Loading AI tools
International rugby union tour which took place in South Africa from May to July 2009 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa was an international rugby union tour which took place in South Africa from May to July 2009.
2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa | |
---|---|
Date | 30 May – 4 July |
Coach(es) | Ian McGeechan |
Tour captain(s) | Paul O'Connell |
Test series winners | South Africa (2–1) |
Top test point scorer(s) | Stephen Jones (39) |
Lions' top point scorer(s) | Stephen Jones (65) |
Top test try scorer(s) | Tom Croft (2) Shane Williams (2) |
Lions' top try scorer(s) | Ugo Monye (5) |
Player of the Series | Jamie Roberts |
2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Summary |
| ||||
Total |
| ||||
Test match |
| ||||
Opponent |
| ||||
South Africa |
|
The British & Irish Lions played a three-match Test series against South Africa, with matches in Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg, as well as matches against six provincial teams, and a match against the Emerging Springboks, South Africa's second national team. The Lions won all six provincial matches and drew with the Emerging Springboks, 13–13.
South Africa won the Test series, defeating the Lions 26–21 in the first Test, and then 28–25 in the second Test. The third Test was won by the Lions 28–9. The highlight of the series was the second Test, which the Lions led until the 76th minute, when they fell 25–22 behind. Stephen Jones then scored a penalty to tie the score at 25–25 with only two minutes left, but two minutes into injury time, Morné Steyn scored a 52-metre penalty kick to win the match for South Africa, 28–25.
The tour followed the 2005 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand and preceded the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia.
The tour was confirmed by the South African Rugby Union on 21 September 2007. The Lions chief executive John Feehan stated in November 2007 that no home Test match would be played prior to departure, as had taken place in 2005, and that fewer players and personnel would go to South Africa than had gone to New Zealand in 2005.[1]
The Lions' tour manager was Gerald Davies,[2] the head coach was Ian McGeechan,[3] and the captain of the squad was Munster captain and Ireland lock, Paul O'Connell.[4]
The tour schedule was announced by the Lions and the South African Rugby Union (SARU) on 10 April 2008.[5] The final fixture confirmed was the game in Port Elizabeth; on 22 January 2009, SARU announced that they had received permission from the South African government to hold the match on the Youth Day national holiday on 16 June.[6] This match marked the debut of the Southern Kings, a franchise formed in the Southern and Eastern Cape region, following the failure of the Southern Spears.
Head coach Ian McGeechan had planned to take the Lions squad to the Spanish city of Granada, at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains for a high-altitude training camp, but on 27 April he announced that it had been cancelled because of problems over player availability.[7] The Lions flew to South Africa on 24 May, arriving the following day.[8]
The format was similar to that of the Lions' 2005 tour of New Zealand. As in 2005, six games were played before the first Test, and a mid-week game between the first and second Tests; unlike 2005, there was no mid-week game between the second and third Tests. Due to its unpopularity, The Power of Four anthem was not used on the 2009 tour.[9]
Date | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
30 May | Royal XV | 25–37 | British & Irish Lions | Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg |
3 June | Golden Lions | 10–74 | British & Irish Lions | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg |
6 June | Free State Cheetahs | 24–26 | British & Irish Lions | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein |
10 June | Sharks | 3–39 | British & Irish Lions | Kings Park Stadium, Durban |
13 June | Western Province | 23–26 | British & Irish Lions | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town |
16 June | Southern Kings | 8–20 | British & Irish Lions | Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth |
20 June | South Africa | 26–21 | British & Irish Lions | Kings Park Stadium, Durban |
23 June | Emerging Springboks | 13–13 | British & Irish Lions | Newlands Stadium, Cape Town |
27 June | South Africa | 28–25 | British & Irish Lions | Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria |
4 July | South Africa | 9–28 | British & Irish Lions | Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg |
South Africa won the first Test in Durban 26–21. Leading 19–7 at half-time and 26–7 after 50 minutes, the Springboks had dominated the scrum until the Lions made several substitutions. The Lions mounted a strong comeback, scoring late tries through Tom Croft and Mike Phillips, but South Africa held on. Inside the last ten minutes of the game, the Lions had two tries disallowed by the TMO. It was later described as an "unbelievable" Test match.[10]
The second Test at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria was won by South Africa 28–25 with the last kick of the game – a penalty by Morné Steyn from inside his own half. The Lions had led 19–8 after an hour, but tries from Bryan Habana and Jaque Fourie allowed South Africa to tie the score before Steyn's series-winning kick. It was described as "devastation" for the Lions, with the team ending the game "looking more like a scene from [American television series] ER as opposed to a rugby team".[11]
The week of the third Test was marked by controversy and intense media interest surrounding the suspended Springbok players Schalk Burger and Bakkies Botha after a very physical second Test.
