Tales of the tours: Lions triumph 1971

Warren Gatland's British and Irish Lions are seeking just their second series win on New Zealand soil in the 129-year history of clashes between touring sides and New Zealand rugby's finest.

As excitement grows for the three-test series - the country's most anticipated sporting event since the 2011 Rugby World Cup - the New Zealand Herald looks back at the Lions' rich history of touring New Zealand.

Today: 1971

The spirit of 1971 will be surging through the British and Irish Lions as they prepare to face off against Steve Hansen's All Blacks in the upcoming test series.

After a rugby rivalry dating back 83 years, 1971 saw the Lions finally taste a test series victory on our shores.

The series is regarded as one of the finest to be played here, and the 1971 Lions team are also rated one of the best sides to visit.

Gracious in victory, the Lions' Willie McBride with Colin Meads. Photo / NZME

"It was a great tour and never to be forgotten," rugby historian Clive Akers said.

"And the Lions dined out on it for years and years. I don't know how many coaching books and other books [were] produced in Britain about how to coach winning teams [based on that tour].

"There were some great players in that team."

The 1971 Lions were the first combined team to tour here who were "well-prepared, well-coached, had outstanding captaincy and leadership and a lot of very good players".

Akers said the All Blacks were also caught "on the hop", going through a rebuilding process after the side's previous year's tour to South Africa.

But it wasn't all smooth sailing for the Lions.

Before the first test the tourists lost their top two props - Sandy Carmichael and Ray McLoughlin after a spiteful 14-9 win over Canterbury at Lancaster Park.

Carmichael suffered multiple cheekbone fractures from a punch, while McLoughlin chipped the bone at the base of his left thumb while dishing out some rough justice to a Canterbury player.

"The Canterbury game was one of the dark aspects off the whole tour," Akers said.

"It wasn't the only rough game on tour but it ended the tour for their two top-ranked props. It was an unfortunate game. For 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there, they forgot about the ball and just wanted to have a go at each other."

New Zealand Rugby Museum director Stephen Berg described the onfield thuggery during the Canterbury clash as "horrific".

"From all the reports I have read it just shouldn't have been allowed," he said. "The players just should have been sent off; there was brutality on the field and I think the players who dished it out back then should never have been allowed to be All Blacks."

Emotions were so high between the tourists and New Zealand rugby top-brass that All Black management warned of the potential for more fireworks in the pending test series.

"The violence in the game in 1971 is just not sportsmanship," Berg said.

Left, Welsh star first-five Barry John. Photo / NZME

"For me, rugby was at its worst part [back then] ... the scores were low, the handling skills were often not the best, a lot of goals were missed ... and to think the game was marred on top of that by violence by people kicking or punching each other off the ball, it is horrible."

The Lions won the test series 2-1. The fourth and final test was a 14-14 draw at Eden Park.

Akers said in many ways the All Blacks became victims of their struggle to adapt to playing a 15-man style.

"We were caught on the hop," he said. "The Lions were a delight to watch."

Berg remembers the Lions as the near-complete package.

They were powered upfront by a "well-drilled" forward pack that "did a number" on their All Black opposites.

Their star-studded backline was also directed by Welsh first-five Barry John.

"The 1971 Lions team had a very talented backline," Berg said.

"They had Barry John at first-five and he was a wonderful kicker of the ball and a gifted runner and handler."

The fourth test brought down the curtain on Sir Colin Meads' 133-match career with the All Blacks.

In a statement that might make many New Zealand rugby fans shudder, Akers said the Lions had singled Sir Colin out as a potential weakness in the All Black pack, as the legendary lock and captain was struggling with a rib injury throughout the series.

"He struggled through the series because he was carrying a rib injury," he said.

"The Lions were aware of it so they kept rating Colin because they didn't want to see him dropped. They thought Pinetree would be the weak link."

Earlier in the tour fullback Fergie McCormick felt the selectors' knives after a poor display with the boot, when several unsuccessful shots at goal in the first test at Carisbrook contributed to the Lions' 9-3 win.

"Back in the 1970s All Black selectors took a real dim view of anyone having a bad game," Berg said.

"One game and you were out. It seems a bit harsh. You had one mistake, and you were gone."

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• Thanks to the New Zealand Rugby Museum, its director Stephen Berg and rugby historian Clive Akers