Justin Harrison © Getty Images

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2009
Former Bath and Australia lock Justin Harrison was banned for eight months by an RFU disciplinary panel after admitting taking cocaine and failing to submit to an internal club drugs test. he was also cited for fighting with a Harlequins player. The 35-year-old, who quit the Premiership club in the wake of the original allegations, was also reprimanded for shouting, "Class A, it's okay, everyone's doing it" into a microphone while on the coach taking the team and academy players to London for an end of season celebration. Harrison resurfaced in 2010 with the Brumbies.

1974
A remarkable protest by former Springbok Tommy Bedford, who had earlier played in a 34-6 defeat for Natal against the British Lions. Unhappy with the lack of any Natal players in the South Africa side for the forthcoming Test, he welcomed the national selectors. "I congratulate you on finally finding your way to Durban," he said, "Welcome, welcome," and then raised his fingers in a two-fingered salute and held the pose. The ultra-conservative South African rugby hierarchy was stunned.

1991
Thunder and lightning forced the abandonment of France's Test against the US Eagles at Colorado Springs, an area of high incident of lightning strikes with the highest incidence of death from lightning in the USA. The final straw for referee Albert Adams of Pretoria came when there was a lightning strike on the scoreboard two minutes into the second half. He ushered the players from the field and the game never resumed. France were 10-3 up at the time.

1977
A 19-9 win in the mud for the Lions over New Zealand Juniors on a pitch so bad that tour manager George Burrell said it was a shame rugby had to be played in such conditions. The scoreline flattered the Lions who went into the final minute with a one-point lead until a converted try sealed the win. A few of the tourists then headed to the railway station, preferring to make the 650-mile trip to Auckland by train rather than air after a flight from Hamilton enlivened by the pilot taking them on low-level sightseeing before landing in Wellington.

1966
The Lions re-grouped after their weekend Test thrashing to beat West Coast/Buller 25-6 at Westport. Mike Gibson, Barry Bresnihan and Ronnie Lamont, all of Ireland, each scored two tries. England's Don Rutherford provided seven goal points.

1910
Tom Smyth lead the Lions by example scoring two tries in their 12-9 win against the Orange River Colony at Bloemfontein.