1996 Great Britain women's rugby league tour of Australia

Series of rugby league matches 1996 Great Britain 1996 1996 Australia Nikki Carter Ian Harris Lisa McIntosh Chantelle Patrick 36 Chantelle Patrick 9 Chantelle Patrick 16 Chantelle Patrick 4 7 6 0 1 3 2 0 1 AUS 3 2 0 1 1998 The Great Britain women’s rugby league tour of Australia in 1996 was the first such tour by a female British or English rugby league team. Seven matches were played during the three-week tour, including three Test matches. These were the first rugby league internationals played by Great Britain or England women. For the host nation, Australia, this tour followed on from a visit by the New Zealand women’s rugby league team during the previous year, 1995. The tour was successful for the team, with Great Britain winning six of the seven matches. The first Test match was narrowly won by Australia, but Great Britain rallied to win the second and third Test matches by small margins to claim a series victory.Mauled Lionesses get the better of rough girls' game Times (London) 14 Sep 1996 47 Barnes SimonRugby League: World Series Reflects Rise Of Women's Game The Independent (London) 12 Jul 2000 25 Hadfield Dave At the time, the Great Britain team received little support or recognition for their achievement. The Great Britain players had to self-fund the tour https://www.rugby-league.com/article/63107/ashes-winning-great-britain-womens-team-to-be-inducted-into-rugby-league-hall-of-fame Ashes-winning Great Britain Women's team to be inducted into Rugby League Hall of Fame RFL 13 September 2024 4 October 2024 and their Australian counterparts were reportedly asked to contribute between 1,000 yes and 3,000 to play against Great Britain and for a proposed tour of New Zealand.Getting down and dirty with the Lesbians of League 22 Lesbians on the Loose 1996 1324-6542 7 8 (August 1996) Newtown [N.S.W.] http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1062346347 nla.obj-1062346347 24 February 2026 Trove It was not until 2022 that the Great Britain players were given caps and heritage numbers by the Rugby Football League. In the same year, three of the team, Brenda Dobek, Lisa McIntosh and Sally Milburn, were the first to be inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame. In 2024 it was announced that the 1996 Lionesses were to be the first team to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and were described as "the last senior British team to complete an Ashes series victory over Australia".https://www.rugby-league.com/article/60956/historic-rl-hall-of-fame-recognition-for-dobek,-mcintosh-and-milburn Historic RL Hall of Fame recognition for Dobek, McIntosh and Milburn RFL 21 September 2022 4 October 2024https://www.rugby-league.com/article/61211/historic-%E2%80%98pride-of-the-lionesses-event-recognises-women-who-have-made-outstanding-contributions-to-rugby-league Historic 'Pride of the Lionesses' event recognises women who have made outstanding contributions to Rugby League RFL 10 November 2022 4 October 2024 Team leadership The team was coached by Ian Harris with Jackie Sheldon as assistant coach. Nikki Carter was tour manager.https://www.womeninrugbyleague.org.uk/hull/nikki-carter/ Nikki Carter 24 May 2020 Women in Rugby League 21 Apr 2021 18 May 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210518134834/https://www.womeninrugbyleague.org.uk/hull/nikki-carter/ dead Paula Clark served as the team’s physiotherapist. The team was captained by Lisa McIntosh with vice-captain Brenda Dobek.https://www.womeninrugbyleague.org.uk/castleford/brenda-dobek/ Brenda Dobek 12 Jan 2020 Women in Rugby League 21 April 2021 18 May 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210518132309/https://www.womeninrugbyleague.org.uk/castleford/brenda-dobek/ dead Squad A photo of the 1996 touring