Welsh Lions set records

Gavin Henson and Shane Williams will be amongst six players equalling a Welsh-Lions record last set in 1983 when they step out against New Zealand tomorrow

(Main & Thumb) Gavin Henson and Shane Williams will be amongst six players equalling a Welsh-Lions record last set in 1983 when they step out against New Zealand tomorrow

1 July 2005, 12:18 pm

By WRU

Sir Clive Woodward's side to face the All Blacks in Saturday's decisve second test bucks a trend of almost a quarter of a century.

The sextet of Mike Ruddock's Grand Slam winners selected to try and level the series against New Zealand is on a par with the six English players handed starting roles for the Wellington clash.

You have to go back 17 Tests, 5 tours and 22 years for the last time Wales had six players in the Lions starting XV for a Test match. It was in the first Test in New Zealand in 1983 when Rob Ackerman, Terry Holmes, Ian Stephens, Graham Price, Rob Norster and Jeff Squire lined-up in the 16-12 defeat in Christchurch.

The Welsh Test contingent halved for the three remaining matches, but rose again to five for the opening Test in Australia in 1989. The Lions once again lost that game and between then and last weekend's international in Christchurch the Welsh representation hadn't crept above three.