After that tour alll the young kids in NZ like myself were playing rugby using the names of the British Lions players and we all wanted to kick a ball round the corner like Barry John, run like David Duckham...it was an exciting tour and the we all had the souvenir flags & banners on our wall and the deep red of the lions colours on everything made it a great time to enjoy rugby as a kid....legends
Thank goodness we have this wonderful team on film for posterity, we are losing these men now, JPR Williams has died recently and now today the news that Barry John has passed away.🙏
Great documentary - wonderfully done by Eddie Butler. RIP. From a game of power, strength & force - the previously unbeatable All Blacks combination - the 1971 British & Irish Lions tour demonstrated a better way of playing Rugby and won 22 watches - 1 defeat, and one draw...Rugby is a Backs Game: it's about running & quick passing, aiming for space - not 'into the tackle' (as now!) - and with strategic kicking. It's about angles - it's geometry - it's brains over brawn. That's why, at it's best, it's great to watch. Compare these wonderful 1971 matches with what we often see today...The New Zealanders called Barry John 'The King'. For good reason: he'd shown them a better way of playing their National Sport. (Sadly, the title and intrusive fame which came with it - he hated women curtsying to him - meant he left the game far too early). Barry John preferred football to Rugby. He became a close friend of George Best...Fortunately, he Mastered his second favourite game - like George Best did Football. In doing so, he showed Rugby can be the equal of Football...Yet, how has Rugby been played since....more pertinently, how's it played NOW? Barry John has said (to Peter Jackson) he wouldn't want to play Rugby today. Thank you, Barry John, you'll inspire 'a better way' as long as Rugby's played.
I've never played rugby.But after 1971 I fell totally in love with rugby. That back division in particular ingited in me a passion for the game that remains to this day.Put those Welsh wizards Edwards, John,JPR, Dawes with the brilliant mike Gibson, the side stepping dash and pace of David Duckham and for me you have the most magical back division ever to take the rugby field. Each of them had a touch of stardust about them. It's been a tough few weeks for me I can't deny it. The peerless bravery and courage of JPR, the elusive wild of the wisp,body swerving untouchability of Barry John now no more!!!! What treasured, treasured memories they bestowed on me. And, I'm an Englishman!!!!!
@@Cadwalladr9 you're right. He was in my eyes the finest finisher ever. A sidestep like no other. A major omission on my part. Absolutely brilliant he was. If you remember he would have played in the 1973 ba bas game, but the immense John Bevan, shrugging off the formidable Brian Williams didn't disappoint.
Well done John bach, you are forgiven for being English which , in any case, is not a hanging offence. The fact that you love rugby is all that matters.
It's an emotional watch I have to say.What with losing the side stepping dash and brilliance of David duckham a year ago The lion hearted, courageous JPRin January and now the body swerving, so light on his feet untouchability of Barry John. I've no hesitation in calling that lions 1971 back division as the finest to ever take the rugby field. Add the elusive , Ball playing pace and flair of Mike Gibson and duckham to the Welsh wizards and hey presto,a back line like no other. Each with a touch of try stardust about them. Colin Meades even quipped that there was indeed a touch of magic about them during the documentary.And in fairness , all Black's Brian Williams and Kirkpatrick are generous in their assessments. Brilliantly put together by Eddie butler,I must have watched it dozens of times. Particularly in lock down.
Made it to the homecoming. If you were Welsh in London in the '70s we would gather on a Saturday night in a pub near the London Welsh Centre, the name of which deserts me. One of my mates was friendly with some air hostesses based at Heathrow and they told him the Lions were due back that night. Everyone piled into cars and off we went. What a crowd and I swear that most were Welsh. Great memories and wonderful documentary.
What a lovely presentation! I remember those great players and am still in awe of them. Now in their later lives, they are still gentlemen at heart. Likewise the New Zealanders.
Greatest Lions team ever! My college coach at Santa Clara, back in the early 70's, Mickey Ording, a US national and Olympic Club player, had gone to New Zealand the same summer with the Pacific Coast Grizzlies. Somehow he got a 16mm film of the tests and other matches. At the end of the 1973 season, at his house for an end-of-year party, he got out the projector and showed the film. This was the first really good rugby any of us college kids had really seen, though not in the flesh.
I was 14 when they came here,they played in a style I had never seen,right down to round the corner goal kicking.I still have a scrapbook of newspaper clippings for most of their games.They took this country by storm in a time when rugby ,the All Blacks meant so much.
The British and Irish Lions of 1971 played like Celtic warriors, they moved, weaved, twisted and ran forward towards the white line with the grace a Darby-wining greyhound and with the power of an Irish Wolfhound and the hard men of New Zealand met their match
Remember how popular the Lions were in New Zealand, they had sellouts crowds for mid week provincial games and many towns welcomed them with open arms, celebritiy status. They were front page news everywhere they went. Remembered as the greatest Lions team to conquer the All Blacks. Still stands as the only Lions Test series victory over New Zealand. 2017 the British Irish Lions drew the test series. Since 1904 they have played 12 test series All Blacks 10, Lions 1 & 1 drawn, test matches played 41 All Blacks 30 wins, Lions 7 wins & 4 drawn matches. But there will only be one Lions team who were better than us.The 1971 Lions.
