British & Irish Lions Tours to South Africa

The British and Irish Lions have been touring South Africa for over 120 years. Not all tours were officially sanctioned and the name of the touring team has changed over the years. But the legacy remains and the tours are a much anticipated event. Currently, the Lions tour the Southern Hemisphere on a 4 yearly rotation. The last tour to South Africa was 2009 and the next is due in 2021.

This page has the results of the tours to South Africa that have been made by the various touring teams from the 4 Home Unions.

British & Irish Lions Tours to Australia - click on this link to find out about previous tours to Australia

British & Irish Lions Tours to New Zealand- click on this link to find out about previous tours to New Zealand


2021

June 26

July 3

July 7

July 10


July 14

July 17

July 24

July 31

August 7

Japan

Lions

Sharks

Bulls

Sharks

South Africa 'A'

Stormers

South Africa

South Africa

South Africa

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

B & I Lions

B & I Lions

B & I Lions

B & I Lions

B & I Lions

B & I Lions

B & I Lions

B & I Lions

B & I Lions

B & I Lions

Edinburgh

Johannesburg

Johannesburg

Pretoria

Pretoria

Cape Town

Cape Town

Cape Town

Cape Town

Cape Town

28

14

7

P

31

17

3

17

27

19

10

56

54

P

71

13

49

22

9

16

The match against the Bulls was postponed after Bulls players tested positive for COVID-19. It was then replaced with second match against the Sharks. Only 3 venues were used for the matches due to Covid-19 issues and there were no spectators allowed in the stadiums.



2009

30 May

3 June

6 June

10 June

13 June

16 June

20 June

23 June

27 June

4 July

Royal XV

Golden Lions

Free State Cheetahs

Natal Sharks

Western Province

Southern Kings

South Africa

Emerging Springboks

South Africa

South Africa

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Rustenburg

Johannesburg

Bloemfontein

Durban

Cape Town

Port Elizabeth

Durban

Cape Town

Pretoria

Johannesburg

25

10

24

3

23

8

26

13

28

9

37

74

26

39

26

20

21

13

25

28

The British & Irish Lions lost the test series 1-2. They won the 3rd test after losing the first two test matches. They were also unbeaten outside of the tests, drawing with the Emerging Springboks.



1997

24 May

28 May

31 May

4 June

7 June

11 June

14 June

17 June

21 June

24 June

28 June

1 July

5 July

Eastern Province XV

Border

Western Province

M'pumalanga

Northern Transvaal

Gauteng Lions

Natal

Emerging Springboks

South Africa

Free State

South Africa

Northern Free State

South Africa

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Port Elizabeth

East London

Cape Town

Witbank

Pretoria

Johannesburg

Durban

Wellington

Cape Town

Bloemfontein

Durban

Welkom

Johannesburg

11

14

21

14

35

14

12

22

16

30

15

39

35

39

18

38

64

30

20

42

51

25

52

18

67

16

The British & Irish Lions won the test series 2-1. They won the 1st two tests before losing the 3rd.



1980

10 May

14 May

17 May

21 May

24 May

27 May

31 May

4 June

7 June

10 June

14 June

18 June

21 June

28 June

2 July

5 July

8 July

12 July

Eastern Province

SARA Invitation XV

Natal

SA Invitation XV

Orange Free State

SA Federation XV

South Africa

SA Ctry Districts XV

Transvaal

Eastern Transvaal

South Africa

Junior Springboks

Northern Transvaal

South Africa

SA Barbarians

Western Province

Griqualand West

South Africa

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Port Elizabeth

East London

Durban

Potchefstroom

Bloemfontein

Stellenbosch

Cape Town

Windhoek

Johannesburg

Spring

Bloemfontein

Johannesburg

Pretoria

Port Elizabeth

Durban

Cape Town

Kimberley

Pretoria

16

6

15

19

17

6

26

7

12

15

26

6

9

12

14

6

19

13

28

28

21

22

21

15

22

27

32

21

19

17

16

10

25

37

23

17

The British & Irish Lions lost the Test series 3-1, losing the first three tests before winning the last test.



1974

May 15

May 18

May 22

May 25

May 29

June 1

June 4

June 8

June 11

June 15

June 18

June 22

June 27

June 29

July 3

July 6

July 9

July 13

July 17

July 20

July 23

July 27

Western Transvaal

SW Africa

Boland

Eastern Province

SW Districts

Western Province

SA Federation XV

South Africa

Southern Universities

Transvaal

Rhodesia

South Africa

Quaggas

Orange Free State

Griqualand West

Northern Transvaal

SA Africans

South Africa

Border

Natal

Eastern Transvaal

South Africa

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Potchefstroom

Windhoek

Wellington

Port Elizabeth

Mossel Bay

Cape Town

Goodwood

Cape Town

Cape Town

Johannesburg

Salisbury

Pretoria

Johannesburg

Bloemfontein

Kimberley

Pretoria

East London

Port Elizabeth

East London

Durban

Springs

Johannesburg

13

16

6

14

0

8

6

3

4

15

6

9

16

9

16

12

10

9

6

6

10

13

59

23

23

28

97

17

37

12

26

23

42

28

20

11

69

16

56

26

26

34

33

13

The British & Irish Lions won the Test series 3-0 with 1 test drawn. The team was unbeaten on the tour.



