sport news British & Irish Lions legend JPR Williams recalls brutal 1974 tour of South ...

sport news British & Irish Lions legend JPR Williams recalls brutal 1974 tour of South ...
sport news British & Irish Lions legend JPR Williams recalls brutal 1974 tour of South ...

As an aggressive, counter-attacking full back who once returned to the field against New Zealand after having 30 stitches in his face, JPR Williams was never afraid to put his body on the line.

But the legendary former Wales and British & Irish Lions star of the 1970s and 80s admits nothing in his great career came close in terms of brute physicality to the 1974 Lions tour of South Africa.

That trip - which Warren Gatland's class of 2021 will recreate this summer - was the most successful in Lions history with the team undefeated. Winning 21 and drawing one of their 22 matches, Willie John McBride's side stood toe-to-toe with the giant Springboks.

JPR Williams (centre) has fond memories of the Lions' tour of South Africa in 1974

JPR Williams (centre) has fond memories of the Lions' tour of South Africa in 1974

The Lions ended the tour undefeated having won 21 and drew one of their 22 matches

The Lions ended the tour undefeated having won 21 and drew one of their 22 matches

JPR Williams recalls clattering Moaner van Heerden, who complimented him 20 years later

JPR Williams recalls clattering Moaner van Heerden, who complimented him 20 years later

In one of the most physical Test series battles of all time, frequently marred by on-pitch violence, the Lions of 47-years-ago decided they would not stand for any opposition aggression, however illegal.

Captain McBride instigated a call of '99' - a cue for every Lions player on the pitch to join the fight if trouble broke out, by hitting the nearest Springbok.

The thinking was that it would make it more difficult for a single Lions player to be punished by the officials if everyone was guilty of something.

'Willie John was our captain and he was on his fifth Lions tour. How the hell he did that I don't know,' said Williams. 'He drummed it into us that we weren't going to be physically intimidated.

'We had this emergency call. It started off as 999 but that was a bit long, so we shortened it to 99. We only used it twice and it paid off! There were no cameras in those days.'

Williams disclosed that he is anticipating a difficult task for the Lions in this year's tour

Williams disclosed that he is anticipating a difficult task for the Lions in this year's tour

The Lions won the 1974 Test series 3-0 with the final match drawn 13-13. The third Test - regarded as one of the most brutal in rugby history - became known as the Battle of Boet Erasmus.

'At one point I ran in about 50 yards and hit the biggest South African forward, called Moaner van Heerden,' remembers Williams. 'About 20 years ago, I happened to be on a train with him. He came up to me and said, "JPR, that was the best punch I've ever received in my life!" The third Test was also remarkable because us backs couldn't understand why all the forwards were suddenly looking around on the floor.

'They were looking for Johan de Bruyn's glass eye! I was lucky to play on two successful Lions tours - New Zealand in 1971 and South Africa in 1974. They were a fantastic part of my life.'

Williams' felling of Van Heerden and Gordon Brown's punch on De Bruyn which knocked his glass eye clean from its socket are stories which live on in Lions folklore. Nearly half a century later, rugby is very different as Williams, now 72, agrees.

Still, the need for the Lions to match the giant South Africans physically remains as important as it was then. 'You have to be cleverer than the cameras, which is very difficult

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