On This Day

1983

Ciaran Fitzgerald’s Lions lost the opening Test of their series against New Zealand, 16-12.

Mark Shaw’s try for the All Blacks, the only try of the match, proved to be the difference between the sides.

In the Daily Express Tony Bodley said the loss was because the Lions opted to “kick too often and the majority of the kicks were poorly executed”. Coach Jim Telfer agreed: “We made too many mistakes … you can’t win Test matches on mistakes.”