<P> This tour followed the Lions' 2001 tour to Australia and preceded the 2009 tour to South Africa . </P> <P> The Lions' campaign involved a warm - up match against Argentina (which was retroactively awarded Test status by the International Rugby Board in March 2008) before the departure for New Zealand, three Tests against the All Blacks, and several tour matches, where the quality of the opposition was expected to be high . This proved to be the case against New Zealand Māori and Auckland, and most of the other tour matches were close for at least the first half . But the match against Manawatu (the Lions' only opponent from the second division of New Zealand's domestic league, the National Provincial Championship) was a one - sided affair, the Lions winning by a score of 109--6 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Date </Th> <Th> Home team </Th> <Th> Score </Th> <Th> Away team </Th> <Th> Venue </Th> <Th> </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 23 May </Td> <Td> British and Irish Lions </Td> <Td> 25--25 </Td> <Td> Argentina </Td> <Td> Millennium Stadium, Cardiff </Td> <Td> Match details </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4 June </Td> <Td> Bay of Plenty </Td> <Td> 20--34 </Td> <Td> British and Irish Lions </Td> <Td> Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua </Td> <Td> Match details </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 8 June </Td> <Td> Taranaki </Td> <Td> 14--36 </Td> <Td> British and Irish Lions </Td> <Td> Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth </Td> <Td> Match details </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 11 June </Td> <Td> New Zealand Māori </Td> <Td> 19--13 </Td> <Td> British and Irish Lions </Td> <Td> Waikato Stadium, Hamilton </Td> <Td> Match details </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 15 June </Td> <Td> Wellington </Td> <Td> 6--23 </Td> <Td> British and Irish Lions </Td> <Td> Westpac Stadium, Wellington </Td> <Td> Match details </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 18 June </Td> <Td> Otago </Td> <Td> 19--30 </Td> <Td> British and Irish Lions </Td> <Td> Carisbrook, Dunedin </Td> <Td> Match details </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 21 June </Td> <Td> Southland </Td> <Td> 16--26 </Td> <Td> British and Irish Lions </Td> <Td> Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill </Td> <Td> Match details </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 25 June </Td> <Td> New Zealand </Td> <Td> 21--3 </Td> <Td> British and Irish Lions </Td> <Td> Jade Stadium, Christchurch </Td> <Td> Match details </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 28 June </Td> <Td> Manawatu </Td> <Td> 6--109 </Td> <Td> British and Irish Lions </Td> <Td> Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North </Td> <Td> Match details </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2 July </Td> <Td> New Zealand </Td> <Td> 48--18 </Td> <Td> British and Irish Lions </Td> <Td> Westpac Stadium, Wellington </Td> <Td> Match details </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5 July </Td> <Td> Auckland </Td> <Td> 13--17 </Td> <Td> British and Irish Lions </Td> <Td> Eden Park, Auckland </Td> <Td> Match details </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 9 July </Td> <Td> New Zealand </Td> <Td> 38--19 </Td> <Td> British and Irish Lions </Td> <Td> Eden Park, Auckland </Td> <Td> Match details </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Date </Th> <Th> Home team </Th> <Th> Score </Th> <Th> Away team </Th> <Th> Venue </Th> <Th> </Th> </Tr>

British and irish lions tour to new zealand 2005