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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 |
| ||||
| Total |
| ||||
| Test match |
| ||||
| Opponent |
| ||||
 Australia |
| ||||
 New Zealand |
| ||||
| 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.
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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]
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Australia
Northern Territory  |
12 – 35 |  Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
22 May 1970 |
North Queensland  |
20 – 23 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
24 May 1970 |
Central Queensland  |
2 – 30 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
26 May 1970 |
Wide Bay  |
7 – 45 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
28 May 1970 |
Queensland Firsts  |
7 – 32 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
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) |
Toowoomba  |
13 – 37 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
7 June 1970 |
Brisbane Firsts  |
7 – 28 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
10 June 1970 |
NSW Firsts  |
17 – 17 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
13 June 1970 |
| Monaro |
11 – 34 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
14 June 1970 |
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 |
Western Division  |
11 – 40 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
21 June 1970 |
Sydney Colts  |
7 – 26 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
23 June 1970 |
Newcastle  |
16 – 49 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
27 June 1970 |
Riverina  |
11 – 12 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
28 June 1970 |
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 |
Southern Division  |
11 – 24 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
| [9] |
5 July 1970 |
New Zealand
| Northern XIII |
17 – 42 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
8 July 1970 |
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 |
Wellington XIII  |
8 – 60 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
14 July 1970 |
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 |
| West Coast |
2 – 57 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
21 July 1970 |
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 |
Auckland  |
8 – 23 | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
27 July 1970 |
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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]
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