1970 Great Britain Lions tour

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.

1970 Great Britain Lions tour
Date	22 May 1970 – 27 July 1970
Manager	Jack Harding
Coach(es)	Johnny Whiteley
Tour captain(s)	Frank Myler
Top point scorer(s)	Terry Price (117)
Top try scorer(s)	Syd Hynes (19)
Summary	P W D L
Total	24 22 01 01
Test match	06 05 00 01
Opponent	P W D L
Australia	3 2 0 1
New Zealand	3 3 0 0
Tour chronology
Previous tour	1966
Next tour	1974

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]

Name	Position	Nationality	Club
Derek Edwards	Utility back	England	Castleford
Terry Price	Fullback	Wales	Bradford Northern
Ray Dutton	Fullback	England	Widnes
Alan Smith	Wing	England	Leeds
John Atkinson	Wing	England	Leeds
Clive Sullivan	Wing	Wales	Hull
Chris Hesketh	Centre	England	Salford
Syd Hynes	Centre	England	Leeds
Frank Myler	Centre	England	St Helens
Mick Shoebottom	Stand-off	England	Leeds
Roger Millward	Stand-off	England	Hull Kingston Rovers
Alan Hardisty	Stand-off	England	Castleford
Barry Seabourne	Scrum-half	England	Leeds
Keith Hepworth	Scrum-half	England	Castleford
Cliff Watson	Prop forward	England	St Helens
John Ward	Prop forward	England	Salford
David Chisnall	Prop forward	England	Leigh
Dennis Hartley	Prop forward	England	Castleford
Peter Flanagan	Hooker	England	Hull Kingston Rovers
Tony Fisher	Hooker	Wales	Bradford Northern
Phil Lowe	Second-row	England	Hull Kingston Rovers
Bob Irving	Second-row	England	Oldham
Dave Robinson	Second-row	England	Wigan
Jim Thompson	Second-row	England	Featherstone Rovers
Malcolm Reilly	Loose forward	England	Castleford
Doug Laughton	Loose forward	England	Wigan

Results

Australia

Northern Territory	12 – 35	Great Britain

22 May 1970

Darwin

North Queensland	20 – 23	Great Britain

24 May 1970

Townsville

Central Queensland	2 – 30	Great Britain

26 May 1970

Rockhampton

Wide Bay	7 – 45	Great Britain

28 May 1970

Wondai

Queensland	7 – 32	Great Britain

30 May 1970

Brisbane

First Test

Australia	37 – 15	Great Britain
Tries: King (2), Morgan (2), McDonald Goals: Langlands (9) Drop goals: Hawthorne (2)	[6]	Tries: Flanagan, Laughton, Watson Goals: Price (3)

6 June 1970

Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 42,807 Referee: Don Lancashire

Toowoomba	13 – 37	Great Britain

7 June 1970

Toowoomba

Brisbane	7 – 28	Great Britain

10 June 1970

Brisbane

New South Wales	17 – 17	Great Britain

13 June 1970

Sydney

Monaro	11 – 34	Great Britain

14 June 1970

Queanbeyan

Second Test

Australia	7 – 28	Great Britain
Tries: King Goals: McDonald Drop goals: Hawthorne	[7]	Tries: Millward (2), Atkinson, Fisher Goals: Millward (6) Drop goals: Hynes, Millward

20 June 1970

Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Attendance: 60,962 Referee: Don Lancashire

Western Australia	11 – 40	Great Britain

21 June 1970

Bathurst

Sydney Colts	7 – 26	Great Britain

23 June 1970

Cronulla

Newcastle	16 – 49	Great Britain

27 June 1970

Newcastle

Riverina	11 – 12	Great Britain

28 June 1970

Wagga Wagga

Third Test

Australia	17 – 21	Great Britain
Tries: McCarthy Goals: McKean (7)	[8]	Tries: Atkinson (2), Hartley, Hynes, Millward Goals: Millward (3)

4 July 1970

Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Attendance: 61,258 Referee: Don Lancashire

Southern NSW	11 – 24	Great Britain
	[9]

5 July 1970

Wollongong

New Zealand

Northern XIII	17 – 42	Great Britain

8 July 1970

Tokoroa

First Test

New Zealand	15 – 19	Great Britain
Tries: Orchard Goals: Ladner (6)	[10]	Tries: Laughton (2), Atkinson, Hynes, Millward Goals: Hynes (2)

11 July 1970

Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 15,948 Referee: John Percival

Wellington XIII	8 – 60	Great Britain

14 July 1970

Wellington

Second Test

New Zealand	9 – 23	Great Britain
Tries: Christian Goals: Ladner (3)	[11]	Tries: Millward (2), Laughton, Myler, Reilly Goals: Dutton (4)

19 July 1970

Addington Showgrounds, Christchurch Attendance: 8,600 Referee: John Percival

West Coast	2 – 57	Great Britain

21 July 1970

Greymouth

Third Test

New Zealand	16 – 33	Great Britain
Tries: Bailey, Orchard Goals: Ladner (5)	[12]	Tries: Lowe (2), Hepworth, Hesketh, Hynes, Smith, Watson Goals: Dutton (5), Millward

25 July 1970

Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 13,137 Referee: John Percival

Auckland	8 – 23	Great Britain

27 July 1970

Auckland

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.^[13] The tour made a profit of approximately £60,000.^[14]

References

1. Mather, Harold (5 March 1970). "Price is chosen for tour". The Guardian. London. p. 22. ProQuest 185364260.
2. Mather, Harold (26 March 1970). "Myler captain for tour". The Guardian. London. p. 25. ProQuest 185406705.
3. "Britain's Complete Team". The Rugby League news. Vol. 51, no. 10. Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League. 4 April 1970 – via Trove.
4. "Hartley in tour party". The Guardian. London. 7 April 1970. p. 17. ProQuest 185491202.
5. "'We had arrogance and won Aussie hearts' - The incredible story of the infamous 1970 Lions Tour 50 years on". Hull Daily Mail. 4 July 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
6. "Ashes Series 1970 Series - Game 1". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
7. "Ashes Series 1970 Series - Game 2". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
8. "Ashes Series 1970 Series - Game 3". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
9. "Millward Hurt at W'gong". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 July 1970. p. 17.
10. "New Zealand vs Great Britain 1970 Series - Game 1". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
11. "New Zealand vs Great Britain 1970 Series - Game 2". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
12. "New Zealand vs Great Britain 1970 Series - Game 3". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
13. "Johnny Whiteley recalls when Great Britain's Lions last roared in Australia". Sky Sports. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
14. "Hardisty agrees terms with Sydney club". The Guardian. London. 29 July 1970. p. 16. ProQuest 185411190.

External links

• Lions Tour 1970 at Rugby League Project