2001 British Lions tour to Australia

The 2001 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia was a series of matches played by the British Lions

British Lions

British Lions may refer to:*Lions , the lion is a traditional symbol of Great Britain, although it also used as a symbol in various other cultures* British Lions , a 1978 album by former members of Mott the Hoople and Medicine Head...

rugby union

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

team in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

.

This tour followed the Lions' 1997 tour to South Africa

1997 British Lions tour to South Africa

The 1997 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa was a series of matches played by the British and Irish Lions rugby union team in South Africa.This tour followed the Lions' 1993 tour to New Zealand and preceded their 2001 tour to Australia....

and preceded the 2005 tour to New Zealand

2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand

In 2005 the British and Irish Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori club, and 3 official test...

.

The team was captained by Martin Johnson, who became the first and so far only man to lead the British Lions, or British and Irish Lions, on two tours. The coach

Coach (sport)

In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...

was New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

er Graham Henry

Graham Henry

Graham Henry is a New Zealand Rugby Union coach, and former head coach of the country's national team, the All Blacks. He played rugby union for Canterbury and cricket for Otago in the Plunket Shield. Henry was heavily criticized following the All Blacks quarterfinal exit at the 2007 Rugby World...

. After winning the first of their matches against Australia

Australia national rugby union team

The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...

, the Lions lost the remaining two matches of the test series. This was the first time that Australia defeated the Lions in a series. The tour was noted for tension between the test squad and the midweek squad as well as a controversial newspaper column.

Squad

Fullbacks:
Iain Balshaw

Iain Balshaw

Iain Robert Balshaw, MBE is a rugby footballer who plays on the wing or at full back for Biarritz.-Early life:...

(Bath and England); Matt Perry

Matt Perry (rugby player)

Matthew Brendan Perry was an English rugby union rugby player who played full back for Bath. He played internationally for England and the British and Irish Lions.-Biography:...

(Bath and England)

Wings:
Ben Cohen

Ben Cohen (rugby player)

Benjamin Christopher "Ben" Cohen, MBE is a former England rugby union international. He began his professional career with Northampton Saints in 1996; in 2007 he moved to France to represent Brive before returning to England two years later to join Sale Sharks...

(Northampton and England); Dafydd James

Dafydd James

Dafydd Rhys James is a former Welsh international rugby union footballer who plays on the wing or at centre. He toured with the British and Irish Lions in 2001. He has earned 45 caps for Wales and three for the British & Irish Lions...

(Llanelli and Wales); Dan Luger

Dan Luger

Daniel Darko Luger MBE is a former English rugby union international who was a member of the squad that won the Webb Ellis Cup in 2003.- Club career:...

(Saracens and England); Jason Robinson

Jason Robinson

Jason Thorpe Robinson OBE is an English former international rugby union and rugby league player of the 1990s and 2000s. Playing at wing or fullback, he won fifty-one rugby union international test caps in total for England, and in rugby league he won twelve caps for Great Britain and seven for...

(Sale and England); Tyrone Howe

Tyrone Howe

Tyrone Gyle Howe is a former rugby union footballer who played on the wing for University of St Andrews RFC, Ulster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions....

(Ulster and Ireland) - injury replacement for Dan Luger

Centres:
Mike Catt

Mike Catt

Michael John "Mike" Catt OBE is a South African-born former English rugby union footballer who played for London Irish and Bath. He earned 75 international caps for England and played in three World Cup Finals, in 1995, 2003 and 2007...

(Bath and England); Will Greenwood

Will Greenwood

William John Heaton "Will" Greenwood, MBE is an English former rugby union footballer of the 1990s and 2000s.-Career:...

(Harlequins and England); Rob Henderson

Rob Henderson

Robert Alexander James Henderson is a rugby union footballer who plays at centre for Esher RFC. He has represented Ireland with 32 caps and toured with the 2001 British and Irish Lions....

(Wasps and Ireland); Brian O'Driscoll

Brian O'Driscoll

Brian O'Driscoll is an Irish professional rugby union player. He is the current captain of the Ireland Rugby team and captained Leinster Rugby until the start of 2008 season. He also captained the British and Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand...

