Great Britain national rugby league team

Great Britain is one of the major national teams playing rugby league. The team is administered by the Rugby Football League (RFL), and is commonly nicknamed the 'Lions' or 'Great Britain Lions'. The team has also been known as 'Great Britain and Ireland'. The RFL has announced that after the 2006 Tri-nations tournament the Great Britain team will be retired, and that players will be able to represent England, Wales, Scotland or Ireland at the Test level. It is planned that the Great Britain team will come together only for occasional tours, such as the one planned for the Southern Hemisphere in 2010. [1]

Great Britain have traditionally been one of the strongest teams in rugby league, though usually playing second fiddle to Australia. They have won the Rugby League World Cup on three occasions: 1954, 1960 and 1972. Since 1995 the RFL have preferred to send the home nations as separate teams for world cup purposes.

Great Britain continue to compete as test playing nation both home and away (unlike the British and Irish Lions rugby union team, who are a touring only team playing sporadically). They compete against Australia for The Ashes, and New Zealand for the Baskerville Shield, as well as playing series and tours against other nations such as France and Papua New Guinea. Great Britain also play in the Tri-Nations.

As stated above, there is some confusion as to which “nation” the Lions represent.

The team was originally known as the Northern Union XIII in reference to the name of the sport's governing body. After 1922 the name "The Lions" was first used. In 1948 the team became known as Great Britain for the Ashes Series. During the 1990s the Rugby Football League expanded this to Great Britain and Ireland, and the jersey bore the name British Isles XIII. In 2004 the "...and Ireland" was dropped from the title, however, the Irish shamrock continues to form part of the RFL's crest and British Isles XIII remains on the jersey, as of 2006. Players from the Republic of Ireland have been selected to play for Great Britain, one recent example being Cork-born Brian Carney.

At matches, the team is represented by the Union Flag and the singing of God Save the Queen, both symbols of the United Kingdom. The practice of a UK-wide team being called Great Britain has a precedent with the Great British Olympic team. The formal name of the Olympic team includes "and Northern Ireland", however.

In Australia, the Great Britain team is often erroneously referred to as England, most notably by television commentator Phil Gould.

After the 2006 Tri-nations tournament, the Great Britain team will be reserved for Lions tours of the Southern Hemisphere. According to Richard Lewis, chairman of the Rugby Football League:

"It will bring consistency. What I am passionate about is the international game being consistent. To me, it has always been illogical that we play as Great Britain for three or four years, and when the World Cup comes along, suddenly we become England. In the major competitions, which will be most years, we will play as England. That will also allow Ireland, Scotland and Wales to develop. We have then floated the concept of Great Britain to tour in 2010. It would be a tour as opposed to playing a formal competition, and I wouldn't restrict that to just Australia and New Zealand." [2]

On the 18th January 1908, the first ever Great Britain test match took place at Headingley, versus New Zealand. At the time, Great Britain were referred to as the "Northern Union" - they won the game 14-6 before a crowd of 8000. The second test went to New Zealand by 18-6, before 14,000 in Stamford Bridge, London. The third test was played at Cheltenham, and 4,000 watched New Zealand win 8-5.

The first Kangaroos arrived in England on the 27th September 1908, they toured Britain losing more games than they won. They played their first ever test against the Northern Union in December in Loftus Road, London. It finished 22-22 in front of a crowd of 2,000. The second test in Newcastle in January 1909 attracted a crowd of 22,000, and the Northern Union won 15-5. The third test was played at Villa Park, Birmingham, the Northern Union winning again 6-5 before a crowd of 9,000. The Australians suggested that the series should be named "The Ashes" after the cricket series of the same name.

The first British tour of the Southern Hemisphere began on 4th June 1910 captained by Jim Lomas. The Northern Union played New South Wales in front of 33,000 spectators in Sydney, losing 28-14. But they won the first test in Sydney against Australia 27-20 in front of 42,000. They then won the second test in Brisbane 22-17. The tourists also beat combined Australasian sides in two other internationals. In Auckland, on 30th July, they defeated New Zealand 52-20.

The second Lions tour down under in 1914 became the stuff of legend. After sharing the first two tests, Great Britain finished with only 10 men due to injuries, but still managed to hang on for a 14-6 victory in Sydney. It was dubbed "Rorke’s Drift", after a battle in the Boer War.

In January 1922, an 'England' side defeated Australia 6-0 at Salford, to win back the Ashes that had been lost in 1920. They would not be lost again until 1950.

The England team adopted a white shirt with a blue and red 'V' for their 1928 tour of Australasia. They won both series in Australia and New Zealand by two tests to one. They were presented with the Ashes Trophy by the Australians, which the two countries have competed for ever since.

In 1930 with the series tied 1-1 and the third test resulting in a 0-0 draw, an unprecedented fourth test is played between Britain and Australia at Rochdale. Britain win the test 3-0 to take the Ashes.

On New Year’s Eve 1933 in Paris, England and Australia play the first game of rugby league in France. The match was one sided, with Australia winning 63-13 in front of a crowd of 5,000, but the seed was sown.

The 1946 Lions tour saw the team sail to Australia on HMS Indomitable, stoking the boilers to keep fit. After a five day train journey across Australia, Gus Risman’s team retain the Ashes, winning two tests and drawing one.

Australia made their 7th tour to the UK in 1948, and this time play the Ashes series against a side officially called Great Britain.

The first Rugby League World Cup took place in France in October and November 1954. Dave Valentine’s side, without most of the first choice players internationals was not expected to do well, but beat Australia and New Zealand in its qualifying matches. The final, played at the Parc des Princes packed with 30,000 fans, took place on 13th November, where Great Britain beat France 16-12.

