: Tom English, Peter Burns
: This is Your Everest The Lions, The Springboks and the Epic Tour of 1997
: Polaris
: 9781913538132
: 1
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: Sport
: English
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Shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 'Magnificent ... the pinacle of rugby writing' - Owen Slot, The Times The 1997 British& Irish Lions tour to South Africa is one of the most iconic in rugby history. Written off at home and abroad, Martin Johnson's men were given no hope of success against the world champion Springboks in their own backyard. But a combination of brilliant coaching, astute selections and outstanding players laid the foundations for the touring side's outstanding attacking mindset and brutal stonewall defence. On the other side was a team expected to stamp their authority on the tourists and confirm their place as the best side on the planet. But with political, racial and economic scandals swirling around the Springbok camp, plus a rookie coach parachuted into office just before the tour began, the hosts were under huge pressure. In a Test series that will go down in legend as one of the most compelling of all time, the sides could barely be separated. This is the inside story from both camps as they battle for supremacy, lifting the lid like never before as a huge cast of characters look back on those extraordinary weeks and the impact it had on their lives and careers thereafter. Hilarious, insightful and spine-chilling, Tom English and Peter Burns provide the perfect read for all Lions fans.

Tom English is an award-winning BBC Sport writer and broadcaster. He won Rugby Book of the Year at the 2011 British Sports Book Awards for The Grudge, before claiming the prize again in 2016 for No Borders: Playing Rugby for Ireland. He is a co-author of the best-selling Behind the Lions: Playing Rugby for the British& Irish Lions.

CHAPTER TWO

IT’S THE KAFFIRS, MAN

ANDRÉ MARKGRAAFF HAD a turbulent start to his coaching reign, but after the victory in the final Test against the All Blacks he was determined to keep the momentum going on the end-of-year tour. Before they could leave South Africa, not only did he have to deal with the fallout of the François Pienaar affair, he also had to reconfigure his backroom staff.

Morné du Plessis stepped down from the manager’s role in August, disturbed by the waving of apartheid-era flags during the Test against the Wallabies in Bloemfontein during the Tri Nations. Du Plessis issued a statement condemning the gesture. He himself then came under attack for his statement and was left hung out to dry by Sarfu. The lack of support from Louis Luyt was too much for the former Springbok captain and he tendered his resignation.

With Du Plesssis gone, Markgraaff assumed all the responsibilities for team management. He appointed three young coaches as his assistants for the tour – Nick Mallett came in to help with the forwards, Hugh Rees-Edwards with the backs and Carel du Plessis was appointed as a general technical advisor.

It was vital that the tour was a success for the players on and off the field – and, despite everything, it was. Markgraaff’s new-look team recorded two thumping wins over the Pumas in Buenos Aires, then defeated France in Bordeaux and at the Parc des Princes (and in so doing became the first Springbok team to win a series on French soil), and then steamrollered Wales in Cardiff in the last Test to be played at the old Arms Park. ‘At the end of the tour I was exhausted, relieved and proud of my team,’ said Teichmann. ‘The 1995 World Cup was history. This new squad were the real deal and we flew home looking forward to the twin challenges in 1997 of the British and Irish Lions tour and mounting a serious campaign in the Tri Nations.’

At the end of an intense and tumultuous thirteen-Test year, Markgraaff had won six in a row; after enduring severe criticism and scrutiny at the start of his time, his team were now beginning to purr. The Springboks were playing devastating, expansive rugby; their set piece was rock solid and their defence was dominant. ‘We can look forward to the Lions tour with real confidence,’ declared the head coach in the aftermath of the Cardiff victory.

But there was another storm brewing. A calamitous one.

In October 1996, Markgraaff met with André Bester, one of his former provincial players at Griqualand West. After a while the conversation turned to the dropping of François Pienaar and the intense flak Markgraaff had received from the English-speaking media, particulalry the TV channel, Top Sport. Markgraaff had no idea that Bester was recording the conversation.

‘The whole fucking Pienaar thing is politics,’ raged Markgraaff, ‘the whole fucking country is behind him – in terms of the press. Top Sport is the media. TV is the government. Top Sport is the government. It is a kaffir station . . . it is for