1970 Great Britain Lions tour

Series of rugby league matches July 2023 1970 Great Britain Lions tour 22 May 1970 – 27 July 1970 Jack Harding Johnny Whiteley Frank Myler Terry Price (117) Syd Hynes (19) 24 22 1 1 6 5 0 1 AUS 3 2 0 1 NZL 3 3 0 0 1966 1974 The 1970 Great Britain Lions tour was the Great Britain national rugby league team's 14th tour of Australasia and took place from May to August 1970. A total of 24 matches were played against local club and representative sides during the tour, including a three match Test match series against Australia and New Zealand respectively. The tour was one of the most successful in Lions history, with the team winning all but two of the matches. It is also remembered for being the last time that Great Britain won an Ashes series against Australia. Touring squad On 4 March 1970, an initial 21 players were selected for the tour, with the remaining players to be named later in the month.Mather Harold Price is chosen for tour The Guardian 5 March 1970 London 22 185364260 On 25 March, seven additional players were chosen to complete the 26-man squad, with Frank Myler named as captain (two of the originally selected players withdrew from the squad – John Mantle withdrew for "domestic reasons", while Jim Mills intended to emigrate to Australia to play for North Sydney).Mather Harold Myler captain for tour The Guardian 26 March 1970 London 25 185406705Britain's Complete Team https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-758092328/view?sectionId=nla.obj-759170617&partId=nla.obj-758104678 The Rugby League news 51 10 N.S.W. Rugby Football League 4 April 1970 Sydney Trove After the squad was selected, John Stephens withdrew from the tour due to injury, and was replaced by Dennis Hartley.Hartley in tour party The Guardian 7 April 1970 London 17 185491202 The tour manager was Jack Harding, with Johnny Whiteley as assistant manager and coach.'We had arrogance and won Aussie hearts' - The incredible story of the infamous 1970 Lions Tour 50 years on https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/great-britain-lions-tour-1970-4291753 Hull Daily Mail 7 July 2023 4 July 2020 Name Position Nationality Club Derek Edwards Derek Edwards (rugby league) Utility back ENG Castleford 16 Castleford Terry Price Terry Price (rugby) Fullback WAL Bradford 16 Bradford Northern Ray Dutton Fullback ENG Widnes 16 Widnes Alan Smith Alan Smith (rugby league, born 1944) Wing ENG Leeds 16 Leeds John Atkinson John Atkinson (rugby league) Wing ENG Leeds 16 Leeds Clive Sullivan Wing WAL Hull 16 Hull Chris Hesketh Centre ENG Salford City 16 Salford Syd Hynes Centre ENG Leeds 16 Leeds Frank Myler Centre ENG St Helens 16 St Helens Mick Shoebottom Stand-off ENG Leeds 16 Leeds Roger Millward Stand-off ENG Hull KR 16 Hull Kingston Rovers Alan Hardisty Stand-off ENG Castleford 16 Castleford Barry Seabourne Scrum-half ENG Leeds 16 Leeds Keith Hepworth Scrum-half ENG Castleford 16 Castleford Cliff Watson Prop forward ENG St Helens 16 St Helens John Ward John Ward (rugby league) Prop forward ENG Salford City 16 Salford David Chisnall Dave Chisnall (rugby league) Prop forward ENG Leigh 16 Leigh Dennis Hartley Prop forward ENG Castleford 16 Castleford Peter Flanagan Hooker ENG Hull KR 16 Hull Kingston Rovers Tony Fisher Tony Fisher (rugby) Hooker WAL Bradford 16 Bradford Northern Phil Lowe Second-row ENG Hull KR 16 Hull Kingston Rovers Bob Irving Bob Irving (rugby league) Second-row ENG Oldham 16 Oldham Dave Robinson Dave Robinson (rugby league) Second-row ENG Wigan 16 Wigan Jim Thompson Jimmy Thompson (rugby league) Second-row ENG Featherstone 16 Featherstone Rovers Malcolm Reilly Loose forward ENG Castleford 16 Castleford Doug Laughton Loose forward ENG Wigan 16 Wigan Results Australia 22 May 1970 Northern Territory York RLFC 16 12 – 35 GB 16 Great Britain Richardson Park, Darwin 3,000 Ray Pittey 24 May 1970 North Queensland Cairns 16 20 – 23 GB 16 Great Britain Townsville Sports Reserve, Townsville 7,890 Sid Volling 26 May 1970 Central Queensland Central Capras 16 2 – 30 GB 16 Great Britain Rockhampton Showgrounds, Rockhampton 7,290 Nick Euclid 28 May 1970 Wide Bay St George 16 7 – 45 GB 16 Great Britain Wondai Sports Ground, Gympie 3,344 L. Cronin 30 May 1970 Queensland Firsts Qld 16 7 – 32 GB 16 Great Britain Lang Park, Brisbane 17,071 Henry Albert First Test #eeeeee 6 June 1970 AUS 37 – 15 GBR King (2), Morgan (2), McDonald Langlands (9) Hawthorne (2) Flanagan, Laughton, Watson Price (3) Lang Park, Brisbane 42,807 Don Lancashire AUS Ashes Series 1970 Series - Game 1 https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/ashes-series-1970/game-1/australia-vs-great-britain/summary.html Rugby League Project 8 July 2023 7 June 1970 Toowoomba Toowoomba 16 13 – 