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

22 May 1970

Northern Territory	12 – 35	Great Britain

Richardson Park, Darwin Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Ray Pittey

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24 May 1970

North Queensland	20 – 23	Great Britain

Townsville Sports Reserve, Townsville Attendance: 7,890 Referee: Sid Volling

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26 May 1970

Central Queensland	2 – 30	Great Britain

Rockhampton Showgrounds, Rockhampton Attendance: 7,290 Referee: Nick Euclid

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28 May 1970

Wide Bay	7 – 45	Great Britain

Wondai Sports Ground, Gympie Attendance: 3,344 Referee: L. Cronin

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30 May 1970

Queensland Firsts	7 – 32	Great Britain

Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 17,071 Referee: Henry Albert

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First Test

6 June 1970

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)

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

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7 June 1970

Toowoomba	13 – 37	Great Britain

Athletic Oval, Toowoomba Attendance: 6,549 Referee: Des Creedy

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10 June 1970

Brisbane Firsts	7 – 28	Great Britain

Brisbane Exhibition Grounds, Brisbane Attendance: 10,117 Referee: Henry Albert

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13 June 1970

NSW Firsts	17 – 17	Great Britain

Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Attendance: 31,509 Referee: Keith Page

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14 June 1970

Monaro	11 – 34	Great Britain

Seiffert Oval, Queanbeyan Attendance: 9,500 Referee: Graham Barby

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Second Test

20 June 1970

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

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

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21 June 1970

Western Division	11 – 40	Great Britain

Bathurst Showground, Bathurst Attendance: 4,400 Referee: Tom Gustard

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23 June 1970

Sydney Colts	7 – 26	Great Britain

Endeavour Field, Sydney Attendance: 14,046 Referee: Keith Holman

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27 June 1970

Newcastle	16 – 49	Great Britain

Newcastle Number 1 Sports Ground, Newcastle Attendance: 22,655 Referee: Neil McAlister

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28 June 1970

Riverina	11 – 12	Great Britain

Robertson Oval, Wagga Wagga Attendance: 11,000 Referee: Bruce Chapman

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Third Test

4 July 1970

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

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

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5 July 1970

Southern Division	11 – 24	Great Britain
	[9]

Wollongong Showground, Wollongong Attendance: 7,796 Referee: Neil McAlister

New Zealand

8 July 1970

Northern XIII	17 – 42	Great Britain

Tokoroa Memorial Sports Ground Tokoroa Attendance: 3,546 Referee: Ron Pont

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First Test

11 July 1970

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

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

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14 July 1970

Wellington XIII	8 – 60	Great Britain

Basin Reserve, Wellington Attendance: 859 Referee: Earle Pilcher

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Second Test

19 July 1970

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

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

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21 July 1970

West Coast	2 – 57	Great Britain

Wingham Park, Greymouth Attendance: 676 Referee: Ted Gutbertlet

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Third Test

25 July 1970

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

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

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27 July 1970

Auckland	8 – 23	Great Britain

Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 6,074 Referee: 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.^[13] The tour made a profit of approximately £60,000.^[14]