# 1970 Great Britain Lions tour

The 1970 Great Britain Lions tour was the Great Britain national rugby league team's 14th tour of Australasia and took place from May to August 1970. 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.
The tour was one of the most successful in Lions history, with the team winning all but two of the matches. It is also remembered for being the last time that Great Britain won an Ashes series against Australia.

## Touring squad

On 4 March 1970, an initial 21 players were selected for the tour, with the remaining players to be named later in the month. On 25 March, seven additional players were chosen to complete the 26-man squad, with Frank Myler named as captain (two of the originally selected players withdrew from the squad – John Mantle withdrew for "domestic reasons", while Jim Mills intended to emigrate to Australia to play for North Sydney).
After the squad was selected, John Stephens withdrew from the tour due to injury, and was replaced by Dennis Hartley. The tour manager was Jack Harding, with Johnny Whiteley as assistant manager and coach.
| Name | Position | Nationality | Club |
| Derek Edwards | Utility back | England | Castleford |
| Terry Price | Fullback | Wales | Bradford Northern |
| Ray Dutton | Fullback | England | Widnes |
| Alan Smith | Wing | England | Leeds |
| John Atkinson | Wing | England | Leeds |
| Clive Sullivan | Wing | Wales | Hull |
| Chris Hesketh | Centre | England | Salford |
| Syd Hynes | Centre | England | Leeds |
| Frank Myler | Centre | England | St Helens |
| Mick Shoebottom | Stand-off | England | Leeds |
| Roger Millward | Stand-off | England | Hull Kingston Rovers |
| Alan Hardisty | Stand-off | England | Castleford |
| Barry Seabourne | Scrum-half | England | Leeds |
| Keith Hepworth | Scrum-half | England | Castleford |
| Cliff Watson | Prop forward | England | St Helens |
| John Ward | Prop forward | England | Salford |
| David Chisnall | Prop forward | England | Leigh |
| Dennis Hartley | Prop forward | England | Castleford |
| Peter Flanagan | Hooker | England | Hull Kingston Rovers |
| Tony Fisher | Hooker | Wales | Bradford Northern |
| Phil Lowe | Second-row | England | Hull Kingston Rovers |
| Bob Irving | Second-row | England | Oldham |
| Dave Robinson | Second-row | England | Wigan |
| Jim Thompson | Second-row | England | Featherstone Rovers |
| Malcolm Reilly | Loose forward | England | Castleford |
| Doug Laughton | Loose forward | England | Wigan |

## Results
### Australia

* 22 May 1970
| Northern Territory | 12 – 35 | Great Britain |
* Richardson Park, Darwin Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Ray Pittey
* 24 May 1970
| North Queensland | 20 – 23 | Great Britain |
* Townsville Sports Reserve, Townsville Attendance: 7,890 Referee: Sid Volling
* 26 May 1970
| Central Queensland | 2 – 30 | Great Britain |
* Rockhampton Showgrounds, Rockhampton Attendance: 7,290 Referee: Nick Euclid
* 28 May 1970
| Wide Bay | 7 – 45 | Great Britain |
* Wondai Sports Ground, Gympie Attendance: 3,344 Referee: L. Cronin
* 30 May 1970
| Queensland Firsts | 7 – 32 | Great Britain |
* Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 17,071 Referee: Henry Albert

#### First Test

* 6 June 1970
| Australia | 37 – 15 | Great Britain |
| Tries: King (2), Morgan (2), McDonald Goals: Langlands (9) Drop goals: Hawthorne (2) | | Tries: Flanagan, Laughton, Watson Goals: Price (3) |
* Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 42,807 Referee: Don Lancashire
* 7 June 1970
| Toowoomba | 13 – 37 | Great Britain |
* Athletic Oval, Toowoomba Attendance: 6,549 Referee: Des Creedy
* 10 June 1970
| Brisbane Firsts | 7 – 28 | Great Britain |
* Brisbane Exhibition Grounds, Brisbane Attendance: 10,117 Referee: Henry Albert
* 13 June 1970
| NSW Firsts | 17 – 17 | Great Britain |
* Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Attendance: 31,509 Referee: Keith Page
* 14 June 1970
| Monaro | 11 – 34 | Great Britain |
* Seiffert Oval, Queanbeyan Attendance: 9,500 Referee: Graham Barby

#### Second Test

* 20 June 1970
| Australia | 7 – 28 | Great Britain |
| Tries: King Goals: McDonald Drop goals: Hawthorne | | Tries: Millward (2), Atkinson, Fisher Goals: Millward (6) Drop goals: Hynes, Millward |
* Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Attendance: 60,962 Referee: Don Lancashire
* 21 June 1970
| Western Division | 11 – 40 | Great Britain |
* Bathurst Showground, Bathurst Attendance: 4,400 Referee: Tom Gustard
* 23 June 1970
| Sydney Colts | 7 – 26 | Great Britain |
* Endeavour Field, Sydney Attendance: 14,046 Referee: Keith Holman
* 27 June 1970
| Newcastle | 16 – 49 | Great Britain |
* Newcastle Number 1 Sports Ground, Newcastle Attendance: 22,655 Referee: Neil McAlister
* 28 June 1970
| Riverina | 11 – 12 | Great Britain |
* Robertson Oval, Wagga Wagga Attendance: 11,000 Referee: Bruce Chapman

#### Third Test

* 4 July 1970
| Australia | 17 – 21 | Great Britain |
| Tries: McCarthy Goals: McKean (7) | | Tries: Atkinson (2), Hartley, Hynes, Millward Goals: Millward (3) |
* Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Attendance: 61,258 Referee: Don Lancashire
* 5 July 1970
| Southern Division | 11 – 24 | Great Britain |
* Wollongong Showground, Wollongong Attendance: 7,796 Referee: Neil McAlister

### New Zealand

* 8 July 1970
| Northern XIII | 17 – 42 | Great Britain |
* Tokoroa Memorial Sports Ground Tokoroa Attendance: 3,546 Referee: Ron Pont

#### First Test

* 11 July 1970
| New Zealand | 15 – 19 | Great Britain |
| Tries: Orchard Goals: Ladner (6) | | Tries: Laughton (2), Atkinson, Hynes, Millward Goals: Hynes (2) |
* Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 15,948 Referee: John Percival
* 14 July 1970
| Wellington XIII | 8 – 60 | Great Britain |
* Basin Reserve, Wellington Attendance: 859 Referee: Earle Pilcher

#### Second Test

* 19 July 1970
| New Zealand | 9 – 23 | Great Britain |
| Tries: Christian Goals: Ladner (3) | | Tries: Millward (2), Laughton, Myler, Reilly Goals: Dutton (4) |
* Addington Showgrounds, Christchurch Attendance: 8,600 Referee: John Percival
* 21 July 1970
| West Coast | 2 – 57 | Great Britain |
* Wingham Park, Greymouth Attendance: 676 Referee: Ted Gutbertlet

#### Third Test

* 25 July 1970
| New Zealand | 16 – 33 | Great Britain |
| Tries: Bailey, Orchard Goals: Ladner (5) | | Tries: Lowe (2), Hepworth, Hesketh, Hynes, Smith, Watson Goals: Dutton (5), Millward |
* Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 13,137 Referee: John Percival
* 27 July 1970
| Auckland | 8 – 23 | Great Britain |
* Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 6,074 Referee: A. Taylor

## Aftermath

The tour was one of the most successful in Lions history, with the team winning 22 out of their 24 matches – their only defeat was the first Test against Australia, with the draw against New South Wales being the only other game they failed to win. The tour made a profit of approximately £60,000.