That was awesome, ...mighty Lions......i saw them play Hawks Bay 1971, first time i'd seen a fullback run into the line, JPR, great when the lLions come here, hope it continues.
It's sad John that the tours are not like they used to be. I think rugby has lost something as a result, when the All Blacks used to tour Britain and Ireland, it really was a special event, they played local club sides often on a Tuesday and Saturday, now the All Blacks seem to be here every autumn, it has lost some of the magic. Best Wishes from Wales.
Watched this again today. I'm so sad about the loss of Eddie Butler, such as a brilliant documentary maker and his velvety Welsh brogue. Finally, Barry John! What a player. Coupled with a brilliant Lieutenant in Mike Gibson. JPR, Gareth, Gerald Davies, Dai Duckham. Players the like of I'll never see again in my lifetime.
And of course, Willie John McBride in the 2nd row. Apparently, McBride cracked Colin Meads with the hardest punch the Kiwi ever received on this tour (pls correct me if I'm wrong). Those two would be in my 2nd row in al all-time XV, with either Frik du Preez or Victor Matfield on the bench. Mike Gibson is one of the best 12s of all time, along with Gerber and No'nu
Thank you so much for uploading this wonderful programme. It was first shown in 2011, to mark the 40th anniversary of that great tour. I recorded it on DVD and it was a treasured possession. Disaster struck last year, when I discovered that the DVD was missing. I was reconciled to never seeing this again, but you have come to the rescue. These guys were rugby gods. We will never see their likes again. So many highlights, but Barry John's try against the NZ Universities takes pride of place. Now, as we approach the 50th anniversary, their numbers are beginning to dwindle. Gordon Brown was the first to go, in 2001. Since 2011 we have lost Mervyn Davies, Alastair Biggar, Stack Stevens, John Pullin and, most recently, John Dawes. They may be gone, but the memories will never die.
A great watch. Was at all the Auckland games (I think there were 3) plus the one v Counties at Pukekohe. This was probably the best team I have ever seen. They were a huge influence on young kiwis like me who saw them play and thought "this is the way we want to play", and probably a bigger influence on the NZ style in the years following than people tend to recognise.
Superb documentary. Have only ever read about the 71 lions from various sources and biographies. This bought it alive for someone who was only 3 at the time. Barry Johns balance and composure is remarkable when you see it for the first time. Then you realize how terrible the playing surfaces were and realize how even more perfect his timing.
Thank you for the video. Pontypool supporter aside what a spell binding narrator Mr Butler is , truly a modern day Richard Burton. Thankfully a lot of these men are still with us
Good grief. What a superb piece of journalism. Clearly Warren Gatland has never seen this. So sad to see what the lions brand has become. It used to be about rugby and the bravery to play great rugby.
What is great about this is the respect that defines our game. The greatest team sport. We battle to the utmost extent we can get away with until the final whistle goes. Then you are my brother.
Barry John looked slight, but he was actually strong as well as agile. He's in the traffic against Scotland at 4:09 but he both bumps players off as well as weaves, to get over the line. He played 17 of the 24 Lions games in New Zealand, so tough as well. What a player.
Those were the days before S & C and nutrition were taken seriously....these men took real punishment and the likes of Barry John, Garreth and JPR (RIP) were no exception
The Ba Bas v All Blacks 1973 classic game,a virtual 5th test match never got a mention from Eddie.On that never to be forgotten Cardiff January day 50 years ago the Welsh back line, plus the absolute genius that was Mike Gibson, the sidestepping dashing brilliance of David Duckham made the mighty All blacks look pedestrian. Clutching at thin air,as Phil Bennett, Gibson Edwards,JPR ,Dawes and Duckham weaved their magic. That touring team of 71 had,for me at least the greatest back division ever to take the field. The 73 Ba Bas pack was superior to the 71 lions version with Fergus Slattery and Tom David in particular really mighty. Eddie Butlers homage to that pantheon of legends is a fantastic piece of work, which I've watched numerous times. How generous Brian Williams was in noting that that lions team had great players. JPR, the finest full back to ever don a rugby jersey and in Gareth Davies the best try finisher ever to my mind. I loved every single minute of that hour long documentary.
Played with and against Barry at school (Gwendraeth G.S.) and College (Trinity Carmarthen) where he was two years ahead. Much later, an Ilford Wanderers RFC playing colleage and Kiwi journalist (Alan Thurston) had a brief from the New Zealand Herald to write a column about the British Lions before the famous 71 tour. I went along with him to Eastbourne for the Lions pre-tour training camp and listened to Carwyn answering questions from the rugby press..Alan was impressed when Barry came over to say hello! Great player and a lovely person. Btw - Alan thought the Lions would be slaughtered in NZ!
Many thanks for your Kind upload of The " Greatest Performance from the Greatest players in The UK and Ireland! " I remember listening too Every Test Match on the radio with My Dear Father ( Bless Him) No tour of New Zealand is easy but, this was particularly difficult. One only has to look at the amount of games that were played! Great Players. Great Games .And the Greatest Coach who Never coached His beloved Country Wales. Many thanks and Kind regards Colyn.
