The Invincibles: The 1974 British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa

Available on DVD from www.digitalclassics.co.uk and all major retailers.

An extraordinary moment in the world of sport and politics

In 1974 the South African apartheid regime was under worldwide condemnation; in defiance of a developing international policy to isolate South Africa, the British and Irish Lions rugby team controversially accepted the invitation to tour the country and play a test series against their ancient rivals, the Springboks.

The resulting series was one of the most violent in Lions history; yet those 22 matches produced remarkable rugby, including many memorable tries. The Lions enjoyed unparalleled success and with some of the greatest players ever to grace the game, they went unbeaten, going down in rugby legend as The Invincibles.

This film, which includes unique personal footage from the players, is both a thrilling celebration of a remarkable rugby team and a poignant reminder of the scale of change in South Africa since that landmark tour.
Interviews include personal insights from the following:

Willie-John McBride, Gareth Edwards, JJ Williams, JPR Williams, Fran Cotton, Roger Uttley, Fergus Slattery, Makhenkesi Stofile ( Minister of Sport RSA) and Peter Hain MP.

• Category

  Sports

[donMateo07]

what's the title of the song at the end, when Williams scores ?

[DigitalClassics]

It is a song called 'Wheel of Fortune' by Raven.

[cherryandwhitearmy]

Greatest of all time... I think so

Just think, with modern day equipment, technology and proffesional lifestyles imagine what this team would be like, near perfection, the greatest rugby talented team ever.

[mizofan]

This may have been the greatest team of all.

[twinytwo]

Team to play a win the lions Cian Healy Rory Best Adam Jones Donnacha Ryan AWJ Steven Ferris Sean O Brien Toby Faletau Mike Phillips Jonny Sexton George North Jamie Roberts Jonathan Davies Tommy Bowe Rob Kearney/Lee Halfpenny Tour in the bag and no english players in site.

[twinytwo]

how many penos did phil vickery give away because he couldnt scrummage... how many tries did monye fuck up when any other winger would have finished them off?. Had jenkins and jones started like they should have... and literally anyone else besides monye. And the 2013 tour will suffer the same fate because they will have to included a of useless english players. With maybe the exception of foden i wouldnt take anyone of them.

[andi toja]

How many world cups have Ireland won? zero. You Irish need to get a fucking clue

[SuperMandelson]

What's the song?

[Patrick Jolly]

@DigitalClassics: are you sure? which album?

[Patrick Jolly]

- any idea where to get a copy of that track? 

[TheLancashireladdy]

Although the team contained brilliant Irish players, It  wasn't called the British and Irish lions at that time. If all the Celtic nations get their independence will it become (in alphabetical order) the English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh Lions?

[grandslam1998]

A draw was the right score in the last test. The lions had scored a try that dubious.

[ouboet12]

Brilliant!!!

[goedwards]

The greatest rugby team of all time, bar none. It took that lowest of all species to rob them of a series clean sweep and 100% tour win record . ..........apartheid-era South African rugby referees. Take a bow Mr Max Baise.