1966 Great Britain Lions tour

Last updated

1966 Great Britain Lions tour
Date1 June 1966 –
23 August 1966
ManagerWilf Spaven
J. Errock
Tour captain(s) Harry Poole
Top point scorer(s) Ken Gowers (134)
Top try scorer(s) Berwyn Jones (24)
Summary
PWDL
Total
30 2109
Test match
5302
Opponent
PWDL
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
3 1 0 2
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
2 2 0 0
Tour chronology
Previous tour 1962
Next tour 1970

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.

Contents

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

1 June 1966
Northern Territory7 – 17Great Britain
[4]
4 June 1966
Far North Queensland7 – 48Great Britain
[5]
5 June 1966
North Queensland17 – 15Great Britain
[6]
8 June 1966
Central Queensland10 – 5Great Britain
[7]
11 June 1966
Sydney14 – 15Great Britain
[8]
13 June 1966
Newcastle2 – 5Great Britain
15 June 1966
NSW North Coast20 – 52Great Britain
18 June 1966
New South Wales18 – 13Great Britain
19 June 1966
Southern NSW17 – 8Great Britain

First Test

25 June 1966
Australia13 – 17Great 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
26 June 1966
Northern NSW15 – 13Great Britain
29 June 1966
Brisbane19 – 17Great Britain
2 July 1966
Queensland29 – 38Great Britain
3 July 1966
Wide Bay/Burnett22 – 30Great Britain
7 July 1966
Ipswich10 – 44Great Britain
10 July 1966
Toowoomba10 – 38Great Britain

Second Test

16 July 1966
Australia6 – 4Great Britain
Goals: Barnes (3)
 [10]
Goals: Keegan (2)
Lang Park, Brisbane
Attendance: 45,057
Referee: Col Pearce
17 July 1966
Western NSW11 – 38Great Britain

Third Test

23 July 1966
Australia19 – 14Great 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
24 July 1966
Riverina20 – 34Great Britain
26 July 1966
Balmain9 – 8Great Britain
31 July 1966
Monaro12 – 33Great Britain

New Zealand

3 August 1966
Waikato8 – 47Great Britain

First Test

6 August 1966
New Zealand8 – 25Great 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
9 August 1966
Wellington9 – 28Great Britain
11 August 1966
West Coast5 – 27Great Britain
13 August 1966
Canterbury6 – 53Great Britain
15 August 1966
Taranaki17 – 51Great Britain

Second Test

20 August 1966
New Zealand14 – 22Great Britain
Goals: Wiggs (7)
 [13]
Tries: Brooke (2), Aspinall, Burgess
Goals: Gowers (5)
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 10,657
Referee: John Percival
23 August 1966
Auckland11 – 12Great Britain

References

  1. ↑ Mather, Harold (24 March 1966). "Peculiarities of inclusion and also of omission". The Guardian. p. 15. ProQuest   185199978.
  2. ↑ "Brooke to replace Murphy for tour". The Guardian. London. 29 March 1966. p. 4. ProQuest   185043070.
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. ↑ "English League side worried by heat but wins 17-7". The Sydney Morning Herald . 2 June 1966. p. 12.
  5. ↑ "English winger shines". The Sun-Herald . 5 June 1966. p. 56.
  6. ↑ "English League team beaten". The Sydney Morning Herald . 6 June 1966. p. 16.
  7. ↑ "English League team loses another match". The Sydney Morning Herald . 9 June 1966. p. 12.
  8. ↑ "England's Warning On Tests". The Sun-Herald . 12 June 1966. p. 44.
  9. ↑ "Ashes Series 1966 Series - Game 1". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  10. ↑ "Ashes Series 1966 Series - Game 2". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  11. ↑ "Ashes Series 1966 Series - Game 3". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  12. ↑ "New Zealand vs Great Britain 1966 Series - Game 1". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  13. ↑ "New Zealand vs Great Britain 1966 Series - Game 2". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
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