(Leinster and Ireland); Mark Taylor

Mark Taylor (rugby player)

Mark Taylor is a former Wales international rugby union player who played at centre. He is a former captain of Wales and was the first person to score a try at the newly built Millennium Stadium against South Africa in 1999. He signed for Sale Sharks from Llanelli Scarlets in April 2005 and in...

(Swansea and Wales); Scott Gibbs

Scott Gibbs

Scott Gibbs is a former rugby footballer who represented Wales and the Lions in rugby union and Wales and Great Britain in rugby league...

(Swansea and Wales) - injury replacement for Mike Catt

Fly halves:
Neil Jenkins

Neil Jenkins

Neil Jenkins MBE is a former rugby union football player and current coach. He played fly-half, centre, or full back for Pontypridd, Cardiff, Celtic Warriors, Wales and the British and Irish Lions. Jenkins is Wales' highest ever points-scorer and is the third highest on the List of leading Rugby...

(Cardiff and Wales); Ronan O'Gara

Ronan O'Gara

Ronan John Ross O'Gara is an Irish rugby union player, playing at fly-half for both Munster and Ireland. He is the all time highest point scorer for both Munster and Ireland. In addition to his prolific point-scoring, he has captained Munster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions...

(Munster and Ireland); Jonny Wilkinson

Jonny Wilkinson

Jonathan Peter "Jonny" Wilkinson OBE is an English rugby union player and member of the England national team. Wilkinson rose to acclaim from 2001 to 2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was acknowledged as one of the world’s best rugby players...

(Newcastle and England)

Scrum halves:
Matt Dawson

Matt Dawson

Matthew James Sutherland "Daws" Dawson, MBE is a retired English rugby union player who played scrum half for Wasps and Northampton Saints. During his international career he toured with the British and Irish Lions three times and was part of England's 2003 Rugby World Cup winning side...

(Northampton and England); Austin Healey (Leicester and England); Rob Howley

Rob Howley

Robert Howley is a former Welsh rugby union footballer. He was considered one of the greatest ever scrum-halves and gained 59 caps for Wales, 22 of them as captain.Howley made his Wales debut in February 1996...

(Cardiff and Wales); Andy Nicol

Andy Nicol

Andrew Douglas Nicol , is a former rugby union player and the first British player to lift the Heineken Cup as captain of Bath Rugby...

(Glasgow

Glasgow Warriors

The Glasgow Warriors, formerly Glasgow Rugby, are one of two professional rugby union teams in Scotland, Edinburgh being the other. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12 and their home ground is Firhill Stadium, also the home of Partick Thistle Football Club.-History:Glasgow Rugby were created to...

and Scotland) - injury replacement for Rob Howley

Props:
Jason Leonard

Jason Leonard

Jason Leonard OBE , also known as "The Fun Bus", is an English former rugby union prop forward who held the world record for winning the most international caps until 2005, when it was surpassed by Australia's scrum-half George Gregan...

(Harlequins and England); Darren Morris

Darren Morris

Darren Morris is a Wales international rugby union player and has represented the British and Irish Lions. He plays as a loosehead prop.-Club career:...

(Swansea and Wales); Tom Smith

Tom Smith (rugby player)

Tom Smith is a rugby union coach and former player born in London, England who represented Scotland and the Lions.-Education and background:He was educated at Emanuel School in London and Rannoch School in Scotland...

(Brive and Scotland); Phil Vickery

Phil Vickery (rugby player)

Philip John Vickery MBE is a former English rugby union tighthead prop and member of the England squad. He was a member of England's World Cup winning squad in 2003, playing in all seven matches in the tournament, and is a former England captain. Vickery ended his club rugby career at Wasps,...

(Gloucester and England); Dai Young

Dai Young

David "Dai" Young is a Welsh former rugby union and rugby league player, presently Director of Rugby at London Wasps.Born in Aberdare in 1967, Young lived in Penywaun for many years, and was regularly seen training with his father on the local sports field, now occupied by the Welsh-language...