On the 11th December 1955 the first official test match took place between Great Britain and France, at Parc des Princes, the French winning 17-5.

In 1956 Great Britain defeated Australia 19-0 at Station Road, Swinton, to take the Ashes series 2-1. This was the last Ashes won on home soil to date.

In 1958 the Lions lost the first test but defeated Australia 25-18 in the second test at Brisbane with only eight fit players on the pitch. Captain Alan Prescott plays for 77 minutes with a broken arm, substitutions not being permitted until six years later, the match became known as "Prescott’s Match" or "the Battle of Brisbane". That lifted the tourists to clinch the series by winning the decider 40-17.

In 1960 Great Britain regain the World Cup when it is played on home soil. The tournament is decided on a league system and Eric Ashton lifts the trophy after a 10-3 victory at Odsal.

The last time that Britain won the Ashes was in 1970 with emerging stars like Roger Millward and Malcolm Reilly. They won the series 2-1 in Australia after winning the final two test matches. Great Britain won 22, drew one and lost one - making them the most successful British tourists so far. Despite that, the World Cup in November in England attracted poor crowds. Great Britain were beaten in a bad-tempered final by Australia, 12-7, at Headingley.

In 1971 New Zealand wins a series in Britain for the first time.

In 1972 was the last time that Great Britain won the World Cup, their 3rd, held in France. Captain Clive Sullivan scores a long distance try in the final in Lyon as they draw with Australia 10-10 after extra time. Great Britain won the cup by virtue of having a better qualifying record.

Great Britain did not compete in the 1975 World Cup as the UK was represented by teams from England and Wales for the first time in a World Cup.

On 6th July 1975, at Boroko, Papua New Guinea played their first ever international. They were beaten 40-12 by Great Britain.

There was a reappearence for the Great Britain team at the 1977 World Cup in Australia, but they lose the final 13-12 to the hosts. This was to be the last Rugby League World Cup final for 11 years.

In 1978 Great Britain beat Australia in the second test 18-14, at Bradford, before a crowd of 26,447. It was to be 10 years, and 15 consecutive test defeats before Britain beat the Kangaroos again.

Rugby league was taken into a new dimension by the 1982 Kangaroos side. The 'Invincibles' became the first team to win every game of the tour (15 games) including the first test by 40-4 at Hull in front of 26,771 spectators. They were captained by Max Krilich and included great players like Mal Meninga, Wally Lewis, Brett Kenny and Peter Sterling. They scored 99 points in three tests and began an era of Australian dominance.

In 1986 a then record northern hemisphere crowd of 50,383 attends the first test of the Ashes series at Old Trafford. The Australians won 38-16.

On the 9th July 1988, Great Britain beat Australia 26-12 in Sydney to win the 3rd test, though the series had already been lost.

In 1989 Great Britain won their first home series since 1965, beating New Zealand by two tests to one.

In 1990 Britain first tied a series in Papua New Guinea 1-1, then won a series 2-1in New Zealand.

Great Britain defeated Australia 19-12 in the first test at Wembley in 1990 in front of a new record home crowd of 54,567. However, the next two tests were narrowly lost, 14-10 and 14-0.

In 1992 Great Britain lost the 1st test 22-6 in Sydney, won the 2nd Ashes test 33-10 in Melbourne, but lost the 3rd test 16-10 in Brisbane. The 1992 World Cup final at Wembley set a record attendance for a rugby league international that still stands today: 73,631 saw Australia edge Great Britain 10-6.

Great Britain won the 1993 home series against New Zealand by three tests to nil, including a 17-0 victory at Wembley in the first test.

In 1994, Ellery Hanley was appointed coach of the Great Britain national rugby league team during the Ashes series of 1994, which was held in Great Britain.

The 1995 Centenary World Cup was held in the UK, but Great Britain was split up in separate England and Wales teams for the second time.

In 1996 Great Britain embarked on a disastrous tour down under. They did not play Australia because of the Super League War, but played and won their first and so far only test against Fiji, before losing a series 3-0 to New Zealand. Several British players had to be sent home early because the tour ran out of money.

Great Britain play a home series against the Australian Super League in 1997 and lost 2-1. Despite the series being given official test status, these games are not widely regarded as a genuine Ashes series because so many Australian stars were again missing.

With the Super League War finally over in 1999, Great Britain travelled to the Southern Hemisphere for the first Tri-Nations tournament with Australia and New Zealand. After two heavy defeats, it is obvious that a huge gap has opened up once again between the northern and southern hemispheres.

The 2000 World Cup is held in Britain, Ireland and France but for the second time in succession there is no Great Britain team as the players were split between the four home nations.

In 2001 the Australians arrived in Britain for the first Ashes series since 1994. Great Britain surprised everyone by winning the first test, but lost the next two.

In July 2002 Great Britain suffered a record test defeat 64-10 to Australia in Sydney.

In November 2003 Great Britain lost an Ashes series 0-3 on home soil.

See:

• Results from 1900-1940
• Results from 1940-1959
• Results from 1960-1979
• Results from 1980-1990
• Results from 1991 and beyond

• Rugby League Ashes
• Baskerville Shield
• Rugby League World Cup
• Tri-Nations
• England national rugby league team
• Wales national rugby league team
• Scotland national rugby league team
• Ireland national rugby league team

• The Rugby Football League’s Great Britain pages

• A History of the Great Britain Rugby League Team
• [3]
• [4]
• [5]

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