Biggest win there in 1993
Including the 1908 Anglo-Welsh, the Lions have toured New Zealand ten times and played in Wellington, the nation's capital ten times. The Lions have won twice, drawn once and lost seven times.
Two of the Lions six wins in New Zealand Tests have been in Wellington, that includes their biggest-ever victory. And it was also almost the venue for a unique Test match score.
Wellington's provincial team calls itself the Lions, but this time we are talking about the British and Irish Lions, who play in Wellington on Saturday, the second Test in the three-Test series.
The Maori came to the area some 900 years before the first people from the UK arrived and called it Te Upoko o te Ika a Maui (the head of Maui's fish).
People from Europe started settling in 1839 on land between the sea and the steep hills and near the marshy Hutt River. The young town survived floods and earthquakes. Because of the earthquake activity most buildings in Wellington are made of wood.
In 1865 Wellington, at the southern tip of North Island, became the capital of New Zealand, replacing Auckland. It was then a tiny town of fewer than five thousand inhabitant.
It was named for the Duke who had not long finished with Napoleon when the town was founded and was still alive.
The first Test between New Zealand and the Lions was played at Athletic Park in 1904.
The Wellington Rugby Union was founded in 1879. In 1893 the Athletic Park Company was founded to find a ground for the union and in 1894 the company chose a rubbish dump that had been a dairy farm on a saddle between two rivers. It opened in 1896
In 1959 it had its biggest crowd - 57 000 when the Lions came. After that the size was reduced despite the opening in 1961 of the most precarious stand on earth - the Millard Stand.
With the passing of time the ground became more ramshackle. There were Maori claims to the land, and so little was done as there was talk of moving.
Colin Meads once said that the dingy dressingrooms became smaller each year as another coat of paint was added and, being already small, the coat of paint made a significant difference! Furthermore its situation in a wind tunnel in windy Wellington was not suitable.
The final rugby match on the famous ground was in 1999 when Wellington moved its rugby to WestpacTrust Stadium, now the Westpac Stadium, which seats 34 500 spectators (24 000 under cover), in the heart of the city, less buffeted by the winds. Non-Wellingtonians delight in referring to the ground as the Cake Tin. The Lions will play a Test there for the first time on Saturday.
The first score in the first Test ever played at Athletic Park could have been unique. The British side - Lions if you like - played the first Test of the series there in 1904. New Zealand won 9-3, but the first score is one of great interest to those involved in the game's history and its laws.
Eric Harper, a great allround sportsman who was killed in World War I, caught and claimed a mark from a knock-on, a rarity which the laws of the game allowed till recently. It had been written into the laws as far back as 1862. This mark gave him a free kick. Harper kicked for goal, but a unique place in history failed him as the ball dropped short even though New Zealand were playing with the wind.
The first score in fact was a penalty goal by Billy Wallace, which was equalled by Arthur Harding, a forward. This made it 3-all at half time with the Lions to play with the wind but New Zealand kept the ball in hand and Duncan McGregor scored two tries.
Those were the first points scored in Tests between All Blacks and Lions.
In 1908 the Anglo-Welsh and New Zealand drew 3-all. Ponty Jones scored a try for the Lions, Bolla Francis a penalty goal for New Zealand who won the other two Tests comfortably, 32-5 and 29-0.
In 1930 the Wellington Test was the fourth in the series. It was a sell-out even after extra seating was brought in. The crowd headed for the ground by road, rail and steamer. They came in trams and on foot. They queued through the night. Excitement ran high and fine weather smiled on their efforts. One of the interesting spectators at the match was the governor-general of New Zealand who was introduced to the teams before the kick-off. He was Lord Bledisloe after whom the cup is named.
The All Blacks won 22-8 as their forwards took over. They scored six tries to one in what was a hiding. Cliff Porter and Bert Cooke, one of New Zealand's best backs ever, each scored two tries.
In 1950 the weather was grim all week though the rain held off for the duration of the Test. It was a tough encounter in the cold. The Lions had the best of the early part and led 3-0 after prop John Robins had popped a penalty over.