Burger was yellow-carded in the first minute, after he appeared to gouge Luke Fitzgerald's eye. Burger was subsequently banned for eight weeks for "making contact with the face in the eye area." He was cleared of gouging, as his action was found to be "reckless" but not intentional.[12][13]
Burger was widely criticised, with many commentators believing he should have been sent off for the incident.[14][15] Brian O'Driscoll was among many who criticised South Africa coach Peter de Villiers after he said Burger's actions should not even have led to a yellow card.[16]
Bakkies Botha was banned for two weeks for a dangerous charge on prop Adam Jones, which left Jones with a dislocated shoulder.[17] SA Rugby expressed their confusion over the reasons for Botha's ban with the coach calling it a "textbook cleanout". An appeal was lodged but the initial ruling was upheld. Coaches and players expressed concern about the impact such an interpretation might have on a core component of the game, with Lions player Phil Vickery and forwards coach Warren Gatland lending their support to Botha's case.[18] The injured Jones himself later came out in defence of Botha saying:
The Springboks came out for the third Test wearing white armbands with the words "Justice 4" on, in protest over perceived inconsistencies in the citing process.[21] This protest was investigated by the IRB for allegedly "bringing the game in disrepute", and the team and management were fined accordingly.[22]
The Lions won the third Test on 4 July at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, beating the Springboks 28–9, in what The Times called "one of the best and most heroic performances in the history of the Lions".[23] Having already won the series, the Springbok squad saw 10 changes from the previous week, and the Lions also saw substantial changes. The Lions led from the start, and Shane Williams scored two tries.[24] England lock Simon Shaw was sin-binned for striking Springboks scrum-half Fourie du Preez with his knee in this test and received a two-week ban as a result.[25] This was the first Test victory for the Lions in eight years, their last being in Brisbane in 2001.[26][27]
Jamie Roberts was voted the Lions' sponsors' 'Player of the Series' by British and Irish journalists.[28]
30 May 2009 15:00 |
Royal XV | 25–37 | British & Irish Lions |
Try: Koch 17' c Barnes 26' m Roux 65' c Con: Olivier Viljoen Pen: Olivier (2) 9', 23' | Report[29] | Try: Bowe 38' c Byrne 67' c A.W. Jones 75' c O'Gara 79' c Con: O'Gara (4) Pen: O'Gara (3) 6', 42', 72' |
Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg Attendance: 12,352[30] Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)[31] |
3 June 2009 19:10 |
Golden Lions | 10–74 | British & Irish Lions |
Try: Frolick 36' c Con: Pretorius Pen: Pretorius 14' | Report[32] | Try: Roberts (2) 6' c, 40' c O'Driscoll 10' c Monye (2) 21' m, 68' c Croft 29' c Bowe (2) 47' c, 57' c Hook 74' c Ferris 80' c Con: S. Jones (6/7) Hook (3/3) Pen: S. Jones (2) 12', 17' |
Coca Cola Park, Johannesburg Attendance: 22,218[30] Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)[31] |
6 June 2009 15:00 |
Free State Cheetahs | 24–26 | British & Irish Lions |
Try: Demas 25' c du Preez 33' c Uys 72' c Con: Potgieter (2) Strydom Pen: Potgieter 41' | Report[33] | Try: Ferris 10' c Earls 16' c Con: Hook (2/2) Pen: Hook (4) 5', 19', 37', 49' |
Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein Attendance: 23,710[30] Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)[31] |
10 June 2009 19:10 |
Sharks | 3–39 | British & Irish Lions |
Pen: Kockott 29' | Report[34] | Try: Mears 22' c Phillips 41' m Fitzgerald 59' c Byrne 67' c Heaslip 80' c Con: O'Gara (3/4) Hook (1/1) Pen: O'Gara (2) 48', 52' |
