1970 Great Britain Lions tour explained

1970 Great Britain Lions tour
Date:22 May 1970 –
27 July 1970
Manager:Jack Harding
Coach:Johnny Whiteley
Captain:Frank Myler
Top Point Scorer:Terry Price (117)
Top Try Scorer:Syd Hynes (19)
Matchplayed:24
Matchwon:22
Matchdraw:1
Matchlost:1
Testplayed:6
Testwon:5
Testdraw:0
Testlost:1
Played1:3
Won1:2
Draw1:0
Lost1:1
Played2:3
Won2:3
Draw2:0
Lost2:0
Previous:1966
Next: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.[1] 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).[2] [3]

After the squad was selected, John Stephens withdrew from the tour due to injury, and was replaced by Dennis Hartley.[4] The tour manager was Jack Harding, with Johnny Whiteley as assistant manager and coach.[5]

NamePositionNationalityClub
Castleford
Widnes
Leeds
Leeds
Hull
Salford
Leeds
St Helens
Leeds
Hull Kingston Rovers
Castleford
Leeds
Castleford
St Helens
Salford
Leigh
Castleford
Bradford Northern
Hull Kingston Rovers
Oldham
Wigan
Featherstone Rovers
Castleford
Wigan

Results

Australia

Third Test

New Zealand

Third Test

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.[6] The tour made a profit of approximately £60,000.[7]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Mather . Harold . Price is chosen for tour . The Guardian . 5 March 1970 . London . 22 . .
  2. News: Mather . Harold . Myler captain for tour . The Guardian . 26 March 1970 . London . 25 . .
  3. News: Britain's Complete Team . The Rugby League news . 51 . 10 . N.S.W. Rugby Football League . 4 April 1970 . Sydney . Trove.
  4. News: Hartley in tour party . The Guardian . 7 April 1970 . London . 17 . .
  5. Web site: 'We had arrogance and won Aussie hearts' - The incredible story of the infamous 1970 Lions Tour 50 years on . Hull Daily Mail . 7 July 2023 . 4 July 2020.
  6. Web site: Johnny Whiteley recalls when Great Britain's Lions last roared in Australia . Sky Sports . 8 July 2023 . 8 July 2020.
  7. News: Hardisty agrees terms with Sydney club . The Guardian . 29 July 1970 . London . 16 . .