1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand
The 1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand was the first international tour of the Great Britain national rugby league team,[1] "The Lions". They played the second ever Ashes series against Australia, and their first as the visiting team, before travelling to Auckland to take on New Zealand. The tour was a huge promotional and financial success for what was then known as the "Northern Union" game[2] and helped set the pattern for regular, alternating test match series between Britain and Australia.[3] It is regarded as one of the most important events in the history of rugby league.[4]
Despite the selection of several Welsh players in the touring squad, the team is sometimes referred to as "England". They went south from Manchester in early April to London, then travelled by ship for six weeks before reaching Australia.[5] Led by Salford captain James Lomas,[6] the tour was a huge success for the Lions who won all their test matches with Lomas topping the tour scoring charts with 136 points in 13 games.[7]
Touring squad
The team originally scheduled to tour consisted of eighteen internationals: nine English, eight Welsh and one Scottish.
Several Australians (including Jim Devereux, Dan Frawley and Andy Morton) also appeared for the tourists as guest players in a match against Newcastle on 18 June 1910.[10]
Name | Club | Position | Appearances | Tests | Tries | Goals
|
Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albert Avery | Oldham | Forward | 11 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
Jack Bartholomew | Huddersfield | Three-quarter back | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
Billy Batten | Hunslet | Three-quarter back | 12 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 17 |
Frank Boylen | Hull | Forward | 7 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 13 |
Ephraim Curzon | Salford | Forward | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
James Davies | Huddersfield | Half-back | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Fred Farrar | Hunslet | Three-quarter back | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 14 |
Tom Helm[a] | Oldham | Forward | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Bert Jenkins | Wigan | Three-quarter back | 11 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 42 |
Chick Jenkins | Ebbw Vale | Three-quarter back | 10 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 17 |
Bill Jukes | Hunslet | Forward | 12 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 30 |
Herbert Kershaw | Wakefield Trinity | Forward | 10 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 15 |
Jim Leytham | Wigan | Three-quarter back | 12 | 3 | 12 | 5 | 46 |
James Lomas (c) | Salford | Three-quarter back | 13 | 3 | 10 | 53 | 136 |
Tommy Newbould | Wakefield Trinity | Half-back | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
Dick Ramsdale | Wigan | Forward | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
Joe Riley
|
Halifax | Three-quarter back | 9 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 33 |
George Ruddick | Broughton Rangers | Forward | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
Jim Sharrock | Wigan | Full-back | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
Frank Shugars | Warrington | Forward | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Fred Smith
|
Hunslet | Half-back | 12 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 12 |
Johnny Thomas | Wigan | Half-back | 12 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 45 |
Billy Ward | Leeds | Forward | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Fred Webster | Leeds | Forward | 14 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
Billy Winstanley | Leigh |
Forward | 14 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 15 |
Frank Young | Leeds | Full-back | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Australian leg
The Australian leg of the tour took place during the 1910 NSWRFL season, the third season of rugby league football in Australia since the game's split from rugby union.
Test Venues
The two Ashes series tests took place at the following venues.
Sydney | Brisbane |
---|---|
Royal Agricultural Showground
|
Brisbane Exhibition Ground
|
Capacity: 50,000 | Capacity: 35,000 |
Versus New South Wales
Before the test series, the British played three matches against New South Wales, losing the first 14 – 28 and the second 20 – 27.
10,000 people saw the match on 29 May whose margin never went beyond more than five points.[11]
11 June
|
New South Wales | 10 – 23 | Northern Union
|
---|---|---|
Tries: Jack Hickey, Dally Messenger Goals: Dally Messenger (2) |
Tries: James Lomas (2), Frank Shugars Goals: James Lomas (4) Jim Leytham (1) |
Royal Agricultural Society Ground, Sydney Attendance: 27,000[12] |