Superb video. What a team that 1971 side were. I think the forwards were decisive for B&I lions. Ray McLoughlin remaining on the tour was invaluable for Carwyn James. But the Lions backline is legendary. Barry John, Gerald Davies, Gareth, Mike Gibson, John Dawes, JPR, J Bevan. Barry John, the ghost! Fabulous documentary. Fair dues to the Kiwis grace in defeat, on camera at least. RIP, Eddie.
Great stuff from Eddie.Superbly crafted and put together. Shame though no mention of the ba bas 1973 virtual 5th test which proved beyond all doubt that it was no fluke. I was 18 in 1971,i found rugby a fascinating watch. 17 stone verses 10 and a half encounters in the amateur era. Kirkpatrick against Barry John. A super heavyweight against light welter weight. The fabled wil of the wisp, side stepping,body swerving elusiveness and brilliance of King John making fools of the ponderous looking all black flankers all tour long. It's been a emotional month for me, losing him and another legendary lynchpin of that lions star studied back division JPR. Put that undoubted Welsh wizardry alongside the dashing, uninhibited, side stepping of David duckham and the peerless Mike Gibson,the player the All Black's rated higher than any other and you have, for me at least the finest ever back division to take the rugby field. They've bestowed on me the finest memories in my 50 odd years watching sport.
John Dawes Gibson. That was the lions trio that brought this series. Putting the wings away. Bevan. Gerald Davies. Duckham. Jpr solid at the back. Gareth played his part. The forwards working very hard for parity. Carwyn James was the architect. He should have a bronze statue outside the millennium stadium.the 71 back line was stellar. it had to be. In 74 the lions had dominance over the springbok scrum.
Wonderful doc, i was only a toddler but remember Dad talking about Barry John, great team indeed , didnt realise they had such an amazing amout of wins here! astounding
I say this as an Irishman, Wales was the driving force of that particular tour...Dawes, Williams, JPR, Gerald Davies, Barry John, Merv, Taylor...adversity of granite
What a great documentary. I feel ashamed I've never found it before. Sadly some of those stars are no longer with us but a side with Gareth Edwards, J P R, Mike Gibson and of course King Barry John in the backs would be very difficult for anyone to beat. All told with his usual excellent style by Eddie Butler. Oh what players Barry John, Gareth and Mike Gibson were. Where are there like today?
You will never see their like again. The game has changed beyond all recognition. It was a game of evasion, it is now a game of collision. The only men of 80/90 kilos these days , are scrum halves .
@@michellebrown4903 even those are starting to become lesser....we've now got scrum-halves who operate almost like additional back-rowers....forget wingers who easily have 20kg+ on the props of the 70s. While players are definitely having longer careers and we do have S & C/nutrition to thank for that, they do lack the elegance and grace of those 40-50 years ago who could do everything....
Not enough is done to highlight these Fabulous, fantastic , world class rugby footballers. Amateurs yes , but with more skill in their toenails than the pansies today.
The players today are not pansies, but a great summation of the differences of that era and today was written in John Dawes obituary. “The game has changed from one of evasion to one of collision”
Thank you for uploading ... an English friend mentioned it years ago but it has been impossible to track down ... I suspect BBC Wales might release now with the Lions Tour and the 50th anniversary ... wonderful
The British Isles, it said on the scoreboard,the commentator called them the British Lions, Salutations to the great Mike Gibson and Willie John McBride from IRELAND
They were still called the British Isles by South African TV on the 1997 tour. Lions was just a nickname on all tours. It only officially changed to British & Irish Lions for the 2001 tour.
27:40 Fergie reckons he "didn't have that bad a day" but in addition to being toyed with by Barry John, he missed two sitter penalty goals (both from virtually in front on the 25). "Six gift points" Ivan Vodanovich was rumored to have mumbled underneath his breath after the game. Bob Howitt, in the 1971 NZ Rugby Annual says "I felt that Fergie had kissed his test jersey goodbye". Ivan had coached the ABs to a series loss in SA the year before, after the ABs had gone to SA with 17 previous straight wins under their belt. Fergie, who'd kicked a record 24 points against Wales in '69, landed 2 out of something like 11 kicks in the first two tests in SA; Bryan Williams took over the goalkicking at Boet Erasmus and then Fergie lost his fullback spot to Gerald Kember for the final test. I think Ivan, who'd been criticized for messing up several selections both in SA and again at Carisbrook, knew his own head was on the block, and that somebody had to take the blame for the Carisbrook defeat. Fergie was an obvious scapegoat, but as it turned out, his replacement Laurie Mains' goalkicking was no better. 35:51 Kirky's great try - what many folk forget is that he'd scored one almost as good against the Boks at Newlands the year before. On that occasion he had only around 25 yards to run, but he received the ball unexpectedly from a messed up scrum and from a standing start ran around and over 4 or 5 Springbok defenders in the process.
Yeh look I watched or listened to every game of that tour and ever since then I found my self comparing every allblacks team against that almost perfect lions team. ........ suffice to say there has been less than a handfull that in my eyes measured up...that's how good they were simply unforgetable
In a way, the All Blacks did well to keep the Lions to a 1-2 defeat. About half the All Blacks test team had retired the year before after the 1970 South Africa tour, including captain Brian Lochore. And there was an issue with not having a reliable goal kicker. It was an unsettled team, with Colin Meads not being quite the right fit for captain, and some of the test replacements driven by panicking team management looking for some way to beat the Lions. It was probably the sheer strength of New Zealand rugby that made the All Blacks still hard to beat under these circumstances. On the other hand, the Lions players who didn't make the test team could easily have made a second great test side.