1968

May 18

May 22

May 25

May 29

June 1

June 3

June 8

June 12

June 15

June 18

June 22

June 29

July 3

July 6

July 8

July 13

July 17

July 20

July 22

July 27

Western Transvaal

Western Province

S Western Districts

Eastern Province

Natal

Rhodesia

South Africa

North West Cape

South West Africa

Transvaal

South Africa

Eastern Transvaal

North East Transvaal

Griqualand West

Boland

South Africa

Border

Orange Free State

North East Districts

South Africa

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Potchefstroom

Cape Town

Kempton Park

Port Elizabeth

Durban

Salisbury

Pretoria

Upington

Windhoek

Johannesburg

Port Elizabeth

Springs

Pretoria

Kimberley

Wellington

Cape Town

East London

Bloemfontein

Cradock

Johannesburg

12

6

6

24

5

6

25

5

0

14

6

9

19

3

0

11

6

3

12

19

20

10

24

23

17

32

20

25

23

6

6

37

22

11

14

6

26

9

40

6

The British & Irish Lions lost the Test series 0-3 with 1 test drawn.



1962

May 26

May 30

June 2

June 6

June 9

June 12

June16

June 23

June 27

June 30

July 4

July 7

July 11

July 14

July 17

July 21

July 25

July 28

August 4

August 8

August 11

August 15

August 18

August 25

August 28

Rhodesia

Griqualand West

Western Transvaal

W Prov. Universities

Boland

South West Africa

North East Transvaal

South Africa

Natal

Eastern Province

Orange Free State

Junior Sprinkgboks

SA Combined Services

Western Province

Sth Western Districts

South Africa

Northern Universities

Transvaal

South Africa

North East Districts

Border

Central Universities

Eastern Transvaal

South Africa

East Africa

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Bulawayo

Kimberley

Potchefstroom

Cape Town

Wellington

Windhoek

Pretoria

Johannesburg

Durban

Port Elizabeth

Bloemfontein

Pretoria

Potchefstroom

Cape Town

Oudtshoorn

Durban

Springs

Johannesburg

Cape Town

Stellenbosch

East London

Port Elizabeth

Springs

Bloemfontein

Nairobi

9

8

6

11

8

6

14

3

3

6

14

11

6

13

3

3

6

3

8

8

0

6

19

34

0

38

8

11

14

25

14

6

3

13

21

14

16

20

21

11

0

6

24

3

34

5

14

16

14

50

The British & Irish Lions lost the Test series 0-3 with 1 test drawn.



1955

June 22

June 25

June 29

July 2

July 5

July 9

July 13

July 16

July 20

July 23

July 27

July 30

August 6

August 10

August 13

August 16

August 20

August 24

August 27

September 3

September 10

September 14

September 17

September 24

September 28

Western Transvaal

Griqualand West

Transvaal Universities

Orange Free State

South West Africa

Western Province

Sth Western Districts

Eastern Province

North East Districts

Transvaal

Rhodesia

Rhodesia

South Africa

Central Universities

Boland

W Prov. Universities

South Africa

Eastern Transvaal

North East Transvaal

South Africa

Natal

Junior Springboks

Border

South Africa

East Africa

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Potchefstroom

Kimberley

Johannesburg

Kroonstad

Windhoek

Cape Town

Oudtshoorn

Port Elizabeth

Aliwal North

Johannesburg

Kitwe

Salisbury

Johannesburg

Durban

Wellington

Cape Town

Cape Town

Springs

Pretoria

Pretoria

Durban

Bloemfontein

East London

Port Elizabeth

Nairobi

9

14

6

3

0

3

3

20

6

13

14

12

22

14

0

17

25

17

11

6

8

12

14

22

12

6

24

32

31

9

11

22

0

34

36

27

16

23

21

11

20

9

17

14

9

11

15

12

8

39

The British & Irish Lions drew the test series 2-2.



1938

June 11

June 15

June 18        

June 22

June 25

June 29

July 2

July 6

July 9

July 13

July 16

July 20

July 23

July 30

August 6

August 13

August 17

August 20

August 24

August 27

September 3

September 10

September 17

September 21

Border

Griqualand West

W Province (Town & Ctry)

Sth Western Districts

Western Province

Western Transvaal

Orange Free State

Orange FS Country

Transvaal

North East Transvaal

Cape Province

Rhodesia

Rhodesia

Transvaal

South Africa

Northern Province

Natal

Border

North East Districts

Eastern Province

South Africa

South Africa

W Prov Universities

W Province Country

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

Lions

East London

Kimberley

Cape Town

Oudtshoorn

Cape Town

Potchefstroom

Bloemfontein

Kroonstad

Johannesburg

Pretoria

Kimberley

Salisbury

Bulawayo

Johannesburg

Johannesburg

Durban

Pietermaritzburg

East London

Burgersdorp

Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth

Cape Town

Cape Town

Cape Town

8

9

11

10

21

9

6

3

16

12

3

11

11

9

26

26

11

11

3

5

19

16

16

12

11

22

8

19

11

26

21

18

9

20

10

25

45

17

12

8

15

19

42

6

3

21

19

7

The British & Irish Lions lost the test series 1-2.


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