37 GB 16 Great Britain Athletic Oval, Toowoomba 6,549 Des Creedy 10 June 1970 Brisbane Firsts St Helens 16 7 – 28 GB 16 Great Britain Brisbane Exhibition Grounds, Brisbane 10,117 Henry Albert 13 June 1970 NSW Firsts NSW 16 17 – 17 GB 16 Great Britain Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 31,509 Keith Page 14 June 1970 Monaro St Helens 16 11 – 34 GB 16 Great Britain Seiffert Oval, Queanbeyan 9,500 Graham Barby Second Test #eeeeee 20 June 1970 AUS 7 – 28 GBR King McDonald Hawthorne Millward (2), Atkinson, Fisher Millward (6) Hynes, Millward Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 60,962 Don Lancashire AUS Ashes Series 1970 Series - Game 2 https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/ashes-series-1970/game_2/australia-vs-great-britain/summary.html Rugby League Project 8 July 2023 21 June 1970 Western Division Ireland 16 11 – 40 GB 16 Great Britain Bathurst Showground, Bathurst 4,400 Tom Gustard 23 June 1970 Sydney Colts City 16 7 – 26 GB 16 Great Britain Endeavour Field, Sydney 14,046 Keith Holman 27 June 1970 Newcastle Newcastle1908 16 16 – 49 GB 16 Great Britain Newcastle Number 1 Sports Ground, Newcastle 22,655 Neil McAlister 28 June 1970 Riverina Western Suburbs 16 11 – 12 GB 16 Great Britain Robertson Oval, Wagga Wagga 11,000 Bruce Chapman Third Test #eeeeee 4 July 1970 AUS 17 – 21 GBR McCarthy McKean (7) Atkinson (2), Hartley, Hynes, Millward Millward (3) Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 61,258 Don Lancashire AUS Ashes Series 1970 Series - Game 3 https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/ashes-series-1970/game_3/australia-vs-great-britain/summary.html Rugby League Project 8 July 2023 5 July 1970 Southern Division Illawarra 16 11 – 24 GB 16 Great Britain Wollongong Showground, Wollongong 7,796 Neil McAlister Millward Hurt at W'gong https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=evdjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_eQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4037%2C2128814 The Sydney Morning Herald 6 July 1970 17 New Zealand 8 July 1970 Northern XIII NSW 16 17 – 42 GB 16 Great Britain Tokoroa Memorial Sports Ground Tokoroa 3,546 Ron Pont First Test #eeeeee 11 July 1970 NZL 15 – 19 GBR Orchard Ladner (6) Laughton (2), Atkinson, Hynes, Millward Hynes (2) Carlaw Park, Auckland 15,948 John Percival NZL New Zealand vs Great Britain 1970 Series - Game 1 https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/new-zealand-vs-great-britain-1970/game-1/new-zealand-vs-great-britain/summary.html Rugby League Project 8 July 2023 14 July 1970 Wellington XIII Wellington 16 8 – 60 GB 16 Great Britain Basin Reserve, Wellington 859 Earle Pilcher Second Test #eeeeee 19 July 1970 NZL 9 – 23 GBR Christian Ladner (3) Millward (2), Laughton, Myler, Reilly Dutton (4) Addington Showgrounds, Christchurch 8,600 John Percival NZL New Zealand vs Great Britain 1970 Series - Game 2 https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/new-zealand-vs-great-britain-1970/game_2/new-zealand-vs-great-britain/summary.html Rugby League Project 8 July 2023 21 July 1970 West Coast St Helens 16 2 – 57 GB 16 Great Britain Wingham Park, Greymouth 676 Ted Gutbertlet Third Test #eeeeee 25 July 1970 NZL 16 – 33 GBR Bailey, Orchard Ladner (5) Lowe (2), Hepworth, Hesketh, Hynes, Smith, Watson Dutton (5), Millward Carlaw Park, Auckland 13,137 John Percival NZL New Zealand vs Great Britain 1970 Series - Game 3 https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/new-zealand-vs-great-britain-1970/game_3/new-zealand-vs-great-britain/summary.html Rugby League Project 8 July 2023 27 July 1970 Auckland AucklandNZRL 16 8 – 23 GB 16 Great Britain Carlaw Park, Auckland 6,074 A. Taylor Aftermath The tour was one of the most successful in Lions history, with the team winning 22 out of their 24 matches – their only defeat was the first Test against Australia, with the draw against New South Wales being the only other game they failed to win.Johnny Whiteley recalls when Great Britain's Lions last roared in Australia https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12040/12022989/johnny-whiteley-recalls-when-great-britains-lions-last-roared-in-australia Sky Sports 8 July 2023 8 July 2020 The tour made a profit of approximately £60,000.Hardisty agrees terms with Sydney club The Guardian 29 July 1970 London 16 185411190 References 2 External links Lions Tour 1970 at Rugby League Project Category:Great Britain national rugby league team tours Category:Rugby league tours of Australia Category:Australia–United Kingdom sports relations Category:Rugby league tours of New Zealand Category:New Zealand–United Kingdom sports relations Great Britain Lions tour Great Britain Lions tour Great Britain Lions tour