ABSA Stadium, Durban Attendance: 21,530[30] Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)[31] |
13 June 2009 15:00 |
Western Province | 23–26 | British & Irish Lions |
Try: Pietersen 63' m Pen: De Waal (4/5) 3', 40+2', 47', 60' Drop: De Waal (1/1) 19' Pietersen (1/2) 27' | Report[35] | Try: Bowe 28' m Monye 35' c M. Williams 55' m Con: S. Jones (1/3) Pen: S. Jones (2/3) 6', 11' Hook (1/2) 77' |
Newlands Stadium, Cape Town Attendance: 34,176[30] Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)[31] |
16 June 2009 15:00 |
Southern Kings | 8–20 | British & Irish Lions |
Try: Mbiyozo 71' m Pen: Van der Westhuyzen 1' | Report[36] | Try: Monye 49' c Penalty try 68' c Con: O'Gara (2/2) Pen: O'Gara (2/3) 26', 43' |
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth Attendance: 35,883[30] Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)[31] |
First Test
20 June 2009 15:00 |
South Africa | 26–21 | British & Irish Lions |
Try: Smit 5' c Brüssow 46' c Con: Pienaar (2/2) Pen: Pienaar (3/4) 11', 32', 35' F. Steyn (1/2) 20' | Report[37] | Try: Croft (2) 22' c, 67' c Phillips 74' c Con: S. Jones (3/3) |
ABSA Stadium, Durban Attendance: 47,813[30] Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)[31] |
Team details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
23 June 2009 19:10 |
Emerging Springboks | 13–13 | British & Irish Lions |
Try: Demas 80' c Con: De Waal (1/1) Pen: Rose (2/4) 37', 49' | Report[38] | Try: Earls 15' c Con: O'Gara (1/1) Pen: O'Gara (1/2) 8' Hook (1/1) 77' |
Newlands Stadium, Cape Town Attendance: 39,418[30] Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)[31] |
Second Test
27 June 2009 15:00 |
South Africa | 28–25 | British & Irish Lions |
Try: Pietersen 12' m Habana 63' c Fourie 74' c Con: M. Steyn (2/2) Pen: F. Steyn (1/2) 40+1' M. Steyn (2/2) 68', 80+1' | Report[39] | Try: Kearney 7' c Con: S. Jones (1/1) Pen: S. Jones (5/5) 3', 15', 61', 70', 78' Drop: S. Jones (1/1) 36' |
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria Attendance: 52,511[30] Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)[31] |
Team details | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Third Test
4 July 2009 15:00 |
South Africa | 9–28 | British & Irish Lions |
Pen: M. Steyn (3/3) 12', 40+1', 68' | Report[40] | Try: S. Williams (2) 25' m, 33' c Monye 54' c Con: S. Jones (2/3) Pen: S. Jones (3/4) 9', 72', 73' |
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg Attendance: 58,318 Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)[31] |
Team details | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
The Lions announced a 37-man squad on 21 April 2009. Before the start of the tour Tomás O'Leary, Tom Shanklin and Jerry Flannery all withdrew because of injuries and Alan Quinlan was suspended. During the tour, Leigh Halfpenny, Stephen Ferris, Euan Murray, Lee Byrne, Adam Jones, Gethin Jenkins, Jamie Roberts and Brian O'Driscoll, as well as Ferris' replacement Ryan Jones, were forced to withdraw from the squad due to injury.[41] Nathan Hines was suspended for one week because of a dangerous tackle against the Emerging Springboks.[42]
23 backroom staff were appointed by the Lions, slightly down from the 26 on the 2005 tour to New Zealand. The Lions reverted to having only one management structure, rather than a separate team for the midweek side. The tour manager was former Wales and Lions player Gerald Davies.[43]
Name | Role | Home union | Nationality |
---|---|---|---|
Ian McGeechan | Head Coach[43] | Scotland | Scotland |
Warren Gatland | Forwards Coach[43] | Wales | New Zealand |
Graham Rowntree | Scrummaging Coach[43] | England | England |
Rob Howley | Attack Coach[43] | Wales | Wales |
Shaun Edwards | Defence Coach[43] | Wales | England |
Neil Jenkins | Kicking Coach | Wales | Wales |
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.