Editing British & Irish Lions (section)

===Format===
The Lions now regularly tour three Southern Hemisphere countries; Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. They also toured Argentina three times before the [[Second World War]]. Since 1989 tours have been held every four years. The most recent tour was to South Africa in 2021.

In a break with tradition, the [[2005 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand|2005 tour of New Zealand]] was preceded by a "home" fixture against [[Argentina national rugby union team|Argentina]] at the [[Millennium Stadium]] in Cardiff on 23 May 2005. It finished in a 25–25 draw. A similar fixture was held against [[Japan national rugby union team|Japan]] before the [[2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa|2021 tour of South Africa]] at [[Murrayfield Stadium|Murrayfield]], with the Lions winning 28–10.

On tour, games take place against local provinces, clubs or representative sides as well as test matches against the host's national team.

The Lions and their predecessor teams have also played games against other nearby countries on tour. For example, they played [[Zimbabwe national rugby union team|Rhodesia]] in [[1910 British Lions tour to South Africa|1910]], [[1924 British Lions tour to South Africa|1924]], [[1938 British Lions tour to South Africa|1938]], [[1955 British Lions tour to South Africa|1955]], [[1962 British Lions tour to South Africa|1962]], [[1968 British Lions tour to South Africa|1968]] and [[1974 British Lions tour to South Africa|1974]] during their tours to South Africa. They were also beaten by [[Fiji national rugby union team|Fiji]] on their [[1977 British Lions tour to New Zealand|1977 tour to New Zealand]]. In addition, they visited pre-independence [[Namibia]] (then [[South West Africa]]), in [[1955 British Lions tour to South Africa|1955]], [[1962 British Lions tour to South Africa|1962]], [[1968 British Lions tour to South Africa|1968]] and [[1974 British Lions tour to South Africa|1974]].

There have also been games in other countries on the way home. These include games in {{nrut|Canada}} in [[1959 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand|1959]] and [[1966 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand|1966]], [[East Africa rugby union team|East Africa]] (then mostly [[Kenya]], and held in [[Nairobi]]), and an unofficial game against [[Sri Lanka national rugby union team|Ceylon]] (future Sri Lanka) in [[1950 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia|1950]].

