South Africa's Okey Geffin kicked the Springboks to victory over the depleted All Blacks on this day in 1949 © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Ralph Garner | Okey Geffin | Cliff Morgan

Teams: Australia | British and Irish Lions | Italy | New Zealand | Romania | South Africa

1949
New Zealand suffered a unique misfortune - and one unlikely ever to be emulated - losing two international matches on the same day.

Separate New Zealand sides lost 11-6 at home to Australia and 9-3 in South Africa. In a column for Scrum.com, Huw Richards wrote, "This double failure was rooted in the New Zealand Rugby Union's guilt at having betrayed their players by bowing to South African apartheid laws, sending a touring team there minus several Maoris."

The consolation prize was a home series against Australia, with the Bledisloe Cup at stake. Two tries from winger Ralph Garner helped the Wallabies account for their cross-Tasman rivals in Wellington while the boot of Okey Geffin downed the All Blacks in Durban.

The New Zealand Freelance newspaper headlined it as an 'All Black Day in rugby'.

1955
The Lions went 2-1 up in series against the Springboks, Cliff Morgan leading the tourists to a 9-6 win in Pretoria.

Irish second row Robin Thompson was the tour captain and Scottish fullback Angus Cameron the vice-captain. Tour Manager Jack Siggins decided that he needed a young and lively side to take to South Africa and initially wanted his fellow selectors to disregard any players over the age of 27. In the end, only one player over the age of 30 - Maesteg scrum half Trevor Lloyd - was included in the tour party.

They drew the Test series 2-2 with South Africa claiming the final Test 22-8 in Port Elizabeth.

1939
Outbreak of War resulted in the cancellation of the proposed 1939-40 Wallabies' tour of Britain and France.

1955
The Romanian national side began its first-ever tour of England and Wales with a strong 19-3 win against Swansea at St Helen's.

1963
Rugby Roma, fielding 11 Italian international players, gave Harlequins a run for their money at Twickenham before losing 16-14 in the opening game of their four-match tour to England & Wales.