1966 Great Britain Lions tour |
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Date | 1 June 1966 – 23 August 1966 |
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Manager | Wilf Spaven J. Errock |
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Tour captain(s) | Harry Poole |
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Top point scorer(s) | Ken Gowers (134) |
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Top try scorer(s) | Berwyn Jones (24) |
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Summary | |
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Total | |
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Test match | |
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Opponent | |
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Australia | |
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New Zealand | |
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Tour chronology |
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Previous tour | 1962 |
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Next tour | 1970 |
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The 1966 Great Britain Lions tour was the Great Britain national rugby league team's 13th tour of Australasia and took place from June to August 1966. A total of 30 matches were played against local club and representative sides during the tour, including a three match Test match series against Australia and a two-game series against New Zealand.
Great Britain failed to regain The Ashes against Australia following their home defeat in 1963, but had more success on the New Zealand leg of the tour, winning all eight games.
Touring squad
The 26-man touring squad was announced on 23 March 1966, with Harry Poole named as captain, and Ken Gowers selected as vice-captain.[1] A few days later, Alex Murphy withdrew from the squad due to business commitments, and was replaced by Ian Brooke.[2] Murphy's withdrawal meant that Brian Edgar was the only member of the squad who had toured previously with the Lions.[3]
Results
Australia
Northern Territory | 7 – 17 | Great Britain |
| [4] | |
Far North Queensland | 7 – 48 | Great Britain |
| [5] | |
North Queensland | 17 – 15 | Great Britain |
| [6] | |
Central Queensland | 10 – 5 | Great Britain |
| [7] | |
Sydney | 14 – 15 | Great Britain |
| [8] | |
Newcastle | 2 – 5 | Great Britain |
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NSW North Coast | 20 – 52 | Great Britain |
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New South Wales | 18 – 13 | Great Britain |
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Southern NSW | 17 – 8 | Great Britain |
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First Test
Australia | 13 – 17 | Great Britain |
Tries: Banks Goals: Barnes (5) | [9] | Tries: Burgess, Hardisty, Watson Goals: Keegan (3) Drop goals: Bishop |
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Attendance: 57,962 Referee: Jack Bradley |
Northern NSW | 15 – 13 | Great Britain |
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Brisbane | 19 – 17 | Great Britain |
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Queensland | 29 – 38 | Great Britain |
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Wide Bay/Burnett | 22 – 30 | Great Britain |
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Ipswich | 10 – 44 | Great Britain |
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Toowoomba | 10 – 38 | Great Britain |
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Second Test
Australia | 6 – 4 | Great Britain |
Goals: Barnes (3) | [10] | Goals: Keegan (2) |
Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 45,057 Referee: Col Pearce |
Western NSW | 11 – 38 | Great Britain |
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Third Test
Australia | 19 – 14 | Great Britain |
Tries: Irvine (3), King, Lynch Goals: Johns (2) | [11] | Tries: Hardisty (2) Goals: Gowers (4) |
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Attendance: 63,503 Referee: Col Pearce |
Riverina | 20 – 34 | Great Britain |
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Balmain | 9 – 8 | Great Britain |
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Monaro | 12 – 33 | Great Britain |
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New Zealand
Waikato | 8 – 47 | Great Britain |
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First Test
New Zealand | 8 – 25 | Great Britain |
Tries: Christian, Mincham Goals: Kennedy | [12] | Tries: Brooke, Burgess, Clarke, Myler, Watson Goals: Gowers Drop goals: Gowers |
Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 14,494 Referee: John Percival |
Wellington | 9 – 28 | Great Britain |
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West Coast | 5 – 27 | Great Britain |
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Canterbury | 6 – 53 | Great Britain |
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Taranaki | 17 – 51 | Great Britain |
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Second Test
New Zealand | 14 – 22 | Great Britain |
Goals: Wiggs (7) | [13] | Tries: Brooke (2), Aspinall, Burgess Goals: Gowers (5) |
Auckland | 11 – 12 | Great Britain |
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References
- ^ Mather, Harold (24 March 1966). "Peculiarities of inclusion and also of omission". The Guardian. p. 15. ProQuest 185199978.
- ^ "Brooke to replace Murphy for tour". The Guardian. London. 29 March 1966. p. 4. ProQuest 185043070.
- ^ Mather, Harold (7 May 1966). "Tour forwards good, backs speedy". The Rugby League news. Vol. 47, no. 12. Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League – via Trove.
- ^ "English League side worried by heat but wins 17-7". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 June 1966. p. 12.
- ^ "English winger shines". The Sun-Herald. 5 June 1966. p. 56.
- ^ "English League team beaten". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 June 1966. p. 16.
- ^ "English League team loses another match". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 June 1966. p. 12.
- ^ "England's Warning On Tests". The Sun-Herald. 12 June 1966. p. 44.
- ^ "Ashes Series 1966 Series - Game 1". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "Ashes Series 1966 Series - Game 2". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "Ashes Series 1966 Series - Game 3". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "New Zealand vs Great Britain 1966 Series - Game 1". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "New Zealand vs Great Britain 1966 Series - Game 2". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
External links
- Lions Tour 1966 at Rugby League Project