Inside The Tour
The inside story of the most triumphant tours in sporting history.
Season 2 returns this December as a box set, following the England cricket team on their astonishing 1986/87 series. A tour hugely significant for both nations – after this, England wouldn’t win the Ashes again for 18 years. The embarrassing defeat sent Allan Border’s Australia to rock bottom and yet, somehow, they recovered to become a cricket superpower. This is the story of that incredible journey, told by players from both teams plus host Mark Pougatch, who was a backpacking 18-year-old in Australia at the time. His diary brings to life an incredible story of unknown call-ups, unlikely heroes, and a result that shocked the sporting world.
In series 1, presenter Alastair Eykyn took us back to the legendary British and Irish Lions rugby tour in South Africa, 1997. With few giving them a chance, a disparate group of characters bonded into a band of brothers that upset the reigning world champions.
This is Inside The Tour – giving you the inside story, told by those who were there.
1
Bonus Episode: The Ashes '86/87 - Gladstone Sma...
34 min
2
Bonus Episode: The Ashes '86/87 - Prostate Canc...
62 min
3
Episode 1: The Ashes ’86/87 - The Wooden Spoon ...
English cricket is in a bad place and Australia isn’t faring much better. As they prepare to meet in the Ashes of 1986/87, cricket’s ultimate contest dating back to the 1800s, there are tongue-in-cheek suggestions this is the battle for test cricket’s ‘wooden spoon’.
24 min
4
Episode 2: The Ashes ’86/87 - Can’t Bat, Can’t ...
England’s ramshackle cricketers arrive in Australia and, true to recent form, start losing to part-time state teams.
24 min
5
Episode 3: The Ashes ’86/87 - Botham’s Brisbane...
“One of the greatest innings I’ve ever seen” says Phil De Freitas who, for a few hours, on the second day of the first test match, stood at the non-striker’s end at The Gabba in total awe. Sir Ian Botham’s final test century was one of his most memorable.
25 min
6
Episode 4: The Ashes ’86/87 - The Fear of Failure
One down in the series, Australia needed their world-class batsman and skipper Allan Border to step up, which he promptly did.
29 min
7
Episode 5: The Ashes ’86/87 - We’re Still Standing
The tour arrives in Melbourne. Not just for the Boxing Day test, but far more importantly for the Christmas Day party.
28 min
8
Episode 6: The Ashes ’86/87 - Cash For Questions
After losing by an innings at the MCG, the Australian inquest started. Allan Border gathered a group of “survivors” in a Melbourne hotel to draw a line in the sand.
23 min
9
Episode 7: The Ashes ’86/87 - The Search for Pe...
With the series lost, Australia panicked. Needing inspiration, they turned to ‘Taylor’. But not the one everyone was expecting.
27 min
10
Episode 8: The Ashes ’86/87 - Call Lamby on 24624
The tour wasn’t over yet. After winning a one-day series in Perth, between the 4th and 5th tests, England set themselves a challenge: to wrap up a ‘Grand Slam Tour’ by winning the World Series Cup, another one-day competition also featuring Australia and the West Indies.
29 min
11
Episode 0: The Ashes '86/87 - Inside The Tour S...
After telling the remarkable story of the British and Irish Lions on their famous tour to South Africa in 1997, “Inside The Tour” returns for a second series, charting cricket’s astonishing Ashes series between Australia and England in 1986/87. It...
1 min
12
Episode 11: The Lions '97 - A Live Bonus
Description: A special ‘Inside the Tour' online event, in partnership with the MyName5Doddie Foundation. In this bonus podcast episode we tie the threads from those epic days of 1997 with the current 2021 British and Irish Lions Tour, in the company...
64 min
13
Episode 10: The Lions '97 - The 'My Name Is Dod...
Description: The series closes with a special tribute to one of the most popular figures on that tour; Scotland and Lions lock forward Doddie Weir. Details: After being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, Doddie has devoted his life to helping...
32 min
14
Episode 9: The Lions '97 - The Second Test
Description: The Great Gibbs Collision and Celebratory Duvets. Details: A week later, in Durban, after Greenwood's near-death experience in midweek, the Lions know Springbok retaliation is on the cards. Three tries to zero; this was a home banker....
32 min
15
Episode 8: The Lions '97 - The First Test
Description: "Get Up! You bald, fat f**k!" Details: Finally, the Lions arrive in Cape Town for the 1st Test Match. They devise a devastating strategy; to take on the mighty Springboks upfront. The mechanics of the scrum are dissected as the Lions...
29 min
16
Episode 7: The Lions '97 - The Film
Description: Dressing Room Drama and the Mystery Camera. Details: As well as the result, the 1997 tour is remembered for the remarkable documentary film "Living with Lions". Its pioneering 'fly-on-the-wall' concept was funded by a fan who cashed in...
29 min
17
Episode 6: The Lions '97 - The Injuries
Description: The Doctor's Skill and Waking Up Will. Details: An eight-week rugby tour is hard enough before considering the opponents' size and strength, not to mention opposition brutality. Injuries hit crucial Lions players at different times. At...
30 min
18
Episode 5: The Lions '97 - The Coaches
Description: Sir Ian McGeechan and Jim Telfer, reunited. Details: In an extraordinary reunion, the Lions' dynamic coaching double act stoke each other's memories of this epic tour. Sir Ian McGeechan and Jim Telfer set a gold-standard for man...
39 min
19
Episode 4: The Lions '97 - The Midweekers
Description: The Dirt-Track Guy and his Wonder-Try.Details: The uniqueness of a Lions tour is the schedule; midweek/Saturday, midweek/Saturday. The team you're on is a major clue to whether you're in the test side. It's a delicate process and...
29 min
20
Episode 3: The Lions '97 - The Training
Description: Brutal Machines and Goal-kicking DreamsDetail: After the brainstorms, team-building and pub trips, the Lions hit the training fields to prepare for the challenge of a lifetime. After all, a strategy to conquer the World Champions was...
29 min
21
Episode 2: The Lions '97 - The Bonding
Description: A Lock-In with Lions, Gibbs hacks the Irons.Detail: A motley crew from four different Rugby nations gathered in Weybridge; bolters, chancers, talents and troublemakers. They bonded over assault courses and trips to the pub. This is the...
29 min
22
Episode 1: The Lions '97 - The Selection
Description: Money's got Stash, Healey wants Cash.In the days before prevalent mobile phones, tour call-ups were made by snail-mail. Stand by for some hilarious stories of how the '97 Lions heard about selection. Then, on meeting their fellow...
30 min
23
Trailer: Inside The Tour - The Lions 1997
The inside story of The British and Irish Lions on their most famous tour; to South Africa in 1997.The British and Irish Lions' tour to South Africa in 1997 has gone down in sporting folklore. With few giving them a chance, a disparate group of...
1 min