1979 Great Britain Lions tour

The 1979 Great Britain Lions tour was the Great Britain national rugby league team's 16th tour of Australasia and took place from May to August 1979. A total of 27 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.

Touring squad

In March 1979, a 30-man squad was selected for the tour, with Doug Laughton appointed as captain.[1] The squad included Widnes prop Jim Mills, who was banned from playing in New Zealand due to an incident in 1975 when Mills played for Wales against New Zealand.[2] Despite an appeal to overturn the ban, the International Board confirmed the ban would be upheld.[3]

After the squad was selected, John Bevan and Stuart Wright were forced to withdraw due to injury, and were replaced by Roy Mathias and David Barends.[4] Ken Kelly also suffered an injury shortly before the tour departed, and was replaced by John Holmes.[5]

Name Position Club Apps Tests Tries Goals Drop goals Points Notes
Mick AdamsForwardWidnes16508117
David BarendsBackBradford Northern162100030
John BurkeForwardWakefield Trinity900000[lower-alpha 1]
Len CaseyForwardBradford Northern14540012
Steve EvansBackFeatherstone Rovers196160048
George FairbairnBackWigan105318146[lower-alpha 2]
Peter GlynnBackSt Helens15060018
Jeff GrayshonForwardBradford Northern1452006
Phil HoganForwardHull Kingston Rovers14450015
John HolmesBackLeeds1361207
Eric HughesBackWidnes17680024
Melvyn JamesForwardSt Helens1303009
John JoynerBackCastleford14660018
Doug Laughton (c)ForwardWidnes510000
Graham LiptrotForwardSt Helens1101003
Brian LockwoodForwardHull Kingston Rovers1211003
Tommy MartynForwardWarrington503009[lower-alpha 2]
Roy MathiasBackSt Helens171100030
Jim MillsForwardWidnes512006[lower-alpha 1]
Roger MillwardBackHull Kingston Rovers300408[lower-alpha 3]
Keith MumbyBackBradford Northern13018019
Steve NashBackSalford602006
George NichollsForwardSt Helens1362006
Steve NortonForwardHull920000
Alan RedfearnBackBradford Northern1011003
Trevor SkerrettForwardWakefield Trinity1241003
Mike SmithBackHull Kingston Rovers11340012
Gary StephensBackCastleford15560018
Charlie StoneForwardHull1200000
David ToplissBackWakefield Trinity712006[lower-alpha 3]
David WardForwardLeeds1160000
David WatkinsonForwardHull Kingston Rovers1212006
John WoodsBackLeigh17412671171

Results

Australia
25 May 1979
North Queensland 5 – 29 Great Britain
27 May 1979
Central Queensland 11 – 20 Great Britain
30 May 1979
Wide Bay 7 – 27 Great Britain
2 June 1979
North Coast 6 – 33 Great Britain
5 June 1979
Northern Division 11 – 20 Great Britain
8 June 1979
Queensland 19 – 25 Great Britain
10 June 1979
Toowoomba 19 – 16 Great Britain

First Test
16 June 1979
Australia 35 – 0 Great Britain
Tries: Boustead (2), Price (2), Corowa
Goals: Cronin (10)
 [8]
Lang Park, Brisbane
Attendance: 23,051
Referee: Eddie Ward
Player of the Match: Ray Price
18 June 1979
Brisbane 7 – 10 Great Britain
20 June 1979
Southern Division 10 – 10 Great Britain
24 June 1979
Newcastle 12 – 25 Great Britain
26 June 1979
Riverina 10 – 37 Great Britain

Second Test
30 June 1979
Australia 24 – 16 Great Britain
Tries: Cronin (2), Reddy, Rogers
Goals: Cronin (6)
 [9]
 Tries: Hughes, Joyner
Goals: Woods (5)
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 26,857
Referee: Greg Hartley
Player of the Match: Rod Reddy
1 July 1979
Illawarra 13 – 18 Great Britain
4 July 1979
Western Division 12 – 19 Great Britain
7 July 1979
New South Wales 17 – 19 Great Britain
8 July 1979
Monaro 7 – 21 Great Britain

Third Test
14 July 1979
Australia 28 – 2 Great Britain
Tries: Boyd, Eadie, Price, Reddy
Goals: Cronin (8)
 [10]
 Goals: Fairbairn
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 16,844
Referee: Eddie Ward
Player of the Match: Ray Price

New Zealand
17 July 1979
Maoris 13 – 15 Great Britain

First Test
21 July 1979
New Zealand 8 – 16 Great Britain
Tries: Ah Kuoi, Uluave
Goals: Collicoat
 [11]
 Tries: Evans, Fairbairn, Hughes, Smith
Goals: Fairbairn (2)
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 9,000
Referee: John Percival
22 July 1979
Northern District 5 – 58 Great Britain
25 July 1979
Central District 5 – 14 Great Britain
29 July 1979
Wellington 3 – 39 Great Britain

Second Test
5 August 1979
New Zealand 7 – 22 Great Britain
Tries: Filipaina
Goals: Filipaina (2)
 [12]
 Tries: Casey, Evans, Grayshon, Hughes
Goals: Fairbairn (5)
Addington Showgrounds, Christchurch
Attendance: 8,500
Referee: John Percival
7 August 1979
West Coast 0 – 19 Great Britain

Third Test
11 August 1979
New Zealand 18 – 11 Great Britain
Tries: Fisher, Graham, Leuluai, O'Hara
Goals: Filipaina (3)
 [13]
 Tries: Hughes, Smith, Stephens
Goals: Fairbairn
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Kevin Steel
13 August 1979
Auckland 10 – 18 Great Britain

Notes
  1. John Burke was called up as a replacement for Jim Mills due to injury.[6]
  2. George Fairbairn was called up as a replacement for Tommy Martyn due to injury.[6]
  3. David Topliss was called up as a replacement for Roger Millward due to injury.[7]

References
  1. Fitzpatrick, Paul (28 March 1979). "Dyl left out of overseas tour". The Guardian. London. p. 27. ProQuest 186084158.
  2. Fitzpatrick, Paul (29 March 1979). "New Zealand adamant on Mills ban". The Guardian. London. p. 27.
  3. Fitzpatrick, Paul (14 June 1979). "Mills tour ban stands". The Guardian. London. p. 24. ProQuest 186063885.
  4. Fitzpatrick, Paul (11 May 1979). "Replacements have right credentials". The Guardian. London. p. 26. ProQuest 186162353.
  5. "Holmes called up for tour". The Guardian. London. 21 May 1979. p. 28. ProQuest 186186261.
  6. "Burke and Fairbairn face instant action on tour". The Guardian. London. 22 June 1979. p. 25. ProQuest 186129790.
  7. Kennedy, Edward (28 June 1979). "Hogan is out". The Guardian. London. p. 22. ProQuest 186193946.
  8. "Ashes Series 1979 Series - Game 1". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  9. "Ashes Series 1979 Series - Game 2". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  10. "Ashes Series 1979 Series - Game 3". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  11. "New Zealand vs Great Britain 1979 Series - Game 1". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  12. "New Zealand vs Great Britain 1979 Series - Game 2". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  13. "New Zealand vs Great Britain 1984 Series - Game 3". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
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