▁be ▁called ▁" the ▁best ▁team ▁to ▁ever ▁leave ▁New ▁Zealand ". ▁ ▁The ▁British ▁Is les ▁tou red ▁South ▁Africa ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁winning ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁their ▁tour ▁matches . ▁The ▁Spring b oks ▁secured ▁easy ▁vict ories ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁tests . ▁However , ▁the ▁L ions ▁b ounced ▁back ▁to ▁record ▁a ▁win ▁in ▁the ▁third ▁test , ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁L ions ▁win ▁on ▁South ▁Africa ▁soil ▁since ▁ 1 9 1 0 . ▁ ▁Post - war ▁era ▁Dan ie ▁Cra ven ▁was ▁appointed ▁coach ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁and ▁started ▁his ▁co aching ▁career ▁winning ▁ten ▁matches ▁in ▁a ▁row , ▁including ▁a ▁ 4 – 0 ▁white w ash ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ▁on ▁their ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁tour ▁to ▁South ▁Africa . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 5 1 – 5 2 ▁team ▁that ▁tou red ▁Europe ▁was ▁considered ▁amongst ▁the ▁fin est ▁Spring b ok ▁sides ▁to ▁tour . ▁The ▁team ▁won ▁the ▁Grand ▁S lam ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁defe ating ▁France . ▁H enn ie ▁M ull er ▁capt ained ▁the ▁side . ▁The ▁South ▁African ▁highlight ▁of ▁the ▁tour ▁was ▁a ▁ 4 4 – 0 ▁defeat ▁of ▁Scotland . ▁The ▁team ▁finished ▁with ▁only ▁one ▁loss , ▁to ▁London ▁Count ies , ▁from ▁ 3 1 ▁matches . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁Australia ▁tou red ▁South ▁Africa ▁for ▁the ▁second ▁time ▁and ▁although ▁they ▁lost ▁the