Here to see JJ Williams in his finest hour after his sad passing.

Watching this again today after Phil Bennett passed, what a fabulous player shone bright in a team of legends.

It can be safely stated that the best flyhalf play ever produced on South African soil was by Phil Bennett during the tour of the 1974 British Lions. It was sheer genius. It was befittingly clearly illustrated when he started running from his own 25 in the 3rd test in Port Elizabeth to manufacture the try which put the test and the series beyond SA's reach. It suddenly dawned that the Springboks lost a home series for the first time ever. A genius who stepped into the big boots of the brilliant Cliff Morgan of the 1955 Lions. They will never be forgotten here in SA. We express our deepest condolences to his family and friends and his team mates over many seasons on his demise. He made sure that we can celebrate his life.

The greatest team ever to leave these shores, it was a privilege to see these players play.

The second test in Pretoria. I was there. I was only 12 years old. One of the greatest moments of my life. Something you never forget.

What incredible speed some of these players had. Beating SA in SA under the apartheid days was one of the hardest things to do in sport, yet this group of Lions won and won big. Immense.

I was a 12 year old kid back then. Those Lions were magnificent!!! 🔥 🔥 🔥

A team full of legendary names. JJ, JPR, (the Williams), Fergus Slattery, Andy Irvine, Gareth Edwards, the sublime Phil Bennett, Willie John, Big Fran. These players and those not mentioned caused me to love the game.

What a mighty ream the 1974 Lions were. Great forwards like Cotton, Brown, and Slattery and great backs like Bennett and JPR Williams, But the master of the team was Gareth Edwards who the Boks couldn't contain.

Slattery’s try was good. The referee disallowed it to avoid a fourth defeat for the Boks.

Back when men who had day jobs as steel workers (Phil Bennet) would play international sport and be heroes. I bloody miss those days, we won't see their like again.

Great watching the Springboks running off the park in shame at the end of the 3rd Test. Beaten badly by probably the best touring side ever.

RIP Phil Bennett - The greatest No 10 ever, just eding Barry Jon - In my book. What a great playe!!

11and a half minutes of pure magical rugby from a lions side blessed with backs that had genuine pace skill vision and flair playing heads up rugby

Marvellous footage - bless you for a brilliant upload!

So nice! Helluva team came out from the islands in 74. Thanks for posting

One of the greatest teams ever

the golden age of Rugby

Brilliant team Best ever

J J Williams of Nantyfyllon a brilliant Winger and Centre

Hi There The 1974 British Lions were undefeated, and they were the most feared side in the world. I have a Rugby Program of the old Eastern Province Rugby, where they faced the 1974 British lions. Regards Gerann

That was just magical.

A marvellous display of the Rugby Union game by the British Lions.

Phil Bennett was an absolute legend, and more importantly a gentleman. Aroha from New Zealand.

Best rugby thing on youtube. By a distance.

They changed the face of British rugby. Utmost respect.

Don't forget the great Commentators Nigel Starmer Smith, Cliff Morgan, Bill McClaren, Fred Cogley and Jim Sherwin

How masterful and brilliant G. Edwards & P. Bennett were! Joy to watch even today! Ref has live with his shame & bias I suppose.

6:48 - that is some kick!!!

Phil Bennett, you were unbelievable.

I coach a team of U13s. We try to encourage the young lads to play like this; with joy and adventure and without fear.

I was a little Springbok in those days - even though born in Britain. Wasn’t sad losing to these Lions.

Phil Bennet what a player.. let alone the rest of that great group of players..

The scrums just happened quickly and worked. JJ was so fast!

Still think Edwards was the best scrumhalf I've ever seen. Interestingly, John Reason, in his book about the 74 tour didn't rate this side as the equal of the 71 Lions and the 70/71 Welsh teams, which had better backlines overall, and a more expansive vision. Still, you wouldn't want to come up against that pack, complemented with Edwards and Bennett and JPR.

Followed every match of their tour. Made a scrap book with every players names, tries newspaper cuttings etc. Think I still remember every player names and positions. And there was no TV in those days. Truly are great team.

I was crying while listening to this game with radio/wireless to my ear

Back in the days when men were Farmers steel workers or builders they were tough as nails wow!👏👏💯

This Tour defined my reason to be here. I was thirteen years old, the World became a challenge, the very Skies became the only limit. The Possible became doable. If you can dream it and work hard enough, it will happen.

JPR, GERALD DAVIES, GARETH EDWARDS, PHI BENNETT, BARRY JOHN - ARE WE EVER GONNA SEE THE LIKES OF THEM AGAIN?

Unbelievable team this Lions team!!!

Great team. Phil Bennett!!! Unbelievable.

Greatest British Lions tour ever. I was lucky enough to see them play in south africa . World class even the All Blacks would of struggled against the Lions . And belive me the South Africans had great provincial sides to the Boks. Hard as nails were the Boers .

2:47 What a drop goal by Edwards, the complete scrum half.