44:48. 'Joseph, couldn't get it, fell over a dog.' One of my abiding memories from the series. Other than sound, great Lions side, in fact a superlative squad. Some of those tries shown in here are just intoxicating.
Is it correct the 1971 Lions coach Carwyn James never coached Wales? The 1971 Lions were probably the greatest team to ever tour NZ. Great forward pack and a star back line of Edwards, John, Gibson, and JPR Williams.
As a New Zealander who watched this at the time , I’m reminded to carry on taking the piss out of the Lions . Lions were better than us but so fucking what.
Yes, most of those matches would have been abandoned today due to the number of red cards for head tackles...but my, what beautiful running rugby, what bravery. The only connection with the modern game are the words 'rugby union'...
The All Blacks had wretched luck in both 1970 & 1971. In the former, although outclassed by the Springboks in the 1st & 3rd tests, the AB's victory in the 2nd test was by a much greater margin than the scoreboard suggested (8-9 at Newlands), & the 4th test was marred by the 'South African referee' failing to award a penalty try, with conversion in front of the posts, which would have won the game (20-22, instead of 20-17 at Ellis Park), with a 2-2 split rubber; in the latter, Fergie McCormick missed two 'sitters' only 15 yards out, which would have levelled the score to 9-9 at Carisbrook in the opening test against the Lions (again, a drawn series with 1 win & 1 draw each). Many are very forgetful of these points. 'All Blacks never forget' (defeats), making it a side that never says die & will return with a vengeance. However, the Lions was a great side & all credit to it & the brilliant coaching skills of Carwyn James. RIP to those no longer with us.
This how rugby should be played using your brain and speed beating players by stepping in and out of players not like today just running through people
Yes indeed ,his commentary,passion and his relationships with summarisers like Brian Moore were wonderful ,something with all due respect is missing from the commentary of the six nations ,saying that this years rugby has been wonderfull.
After that tour alll the young kids in NZ like myself were playing rugby using the names of the British Lions players and we all wanted to kick a ball round the corner like Barry John, run like David Duckham...it was an exciting tour and the we all had the souvenir flags & banners on our wall and the deep red of the lions colours on everything made it a great time to enjoy rugby as a kid....legends
Thank goodness we have this wonderful team on film for posterity, we are losing these men now, JPR Williams has died recently and now today the news that Barry John has passed away.🙏
Eddie Butler was the Murray Walker of Rugby. So sad that he left us too soon. RIP Eddie from Dublin.
And a wonderful successor to the marvellous Bill McLaren.
Great documentary - wonderfully done by Eddie Butler. RIP. From a game of power, strength & force - the previously unbeatable All Blacks combination - the 1971 British & Irish Lions tour demonstrated a better way of playing Rugby and won 22 watches - 1 defeat, and one draw...Rugby is a Backs Game: it's about running & quick passing, aiming for space - not 'into the tackle' (as now!) - and with strategic kicking. It's about angles - it's geometry - it's brains over brawn. That's why, at it's best, it's great to watch. Compare these wonderful 1971 matches with what we often see today...The New Zealanders called Barry John 'The King'. For good reason: he'd shown them a better way of playing their National Sport. (Sadly, the title and intrusive fame which came with it - he hated women curtsying to him - meant he left the game far too early). Barry John preferred football to Rugby. He became a close friend of George Best...Fortunately, he Mastered his second favourite game - like George Best did Football. In doing so, he showed Rugby can be the equal of Football...Yet, how has Rugby been played since....more pertinently, how's it played NOW? Barry John has said (to Peter Jackson) he wouldn't want to play Rugby today. Thank you, Barry John, you'll inspire 'a better way' as long as Rugby's played.
RIP Eddie Butler… magnificent journalism, wonderful programme…
I've never played rugby.But after 1971 I fell totally in love with rugby. That back division in particular ingited in me a passion for the game that remains to this day.Put those Welsh wizards Edwards, John,JPR, Dawes with the brilliant mike Gibson, the side stepping dash and pace of David Duckham and for me you have the most magical back division ever to take the rugby field. Each of them had a touch of stardust about them. It's been a tough few weeks for me I can't deny it. The peerless bravery and courage of JPR, the elusive wild of the wisp,body swerving untouchability of Barry John now no more!!!! What treasured, treasured memories they bestowed on me. And, I'm an Englishman!!!!!
You forgot Gerald!
@@Cadwalladr9 you're right. He was in my eyes the finest finisher ever. A sidestep like no other. A major omission on my part. Absolutely brilliant he was. If you remember he would have played in the 1973 ba bas game, but the immense John Bevan, shrugging off the formidable Brian Williams didn't disappoint.
Well done John bach, you are forgiven for being English which , in any case, is not a hanging offence. The fact that you love rugby is all that matters.
