Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: The History of Rugby

Thursday, July 29, 2010

The History of Rugby - Parts 8 & 9

The 1971 British Lions tours of both New Zealand and South Africa are considered two of the greatest Lions successes in their history. Both are featured today as we continue the History of Rugby series. The 1973 classic between the Barbarians and All Blacks is also featured and some of the highlights are absolutely outstanding.

The Lions went to New Zealand in 1971 with a few legends in their midst. It was a hard fought series with the visitors winning the first then conceding the second, a match that produced a couple of fantastic tries. The third Test was won by the Lions before the fourth was drawn, resulting in a historical series win.

In 1973, a great year for rugby, the Five Nations championship was bizarrely tied five ways. We get to see footage of some awesome tries from each side, except France for some reason.

The second part of the series today, Part 9, focuses predominantly on the famous game between the Barbarians and the All Blacks. The game is remembered most for the Gareth Edwards try in the corner, but it also contained other moments of absolute brilliance.

There was a try that unfortunately went begging for John Dawes after a forward pass, but that in itself would have been a classic following some sensational work from England winger David Duckham in the build up. New Zealand wing Grant Batty scored two incredible tries himself, and then there was the outstanding JPR Williams try.

In 1974 the Lions travelled to South Africa for another historical series win that featured as much off field controversy as there was on it. Political tension and physicality on the field pretty much dominated proceedings. We get to see the build up to the first Test.

Have you entered one of the O2 Rugby Reunion tournaments yet? Put a touch rugby team together and you'll get a chance to win fantastic professional rugby kit for you and your mates. You'll also get an official ball, amongst other things. All the info is on the O2 Facebook page, so enter today and make your way to the venue that suits you best. There's photos up there and it looks like great fun!

Note: Catch up on all the previous parts of the series in the archived History of Rugby section.

good one again

first!

By Anonymous, at July 29, 2010 9:41 pm
99; so then you punch ANYONE? Has anyone lived in a time when this was the norm, just out of interest?

By Alexander, at July 29, 2010 9:48 pm
the point of 99 call was that if everyone started throwing punches, the ref either had to let it go or abandon the game. i don't think it's been used by an other lions team since. but like that said in the clip, the springboks of that time were infamously dirty, so it was a way to counter it

By Anonymous, at July 29, 2010 10:06 pm
Awesome footage! Thanks RD

That NZ wing (Batty) looked about 5ft tall, but boy he had some speed.

By Laz, at July 29, 2010 10:22 pm
That was a tease, getting cut off at number 9 when we were!

Man it was way more dirty in the old days!

By Canadian Content, at July 30, 2010 12:02 am
Anybody else get a chill down the spine watching that Baa Baa's game? The talent on the field that day beggers belief on both sides.

Rugby as it should be in those days a stamp or three here and there is good for the bones, no citing officer to worry about... Taste my stud boyo lol

But seriously the passion of rugby back then makes you think if the professonal era has taken some of that away you know? Players see it as a wage nowadays whereas back then it was all about the shirt, the badge and the honor for playing for your country.

By Bealy, at July 30, 2010 12:20 am
duckham. What a player. Serious steps (not as famous as some of the welsh bouys, but what a player)

saw a docu on the Lions, which referenced the 99 call. The Saffers in the docu thought it was a great idea, the Lions were a bit embarrassed by it.

By mise, at July 30, 2010 3:45 am
I haven't minded the 5N emphasis of this series because I really enjoy seeing all these old clips no matter who's playing .. but to say the 74 Lions were "the most famous rugby team of all time" as if it's an unarguable fact is a bit over the top. I'm sure a lot of RD fans will have their own opinion but where I come from there would be no contest about it being the 1905 All Blacks. The point is that it depends where you come from.

By secondfive, at July 30, 2010 6:07 am
I'm a fag.

-James "fag" K.

By Anonymous, at July 30, 2010 8:36 am
This is the equivalent of rugby porn :) Awesome

By Anonymous, at July 30, 2010 9:26 am
Some serious facial hair and lambchop sideburns in the first clip had me p*ssing my sides...Great work RD. Duckham and Batty has some side-steps on them -like a knives through butter.

Second 5 as per your earlier point - don't know enough about the 1905 All Black team but 74 lions were pretty special.

By NiWiTa, at July 30, 2010 1:52 pm
1905 NZ team did get a great mention earlier in the series.

As it happens, whatever about the 5N emphasis, Ireland have been almost completely airbrushed from history in this entire series - except as victims obviously!

France are (mostly) absent too - in fact, SH teams seem to be featuring more than France.

But really, ehat's left out is no biggie, this is just a great romp trou (an admittedly English and welsh view of) the history of rugby.

Great to see the other bits from the 73 game too.

By mise, at July 30, 2010 2:04 pm
Chops need to be brought back as soon as possible! At the moment it's just Medard leading a one man revival. I won't be happy until more than half of all players on the pitch are sporting chops

By Anonymous, at July 30, 2010 5:00 pm
Totally agree about Duckham, my favourite English player of all time. The moment, in the built up to the Dawes non-try when he dummy's everyone in the stadium including the camera man just makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up, so audacious. That sort of risk taking, the kind that Campese, Cullen and only a handful of others try is just electric to watch when it works.

By Anonymous, at July 30, 2010 6:27 pm
I love these videos!

By dr. pepper, at July 30, 2010 9:54 pm
These old clips are awesome -

* touch judges who must be blind and not calling for stepping into touch
* high tackles
* shoulder charges
* raking in the rucks
* players tripping over junk on the field
* bald guys in their 40s still playing for the national side
* mutton chops and mustaches everywhere

The best part is that the referees almost seemed afraid to blow the whistle for fear of slowing down/interrupting the game.

By Rob Andrew creeps me out, at July 30, 2010 10:17 pm
I love the way they score the tries in these games.

They all lift the ball to head height as they dive over the line and then slam the ball down

It gives a great anticipation to the try about to be scored.

By Anonymous, at July 31, 2010 11:36 am
Fucking brilliant. I wish rugby was still played like this, look at how much passion and desire to win there is in each individual player... it's amazing.

By Griffinswinger, at August 12, 2010 12:43 am
Surely that's not it? ... when's the rest due?

By Anonymous, at August 13, 2010 9:08 pm