This was the third match and first win of the visitors' series against New South Wales, with their captain, Jim Lomas featuring prominently.[13]
Ashes series
Sydney's
18 June
|
Australia | 20 – 27 | Northern Union
|
---|---|---|
Tries: John Barnett Jack Hickey Dally Messenger Charlie Woodhead Goals: Dally Messenger (4) |
Tries: Bill Jukes, (3) Jim Leytham (2) Billy Batten Johnny Thomas Goals: Jim Leytham (1) James Lomas (1) Johnny Thomas (1) |
Royal Agricultural Showground , SydneyAttendance: 42,000 Referee: Tom McMahon Sr. |
Australia | Posit. | Northern Union |
---|---|---|
Charles Russell | FB | Jim Sharrock |
Charles Woodhead | WG | Jim Leytham |
Jack Hickey | CE | Jim Lomas (c) |
Dally Messenger (c) | CE | Bert Jenkins |
Albert Broomham | WG | Billy Batten |
Bill Farnsworth | FE/SO | Johnny Thomas |
Chris McKivat | HB/SH | Tommy Newbould |
Bill Noble | PR | Billy Ward |
John Barnett | HK | Fred Webster |
Bill Spence | PR | Bill Jukes |
Ed Courtney |
SR | Dick Ramsdale |
Con Sullivan | SR | Ephraim Curzon |
Robert Craig |
LF | Albert Avery |
This day also featured a goal-kicking contest between the two sides' captains, Dally Messenger and Jim Lomas, won 3-2 by Lomas
2 July
|
Australia | 17 – 22 | Northern Union
|
---|---|---|
Tries: |
Tries: Jim Leytham (4) Johnny Thomas Herbert Kershaw Goals: James Lomas (2) Johnny Thomas (2) |
Jack Fihelly |
Australia | Posit. | Northern Union |
---|---|---|
Doug McGregor |
FB | Jim Sharrock |
Charles Woodhead | WG | Billy Batten |
Jack Hickey | CE | Jim Lomas (c) |
Herbert Messenger |
CE | Joe Riley
|
Bill Heidke (c) | WG | Jim Leytham |
Bill Farnsworth | FE/SO | Fred Smith
|
Chris McKivat | HB/SH | Tommy Newbould |
Herb Brackenrigg |
PR | George Ruddick |
Robert Craig |
HK | Herbert Kershaw |
Edward Buckley |
PR | Fred Webster |
Bob Tubman | SR | Bill Jukes |
John Barnett | SR | Billy Winstanley |
Harold Nicholson | LF | Dick Ramsdale |
This match also featured a goal-kicking contest, between Dally Messenger, Jim Lomas and Herb Brackenrigg, which the latter won. Queensland's Bill Heidke was awarded the captaincy for this match, the first non-New South Welshman to achieve this honour.[16] In the second test, Australia had gotten off to an early lead over the visitors at 11 nil. Jim Leytham's four tries in this match would remain an unbeaten Ashes record.[17]
The British had thus won the series in two tests.[18][19]
Versus Australasia
It was decided that after the Ashes series, a combined "Australasia" team, comprising the best players of Australia and New Zealand would play a series of matches against the touring Britons. The Australian jersey's sky blue with maroon hoops had black hoops added to it for these matches.[20]
9 July
|
Australasia | 13 – 13 | Northern Union
|
---|---|---|
Tries: V Farnsworth, E Courtney, C McKivatt Goals: H Messenger (2) |
Tries: J Leytham, A Avery, B Winstanley Goals: J Lomas, J Thomas |
Royal Agricultural Society Showground, Sydney Attendance: 45,000[21] Referee: Tom McMahon Sr. |
The British team were conveyed on to the ground by a group of "
The first points came from an individual effort from Viv Farnsworth that led to him scoring in the corner. Great Britain replied with a penalty goal through Jim Lomas. Courtney got the next try, which Brackenrigg failed to convert. Then it was the visitors' turn to score, with a try to Leytham out wide. Lomas missed the kick, so Australasia were leading 8 – 5 at the half time break. They extended their lead to 13 – 5 before The British made a strong comeback to level the scores with a late try before full-time.[23]
13 July
|
Australasia | 32 – 15 | Northern Union
|
---|---|---|
Tries: H Brackenrigg (3), C McKivat (2)
|
Tries: Riley (2), B Winstanley Goals: J Thomas (3) |
At one stage Great Britain were leading 15 – 5 but at half time were trailing 15 – 17.[25] They scored no more points in the second half, as Australasia overran them.
In the evening following the match, the touring Britons left for New Zealand on the Maheno. The next time the two sides would meet was during the 1911–12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain.
New Zealand leg
The British team arrived in Auckland on 17 July and were met by officials of the newly formed New Zealand Rugby League before being given a mayoral reception the following morning.[26] During the tour the Lions donated the Northern Union Cup which was awarded to Auckland for inter-provincial competition and is still contested today.[27]
The first match was played in weather described as atrocious against a New Zealand Māori team captained by Whiri Winiata and featuring Albert Asher who had played with the victorious Australasia team back in Australia. The first international try scored on New Zealand soil was by Halifax winger, Joe Riley[citation needed] and this was followed by a hat-trick of tries by Wigan centre Bert Jenkins. Great Britain led 23 – 0 at half-time. In the second half, Fred Smith scored a fourth try for the visitors.
