Ask John
Jaguars and Johnno
John Griffiths
July 18, 2012

Welcome to the latest edition of Ask John where renowned rugby historian John Griffiths will answer any rugby-related query you have!

So, if there's something you've always wanted to know about the game we love but didn't know who to ask, or you think you can stump our expert - then get involved by sending us a question.

In this edition, John looks at the South American Jaguars win over South Africa, the Home Union's records against the Tri-Nations, Martin Johnson, England's up and coming stars and Lions Test brothers.

There are arguments over the South American Jaguars win over South Africa during apartheid. Were the Jaguars really just Argentina playing under a different name due to the nature of the political regime in power in South Africa at the time? Paul Tait, Brazil

The 1982 Jaguars played 14 matches on a tour of South Africa including two Tests. The Springboks awarded full cap status to the Tests. By calling themselves the Jaguars and representing South America, the side managed to circumvent national Governments' ban on international teams' sporting relations with South Africa.

Two matches were scheduled simultaneously for each of the seven itinerary dates, even the Test days. As a result the tour party comprised 42 players (so that two squads of 21 could be deployed on each match day). The tour party comprised 30 Argentineans, five Chileans, five Uruguayans and two Paraguayans.

There was some transfer between the match-day squads but generally the "A" team comprised Argentineans. The sides that represented the Jaguars in the two Tests were all-Argentine with Hugo Porta as captain.

The Springboks won the first Test 50-18 in Pretoria but an unchanged 'Bok side crashed to a surprising 21-12 defeat in Bloemfontein the week later. Porta notched all his side's points, going through the card of scoring actions with a try, conversion, four penalty goals and a dropped goal.

What are the results of the Four Home Unions in all Tests against the Tri-Nations since the 2007 Rugby World Cup? Hugh James, England

The relevant form lines since the 2007 RWC final (most recent result last) are as follows:

England v South Africa- LLLLD - Lost 4, Drawn 1
England v New Zealand - LLLLL - Lost five
England v Australia - LLLWW - Won 2, Lost 3

Scotland v South Africa - LW - Won one, Lost one
Scotland v New Zealand - LL - Lost 2
Scotland v Australia - WW - Won 2

Ireland v South Africa - WL - Won one, Lost one
Ireland v New Zealand - LLLLLLL - Lost 7
Ireland v Australia - LDLW - Won one, Lost two, drawn one

Wales v South Africa - LLLLLLL - Lost 7
Wales v New Zealand - LLLLL - Lost 5
Wales v Australia - WLLLLLLL - Won one, Lost 7

Overall (2008-2012): P 54 W 8 D 2 L 44

I'm interested if you can list players in the New Zealand U21 team Martin Johnson played for against Australia in 1990. I wonder how many players went on to play the British & Irish Lions side he was in? Sean, New Zealand

Martin Johnson won representative honours for the New Zealand Colts (their U21 side) on a tour of Australia in June 1990 during his time in King Country. He was 20 at the time and playing for the Marist Old Boys.

The NZ side that played the international against their Australian counterparts at the Sydney Football Stadium (in a curtain-raiser to the third Test between Australia and France that year) was as follows:

J A Goldsmith; J K R Timu, C R Innes, S D Fitzsimons, V L Tuigamala; S J Mannix, S T Forster; C W Dowd (rep G A Halford), M Sexton, D J Morgan (captain), B P Larsen, M O Johnson, D T Power, D T Manu, P M Fairweather (rep A Perelini).

John Timu, Craig Innes, Va'iga Tuigamala, Simon Mannix, Stu Forster, Craig Dowd and Blair Larsen went on to play senior Test rugby as All Blacks, Timu, Tuigamala and Dowd playing against the 1993 British & Irish Lions who included Johnson. Daniel Manu later played for Australia and Apollo Perelini for Western Samoa.

The New Zealand Colts won 24-21 against an Australian run-on side that featured future Wallaby Test stars John Eales (opposite Johnson), Garrick Morgan, Michael Brial, Tim Wallace, Darren Junee and Matt Pini (who also later played for Italy). Mark Giacheri (capped as a senior for Italy) and Andrew Heath (later capped as a Wallaby) were on the Aussies' bench. Only Eales survived to play against Johnson's 2001 Lions.

I'd be interested to know the England team with clubs and former schools that played in the Junior World Championships in South Africa in June? Anon, England

The Championships were arranged with the twelve competing nations in three pools of four. England and Australia each finished third in their respective pools so played off to decide seventh/eighth place. England beat Australia 17-13 in that match and the team started as follows:

15. Ben Ransom (Saracens/ Tonbridge School)
14. Marland Yarde (London Irish/ Gunnersbury Boys & Whitgift)
13. Sam Hill (Exeter/ QE College Crediton & Ivybridge Coll)
12. Ryan Mills (Gloucester/ West Exe Tech Coll & Hartpury Coll)
11. Charlie Walker (Harlequins/ Oakham School)
10. Tom Heathcote (Bath/ Bishop Wordsworth's School, Salisbury)
9. Dan Robson (Gloucester/ Hartpury Coll)
1. Alec Hepburn (Wasps/ Ravensthorpe HS (WA) & Henley Coll)
2. Koree Britton (Gloucester/ Ivybridge Coll & Hartpury Coll)
3. Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins/ Graveney SS, Tooting & Epsom Coll)
4. Dom Barrow (Leeds/ Prince Henry's GS, Otley)
5. George Merrick (Harlequins/ Carshalton Boys & Whitgift)
6. Dave Sisi (London Irish/ St Paul's Coll, Sunbury-on-Thames)
7. Chris Walker (capt) (Leeds/ Settle HS & Prince Henry's GS, Otley)
8. Jack Clifford (Harlequins/ Tillingbourne & RGS Guildford)

Who were the first brothers to play together in a Lions Test side? Chris Nicholas, England

The first brothers to tour with a British side abroad were the Burnetts from Hawick who went to Australia and New Zealand with the trail-blazing side of 1888. There were no Test matches staged on that tour.

The first pair to appear together on a Test side were the Bromets, Yorkshire brothers who played together in two of the Tests against South Africa in 1891. Ireland's Magee brothers featured in the 1896 British/Irish Tests against South Africa and the Joneses of Pontypool - Jack and "Tuan" - lined up together to face New Zealand in Tests on the 1908 tour, playing for the so-called Anglo-Welsh. That visit is classified as a Lions venture even though Scotland and Ireland, after being invited, declined to put forward any names for consideration. Gavin and Scott Hastings were on the winning Lions Test sides in Australia in 1989.

The three brothers Wallace from Ireland (like the Underwood brothers) who were all Lions of recent vintage never managed to pair up for the Lions in a Test.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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