It's an emotional watch I have to say.What with losing the side stepping dash and brilliance of David duckham a year ago The lion hearted, courageous JPRin January and now the body swerving, so light on his feet untouchability of Barry John. I've no hesitation in calling that lions 1971 back division as the finest to ever take the rugby field. Add the elusive , Ball playing pace and flair of Mike Gibson and duckham to the Welsh wizards and hey presto,a back line like no other. Each with a touch of try stardust about them. Colin Meades even quipped that there was indeed a touch of magic about them during the documentary.And in fairness , all Black's Brian Williams and Kirkpatrick are generous in their assessments. Brilliantly put together by Eddie butler,I must have watched it dozens of times. Particularly in lock down.
One of the most beautiful documentary i have ever seen
Made it to the homecoming. If you were Welsh in London in the '70s we would gather on a Saturday night in a pub near the London Welsh Centre, the name of which deserts me. One of my mates was friendly with some air hostesses based at Heathrow and they told him the Lions were due back that night. Everyone piled into cars and off we went. What a crowd and I swear that most were Welsh. Great memories and wonderful documentary.
Thanks Ducky. Thanks JPR. Thanks your Royal Highness, Barry. And all the others.
When the Lions roared.
Much love from England.
This is the best rugby documentary I have ever seen, Wonderfully presented by the Excellent Eddie Butler. Brilliant
What a fabulous documentary.Great Rugby on show narrated by the wonderful wordsmith Eddie Butler. Rest in Peace Eddie.
A wonderful Eddy Butler documentary of a wonderful team of giants of the game on both sides. A joy to watch and listen.
50 years later and some of those tries and still absolutley mint!
What a lovely presentation! I remember those great players and am still in awe of them. Now in their later lives, they are still gentlemen at heart. Likewise the New Zealanders.
This 70s team was outstanding I'm not a rugby man just appreciate that great team.
Splendid documentary. Eddie Butler and Cliff Morgan are brilliant commentators on the game. Thanks for the memories gents. God Bless. RIP.
What a wonderful sentiment to two of rugby's finest. ❤ Bless you
Eddie Butler and Brian Moore, the best commentary duo ever...can't believe it's no more... God bless you Eddie. Wonderful man..
What a great documentary by the late great Eddie Butler; so sad he’s gone. 🇮🇪
Had no idea he had passed, RIP.. absolutely choked England 🇬🇧
Greatest Lions team ever! My college coach at Santa Clara, back in the early 70's, Mickey Ording, a US national and Olympic Club player, had gone to New Zealand the same summer with the Pacific Coast Grizzlies. Somehow he got a 16mm film of the tests and other matches. At the end of the 1973 season, at his house for an end-of-year party, he got out the projector and showed the film. This was the first really good rugby any of us college kids had really seen, though not in the flesh.
Fantastic. Thanks Eddie and the Lions of 71. Incomparable.
R.I.P Eddie Butler
Now sadly David “Dai” Duckham. One of the few bright lights from England at this time.
@@prafter7 Yes He was
Gutted, England 🇬🇧 😢 RIP
I was 14 when they came here,they played in a style I had never seen,right down to round the corner goal kicking.I still have a scrapbook of newspaper clippings for most of their games.They took this country by storm in a time when rugby ,the All Blacks meant so much.
Remember this tour as a teenager. Barry John and Gibson were absolutely awesome
Saw Mike Gibson in my local Tescos a few days ago, still looking great one of the best ever.
@@witchamacallit Campbell College great.
@@witchamacallit - one of the best 12's of all time.
The British and Irish Lions of 1971 played like Celtic warriors, they moved, weaved, twisted and ran forward towards the white line with the grace a Darby-wining greyhound and with the power of an Irish Wolfhound and the hard men of New Zealand met their match
Definitely the best team to ever toured New Zealand.
1971 lions and 1974 lions were great teams.
Remember how popular the Lions were in New Zealand, they had sellouts crowds for mid week provincial games and many towns welcomed them with open arms, celebritiy status. They were front page news everywhere they went. Remembered as the greatest Lions team to conquer the All Blacks. Still stands as the only Lions Test series victory over New Zealand. 2017 the British Irish Lions drew the test series. Since 1904 they have played 12 test series All Blacks 10, Lions 1 & 1 drawn, test matches played 41 All Blacks 30 wins, Lions 7 wins & 4 drawn matches. But there will only be one Lions team who were better than us.The 1971 Lions.
That was awesome, ...mighty Lions......i saw them play Hawks Bay 1971, first time i'd seen a fullback run into the line, JPR, great when the lLions come here, hope it continues.
It's sad John that the tours are not like they used to be.
I think rugby has lost something as a result, when the All Blacks used to tour Britain and Ireland, it really was a special event, they played local club sides often on a Tuesday and Saturday, now the All Blacks seem to be here every autumn, it has lost some of the magic.
Best Wishes from Wales.
Watched this again today. I'm so sad about the loss of Eddie Butler, such as a brilliant documentary maker and his velvety Welsh brogue.
Finally, Barry John! What a player. Coupled with a brilliant Lieutenant in Mike Gibson. JPR, Gareth, Gerald Davies, Dai Duckham. Players the like of I'll never see again in my lifetime.