{| class="wikitable" style=width:80em
|-
!Year
!To
!Captain
!Head coach
!Top scorer in Tests
!Test series result
!Tests record
|-
|[[1888 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia|1888]]
|New Zealand<br />and Australia
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Robert Seddon]]<br />{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Andrew Stoddart]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Alfred Shaw]]<br />{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Arthur Shrewsbury]]
|colspan="3"|''No Test matches played''
|-
|[[1891 British Lions tour to South Africa|1891]]
|South Africa
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Bill Maclagan]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} Edwin Ash
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Arthur Rotherham]], 4
|Won
|{{win-loss record|w=3|l=0}}
|-
|[[1896 British Lions tour to South Africa|1896]]
|South Africa
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Johnny Hammond (rugby union)|Johnny Hammond]]<br />[[Thomas Crean]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Roger Walker (rugby)|Roger Walker]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[J. F. Byrne]], 12
|Won
|{{win-loss record|w=3|l=1}}
|-
|[[1899 British Lions tour to Australia|1899]]
|Australia
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Matthew Mullineux]]<br />{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Frank Stout (rugby union)|Frank Stout]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Matthew Mullineux]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Charlie Adamson]], 17
|Won
|{{win-loss record|w=3|l=1}}
|-
|[[1903 British Lions tour to South Africa|1903]]
|South Africa
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Mark Coxon Morrison|Mark Morrison]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Johnny Hammond (rugby union)|Johnny Hammond]]
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Jimmy Gillespie|John Gillespie]], 4
|Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=0|l=1|d=2}}
|-
|[[1904 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand|1904]]
|Australia<br /> and New Zealand
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[David Bedell-Sivright]]<br />{{flagicon|WAL|1807}}[[Teddy Morgan]]
|{{flagicon|NZL}} [[Arthur O'Brien]]
|{{flagicon|WAL|1807}} [[Percy Bush]], 20
|Won<br />Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=3|l=0}} (Australia)<br />{{win-loss record|w=0|l=1}} (New Zealand)
|-
|[[1908 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia|1908]]
|New Zealand<br />and Australia
|{{flagicon|WAL|1807}} [[Arthur Harding]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} George Harnett
|{{flagicon|WAL|1807}} [[Reggie Gibbs]], 3<br />{{flagicon|WAL|1807}} [[Jack Jones (rugby union, born 1886)|Jack Jones]], 3
|Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=0|l=2|d=1}} (NZ)<br />No tests against Australia
|-
|[[1910 British Lions tour to South Africa|1910]]
|South Africa
|{{flagicon|IRE|1783}} [[Tommy Smyth (rugby union)|Tommy Smyth]]<br />{{flagicon|WAL|1807}} [[Jack Jones (rugby union, born 1886)|Jack Jones]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[William Cail]]<br />{{flagicon|WAL|1807}}[[Walter E. Rees]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Jack Spoors]], 9
|Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=1|l=2}}
|-
|[[1910 British Lions tour to Argentina|1910]]
|Argentina
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[John Raphael (sportsman)|John Raphael]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} R.V. Stanley
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Harold Monks]], 10<br />''<small>(no test caps awarded)</small>''
|Won
|{{win-loss record|w=1|l=0}}
|-
|[[1924 British Lions tour to South Africa|1924]]
|South Africa
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Ronald Cove-Smith]]
|{{flagicon|WAL|1807}} [[Harry Packer]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} Tom Voyce, 6
|Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=0|l=3|d=1}}
|-
|[[1927 British Lions tour to Argentina|1927]]
|Argentina
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[David MacMyn]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[James Baxter (sportsman)|James Baxter]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Ernie Hammett]], 40<br /><small>''(no test caps awarded)''</small>
|Won
|{{win-loss record|w=4|l=0}}
|-
|[[1930 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia|1930]]
|New Zealand<br />and Australia
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Doug Prentice]]<br />{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Carl Aarvold]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[James Baxter (sportsman)|James Baxter]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Carl Aarvold]], 9
|Lost<br />Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=1|l=3}} (New Zealand)<br />{{win-loss record|w=0|l=1}} (Australia)
|-
|[[1936 British Lions tour to Argentina|1936]]
|Argentina
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Bernard Gadney]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Doug Prentice]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[John Brett (rugby union)|John Brett]], 7<br /><small>''(no test caps awarded)''</small>
|Won
|{{win-loss record|w=1|l=0}}
|-
|[[1938 British Lions tour to South Africa|1938]]
|South Africa
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Sam Walker (rugby union)|Sam Walker]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Bernard Charles Hartley|Major B.C. Hartley]]
|{{flagicon|WAL|1807}} [[Vivian Jenkins]], 9
|Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=1|l=2}}
|-
|[[1950 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia|1950]]
|New Zealand<br />and Australia
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Karl Mullen]]<br />{{flagicon|WAL|1807}}[[Bleddyn Williams]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Leslie B. Osborne]]
|{{flagicon|WAL|1807}} [[Lewis Jones (rugby, born 1931)|Lewis Jones]], 26
|Lost<br />Won
|{{win-loss record|w=0|l=3|d=1}} (NZ)<br />{{win-loss record|w=2|l=0}} (Australia)
|-
|[[1955 British Lions tour to South Africa|1955]]
|South Africa
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Robin Thompson]]<br />{{flagicon|WAL|1953}}[[Cliff Morgan]]
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Jack Siggins]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Jeff Butterfield]], 12
|Tied
|{{win-loss record|w=2|l=2}}
|-
|[[1959 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand|1959]]
|Australia<br />and New Zealand
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Ronnie Dawson (rugby union)|Ronnie Dawson]]
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[O. B. Glasgow]]