23 July
|
Auckland | 9 – 52 | Northern Union
|
---|---|---|
Tries: Jackson 0/2
|
Tries: Jenkins, Jukes (2), Avery, Riley (3), Leytham (2), Kershaw, Lomas, Winstanley Goals: Lomas 8/11, Leytham 1/1 |
The Auckland side was;
Versus New Zealand
New Zealand wore the colours of Red and Yellow with Black bands for the Test match. It was the only time that they wore these colours.[32]
New Zealand | Posit. | Northern Union |
---|---|---|
Alf Chorley | FB | Jim Sharrock |
Ernie Buckland | WG | Jim Leytham |
Albert Asher | CE | Jim Lomas (c) |
Ernie Asher | CE | Bert Jenkins |
Charles James | WG | Billy Batten |
Frank Woodward | SO | Johnny Thomas |
Ronald MacDonald |
SH | Fred Smith
|
Charles Dunning (c) | PR | Fred Webster |
Pat Hannigan |
HK | Billy Winstanley |
Ned Hughes | PR | Herbert Kershaw |
Fred Jackson |
SR | Bill Jukes |
George Seagar | SR | Frank Shugars |
Jim Griffen |
LF | Albert Avery |
The touring British side had been invited to play another match in Australia, so left Auckland for Sydney on 1 August on the SS Maheno after a hearty send-off.[33]
Return leg
On their way back to England, a portion of the touring Britons stopped in Sydney for one more game against a New South Wales second XIII, as there was already a New South Wales team playing against Queensland in Brisbane.
References
- ^ "The History of Rugby League". Rugby League Information. napit.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ISBN 0-415-39614-X.
- ISBN 0-203-96997-9.
- ^ Barraclough, Neil. "Review". Best in the Northern Union, by Tom Mather. rugbyleaguebooks.com. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ Wilson, Andy (10 June 2010). "England players see France romp as serious business". The Guardian. UK: Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- ^ Tom Bergin; Dorothy N. Pearce; Stanley Shaw (1975). Salford: a City and its past. UK: City of Salford [Cultural Services Department]. p. 134.
- ^ newsandstar.co.uk (17 March 2010). "Name Man of the Match Award after Cumberland Legend". News & Star. UK: CN Group. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012.
- ^ "NORTHERN UNION TEAM". Evening Post. Vol. LXXIX, no. 113. New Zealand: natlib.govt.nz. 14 May 1910. p. 14. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
- ^ "The British (N.R.U.) Football Team". Retrieved 27 April 2014.
- ^ a b Saxton, Irvin (ed.). History of Rugby League: No.15 1909–10. League Publications.
- ^ United Press Association (30 May 1910). "NELSON RUGBY LEAGUE". Colonist. Vol. LII, no. 12806. New Zealand: National Library of New Zealand. p. 1. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
- ^ Wanderer (15 June 1910). "FOOTBALL". The Sydney Mail. Australia. p. 54. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "NORTHERN UNION TEAM". The Evening Post. Vol. LXXIX, no. 137. New Zealand: National Library of New Zealand. 13 June 1910. p. 3. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- North-West Evening Mail. UK: CN Group. Archived from the originalon 6 October 2012.
- ^ The Wanderer (6 July 1910). "FOOTBALL". The Sydney Mail. p. 62.
- ^ Lex Marinos (2008). From a Federation Game to a League of Nations (PDF). Australia: Australian Society for Sports History. p. 7.
- ^ "New trophy will honour Lancaster's rugby great". Lancashire Evening Post. UK: Johnston Publishing Ltd. 12 December 2003. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ Fagan, Sean (2010). "Australian Rugby League – Results". RL1908.com. Australia. Archived from the original on 9 October 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- ^ news.bbc.co.uk (16 October 2001). "Ashes battles of the past". BBC Sport. UK: BBC. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ Fagan, Sean (2009). "To Wattle Gold and Gum Green Jerseys". RL1908.com. Australia. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "NORTHERN LEAGUE". The Evening Post. Vol. LXXX, no. 9. New Zealand: National Library of New Zealand. 11 July 1910. p. 4. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- ^ Wanderer (13 July 1910). "Football". The Sydney Mail. Australia. p. 55. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- ^ Fagan, Sean (2009). The Meeting of the Giants. Australia: RL1908.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2006. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
- ^ Wanderer (20 July 1910). "Football". The Sydney Mail. Australia. p. 55. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
- Poverty Bay Herald. Vol. XXXVII, no. 12198. New Zealand: natlib.govt.nz. p. 7. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ Press Association (18 July 1910). "English Team in Auckland". Evening Post. Vol. LXXX, no. 15. New Zealand: National Library of New Zealand. p. 3. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-86969-366-4, p.39.
- ISBN 978-1-86969-331-2.
- ^ "FOOTBALL". Evening Post. Vol. LXXX, no. 21. New Zealand: natlib.govt.nz. 25 July 1910. p. 11. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-86969-366-4.
- ISBN 978-1-86969-331-2.
- ^ John Coffey and Bernie Wood, The Kiwis: 100 Years of International Rugby League, Hodder Moa, Auckland, 2007, p. 39.
- ^ Press Association (2 August 1910). "The British Northern Team". Poverty Bay Herald. Vol. XXXVII, no. 12214. New Zealand: National Library of New Zealand. p. 7. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ Wanderer (10 August 1910). "FOOTBALL". The Sydney Mail. Australia. p. 63. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
External links
- Ashes Series 1910 at rugbyleagueproject.org