2001 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia

The 2001 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia was a series of matches played by the British & Irish Lions rugby union team in Australia.

2001 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia
2001 tour badge
Date8 June  – 14 July
Coach(es) Graham Henry
Tour captain(s) Martin Johnson
Test series winners Australia (2–1)
Top test point scorer(s) Jonny Wilkinson (36)
2001 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia
Summary
P W D L
Total
10 07 00 03
Test match
03 01 00 02
Opponent
P W D L
 Australia
3 1 0 2

The Lions squad was captained by Martin Johnson, the first player to lead the Lions on two tours. The head coach was New Zealander Graham Henry. After winning the first of their matches against Australia, 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 controversial newspaper columns written by scrum-halves Matt Dawson and Austin Healey, accusing the coaching staff of poor scheduling and training regimes and lack of team spirit.

Squad

Name Position Club Home Nation Notes
Iain BalshawFull-backBath England
Matt PerryFull-backBath England
Ben CohenWingNorthampton Saints England
Dafydd JamesWingLlanelli Wales
Dan LugerWingSaracens England
Jason RobinsonWingSale Sharks England
Tyrone HoweWingUlster IrelandInjury replacement for Dan Luger
Mike CattCentreBath England
Will GreenwoodCentreHarlequins England
Rob HendersonCentreLondon Wasps Ireland
Brian O'DriscollCentreLeinster Ireland
Mark TaylorCentreSwansea Wales
Scott GibbsCentreSwansea WalesInjury replacement for Mike Catt
Neil JenkinsFly-halfCardiff Wales
Ronan O'GaraFly-halfMunster Ireland
Jonny WilkinsonFly-halfNewcastle Falcons England
Matt DawsonScrum-halfNorthampton Saints England
Austin HealeyScrum-halfLeicester Tigers England
Rob HowleyScrum-halfCardiff Wales
Andy NicolScrum-halfGlasgow ScotlandInjury replacement for Rob Howley
Jason LeonardPropHarlequins England
Darren MorrisPropSwansea Wales
Tom SmithPropBrive Scotland
Phil VickeryPropGloucester England
Dai YoungPropCardiff Wales
Phil GreeningHookerLondon Wasps England
Robin McBrydeHookerLlanelli Wales
Keith WoodHookerHarlequins Ireland
Mark ReganHookerBristol England
Gordon BullochHookerGlasgow ScotlandInjury replacement for Phil Greening;
Dorian WestHookerLeicester Tigers EnglandCalled up as back-up after a number of injuries to the squad
Jeremy DavidsonLockCastres Ireland
Danny GrewcockLockSaracens England
Martin Johnson (c)LockLeicester Tigers England
Scott MurrayLockSaracens Scotland
Malcolm O'KellyLockSt Mary's College Ireland
Neil BackBack rowLeicester Tigers England
Colin CharvisBack rowSwansea Wales
Lawrence DallaglioBack rowLondon Wasps England
Richard HillBack rowSaracens England
Scott QuinnellBack rowLlanelli Wales
Simon TaylorBack rowEdinburgh Scotland
Martyn WilliamsBack rowCardiff Wales
Martin CorryBack rowLeicester Tigers EnglandInjury replacement for Simon Taylor
David WallaceBack rowMunster IrelandInjury replacement for Lawrence Dallaglio

Results

Date Home team Score Ground Result
8 June Western Australia 10–116 WACA, Perth Win
12 June Queensland Presidents XV 6–83 Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville Win
16 June Queensland Reds 8–42 Ballymore, Brisbane Win
19 June Australia A 28–25 North Power Stadium, Gosford Loss
23 June NSW Waratahs 24–41 Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney Win
26 June NSW Country 3–46 International Stadium, Coffs Harbour Win
30 June Australia 13–29 The Gabba, Brisbane Win
3 July ACT Brumbies 28–30 Bruce Stadium, Canberra Win
7 July Australia 35–14 Colonial Stadium Loss
14 July Australia 29–23 Stadium Australia Loss

Test series

First test

Jason Robinson scored the first try of the match, putting the Lions up 5–0. Andrew Walker successfully kicked a penalty for Australia's first points. The Lions scored through Dafydd James, which was converted by Wilkinson. The score at half-time was 12–3.

Brian O'Driscoll scored for the Lions in the second half. Wilkinson converted the try before kicking a penalty to make the score 22–3. Scott Quinnell then scored for the Lions, with Wilkinson converting. Walker then scored a try for Australia.

30 June 2001
19:00
Australia 13–29British & Irish Lions
Try: Grey 66' m
Walker 68' m
Pen: Walker 18'
ReportTry: Robinson 3' m
James 32' c
O'Driscoll 41' c
Quinnell 50' c
Con: Wilkinson (3)
Pen: Wilkinson 44'
The Gabba, Brisbane
Attendance: 37,460
Referee: André Watson (South Africa)
FB15Chris Latham 41'
RW14Andrew Walker
OC13Daniel Herbert
IC12Nathan Grey
LW11Joe Roff
FH10Stephen Larkham 52'
SH9George Gregan
N88Toutai Kefu
OF7George Smith
BF6Owen Finegan 72'
RL5John Eales (c) 61'
LL4David Giffin
TP3Glen Panoho 61'
HK2Jeremy Paul 52'
LP1Nick Stiles
Replacements:
HK16Michael Foley 52'
PR17Ben Darwin 61'
LK18Matt Cockbain 61'
FL19David Lyons 72'
SH20Chris Whitaker
FH21Elton Flatley 52'
FB22Matt Burke 41'
Coach:
Rod Macqueen
FB15 Matt Perry 41'
RW14 Dafydd James
OC13 Brian O'Driscoll
IC12 Rob Henderson
LW11 Jason Robinson
FH10 Jonny Wilkinson
SH9 Rob Howley
N88 Scott Quinnell 61'
OF7 Richard Hill
BF6 Martin Corry 61'
RL5 Danny Grewcock
LL4 Martin Johnson (c)
TP3 Phil Vickery 74'
HK2 Keith Wood
LP1 Tom Smith 74'
Replacements:
HK16 Gordon Bulloch
PR17 Jason Leonard 74'
FL18 Colin Charvis 61'
FL19 Martyn Williams
SH20 Matt Dawson
SH21 Austin Healey
FB22 Iain Balshaw 41'
Coach:
Graham Henry

