British and Irish Lions 2017: Why beating the All Blacks is so hard and means so much to the Lions

Just one tour victory in 12 attempts proves why the toughest task for the Lions is beating the All Blacks on their own turf, as Warren Gatland and Steve Hansen recall

It’s the hardest task in world rugby, leading a British and Irish Lions tour to a series victory over the All Blacks. It has happened just one in 129 years, the famous 1971 tour that changed the state of the sport in New Zealand forever, and over the course of the next three weeks Warren Gatland will try to emulate that achievement against the country of his birth.

Gatland actually played and scored against the Lions during the Chiefs’ victory ahead of the third Test in 1993, but it was by watching the series 22 years before that the Kiwi realised just what a Lions series can do for the face of rugby.

The Lions brought an expansive, eye-catching style to the southern hemisphere to tour Australia and New Zealand in the same three-month tour – though they would only play the All Blacks in the Test series – clocking up thousands of miles along the way and playing a mammoth 24 matches during that time – more than double what takes place nowadays.

After the Lions claimed the first Test at Carisbrook, the All Blacks fought back to take the second in Christchurch that set-up a thrilling finish to what was a four-Test series. The Lions took the third at Athletic Park to ensure they would not lose the series, and a 14-14 draw in the final clash at Eden Park – scene of this year’s series opener – guaranteed the one and only successful tour of New Zealand.

So why is so difficult to beat the All Blacks? The great and good of British and Irish rugby have tried and failed to conquer the All Blacks, and a big part of that is the mentality of the tourists – or rather what the All Blacks do to their opponents before matches even begin. The Lions wing, Gerald Davies, scored a series-best three tries in 1971 and he has spoken at length ever since of the approach the Lions had to take in order to win.

“Somewhere along the line it becomes a mental thing,” said Davies. “We grew in confidence, we came to believe it was possible to beat the All Blacks.”

That’s something that Gatland did not believe was possible. Then eight years old, young Gatland thought the All Blacks could not be beaten, and even believed that rugby union was born in New Zealand rather than in Britain. That series would change everything.

“I thought rugby was invented in New Zealand growing up,” Gatland admitted this week. “I didn't think the All Blacks could ever be beaten. It did have a big impact on me, it was the first time I realised the game was played in other parts of the world.


 Warren Gatland knows exactly what it takes to beat the Lions, having done so in 1993 
 (COLORSPORT)

“It's times 11 the Lions have been to New Zealand, it's only once before they've won. It is tough because you're putting a group of players together in such a short period.”

As documented in the pictures above, taken on Lions tours of New Zealand in 1971, 1977, 1983, 1993 and 2005, the task of trying the beat the All Blacks can at times feel impossible. Weather conditions do not favour rugby during the harsh winters in New Zealand, and the energy-sapping tour schedules rarely favour the away side.

However, part of that reason is that the Lions do far more on tour than just play rugby. They visit schools, hospitals and other community locations all across the country, and it’s these encounters than can leave a lasting impression on the likes of Steven Hansen, the All Blacks coach, who has no problem recalling it.

“The first Test I ever saw was in Carisbrook in 1971,” Hansen said ahead of this Saturday’s first Test. “I was only a little kid – if you can imagine me being little – and it was awesome. I was right up the front by the fence and I overhead [Sandy] Carmichael saying to Colin Meads, ‘How do you like that scrummaging boyo?’ Meads said, ‘Yeah, not too bad, but we just scored a try’. I enjoyed that.

“There are things that you keep with you. I was at Christchurch Boys High in my last year when they came out and we met Fran Cotton and those guys at the school. Those things don’t normally happen. It would be a real shame if we ever lose the Lions.”


 Hansen's memories of the Lions stem from watching the 1971 Test at Carisbrook 
 (COLORSPORT/Elsey)

One issue that has strangely cropped up during this tour is the reaction to the Lions from the local media. There has been a nonchalant attitude to not just the Lions’ chances of winning the Test series, but also of their entire tour here, and there feels to be an approach taken of ‘why are you here?’

A Test victory will end that. 46 years is too long to wait for a series win over the All Blacks, and it’s high time the Lions remind New Zealand why their visit once every 12 years means so much. Over the next three weeks, the Lions have the chance to prove just why this is the greatest series in rugby.