team is included with the Dobek interview on the Women in Rugby League https://web.archive.org/web/20210518132309/https://www.womeninrugbyleague.org.uk/castleford/brenda-dobek/ 2021-05-18 website. Squad number Player Club Tries Goals Points 13 Lisa McIntosh (c) Dudley Hill 4 1 18 6 Brenda Dobek (vc) Wakefield Panthers 3 2 16 16 Jill Adams Redhill 2 0 8 17 Jane Banks Wigan St Patricks 0 0 0 10 Sharon Birkenhead Redhill 0 0 0 4 Karen Burrows Redhill 3 6 24 5 Wendy Charnley Rochdale 0 0 0 20 Julie Cronin York 1 0 4 22 Lucy Ferguson Wakefield Panthers 0 0 0 7 Mandy Green Dudley Hill 1 0 4 18 Nicki Harrison Dudley Hill 1 0 4 21 Joanne Hewson Askam 2 0 8 15 Lisa Hunter Hull Vixens 0 0 0 23 Allison Kitchin Barrow 2 0 8 3 Liz Kitchin Barrow 3 0 12 9 Michelle Land Wakefield Panthers 2 0 8 25 Sally Milburn Askam 5 0 20 8 Donna Parker Hull Vixens 2 0 8 2 Chantelle Patrick Dudley Hill 9 0 36 24 Samantha Pearson Dudley Hill 0 0 0 26 Joanne Roberts Wakefield Panthers 1 0 4 11 Lucia Scott Rochdale 0 0 0 14 Vicky Studd Dudley Hill 1 0 4 19 Paula Tunnicliffe Rochdale 0 0 0 12 Sandra Wade Barrow 0 0 0 1 Joanna Will Wakefield Panthers 1 0 4 Results July 16 Sydney Select XIII 086 Great Britain Player of the Match: Lisa McIntosh NSW Redfern Oval, Sydney Tries: nil Goals: nil Tries: 17 Lisa McIntosh 3 Chantelle Patrick 3 Brenda Dobek 2 Allison Kitchin 2 Liz Kitchin 2 Lucia Stott 2 Michelle Land 2 Mandy Green Goals: 9Lucia Stott 7 Brenda Dobek 2 July 18 Australian Capital Territory 036 Great Britain Player of the Match: Vicky Studd ACT Steinfield Oval, Canberra Tries: nil Goals: nil Tries: 7 Joanne Hewson 2 Sally Milburn 2 Donna Parker Jill Adams Julie Cronin Goals: 4Karen Burrows 4 1st Test #E5E4E2 July 21 1.50pm AUS 1614 GB Great Britain's Player of the Match: Brenda Dobek ACT Phillip Oval, Canberra ReportBrits pay ultimate penalty Canberra Times 22 Jul 1996 25 Hardy Karen Replay Tries: 3 Allison Smith Fiona Huntington Katrina Fanning Goals: 2 Allison Smith 2 Tries: 3 Sally Milburn Jill Adams Chantelle Patrick Goals: 1Karen Burrows Despite comprehensive victories to Great Britain in both tour games leading into the First Test Match, their inaugural meeting with Australia was tightly contested. Great Britain scored the first try in the opening ten minutes, Sally Milburn touching down after a great pass from Allison Kitchin. The try was converted by Karen Burrows. The first half continued with the Great Britain dominating the attack, however, Alison Smith scored an unconverted try for Australia just prior to the break. The Australians were finding it tough to break the defensive line and lacked the support play of the British and the distribution from the ruck was not as effective. Karen Hardy Canberra Times (22 July 1996) Australia’s attack was more effective in the second stanza. Fiona Huntington scored a try near the sideline within a few minutes of the resumption. Katrina Fanning then scored from a short run to the try-line, “hitting and spinning on the line to get the ball down.” With this try converted by Alison Smith, Australia lead 14–6. Allison Kitchen made a break for Great Britain, running down the left edge. Australian second-rower Danielle Meskell made an impressive covering tackle, however, the Lionesses spread the ball to the right wing for Jill Adams to score. The “deceptively quick” British five-eighth, Brenda Dobek, instigated the next try, popping a pass to captain Lisa McIntosh, who found in support Chantelle Patrick, who scored in the corner. This unconverted try levelled the scores at 14–all with about five minutes to play. In injury time, Australia was awarded a penalty for a swinging arm in the tackle. From about 25 metres out and to the right of the posts, Alison Smith kicked a penalty goal to win the match for Australia. The Canberra Times recognised Alison Smith