Second test

The second test was played at Colonial Stadium in Melbourne. Wilkinson was successful with two penalty goals, giving the Lions a 6–0 lead. Burke then kicked a penalty goal for Australia. Neil Back scored the first try of the match, giving the Lions an 11–3 lead over Australia. Burke kicked another penalty goal to make the score 11–6 to the Lions.

Joe Roff scored a try for Australia in the second half, making the score 11–11. Burke kicked a penalty goal to give Australia 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.

7 July 2001
19:00
Australia 35–14British & Irish Lions
Try: Roff (2)
Burke
Con: Burke
Pen: Burke (6)
ReportTry: Back
Pen: Wilkinson (3)
Colonial Stadium, Melbourne
Attendance: 56,605
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
FB15Matt Burke
RW14Andrew Walker
OC13Daniel Herbert
IC12Nathan Grey
LW11Joe Roff
FH10Stephen Larkham
SH9George Gregan
N88Toutai Kefu
OF7George Smith
BF6Owen Finegan
RL5John Eales (c)
LL4David Giffin
TP3Rod Moore
HK2Michael Foley
LP1Nick Stiles
Replacements:
HK16Brendan Cannon
PR17Ben Darwin
LK18Matt Cockbain
FL19David Lyons
SH20Chris Whitaker
FH21Elton Flatley
FB22Chris Latham
Coach:
Rod Macqueen
FB15 Matt Perry
RW14 Dafydd James
OC13 Brian O'Driscoll
IC12 Rob Henderson
LW11 Jason Robinson
FH10 Jonny Wilkinson
SH9 Rob Howley
N88 Scott Quinnell
OF7 Neil Back
BF6 Richard Hill
RL5 Danny Grewcock
LL4 Martin Johnson (c)
TP3 Phil Vickery
HK2 Keith Wood
LP1 Tom Smith
Replacements:
PR16 Jason Leonard
HK17 Dorian West
FL18 Martin Corry
FL19 Martyn Williams
SH20 Matt Dawson
FH21 Neil Jenkins
FB22 Iain Balshaw
Coach:
Graham Henry

Third test

With the series tied at 1–1, the third test at Stadium Australia in Sydney was the decider and was refereed by New Zealander Paddy O'Brien. The scoring began in the third minute, when Burke successfully kicked a penalty for Australia, giving them a 3–0 lead. Wilkinson, who was under an injury cloud leading up to the match, levelled the scores in the fifth 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 9–3 lead. Robinson scored the first try of the match, which was converted by Wilkinson, giving the Lions a 10–9 lead. Daniel Herbert scored Australia's first try which was converted by Burke, giving Australia a 16–10 lead. Wilkinson was successful with a penalty goal that made the score 16–13.

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 20–16 lead. Herbert scored his second try in the 49th minute, Burke converted, giving Australia a 23–20 lead. Wilkinson kicked a penalty goal, levelling scores at 23–23. Burke was successful with a subsequent penalty goal five minutes after. Burke kicked another in the 76th minute, to make the score 29–23.

14 July 2001
19:00
Australia 29–23British & Irish Lions
Try: Herbert (2)
Con: Burke (2)
Pen: Burke (5)
ReportTry: Robinson
Wilkinson
Con: Wilkinson (2)
Pen: Wilkinson (3)
Stadium Australia, Sydney
Attendance: 84,188
Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)
FB15Matt Burke
RW14Andrew Walker
OC13Daniel Herbert
IC12Nathan Grey
LW11Joe Roff
FH10Elton Flatley
SH9George Gregan
N88Toutai Kefu
OF7George Smith
BF6Owen Finegan
RL5John Eales (c)
LL4Justin Harrison
TP3Rod Moore
HK2Michael Foley
LP1Nick Stiles
Replacements:
HK16Brendan Cannon
PR17Ben Darwin
LK18Matt Cockbain
FL19David Lyons
SH20Chris Whitaker
FH21James Holbeck
FB22Chris Latham
Coach:
Rod Macqueen
FB15 Matt Perry
RW14 Dafydd James
OC13 Brian O'Driscoll
IC12 Rob Henderson
LW11 Jason Robinson
FH10 Jonny Wilkinson
SH9 Matt Dawson
N88 Scott Quinnell
OF7 Neil Back
BF6 Martin Corry
RL5 Danny Grewcock
LL4 Martin Johnson (c)
TP3 Phil Vickery
HK2 Keith Wood
LP1 Tom Smith
Replacements:
PR16 Darren Morris
HK17 Dorian West
FL18 Colin Charvis
FL19 Martyn Williams
FH20 Ronan O'Gara
SH21 Andy Nicol
FB22 Iain Balshaw
Coach:
Graham Henry

Television coverage

In Australia, Seven Network and Fox Sports jointly televised the British & Irish Lions matches. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, matches were shown on Sky Sports.

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