British writer says 1971 Lions 'fairly ordinary'

Skills much better in modern era

A leading British rugby writer, Chris Hewett, has acknowledged what many people in New Zealand have been muttering under their breath for many years – the 1971 British & Irish Lions were 'fairly ordinary'.

As Britain and Ireland get ready to celebrate 50 years since the only triumph achieved by the Lions in 90 years of trying to win in New Zealand, Hewett wrote in his Rugby Paper column that the 1971 success under coach Carwyn James and captain John Dawes had seen the truth bent out of shape.

In New Zealand, the impact and style of play from the Lions, especially in provincial games, was significant even forcing a powerhouse like Wellington, who were rocked 47-9, to completely change the way they played the game – a style that, in its modern application, is still played by the Hurricanes.

But the Test matches were hardly riveting affairs. The first Test was won by the Lions 9-3, courtesy of a charge-down try. The second Test was won 22-12 by the All Blacks thanks to two Bob Burgess tries, one to Sid Going, one remarkable effort scored by Ian Kirkpatrick and a penalty try.

The third Test was all over after 20 minutes when the Lions scored 13 unanswered points in their 13-3 win, while the fourth Test was a 14-14 draw.

New Zealand had also suffered a significant loss in manpower in the wake of the disappointing 1970 tour of South Africa – a tour that finally broke up the All Blacks powerhouse that Fred Allen had built in the mid-1960s.

There was a costly period of selection manoeuvring, not all of it for the benefit of All Blacks rugby over the next three or four years.

Players introduced for the series: Phil Gard, Ken Carrington, Mick Duncan, Richie Guy and Howard Joseph did not last beyond it, while Tom Lister and Jazz Muller were not selected again, Alan McNaughton had one more year, and Laurie Mains had to wait another five years before being selected again. And, of course, Colin Meads retired from Test play.

Hewett said those people who were critics of professional rugby were all too ready to claim things weren't as good as they were in the old days.

"Everything was better in their day, they mutter into their port. There are no Gareths now. They don't make 'em like Willie John any more. The last time anyone swerved like Merv, Merv was the one doing the swerving.

"But how much 'better' was it if it was better at all?" he asked.

If anyone needed convincing Hewett suggested they watch the final Test of the 1971 series.

"Trust me, it wasn't pretty," he said.

"The scrum count was off the scale: even if you exclude more than a dozen examples of the 1970s-style reset – nowhere near as drawn out as today's Fandango, but frustrating all the same – there were 30 of the things in the first half alone. Yes, really. By comparison, the line-out connoisseurs were on starvation rations. There were only 27 of those," he said.

Hewett said there were some individual displays of class: Merv Davies covered plenty of ground, Mike Gibson's rugby intellect was obvious while David Duckham was a master on the wing.

But even Barry John, the dominant individual of the team, had been guilty of faults in the first half with loose kicks and fumbles and other mistakes.

"At the risk of being burned at the stake for heresy, it is my solemn duty to report that Gareth Edwards wasn't devastating either," he said.

Both players had better second halves which in the circumstances of the tour had been when it counted.

Compared with the last Test, also at Eden Park, to decide the series in 2017, Hewett said the differences between the two matches were at least as great as the similarities.

"One was lightning fast, highly-tuned, hugely dynamic and jaw-droppingly athletic. The other was played in 1971," he said.