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1984 Great Britain Lions tour

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The 1984 Great Britain Lions tour was the Great Britain national rugby league team's 17th tour of Australasia and took place from May to August 1984. 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, and one Test match against Papua New Guinea.

It was the first tour since 1950 in which Great Britain lost both series against Australia and New Zealand, and the first tour ever where they failed to win a Test against either team.

Touring squad

In preparation for the tour, Great Britain coach Frank Myler and tour manager Dick Gemmell invited a squad of 44 players to attend a series of training camps during the summer of 1983.[1] In February 1984, a squad of 41 players was named, which would participate in weekly training sessions at Fartown, Huddersfield.[1] Some clubs were unhappy with being asked to release players during the middle of the season, most notably Widnes, who had 10 players selected for the training squad. Prior to the second Test match against France on 17 February 1984, Widnes refused to make their players available for the training sessions – John Basnett was the only Widnes player who attended. Myler responded by excluding the absent players from Test selection, with Basnett being the only Widnes player named thus far.[2]

Prior to the final squad for the tour being named, a number of players became unavailable for selection for various reasons. Steve Evans was unavailable due to his wedding plans in the summer,[1] while John Woods withdrew due to "family and business commitments".[3] Peter Smith announced he would not be available due to a shoulder injury.[4] David Watkinson was also ruled out due to injury, suffering a broken leg in the first Test match against France.[5] David Hall had recently taken over a public house and asked not to be considered, while John Wood withdrew for family reasons.[1]

A 30-man squad for the tour was selected in April 1984.[6] The squad included 18-year-old Garry Schofield, who became Great Britain's youngest ever tourist. After the squad was named, Len Casey was dropped after receiving a six-month suspension,[7] while Great Britain captain Trevor Skerrett was ruled out due to injury. Wayne Proctor and Chris Arkwright were called up as replacements, and Brian Noble was named as team captain in place of the injured Skerrett.[8] Shortly before the tour departed, Arkwright was withdrawn from the squad on medical advice because of a damaged knee, and was replaced by Terry Flanagan.[9]

Name Position Club Apps Tests Tries Goals Drop goals Points Notes
Mick Adams Forward Widnes 16 7 1 0 0 4
Ray Ashton Half-back Oldham 7 0 1 0 0 4
John Basnett Threequarter Widnes 9 0 6 0 0 24 [a]
Kevin Beardmore Forward Castleford 11 1 7 0 0 28
Mick Burke Fullback Widnes 15 7 2 36 0 80
Chris Burton Forward Hull Kingston Rovers 12 5 0 0 0 0
Brian Case Forward Wigan 13 4 1 0 0 4
Garry Clark Threequarter Hull Kingston Rovers 10 0 7 0 0 28
Lee Crooks Forward Hull 10 2 1 3 0 10
Steve Donlan Threequarter Leigh 11 2 2 0 0 8
Des Drummond Threequarter Leigh 17 7 11 0 0 44
Ronnie Duane Threequarter Warrington 1 0 0 0 0 0 [a]
Terry Flanagan Forward Oldham 9 2 0 0 0 8
Des Foy Threequarter Oldham 8 1 5 0 0 20
Andy Goodway Forward Oldham 13 7 5 0 0 20
Andy Gregory Half-back Widnes 14 4 3 0 1 13
Ellery Hanley Half-back Bradford Northern 17 7 12 3 0 54
David Hobbs Forward Featherstone Rovers 16 6 2 15 0 38
Neil Holding Half-back St Helens 10 4 3 0 1 13
John Joyner Threequarter Castleford 11 2 1 0 0 4
Joe Lydon Threequarter Widnes 14 4 4 26 0 68
Keith Mumby Fullback Bradford Northern 16 7 5 0 0 20
Tony Myler Half-back Widnes 10 5 1 0 0 4
Brian Noble (c) Forward Bradford Northern 14 7 6 0 0 24
Mike O'Neill Forward Widnes 11 0 0 0 0 0
Harry Pinner Forward St Helens 7 0 0 0 0 0
Wayne Proctor Forward Hull 11 1 6 0 0 24
Keith Rayne Forward Leeds 13 2 1 0 0 4
Garry Schofield Threequarter Hull 11 4 7 6 0 40
Mike Smith Threequarter Hull Kingston Rovers 11 1 6 0 0 24
Mick Worrall Forward Oldham 9 2 1 0 0 4