The best of the best Lions team ever, full stop ✋

Today’s great penalty kickers could take a lesson from Phil Bennett as to how to take a penalty kick quickly.

I grew up believing that the Springboks are unbeatable because my dad told me so. Then this BLions team came when I was 11. These guys were at a different level with magical skills. They destroyed the Bok myth that year for me, but I also woke up the complacency in Springbok rugby.

Four tests- one decent pitch!

"Ah,that man Edwards".

They were called the British Isles and Ireland with the nickname of the British Lions, calling them anything different prior to 2001 is rewriting decades of glorious Lions history, this is from an Ireland and Lions supporter.

Someone forgot to water the pitch.......for 6 months.

in 1974 there was no TV in South Africa so Nigel Starmer Smith was actually in London commentating on the film footage

The Lions is not about "States"; its about people. Uniquely it joins together the people of the Western Isles (or if your prefer - the British Isles). It brings together the Irish, English, Scots and Welsh in a unique joint endeavour.

Did you notice how the blacks in the crowd were cheering the Lions tries and victories!thank got there as one now.

Rest in peace Benny 😑😒😐

RIP JPR Williams 1949 - 2024

The Lions are something special eh? To be selected to play for your country is a high accolade indeed but to be asked to play for five countries must be beyond measure, it must in fact be five times as good. I often wonder how a southern hemisphere 'Lions' side would fare in the North, I also ponder on whether France should be part of the Lions ethos, they might not like the title and may want it changed but hey, fair enough. The Lions help bring together often disparate countries and this 74 tour epitomises what can be achieved through the vehicle of sport, at a time when the troubles in Northern Ireland were reaching a terribly ferocious level we see sportsmen from Ireland and the UK coming together with one singular aim, no politics, none of that bollocks just rugby.

To think Gordon Brown went on to become PM. Incredible.

Gérann, I was there. EP the only side that could score 3 tries against the Mighty Lions...

These men were my boyhood heroes.

All five nations in harmony; as it should be!

Ever since the Clint Eastwood film "Invictus" went on general release and was criticized for being too liberal with actual facts I have always believed, and still do, that this tour would make for a better story for either the big or small screen - whether it be broadcast TV or a streaming service like Amazon Prime, Netflix or even Disney+. A mini series could absolutely do it justice. And I say Could rather than would because it would require the right people producing it, directing it and, it goes without saying, writing it. It's a tale that has all the ingredients for a must-see presentation.

What happened to the groundman in the first test? Did he go on strike that week? Great team. One of the all-time best from the British Isles.

Has any player stirred the blood like Edwards & Bennett since those days? Certainly not for me (and I'm English)

Scotland and Wales are not independent- but The Republic of Ireland still play with the British and Irish Lions.

Fast hands in that back division....

South Africans weren't that surprised wrt the 1974 unbeaten B&I Lions-years of isolation has finally caught up with the Springboks.

RIP JJ.

Phil Bennett is definitely the best fly half I have ever seen.

I think they might have been "outstanding" :D

Good job keep it up

Watching it again you have to wonder if McCallum ever thought later 'man, I wish I'd never put that kick through (to Bennett) at Loftus. LOL.

what was wrong with the grass in SA in the 1970s ?

class

No post pads, hard men!

Fran Cotton was awesome

Accordin to the BBC they used to be the British Lions when they won but British and Irish Lions when they lost

So entertaining

nice

I'm sure I saw cabbages growing on the pitch at Newlands!

who was the commentator? want to be exactly sure who it is?

The fact that the lions won 3-1 with dodgy Bok refs shows you how good they were.

Pitches back in the day were bad to say the least!

Look where the South African try was scored, exactly the point, then look where the conversion kick was taken from, about five metres inside where the try was scored - what was the ref thinking??????

@junkman19571 Why?

Burying the kings

Interesting

As an All Black supporter I have to say that this was a fantastic Lions team. They had by faqr the better forwards and a very strong scrum with simply brilliant backs. Commiserations to Fergus Slattery as he did score a try but the Referees were always biased over there at that era then. Just take a look at the All Blacks 76 tour to South Africa and make your own judgement as well as the NZ Cavaliers tour to South Africa

jj williams great winger....

Gordon Brown has decent hands for a Prime Minister

Is there any such thing as "grass" in South Africa?

why?

The nadir of Rugby Union

that's when you could scrumage properly

nice to have commentary by Eric Idle (Lions robbed, but plenty of dodgy passes in various of their tries)

The simple thing is rugby has been played for years. Was never a political sport. That's why is is so popular...

99

the Redcoats are coming

people go on about the try that slattery didn't get but the "try" that roger uttley got in that game was equally controversial because he didn't ground the ball - so maybe a draw was a fair result

junkman - aptly named - You are talking junk . You obviously don't know your rugby. . Welsh, Scots, English and Irish players alike will all tell you that to play for the Lions is the ultimate honour for a player in rugby union. Keep your politics to yersel.