World
Rugby Museum Home
BLAIR PADDY MAYNE
Compiled by Stewart McClean
THE BRITISH LIONS
TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA 1938
R.B.Mayne, Queens University, Ulster and Ireland was a member of the
Lions party which toured South Africa in 1938, he was
one of five Ulster players to be
honoured by selection along with S.Walker of Instonians, R.Alexander of NIFC
and RUC, G.E.Cromey and H.R.McKibben
both of Queens University.
This is thought to be the first time that the term "LIONS" was
used as they had always been referred to as The British Isles Touring Party
prior to 1938.
The party sailed from Southampton on May 20th on
board the liner Stirling Castle and arrived in Cape Town on June 3rd, by all
accounts the critics were very impressed after watching the teams first try
out.
The tour consisted of twenty provincial matches ** ++ and three full
tests with R.B.Mayne playing in seventeen of the provincial matches and the
three tests.
** It was originally to be eighteen but they were asked to stay on and
play a further two matches.
Listed below is a resume of the match facts and comments pertaining to
Blair Mayne. These have been compiled from articles and reports contained in
The Northern Whig Newspapers which are stored in hard copy at Central Library
in Belfast.
++Following research into those papers I have found recorded details of
twenty four matches being played on this tour
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
Opening Match.... Saturday 11th June 38
Lions v Border result..... won 11 pts to 8 pts
R.B.Mayne selected.
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
2nd Match.... Wednesday 15th June
38
Lions v Griqualand result..... won 22 pts to 9 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
MAYNE OUTSTANDING
IN PACK "
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
3rd Match.... Saturday 18th June 38
Lions v Western Province result... lost 11 pts to 8 pts
This was classed as a Town and
Country side
R.B.Mayne selected
"ALTHOUGH
BEATEN THE VISITORS IMPRESSED WITH THEIR
BRILLIANT OPEN PLAY
AND THEIR RELENTLESS
TACKLING"
----------------------------------------------------------
4th match.... Wednesday 22nd June 38
Lions v S/West District result... won
19 pts to 10 pts
R.B.Mayne not selected
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
5th Match....Saturday
25th June 38
Lions v Western Province result... lost 21 pts to 11 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
---------------------------------------------------------
6th Match....Wednesday 29th June 38
Lions v Western Transvaal result...
won 26 pts to 9 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
7th Match.... Saturday
2nd July 38
Lions v Orange Free State result...
won 21 pts to 6 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
"R.B.MAYNE AN
OUTSTANDING FORWARD IN BOTH TIGHT AND LOOSE"
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
8th Match.... Wednesday
6th July 38
Lions v Orange Free State result...
won 18 pts to 3 pts
R,B,Mayne not selected
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
9th Match.... Saturday
9th July 38
Lions v Transvaal result... lost 12 pts to 9 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
"R.B.MAYNE
OUTSTANDING IN A GOOD PACK"
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
10th Match.... Wednesday 13th July
38
Lions v Northern Transvaal result...
won 20 pts to 12 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
11th Match.... Saturday 16th July 38
Lions v Cape Province result...
won 10 pts to 3 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
12th Match.... Wednesday 19th July 38
Lions v Rhodesian XV result...
won 24 pts to 11 pts
R.B.Mayne not selected
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
13th Match.... Saturday 23rd July 38
Lions v Rhodesia result...
won 45 pts to 11 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
14th Match.... Saturday 30th July 38
Lions v Transvaal result...
won 17 pts to 9 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
"MAYNE WAS A MAIN STAY OF THE PACK"
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
15th Match.... Saturday 6th August
38
THE FIRST TEST AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA
JOHANNESBURG
result... Lost 26 pts to 12 pts
R.B.Mayne selected "
MAYNE WAS
OUTSTANDING IN A PACK WHICH GAMELY AND UNTIRINGLY STOOD
UP TO A TREMENDOUS TASK"
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
* On August 10th the Lions were asked to stay for another week and play a further two matches. *
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
16th Match.... Saturday 13th August
38
Lions v Northern
Provinces
result... lost 26 pts to 8 pts
This was an experimental side
R.B.Mayne selected
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
17th Match.... Wednesday 17th August
38
Lions v Natal result...
won 15 pts to 11 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
"MAYNE WAS THE
OUTSTANDING FORWARD AND HE WORKED VERY
HARD"
---------------------------------------------------------
18th Match.... Saturday 20th August
38
Lions v Border XV result...
