Whatever happens over the summer, there's not much chance of The Lions tour to New Zealand throwing up quite as much scandal and controversy as the first home countries rugby tour to Australia back in 1887-88.

Way back then, things were a little tougher for the 22 'amateur' players - mostly from northern England and the Scottish borders, though all four home countries were represented - who played 53 games over nine months.

That very first tour, organised by Alfred Shaw and Arthur Shrewsbury, didn't even include a Test match, though it did feature a few Aussie Rules games.

The Nottinghamshire pair of Shaw and Shrewsbury, manufacturers of sports equipment, needed to recoup their losses from the very first Ashes cricket tour, which took place the year before amid too many financially draining rainy days.

The one-day-to-be Lions won 27 of the 35 matches played under Rugby Union laws but of the 18 under 'Victorian or Australian Rules' they lost 11, drew one and won six. At least Sir Clive Woodward and Co are likely to stick to one set of rules this summer!

The players in 1888 were mostly northerners from what we would consider Rugby League heartlands now. Although the RFU refused to sanction the tour, they surprisingly gave permission for the players to go despite rumours of professionalism.

Remember, this was just seven years before the big split with Rugby League.

One poor lad, Halifax hopeful Jack Clowes, was found guilty of breaking amateur regulations before they left. He allegedly spent the entire trip on the sidelines after he was found guilty of being paid £15 (as clothing allowance). But that's nothing.

During the tour captain Bob Seddon, an England international who played for Swinton, died while rowing on the Hunter River in New South Wales. Not long afterwards, Joe Warbrick, the captain of New Zealand who played against the early Lions, died in a lava flow from Mount Tarawera.

But The Lions will always find a controversy of some sort on what has become a four-yearly crusade to teach the foreigners how to play (or vice versa).

This article was originally posted on 1-Jul-2005, 14:15 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 1-Jul-2005, 14:17.