(Cardiff and Wales)

Hookers:
Phil Greening

Phil Greening

Phil Greening is a former English rugby union footballer. Greening finished his rugby career with London Wasps in 2005. During his career he earned 24 caps for England, as well as going to Australia with the British and Irish Lions in 2001.His rugby career started at his place of birth, Gloucester...

(Wasps and England); Robin McBryde

Robin McBryde

Robin Currie McBryde , is a former rugby union player who gained 37 rugby union caps for Wales as a hooker between 1994 and 2005....

(Llanelli and Wales); Keith Wood

Keith Wood

Keith Gerard Mallinson Wood and educated at St Munchin's College, Limerick is a former international rugby union footballer who played hooker for Ireland, the Lions, Garryowen, Harlequins and Munster....

(Harlequins and Ireland); Gordon Bulloch

Gordon Bulloch

Gordon Bulloch is a rugby union player who is hooker for West of Scotland F.C. and formerly Scotland. Gordon Bulloch is Scotland’s third most capped player with a total of 75 and their most-capped hooker. He previously played for Glasgow and Leeds Tykes.Gordon has played for Scotland at U19 and...

(Glasgow

Glasgow Warriors

and Scotland) - injury replacement for Phil Greening; Dorian West

Dorian West

Dorian Edward West MBE nicknamed "Nobby" is a former English international rugby union footballer.Born in Wrexham, his family moved to England when he was young...

(Leicester and England) - called up as back-up after a number of injuries to the squad

Locks:
Jeremy Davidson

Jeremy Davidson

Jeremy Davidson is a rugby union lock who played club rugby for Dungannon RFC, Ulster, London Irish and Castres Olympique. At international level he represented Ireland with 32 caps and also represented the British and Irish Lions...

(Castres and Ireland); Danny Grewcock

Danny Grewcock

Daniel Jonathan Grewcock MBE is a retired English rugby union rugby lock who played for Bath, England and the British and Irish Lions...

(Saracens and England); Martin Johnson (Leicester and England; capt); Scott Murray (Saracens and Scotland); Malcolm O'Kelly

Malcolm O'Kelly

Malcolm O'Kelly is a retired Irish rugby union player who played as a lock for Ireland and Leinster....

(St Mary's College and Ireland)

Back row:
Neil Back

Neil Back

Neil Antony Back is a former international rugby union footballer for England, who also played for Leicester Tigers, and captained both England and Leicester during his career....

(Leicester and England); Colin Charvis

Colin Charvis

Colin Charvis is a former captain of the Welsh national rugby union team and also played for the British and Irish lions. A back row forward, Charvis was equally adept as a flanker or as the no...

(Swansea and Wales); Lawrence Dallaglio

Lawrence Dallaglio

Lorenzo Bruno Nero "Lawrence" Dallaglio, OBE is a retired English rugby union player and former captain of the English national team. He played as a flanker or number eight for London Wasps and never played for another club, having arrived at Sudbury as a teenager...

(Wasps and England); Richard Hill

Richard Hill (flanker)

Richard Hill MBE is a former rugby union footballer who played flanker for Saracens and England.Often portrayed as the 'silent assassin' at both club and international level, his effective and abrasive style of forward play has made him legendary in rugby union circles...

(Saracens and England); Scott Quinnell

Scott Quinnell

Scott Quinnell is a former Welsh international rugby league and rugby union player, who was a number 8 for Wales, Llanelli RFC, the Llanelli Scarlets and the Lions. He scored 11 tries for Wales and captained his country on 7 occasions in rugby union.-Biography:Scott is the son of former Welsh...

(Llanelli and Wales); Simon Taylor

Simon Taylor (rugby player)

Simon Marcus Taylor is a Scottish professional rugby union footballer for Bath Rugby. He is a back-row forward, usually a number eight. He played for Edinburgh for six seasons between 2000 and 2006 and in 2007 agreed a three year deal with Stade Français joining them immediately after the 2007...

(Edinburgh and Scotland); Martyn Williams

Martyn Williams

Martyn Elwyn Williams is a Welsh international rugby union player. A flanker, he plays for Cardiff Blues and the Wales national rugby union team as an open-side flanker...

