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The logistics behind the historical Lions

ESPN staff
January 7, 2014
The victorious 1974 crop of Lions © Getty Images
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When, where and by whom was the British Lions tour party to SA in '74 announced? John Davies, Wales

The appointments of manager and coach, selection of captain and squad members were conducted by the Four Home Unions Committee (4HUC) under the leadership as Chairman of John Tallent, the former England player of the 1930s who was later a President of the RFU. Albert Agar, another former England international, was the secretary of the committee.

To choose the team, each country had a selector to assist the manager (Alun Thomas) and coach (Syd Millar) who had been appointed in mid-July 1973.

The team was announced in March 1974, a week after the last round of matches in the 1974 Five Nations. The players selected were informed by letter and the team announced to the press by a media release from the 4HUC. There was none of the razzmatazz that attends present-day Lions announcements.

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