and Danielle Meskell as the best players for Australia, and for Great Britain, hooker Michelle Land and the halves-pairing of Mandy Green and Brenda Dobek. Great Britain's team award for their best player in the match went to Brenda Dobek. July 24 Queensland XIII 822 Great Britain Player of the Match: Lucia Stott QLD Gilbert Park, Brisbane Tries: Goals: Tries: 5 Chantelle Patrick Karen Burrows Lucia Stott Vicky Studd Sally Milburn Goals: 1Karen Burrows 2nd Test #E5E4E2 July 28 AUS 1218 GB Julia Lee Player of the Match: Joanne Hewson QLD Gilbert Park, Brisbane Tries: Goals: Tries: 4 Chantelle Patrick Karen Burrows Sally Milburn Joanne Roberts Goals: 1Lisa McIntosh July 31 Presidents XIII 030 Great Britain Player of the Match: Jane Banks NSW Cunningham Oval, Sydney Tries: nil Goals: nil Tries: 7 Chantelle Patrick Liz Kitchin Karen Burrows Brenda Dobek Donna Parker Joanna Will Lucia Stott Goals: 1Lucia Stott 3rd Test #E5E4E2 August 3 AUS 1820 GB Player of the Match: Brenda Dobek Player of the Series: Brenda Dobek NSW Redfern Oval, Sydney ReportAussie Girls Tackle Great Britain in Test of Courage Daily Telegraph 4 Aug 1996 61 Bell Cameron Highlights Tries: 4 Alyssa Campbell 2 Katrina Moss Loretta O'Neill Goals: 1 Allison Smith Tries: 5 Chantelle Patrick 2 Lucia Stott Lisa McIntosh Nicki Harrison Goals: 0 The third and deciding Test was again a tussle between evenly matched teams. Great Britain had established a 12–4 lead at halftime, but Australia scored an early second half try. The Great Britain girls showed more flair in attack than their Australian rivals – who tended to play a more structured game with the football. Highlighting the visitor’s fast, open style of play, Great Britain’s five tries were all scored out wide. Cameron Bell Daily Telegraph, Sydney (4 August 1996) The score was 20–18 in Great Britain’s favour towards the end of the match. The last three minutes saw Great Britain under pressure, defending their line against Australia’s attack. The defence held, to secure Great Britain a series victory. I don’t think we could ask for a better Test series – each game went right down to the wire and we were beaten by a very good team. Australian captain, Julie McGuffie Daily Telegraph, Sydney (4 August 1996) Great Britain’s player of the match, Brenda Dobek, was also named player of the series. Sydney’s Daily Telegraph cited Danielle Meskell as Australia’s standout player. Sources Statistics for the Great Britain team drawn from a document supplied by the team’s coach.Harris Ian 2008 Great Britain Women's Rugby League 1995-1996 Tour of Australia A Coaches Report - Coaching International Female Rugby League Lilley Press Beverley 290–292 Point scorers for the First and Third Test verified by the contemporary match reports in the Canberra Times and Daily Telegraph. Coverage of women’s rugby league in Australian newspapers in 1996 was limited, and the tour coincided with the 1996 Olympic Games. The Rugby League Week, a magazine dedicated to the sport in Australia included an advanced mention of the Third Test’s location (Redfern Oval) and published only the result of the First Test. Access to 1996 editions of Australian newspapers and the Rugby League Week is offline, through microfilm and actual copies held in the State Library of New South Wales. See also Women's rugby league Australia women's national rugby league team Great Britain women's national rugby league team England women's national rugby league team Women's rugby league Ashes References External links Women in Rugby League NRL Women Category:1996 in English rugby league Category:1996 in English women's sport Category:1996 in women's rugby league Category:Women's rugby league in Australia Category:Rugby league tours of Australia Category:Australia women's national rugby league team Category:Women's rugby league