Results

Australia

18 May 1984
Northern Territory 13 – 40 Great Britain
23 May 1984
Riverina 18 – 22 Great Britain
25 May 1984
North Coast 6 – 56 Great Britain
Wauchope
27 May 1984
Western Division 30 – 36 Great Britain
30 May 1984
North Sydney 8 – 14 Great Britain

First Test

9 June 1984
Australia 25 – 8 Great Britain
Tries: Boustead, Lewis, Murray, Price
Goals: Conlon (4)
Drop goals: Lewis
 [11]
 Tries: Schofield
Goals: Burke (2)
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 30,190
Referee: Ray Shrimpton
Player of the Match: Wally Lewis
11 June 1984
Wide Bay 18 – 28 Great Britain
15 June 1984
Central Queensland 12 – 44 Great Britain
17 June 1984
North Queensland 20 – 38 Great Britain
20 June 1984
Toowoomba 18 – 16 Great Britain

Second Test

26 June 1984
Australia 18 – 6 Great Britain
1 July 1984
Northern Division NSW 18 – 32 Great Britain

Third Test

7 July 1984
Australia 20 – 7 Great Britain
Tries: Conescu, Grothe, Jack
Goals: Meninga (4)
 [12]
 Tries: Hanley
Goals: Burke
Drop goals: Holding
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 18,756
Referee: Tony Drake
Player of the Match: Wayne Pearce

New Zealand

10 July 1984
Northern District 8 – 42 Great Britain

First Test

14 July 1984
New Zealand 12 – 0 Great Britain
15 July 1984
NZ Maoris 8 – 19 Great Britain
18 July 1984
Central Districts 6 – 38 Great Britain

Second Test

22 July 1984
New Zealand 28 – 12 Great Britain
Tries: O'Hara (2), Ah Kuoi, Bell, Leuluai
Goals: Filipaina (4)
 [13]
 Tries: Hanley, Myler
Goals: Burke (2)
Addington Showgrounds, Christchurch
Attendance: 9,824
Referee: Barry Barnes
Player of the Match: Dane Sorensen
25 July 1984
South Island 14 – 36 Great Britain

Third Test

28 July 1984
New Zealand 32 – 16 Great Britain
Tries: Friend (2), Leuluai (2), O'Hara
Goals: Filipaina (6)
 [14]
 Tries: Hanley, Mumby
Goals: Burke (4)
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 7,967
Referee: Kevin Roberts
31 July 1984
Auckland 18 – 16 Great Britain

Papua New Guinea

5 August 1984
Papua New Guinea 20 – 38 Great Britain
Tries: Jakis, Noifa, Taumaku, Tolik
Goals: Numapo (2)
 [15]
 Tries: Drummond (2), Burke, Hanley, Hobbs, Mumby, Rayne
Goals: Burke (5)
Rebiamul Oval, Mount Hagen
Attendance: 7,510
Referee: Barry Gomersall

Notes

  1. ^ a b Ronnie Duane returned home from the tour early due to injury. He was replaced by John Basnett.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Fletcher, Raymond; Howes, David, eds. (1984). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1984-85. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 266. ISBN 978-0-356-10450-8.
  2. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (9 February 1984). "Myler's tough stand". The Guardian. London. p. 27. ProQuest 186456610.
  3. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (16 February 1984). "Cannon fodder". The Guardian. London. p. 26. ProQuest 186462796.
  4. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (29 March 1984). "Smith injury may let in Pinner". The Guardian. London. p. 24. ProQuest 186442260.
  5. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (30 January 1984). "Britain survive setback". The Guardian. London. p. 21. ProQuest 186390677.
  6. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (17 April 1984). "Donlan's tour spot". The Guardian. London. p. 26. ProQuest 186454525.
  7. ^ "Casey out as appeal fails". The Guardian. London. 2 May 1984. p. 22. ProQuest 186504229.
  8. ^ "Rugby League". The Guardian. London. 3 May 1984. p. 23. ProQuest 186421942.
  9. ^ "Arkwright Shock". Liverpool Echo. 9 May 1984. p. 34 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Schofield steps up". The Guardian. London. 1 June 1984. p. 22. ProQuest 186564504.
  11. ^ "Ashes Series 1984 Series - Game 1". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  12. ^ "Ashes Series 1984 Series - Game 3". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  13. ^ "New Zealand vs Great Britain 1984 Series - Game 2". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  14. ^ "New Zealand vs Great Britain 1984 Series - Game 3". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  15. ^ "Lions Tour 1984 Series - Game 24". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
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