(Cardiff and Wales); Martin Corry (Leicester and England) - injury replacement for Simon Taylor; David Wallace

David Wallace (rugby player)

David P. Wallace is an Irish rugby union player for Munster and Ireland. He grew up in Limerick on the Ennis Road. He did not leave Limerick until the age of 17, when he started playing for Munster. He normally plays as an Openside Flanker, but has also played Blindside and Number 8...

(Munster and Ireland) - injury replacement for Lawrence Dallaglio

First

Jason Robinson scored the first try of the match, putting the Lions up 5 to nil. Andrew Walker successfully kicked a penalty goal for Australia's first points. The Lions scored through Dafydd James

Dafydd James

, which was converted by Wilkinson. The score at half time was 12-3.

Brian O'Driscoll

Brian O'Driscoll

scored for the Lions in the second half. Wilkinson converted the try, making it 19 points. Wilkinson would also kick a penalty goal as well. Scott Quinnell

Scott Quinnell

scored for the Lions, Wilkinson converted. Walker then scored a try for Australia. The Lions won the first Test.

Second

The second test was played at Telstra Dome

Telstra Dome

Docklands Stadium is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment stadium in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...

in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

. Wilkinson was successful with two penalty goals, giving the Lions a six to nil lead. Burke then kicked a penalty goal for Australia. Neil Back

Neil Back

Neil Antony Back is a former international rugby union footballer for England, who also played for Leicester Tigers, and captained both England and Leicester during his career....

scored the first try of the match, giving the Lions an 11 to three lead over Australia. Burke kicked another penalty goal to make the score 11 points to six to the Lions.

Joe Roff

Joe Roff

Joe Roff is a retired Australian rugby union footballer and a product of the Tuggeranong Vikings Rugby Union Club in Canberra, who played on the wing or at fullback for Brumbies and Australia and played 5 tests as a centre in the early part of his test career...

scored a try for Australia in the second half, making the score 11-all. Burke kicked a penalty goal to take Australia to the lead. The score became 21-11 when Roff scored his second try. Wilkinson then kicked a penalty goal to make it 21-14. Burke then scored a try for Australia, making it 29-14. Burke kicked another two penalty goals. Australia won the second Test.

Third

With the Lions winning the opening test, and Australia coming back to win the second, the third game at Stadium Australia in Sydney

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

was the decider and was refereed by New Zealander Paddy O'Brien

Paddy O'Brien (rugby referee)

Paddy O'Brien ONZM is a New Zealand international rugby union referee, and currently head of the International Rugby Board's Referee Board...

. The scoring opened up in the third minute, with a penalty to Australia - Burke was successful with the penalty goal, taking Australia to a three to nil lead. Wilkinson, who was under an injury cloud leading up to the match, levelled the scores in the 5th minute with a successful penalty goal. Burke then landed another penalty goal for Australia. Four minutes later Burke kicked another penalty goal, giving Australia a nine to three lead. Robinson scored the first try of the match, which was converted by Wilkinson, giving the Lions a 10 to nine lead. Daniel Herbert

Daniel Herbert

Daniel Herbert was born 6 February 1974 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. He won 67 caps playing at centre for the Australian rugby union side since 1994. He made his test debut at the age of 20 against Ireland on 11 June 1994. He battled Jason Little for a state and test spot alongside Tim...

scored Australia's first try which was converted by Burke, giving Australia a 16 to 10 lead. Wilkinson was successful with a penalty goal that made the scores 16 points to 13.

The Lions took the lead in the second half, with Wilkinson crossing the line to score a try and then converting it, giving the Lions a 20 to 16 lead. Herbert scored his second try in the 49th minute, Burke converted, giving Australia the lead, 23 points to 20. Wilkinson kicked a penalty goal, levelling scores at 23-all. Burke was successful with a subsequent penalty goal five minutes after. Burke kicked another in the 76th minute, to make the score 29 to 23.

External links

Australia 2001 on lionsrugby.com - official website
Australia 2001 on lions-tour.com

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