And of course, Willie John McBride in the 2nd row. Apparently, McBride cracked Colin Meads with the hardest punch the Kiwi ever received on this tour (pls correct me if I'm wrong). Those two would be in my 2nd row in al all-time XV, with either Frik du Preez or Victor Matfield on the bench. Mike Gibson is one of the best 12s of all time, along with Gerber and No'nu
Thank you so much for uploading this wonderful programme. It was first shown in 2011, to mark the 40th anniversary of that great tour. I recorded it on DVD and it was a treasured possession. Disaster struck last year, when I discovered that the DVD was missing.
I was reconciled to never seeing this again, but you have come to the rescue. These guys were rugby gods. We will never see their likes again. So many highlights, but Barry John's try against the NZ Universities takes pride of place.
Now, as we approach the 50th anniversary, their numbers are beginning to dwindle. Gordon Brown was the first to go, in 2001. Since 2011 we have lost Mervyn Davies, Alastair Biggar, Stack Stevens, John Pullin and, most recently, John Dawes. They may be gone, but the memories will never die.
ruclips.net/video/hIpTbAsl9LU/видео.html
Seems strange that we won’t hear eddies voice anymore. RIP Eddie 🙏🙏
Omg what amazing players, Barry John, JPR, John Dowes, Gareth Edwards!
What a great player John Bevan was. Never mentioned in the same breathe as the greats because he went north
Well he did lose his test place to Duckham after the 1st test - but you're right, he was.
And he equalled Tony O'Reillys try scoring record on that tour.
John was an amazing winger. No wonder rugby league came calling. His try for the barbarians in 1973 was fantastic. Cliff Morgan..so strong this man!
Excellent doco,the best lions ever,such skill,cohesion,spirit and love those side steps.Well done Mr James,fine coach.
Barry John motto simplicity is genius
A great watch. Was at all the Auckland games (I think there were 3) plus the one v Counties at Pukekohe. This was probably the best team I have ever seen. They were a huge influence on young kiwis like me who saw them play and thought "this is the way we want to play", and probably a bigger influence on the NZ style in the years following than people tend to recognise.
That's amazing to hear. Thank you.
Superb documentary. Have only ever read about the 71 lions from various sources and biographies. This bought it alive for someone who was only 3 at the time. Barry Johns balance and composure is remarkable when you see it for the first time. Then you realize how terrible the playing surfaces were and realize how even more perfect his timing.
Superb performance by ALL the Lions not just the Welshmen.
Thank you for the video.
Pontypool supporter aside what a spell binding narrator Mr Butler is , truly a modern day Richard Burton.
Thankfully a lot of these men are still with us
We really miss you Eddie! 😢
Good grief. What a superb piece of journalism. Clearly Warren Gatland has never seen this. So sad to see what the lions brand has become. It used to be about rugby and the bravery to play great rugby.
Actually gatland went to a few of these games as a young boy
What a marvellous piece that was.
An absolutely magnificent sporting team.
Beautifully presented by Eddie Butler who is such a miss.
And that's why they nicknamed him 'King' John.
This squad, and the '74 Lions, just amazing.
What is great about this is the respect that defines our game. The greatest team sport.
We battle to the utmost extent we can get away with until the final whistle goes.
Then you are my brother.
A great hour spent, and an important part of 20th-century Rugby Union. Don't miss it!
I made it to 7:40
almost an old man.....that was a lovely education. Many thanks.
Brilliant presentation. Proper games back then! Great memories, the Lions did really well.
Barry John looked slight, but he was actually strong as well as agile. He's in the traffic against Scotland at 4:09 but he both bumps players off as well as weaves, to get over the line. He played 17 of the 24 Lions games in New Zealand, so tough as well. What a player.
Those were the days before S & C and nutrition were taken seriously....these men took real punishment and the likes of Barry John, Garreth and JPR (RIP) were no exception
The Ba Bas v All Blacks 1973 classic game,a virtual 5th test match never got a mention from Eddie.On that never to be forgotten Cardiff January day 50 years ago the Welsh back line, plus the absolute genius that was Mike Gibson, the sidestepping dashing brilliance of David Duckham made the mighty All blacks look pedestrian. Clutching at thin air,as Phil Bennett, Gibson Edwards,JPR ,Dawes and Duckham weaved their magic.
That touring team of 71 had,for me at least the greatest back division ever to take the field.
The 73 Ba Bas pack was superior to the 71 lions version with Fergus Slattery and Tom David in particular really mighty.
Eddie Butlers homage to that pantheon of legends is a fantastic piece of work, which I've watched numerous times. How generous Brian Williams was in noting that that lions team had great players.
JPR, the finest full back to ever don a rugby jersey and in Gareth Davies the best try finisher ever to my mind.
I loved every single minute of that hour long documentary.
Brian Williams was a wonderful player to watch, fast with a lovely change of pace.
Played with and against Barry at school (Gwendraeth G.S.) and College (Trinity Carmarthen) where he was two years ahead. Much later, an Ilford Wanderers RFC playing colleage and Kiwi journalist (Alan Thurston) had a brief from the New Zealand Herald to write a column about the British Lions before the famous 71 tour. I went along with him to Eastbourne for the Lions pre-tour training camp and listened to Carwyn answering questions from the rugby press..Alan was impressed when Barry came over to say hello! Great player and a lovely person. Btw - Alan thought the Lions would be slaughtered in NZ!
