One of the longest running and most traditional events in international rugby union, the British and Irish Lions Tour sees the finest players in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere collide in typically epic Test matches.
We take a look back through the history books at all of the previous winners of the British and Irish Lions Tour since its establishment back in 1888.
British and Irish Lions Tour previous winners
Year | Hosts | Winners | Test series result |
1888 | New Zealand and Australia | N/A | No Test matches played |
1891 | South Africa | British and Irish Lions | 3-0 |
1896 | South Africa | British and Irish Lions | 3-1 |
1899 | Australia | British and Irish Lions | 3-1 |
1903 | South Africa | South Africa | 1-2-0 |
1904 | Australia and New Zealand | British and Irish Lions and New Zealand | Lions 3-0 Australia, NZ 1-0 Lions |
1908 | New Zealand and Australia | New Zealand | NZ 2-1-0, No Test Matches v Australia |
1910 | South Africa | South Africa | 2-1 |
1910 | Argentina | British and Irish Lions | 1-0 |
1924 | South Africa | South Africa | 3-0-1 |
1927 | Argentina | British and Irish Lions | 4-0 |
1930 | New Zealand and Australia | New Zealand and Australia | NZ 3-1 Lions, Australia 1-0 Lions |
1936 | Argentina | British and Irish Lions | 1-0 |
1938 | South Africa | South Africa | 2-1 |
1950 | New Zealand and Australia | New Zealand and British and Irish Lions | NZ 3-0-1 Lions, Lions 2-0 Australia |
1955 | South Africa | Tied | 2-2 |
1959 | Australia and New Zealand | British and Irish Lions and New Zealand | Lions 2-0 Australia, NZ 3-1 Lions |
1962 | South Africa | South Africa | 3-0-1 |
1966 | Australia and New Zealand | British and Irish Lions and New Zealand | Lions 2-0 Australia, NZ 4-0 Lions |
1968 | South Africa | South Africa | 3-0-1 |
1971 | New Zealand | British and Irish Lions | 2-1-1 |
1974 | South Africa | British and Irish Lions | 3-0-1 |
1977 | New Zealand | New Zealand | 3-1 |
1980 | South Africa | South Africa | 3-1 |
1983 | New Zealand | New Zealand | 4-0 |
1989 | Australia | British and Irish Lions | 2-1 |
1993 | New Zealand | New Zealand | 2-1 |
1997 | South Africa | British and Irish Lions | 2-1 |
2001 | Australia | Australia | 2-1 |
2005 | New Zealand | New Zealand | 3-0 |
2009 | South Africa | South Africa | 2-1 |
2013 | Australia | British and Irish Lions | 2-1 |
2017 | New Zealand | Tied | 1-1-1 |
2021 | South Africa | South Africa | 2-1 |
In the 38 competitive British and Irish Lions Test series since 1892, the Lions have come out on top on 15 occasions, with 21 defeats and two ties.
The Lions have a 100% record against Argentina, winning all three of their series against the South Americans in 1910, 1927 and 1936.
The Northern Hemisphere outfit also have a favourable head-to-head record against Australia, winning seven of nine series contested against the Wallabies.
It is against South Africa and New Zealand where the Lions have often come undone, winning just four of 14 series against the Springboks and one of 12 when faced with the All Blacks.
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