Both sides suffered injuries. At one stage tough Ron Elvidge, a medical doctor, went off with a gashed head and a damaged collarbone. He later returned, wandered around as extra fullback and dived over for a gutsy try as Bill Cleaver tackled him. Later in that second half Bob Scott kicked the winning penalty goal.
In 1959 the Lions won only the fourth Test of the series. The Wellington Test was the second of the series at a time when the Lions had injury problems.
That was the day the crowd broke down barriers to get in when the gates were shut. Officially there was a crowd of 53 000, unofficially 57 000. It was a fine day.
Ralph Caulton playing on the wing in his debut Test, scored two tries in the first half and New Zealand led 6-0. But in the second half the Lions had the wind and the sun at their backs and led 8-6 after Terry Davies had kicked a penalty goal and then converted a try by wing John Young after a break by Malcolm Price.
A minute from the end the All Black pack stormed the Lions' den. Out the ball went to big Don Clarke who dived over for a spectacular try, which he converted. The All Blacks won 11-8.
In 1966 it was the second Test of the series. The Lions were in a similar position to that in which the 2005 side find themselves. They had lost the first Test 20-3 in Dunedin and came to Wellington with a side showing seven changes.
The ground was muddy, the day overcast and windy. The Lions were competitive but the All Blacks won 16-12, scoring three tries to nil. Kel Tremain, Colin Meads and wing Tony Steel scored the tries.
The great 1971 Lions were the first Lions team to win a Test in Wellington. It was the important third Test which made the series safe for the Lions,.
The weather was fine, the pitch firm but the wind blew. The Lions played with the gale in the first half and led 13-0 by the break, enough to win the match well, for they were a resolute team - and a team of stars.
For their first score Barry John kicked a drop. For their first try, Gareth Edwards fed Gerald Davies who scored. John converted. Edwards broke and John scored and converted. That is the calibre of player they had.
Laurie Mains, fullback, scored a try early in the second half, and that ended the scoring. The Lions had won 13-3.
As in 1966, the All Blacks scored three tries to nil in 1977 and won 16-12. Grant Batty, Sid Going and prop Brad Johnstone scored the tries.
It was the first Test of the series, played on a cold, damp afternoon with a "breeze". The Lions played with the wind in the first half but the All Blacks had the ball and scored the only try of the first half. The Lions led 9-4 just before the break after Andy Irvine had kicked a penalty from inside the Lions' half and then Phil Bennett had added another two. Then Bryan Williams kicked an up-and-under,
Bennett dropped it and Johnstone scored. That made it 11-9 to the All Blacks but Bennett made it 12-11 with a penalty. The Lions looked well on the way to scoring a try in the second half but Batty intercepted and ran 60 metres to score as the Lions hunted the injured Kiwi down. Williams converted to make the score 16-12 at half-time, which was the final score.
Dave Loveridge scored the only try in the second Test in Wellington in 1983, the year the Lions lost all four Tests in the series,
It rained in the morning of the Test and the wind from the south was strong. The All Blacks played with the gale in the first half and led 9-0 at the break, which was also the final score as their defence and discipline in the second half did not waver.
In 1993 the victory in Wellington gave the Lions hope of emulating the feat of 1971 and winning the series. They had lost the first test and had lost to Auckland and Hawke's Bay in the matches before moving to Wellington.
The Lions won the toss and opted to play into the wind and the sun ion the first half, but even after Eroni Clark had scored a try they led 9-7 at half-time thanks to two penalties by Gavin Hastings and a dropped goal by Rob Andrew.
Dewi Morris picked up a loose ball deep in Lions' territory. Jeremy Guscott made the running and then sent Rory Underwood sprinting half the length of the field for a try. The Lions won 20-7.
Test results in Wellington:
1904: New Zealand won 9-3
1908: Draw 3-3
1930: New Zealand won 22-8
1950: New Zealand won 63
1959: New Zealand won 11-8
1966: New Zealand won 16-12
1971: Lions won 13-3
1977: New Zealand won 16-12
1983: New Zealand won 9-0
1993: Lions won 20-7