BRITISH LIONS SOUTH AFRICA TOUR 1974

This is a potted compilation from a programme from the series "Sporting Legends". It features the historic British Lions Rugby Union tour of 1974 to South Africa where they became the first Lions to remain unbeaten in all games (and were robbed in the Fourth Test!!... look up the records if you feel the need!!). The tour went ahead despite South Africa being in the grip of apartheid. I am not defending nor criticising the decision to tour. All this clip is designed to do is to show the camaraderie and unity of the players on that tour and the stories that are related by the wonderful Scottish lock forward, the late Gordon Brown and the sublime, lyrical captain of the Lions - Willie John McBride.
Music played a large part in the unity of the team (as seen on this clip) and the emergence of the anthem "The Flower of Scotland" is shown within this.
Sadly, Gordon Brown (who was such a natural and had a marvellous delivery of a story) is no longer with us as he died in 2001 at age of 53 and Roy Williamson (of the Scottish folk duo The Corries) who wrote the anthem in 1965 also died too young in 1990.
I am not a rampant Scot but an "Anglicised Welshman" but I loved the corinthian spirit of Rugby Union at that time and the fire of the Celts.
I hope you enjoy the clip and not view it in any political way.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• British
• Lions
• Rugby
• Union
• Willie
• John
• McBride
• Flower
• of
• Scotland
• The
• Corries

[bcharville]

Who's The Big Cyclops?

[WalkerBros4Ever]

@bcharville The one-eyed guy the Lions were playing against a team from the provinces 5.35 in the video .... but I don't know his name and Gordon doesn't mention it in the full version I have. Sorry.

[Pihasanddunes1]

@WalkerBros4Ever. The Big Cyclops, the guy with the glass eye was Johan de Bruyn, playing for Orange Free State in the game the Lions won 11-9.

[WalkerBros4Ever]

@Pihasanddunes1 Thanks for the information, much appreciated!! Brilliant story, you couldn't make that up!! I miss people like Gordon who could recall incidents with such ease.

[krakatoa1200]

What a Gent Gordon Brown, A true Lion

[WalkerBros4Ever]

@krakatoa1200 Absolutely, a sad loss to all sport lovers. He was truly "a gentle giant" and a thoroughly nice guy.

[monsmoy1]

i grew up with rugby at this timeit was the best time rugby ever had

[junkman19571]

what a wonderful person.....R.I.P. Gordon....

[krakatoa1200]

Gordon could tell a story better than Billy Conolly

[WalkerBros4Ever]

@gilbertosullivan01 Agreed. A gentle, giant still sadly missed.