Many thanks for your Kind upload of The " Greatest Performance from the Greatest players in The UK and Ireland! " I remember listening too Every Test Match on the radio with My Dear Father ( Bless Him) No tour of New Zealand is easy but, this was particularly difficult. One only has to look at the amount of games that were played! Great Players. Great Games .And the Greatest Coach who Never coached His beloved Country Wales. Many thanks and Kind regards Colyn.
Superb video. What a team that 1971 side were. I think the forwards were decisive for B&I lions. Ray McLoughlin remaining on the tour was invaluable for Carwyn James. But the Lions backline is legendary. Barry John, Gerald Davies, Gareth, Mike Gibson, John Dawes, JPR, J Bevan. Barry John, the ghost! Fabulous documentary. Fair dues to the Kiwis grace in defeat, on camera at least. RIP, Eddie.
Great stuff from Eddie.Superbly crafted and put together. Shame though no mention of the ba bas 1973 virtual 5th test which proved beyond all doubt that it was no fluke. I was 18 in 1971,i found rugby a fascinating watch. 17 stone verses 10 and a half encounters in the amateur era. Kirkpatrick against Barry John. A super heavyweight against light welter weight. The fabled wil of the wisp, side stepping,body swerving elusiveness and brilliance of King John making fools of the ponderous looking all black flankers all tour long.
It's been a emotional month for me, losing him and another legendary lynchpin of that lions star studied back division JPR. Put that undoubted Welsh wizardry alongside the dashing, uninhibited, side stepping of David duckham and the peerless Mike Gibson,the player the All Black's rated higher than any other and you have, for me at least the finest ever back division to take the rugby field. They've bestowed on me the finest memories in my 50 odd years watching sport.
Greatest achievement in rugby produced by ireland and these isles
John Dawes Gibson. That was the lions trio that brought this series. Putting the wings away. Bevan. Gerald Davies. Duckham. Jpr solid at the back. Gareth played his part. The forwards working very hard for parity. Carwyn James was the architect. He should have a bronze statue outside the millennium stadium.the 71 back line was stellar. it had to be. In 74 the lions had dominance over the springbok scrum.
Wonderful doc, i was only a toddler but remember Dad talking about Barry John, great team indeed , didnt realise they had such an amazing amout of wins here! astounding
I say this as an Irishman, Wales was the driving force of that particular tour...Dawes, Williams, JPR, Gerald Davies, Barry John, Merv, Taylor...adversity of granite
What a great documentary. I feel ashamed I've never found it before. Sadly some of those stars are no longer with us but a side with Gareth Edwards, J P R, Mike Gibson and of course King Barry John in the backs would be very difficult for anyone to beat. All told with his usual excellent style by Eddie Butler. Oh what players Barry John, Gareth and Mike Gibson were. Where are there like today?
You will never see their like again.
The game has changed beyond all recognition. It was a game of evasion, it is now a game of collision. The only men of 80/90 kilos these days , are scrum halves .
@@michellebrown4903 even those are starting to become lesser....we've now got scrum-halves who operate almost like additional back-rowers....forget wingers who easily have 20kg+ on the props of the 70s. While players are definitely having longer careers and we do have S & C/nutrition to thank for that, they do lack the elegance and grace of those 40-50 years ago who could do everything....
Superb documentary.
Not enough is done to highlight these Fabulous, fantastic , world class rugby footballers. Amateurs yes , but with more skill in their toenails than the pansies today.
The players today are not pansies, but a great summation of the differences of that era and today was written in John Dawes obituary. “The game has changed from one of evasion to one of collision”
@@thighsofsteelindeed2234 Hear, hear: well put.
Thank you for uploading ... an English friend mentioned it years ago but it has been impossible to track down ... I suspect BBC Wales might release now with the Lions Tour and the 50th anniversary ... wonderful
No Dan the BBC won't release it , because they are racist bastards . There are too many Welsh players in the team .( I bloody enjoyed that comment)
I remember the Lions of 71. It was a great Era in rugby. Inspirational!
The British Isles, it said on the scoreboard,the commentator called them the British Lions, Salutations to the great Mike Gibson and Willie John McBride from IRELAND
They were still called the British Isles by South African TV on the 1997 tour. Lions was just a nickname on all tours. It only officially changed to British & Irish Lions for the 2001 tour.
Just called the "British Lions" in those days.
27:40 Fergie reckons he "didn't have that bad a day" but in addition to being toyed with by Barry John, he missed two sitter penalty goals (both from virtually in front on the 25). "Six gift points" Ivan Vodanovich was rumored to have mumbled underneath his breath after the game. Bob Howitt, in the 1971 NZ Rugby Annual says "I felt that Fergie had kissed his test jersey goodbye". Ivan had coached the ABs to a series loss in SA the year before, after the ABs had gone to SA with 17 previous straight wins under their belt. Fergie, who'd kicked a record 24 points against Wales in '69, landed 2 out of something like 11 kicks in the first two tests in SA; Bryan Williams took over the goalkicking at Boet Erasmus and then Fergie lost his fullback spot to Gerald Kember for the final test. I think Ivan, who'd been criticized for messing up several selections both in SA and again at Carisbrook, knew his own head was on the block, and that somebody had to take the blame for the Carisbrook defeat. Fergie was an obvious scapegoat, but as it turned out, his replacement Laurie Mains' goalkicking was no better.