won 19 pts to 11 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
This was regarded as a trial
match for the second test
"MAYNE WAS THE
OUTSTANDING FORWARD ON THE FIELD AND WAS WELL SUPPORTED BY THE
ENTIRE PACK"
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
19th Match.... Wednesday 24th August
38
Lions v North Easterns result...
won 42 pts to 3 pts
R.B.Mayne not selected
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
20th Match.... Saturday 27th August
38
Lions v Eastern Province result...
won 6 pts to 5 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
"MAYNE AGAIN
OUTSTANDING IN THE PACK"
21st Match.... Saturday
3rd September 38
THE SECOND TEST AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA
PORT ELIZABETH
result... Lost 19 pts to 3 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
The temperature was 93 degrees
in the shade, the heat was too much for them and some of them were nearly in a
fainting condition at the close of play.
-------------------------------------------------------------
22nd Match.... Saturday 10th
September 38
THE THIRD TEST AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA
CAPE TOWN
result... Won 21 pts to 16 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
"MAYNE AGAIN
OUTSTANDING IN THE OPEN AND MAGNIFICENT IN
DEFENCE"
The British team were popular
and deserving winners of one of the fastest, most open and exciting
International matches ever seen in South Africa.
The crowd carried the captain
S.Walker and members of the team off the field on their shoulders
There were eight Irishmen on
this team.
This was only the third time
in 47 years for a South African team to be beaten on that ground in an
International game.
Newlands is the home of rugby
in the Union and a familiar slogan in South Africa is...
" WE NEVER LOSE
AT NEWLANDS"
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
23rd Match.... Saturday 17th
September 38
Lions v Western Provinces
Universities
result... Won 19 pts to 16 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
24th Match.... Wednesday 21st
September 38
Lions v Western Provinces
Country XV
result... Lost 12 pts to 7 pts
R.B.Mayne selected
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
The touring party (pictured
above at Newlands) sailed for home on Friday 23rd September 1938 on board the
SS ATHLONE CASTLE.
FULL TOUR
RECORD........
Played 24 Won
17 Lost 7 Drawn 0
PLAYERS.
FULL BACKS....
V.G.J.JENKINS (London Welsh)
C.F.GRIEVE (Oxford Uni).
THREEQUARTERS....
E.J.UNWIN (Rosslyn Park)
W.H.CLEMENT (Llanelli)
E.L.JONES (Llanelli)
C.V.BOYLE (Dublin Uni)
R.LEYLAND (Waterloo)
D.J.MACRAE (St.Andrews Uni.)
H.R.McKIBBEN (Queens Uni)
B.E.NICHOLSON (Old Whitgiftians and Harlequins)
HALF‑BACKS....
F.J.REYNOLDS (Old Cranleighans)
G.E.CROMEY (Queens Uni.)
J.L.GILES (Coventry)
H.TANNER (Swansea)
G.J.MORAN (Clontarf)
FORWARDS....
S.WALKER (Instonions)
M.E.MORGAN (Swansea)
W.G.HOWARD (Old Birkonions)
W.H.TRAVERS (Newport)
C.R.A. GRAVES (Dublin Wanderers)
R.B.MAYNE (Queens Uni.)
G.T.DANCER (Bedford)
S.R.COUCHMAN (Old
Cranleighans)
A.G.PURCHAS (Coventry)
J.A.WATERS (Selkirk)
P.L.DUFF (Glasgow Acads.)
I.WILLIAMS (Cardiff)
A.R.TAYLOR (Cross Keys)
R.ALEXANDER (North of Ireland)
TEAM CAPTAIN -
S.WALKER.
TEAM MANAGER -
Maj.B.C.HARTLEY.
ASSISTANT MANAGER - H.A.HAIGH‑SMITH.
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
The profit on the British
rugby teams recent tour of South Africa ammounted to ,13,837.3s.3d.
The takings for all matches in which the touring team took part amounted to ,21,879.12s.3d and the expenditure in connection with
the tour was ,8,042.9s.6d. (Financial details taken from newspaper
report of the time)
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
On Saturday 1st of February
1939 a match was arranged at Ravenhill between the Touring Party XV and a side
selected by Maj Hartley. This match was to close the Senior rugby season of
that year.
The Tourists won the match easily.
Tourists XV 39 pts....
Hartley's XV 12 pts
|
Become
a World Rugby Museum 'Supporter'
Have
your company logo and a link to your website
HERE
For
more information on how to become a WRM 'Supporter'
CLICK HERE
|
|
World Rugby Museum Home
... ...
