The Steenbok tour
In modern life, time is tight for all of us and there are not too many people who can afford to take six or even two weeks off to follow the Lions tour, but there are still plenty of people who want a taste of the unique experience the trip offers.
We have come up with a solution, a three-day trip called the Steenbok package, that takes in the first Test in Durban so you get a piece of the action without disrupting your busy schedule.
Durban is one of the key historic sites of South African rugby and has staged many critical matches for the Springboks, none more so than the semi-final of the 1995 World Cup when South Africa triumphed over France in a prolonged storm, which made conditions at the Kings Park ground difficult for both teams. France always believed that they had won the match with a touchdown by captain Abdel Benazzi—but the attempt was ruled out.
But it is not just as a rugby centre that Durban, in Kwazulu Natal, appeals. It offers instant contrast to the UK as visitors soon discover after they have made the short connecting flight from Johannesburg, South Africa's international gateway.
As Ed Moores, a self-employed financial consultant from Birmingham says: “This is perfect for me – I can’t afford the time to do any longer on tour but with this trip I will get a taste and keep my wife on side!”
It is invariably warm in Durban because the city sits on the East coast of South Africa on the Indian Ocean and has a welcoming climate, beaches which seem to stretch for miles and a vast choice of restaurants and bars, with high quality Indian cuisine reflecting the city's heritage.
For golf addicts there is a wide choice of courses and wild life devotees can reach game parks and bird sanctuaries to the North quickly.
The history of the British and Irish Lions in South Africa is anchored by the performance of the 1974 team under the leadership of the uncompromising Willie John McBride with his fellow Ulsterman Syd Millar alongside him as coach. McBride and his men played 22 matches and won all of them with the exception of the fourth and final Test which was drawn.
The '74 Lions established all kinds of records. At the top was the fact that South Africa had not lost a full Test series at home in the 20th Century. At that time no country had gone through South Africa unbeaten, they scored a record 729 points (in the days of a four point try), their 79 points in the four Tests was a record, and the 28-9 win in the second Test was at that time South Africa's heaviest.
All this had much to do with McBride who was on his fifth and final Lions' tour. In quick time he forged total belief amongst his players and when the series was clinched in Port Elizabeth where the Lions won 26-9, McBride ensured that the players who had not made the Test squad were adequately thanked by those who had.
There followed some 24 hours or so of dedicated celebration with the players and supporters mingling happily over the weekend. This brought a certain amount of nervousness among the management of the Lions' hotel and a threat that the police would be called. McBride enquired of the manager: "How many will there be?"
The '74 Lions were certainly not swamped by supporters, unlike the 2009 vintage. Following tours was in its infancy at that time but has built over the years to the high levels that exist today with thousands going on the road with the Lions, adding to the aura of the best supported touring team from anywhere in the world.
There was no live coverage on television either in those days. Lions' supporters knew about the Test series clincher through radio and newspapers but could not watch television coverage until a couple of days later. The film of that classic third Test win did not leave Durban until the day after the game and arrived in London on the Monday.
The South African’s were nervous of that third Test, knowing that so much hinged upon it. They made eleven changes in their line up against one by the Lions, but it made no difference because they could not halt the tide of red shirts which kept coming at them.
The Lions scored three tries before a sell out crowd of 55,000. The first came from the Scottish lock Gordon Brown who dived over from a line out in the first half for a touchdown. The real try scoring flourish came in the second half with Wales wing JJ Williams twice running in for touchdowns. The rest of the Lions' points came with two dropped goals from fly-half Phil Bennett, and a conversion and two penalties by Scotland's Andy Irvine. JJ Williams scored four tries in all in the Tests, a record at the time, and Irvine's 156 points for the tour was also a first.
Willie John McBride and his Lions raised standards so high that they threw down the challenge to their successors to do as well. Little did they know that it would be 23 years before the Lions returned to South Africa.
Our Steenbok package allows you to be apart of this history, without spending weeks away. Not only is an official match ticket to the opening test included, but all travel, accommodation, transfers, adidas merchandise (including the 2009 replica shirt), entrance to the England Rugby Travel ‘big bar’ before and after the test and England Rugby Travel representatives in attendance throughout is also included.
To view further Steenbok package information, please click here, or to view the great range of tours offered by England Rugby Travel, please click here.
