99 Call: How the British Lions prevailed at the infamous 1974 tour of South Africa

One in, all in.

In the face of rank hostility from their hosts, the British Lions of 1974 knew that simply outplaying their opponents on the field would be insufficient if they were to down a formidable South African side on their own turf. Knowing they'd have to sink to South Africa's level, the "99" call was born; a policy of simultaneous retaliation in response to underhanded tactics.

Around the late 1960s and early 1970s, South Africa were an intimidating force at home. Between 1967 and 1971, they'd hosted France, Australia and New Zealand a combined 18 times, losing only twice and winning every series. The Springboks were known for their overt physicality and aggression, able to bully teams into submission.

On their previous trip to South Africa in 1968, the Lions suffered a bruising series defeat, losing fly-half Barry John to a broken collarbone following a dangerous tackle in the first Test.

Six years on, the Lions declared that things would be different.

Matches then would be refereed by a home referee; there were no video replays, and substitutions were only permitted if the referee deemed a player unable to continue. As such, the Springboks would employ punishing tactics to any and all visiting teams. The Lions fell foul of the referee in that 1968 tour of South Africa, with John Taylor embroiled in a skirmish that saw him sent off.

That sending off, combined with the rough play that saw Barry John suffer a broken collarbone, provoked a change of tack for the 1974 tour.

Preparing for the Test series against provincial sides, captain Willie John McBride had been warned that certain key members on his team could be targeted ahead of the opening Test in a fortnight's time.

McBride dutifully informed his players they could be in for some below-the-belt treatment against Eastern Province, and said that if there is any play that crosses a line, everyone is in it together: One in, all in.

The thinking was that if things did reach a boiling point, the referee wouldn't send anybody off if everybody was involved, in contrast with Taylor's sending off in 1968 when isolated amongst a herd of green shirts.

After half an hour of the clash with Eastern Province, Gareth Taylor took a late whack off the ball following a line-out. Although the rest of the Lions side saw the shot, the referee did not, and the call of "99" rang out. Stray punches flew to anyone within touching distance whether involved in the incident or not.

After a brief melee, the hosts had learned their lesson; no further undue punishment was meted out, with no retaliation from the tourists necessary.

News travelled, and in a 22-match tour, the call was used sparingly, and wasn't required in the first two Tests against South Africa, but in the third Test, things turned sour.

South Africa were 2-0 down in a four-match series. Unable to win, they needed to take the third Test just to have a chance of drawing the series; a series defeat would have brought shame to the nation. For the hosts, the pressure was well and truly on.

In an attempt to shake things up, South Africa made eight changes to the side that lost 28-9 three weeks prior with a number of bruising enforcers deployed.

Desperation had set in to the Springboks, who'd had a team talk not from a captain or coach, but the minister for sport prior to kick-off. As the Lions waited for kick-off, the South Africans sprinted onto the pitch, raring to go, running for their lives.

It didn't take long for the touchpaper to be lit with punches quickly being thrown. When skipper McBride asked if the referee would get a hold of proceedings, he quickly realised he and his team mates would need to take matters into their own hands.

Prepping his team for the inevitable, the call came.

The Test would later be known as the Battle of Boet Erasmus, such was the violent and brutal nature of the match. An unstoppable force met an immovable object, as the South Africans, who simply could not lose, would take on a Lions side who were more than happy to meet their opponents in the middle.

Johannes de Bruyn had his glass eye knocked clean out of its socket by Gordon Brown, prompting a brief halt to the brawl to find it in the mud. When Be Bruyn retrieved the muddy eye, he popped it back into his skull, with Brown hesitant to tell him there were blades of grass hanging out of it.

Eventually the Lions ran out 26-9 winners, sealing a legendary series win, and only more controversial refereeing, which included blowing up early with the South African tryline beckoning at 13-13, prevented a Lions whitewash.

It was an unprecedented show of dominance in one of the most inhospitable sporting environments, with the Springboks delighted to get away with a draw in the final Test.

It was a tour that will forever live long in the memory, and perhaps the tour that embodies the spirit of the Lions more than any other: One in, all in.

Liam Williams

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