test

New Zealand: DB Clarke (Waikato), BE McPhail (Canterbury), TR Lineen (Auckland), AH Clarke (Auckland), RW Caulton (Wellington), JF McCullough (Taranaki), RJ Urbahn (Taranaki), MW Irwin (Otago), RC Hemi (Waikato), WJ Whineray (Canterbury) Captain, SF Hill (Canterbury), CE Meads (Kings Country), EAR Pickering (Waikato), RJ Conway (Otago), KR Tremain (Canterbury)

British Lions: TE Davies, PB Jackson, D Hewitt, KJF Scotland, AJF O'Reilley, ABW Risman, AA Mulligan, TR Prosser, AR Dawson Captain, HF McLeod, RH Williams, WA Mulcahy, NA Murphy, J Faull, HJ Morgan

References