35:51 Kirky's great try - what many folk forget is that he'd scored one almost as good against the Boks at Newlands the year before. On that occasion he had only around 25 yards to run, but he received the ball unexpectedly from a messed up scrum and from a standing start ran around and over 4 or 5 Springbok defenders in the process.
Not an advert on a shirt to be seen
Jesus they were hard men 24 games unbelievable
Been looking for this for ages! Many thanks for uploading
I was sat up all night too in London 14 yrs old
Cawyn James would have been knighted nowadays
Carwyn James is a true legend. Managing Llanelli, The Lions and The Barbarians to prevail over the All Blacks.
It is very unlikely he would have accepted it. He was a strongly for Welsh independence.
And Barry John was a rugby genius. I'm English, but I've always said that if there were rugby world cups, in the 70s, Wales would've won them all!
Carwyn James was a genius. He also led Llanelli to victory over New Zealand in 72 and the Barbarians in 73.
Such a back line, but the magnificent Lions forwards had to stand up to that powerful NZpack, such great players.
Jpr smashing a prop into touch incredible
Yeh look I watched or listened to every game of that tour and ever since then I found my self comparing every allblacks team against that almost perfect lions team. ........ suffice to say there has been less than a handfull that in my eyes measured up...that's how good they were simply unforgetable
What a magnificent documentary. Thank you for posting. Cheers :)
Thats how we want to see rugby played. Confidence to express themselves. The art of the risk taker. What a show!
In a way, the All Blacks did well to keep the Lions to a 1-2 defeat. About half the All Blacks test team had retired the year before after the 1970 South Africa tour, including captain Brian Lochore. And there was an issue with not having a reliable goal kicker. It was an unsettled team, with Colin Meads not being quite the right fit for captain, and some of the test replacements driven by panicking team management looking for some way to beat the Lions. It was probably the sheer strength of New Zealand rugby that made the All Blacks still hard to beat under these circumstances. On the other hand, the Lions players who didn't make the test team could easily have made a second great test side.
44:48. 'Joseph, couldn't get it, fell over a dog.' One of my abiding memories from the series. Other than sound, great Lions side, in fact a superlative squad. Some of those tries shown in here are just intoxicating.
That dog may have cost the All Blacks the game🤗
Willie J! What a player and future skipper! Gibson? Peerless 🇮🇪☘️
'74
Is it correct the 1971 Lions coach Carwyn James never coached Wales? The 1971 Lions were probably the greatest team to ever tour NZ. Great forward pack and a star back line of Edwards, John, Gibson, and JPR Williams.
The term legend has been devalued in recent times. Compared to that squad, not may of those recently called legends would stand comparison.
A brilliant team way ahead of their time
Excellent documentary. And to think, the Lions were amateurs and led by a philosopher coach Carwyn James.
As a New Zealander who watched this at the time , I’m reminded to carry on taking the piss out of the Lions . Lions were better than us but so fucking what.
That was fantastic!! 🏴
Excellent. Thank you so much for posting this.
Yes, most of those matches would have been abandoned today due to the number of red cards for head tackles...but my, what beautiful running rugby, what bravery. The only connection with the modern game are the words 'rugby union'...
The Six Nations is not the Six Nations without Eddie Butler. RIP Eddie.
Absolutely brilliant
Tell me it's a better game now. No.
The All Blacks had wretched luck in both 1970 & 1971. In the former, although outclassed by the Springboks in the 1st & 3rd tests, the AB's victory in the 2nd test was by a much greater margin than the scoreboard suggested (8-9 at Newlands), & the 4th test was marred by the 'South African referee' failing to award a penalty try, with conversion in front of the posts, which would have won the game (20-22, instead of 20-17 at Ellis Park), with a 2-2 split rubber; in the latter, Fergie McCormick missed two 'sitters' only 15 yards out, which would have levelled the score to 9-9 at Carisbrook in the opening test against the Lions (again, a drawn series with 1 win & 1 draw each). Many are very forgetful of these points. 'All Blacks never forget' (defeats), making it a side that never says die & will return with a vengeance. However, the Lions was a great side & all credit to it & the brilliant coaching skills of Carwyn James. RIP to those no longer with us.
This how rugby should be played using your brain and speed beating players by stepping in and out of players not like today just running through people
Great side, great doco. One criticism, not much mention of one of the greatest forwards ever, Willie John M Bride.
If you could put the '71 & '74 squads together, it's hard to see them losing tbh
Never forget your Welsh
Yes indeed ,his commentary,passion and his relationships with summarisers like Brian Moore were wonderful ,something with all due respect is missing from the commentary of the six nations ,saying that this years rugby has been wonderfull.
Was it the British Lions or the British and Irish Lions in 1971 ?
Barry John .........WOW !
The greatest touring team of all time but it was pretty close dont ever forget lthat.
Their offical name.. The British lions..amazing
Except they were not all British
"Mains, Joseph, couldn't get it, fell over a dog..." Haha