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[David Hewitt (rugby footballer born 1939)|David Hewitt]], 16
|Won<br />Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=2|l=0}} (Australia)<br />{{win-loss record|w=1|l=3}} (New Zealand)
|-
|[[1962 British Lions tour to South Africa|1962]]
|South Africa
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Arthur Smith (rugby union)|Arthur Smith]]<br />{{flagicon|ENG}}[[Dickie Jeeps]]
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Harry McKibbin]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[John Willcox]], 5
|Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=0|l=3|d=1}}
|-
|[[1966 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand|1966]]
|Australia<br />and New Zealand
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[David Watkins (rugby)|David Watkins]] <br />{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Mike Campbell-Lamerton]]
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[John Robins (rugby union)|John Robins]]
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Stewart Wilson]], 30
|Won<br />Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=2|l=0}} (Australia)<br />{{win-loss record|w=0|l=4}} (New Zealand)
|-
|[[1968 British Lions tour to South Africa|1968]]
|South Africa
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Tom Kiernan]]
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Ronnie Dawson (rugby union)|Ronnie Dawson]]
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Tom Kiernan]], 35
|Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=0|l=3|d=1}}
|-
|[[1971 British Lions tour to New Zealand|1971]]
|New Zealand
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[John Dawes]]
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Carwyn James]]
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Barry John]], 30
|Won
|{{win-loss record|w=2|l=1|d=1}}
|-
|[[1974 British Lions tour to South Africa|1974]]
|South Africa
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Willie John McBride]]
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Syd Millar]]
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Phil Bennett]], 26
|Won
|{{win-loss record|w=3|d=1|l=0}}
|-
|[[1977 British Lions tour to New Zealand|1977]]
|New Zealand
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Phil Bennett]]
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[John Dawes]]
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Phil Bennett]], 18
|Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=1|l=3}}
|-
|[[1980 British Lions tour to South Africa|1980]]
|South Africa
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Bill Beaumont]]
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Noel Murphy (rugby union, born 1937)|Noel Murphy]]
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Tony Ward (rugby union)|Tony Ward]], 18
|Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=1|l=3}}
|-
|[[1983 British Lions tour to New Zealand|1983]]
|New Zealand
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Ciaran Fitzgerald]]
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Jim Telfer]]
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Ollie Campbell]], 15
|Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=0|l=4}}
|-
|[[1989 British Lions tour to Australia|1989]]
|Australia
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Finlay Calder]]
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Ian McGeechan]]
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Gavin Hastings]], 28
|Won
|{{win-loss record|w=2|l=1}}
|-
|[[1993 British Lions tour to New Zealand|1993]]
|New Zealand
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Gavin Hastings]]
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Ian McGeechan]]
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Gavin Hastings]], 38
|Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=1|l=2}}
|-
|[[1997 British Lions tour to South Africa|1997]]
|South Africa
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Martin Johnson (rugby union)|Martin Johnson]]
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Ian McGeechan]]
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Neil Jenkins]], 41
|Won
|{{win-loss record|w=2|l=1}}
|-
|[[2001 British Lions tour to Australia|2001]]
|Australia
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Martin Johnson (rugby union)|Martin Johnson]]
|{{flagicon|NZL}} [[Graham Henry]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Jonny Wilkinson]], 36
|Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=1|l=2}}
|-
|[[2005 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand|2005]]
|New Zealand
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Brian O'Driscoll]]<br />{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Gareth Thomas (rugby, born 1974)|Gareth Thomas]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Clive Woodward]]
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Stephen Jones (rugby union)|Stephen Jones]], 14
|Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=0|l=3}}
|-
|[[2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa|2009]]
|South Africa
|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Paul O'Connell]]
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Ian McGeechan]]
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Stephen Jones (rugby union)|Stephen Jones]], 39
|Lost
|{{win-loss record|w=1|l=2}}
|-
|[[2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia|2013]]
|Australia
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Sam Warburton]]<br />{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Alun Wyn Jones]]
|{{Flagicon|NZL}} [[Warren Gatland]]
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Leigh Halfpenny]], 49
|Won
|{{win-loss record|w=2|l=1}}
|-
|[[2017 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand|2017]]
|New Zealand
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Sam Warburton]]<br />{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} [[Peter O'Mahony]]
|{{flagicon|NZL}} [[Warren Gatland]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Owen Farrell]], 31
|Tied
|{{win-loss record|w=1|l=1|d=1}}
|-
|[[2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa|2021]]
|South Africa
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Alun Wyn Jones]] <br />
|{{Flagicon|NZL}} [[Warren Gatland]]
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Dan Biggar]], 23
|Lost
| {{win-loss record|w=1|l=2}}
|-
|[[2025 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia|2025]]
|Australia
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Maro Itoje]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Andy Farrell]]
|
|
|
|-
|2029
|New Zealand
|
|
|
|
|
|}

====Other matches====
{{Main|History of rugby union matches between the British & Irish Lions and other countries}}