History of The Great Britain National Rugby League Team - Post War

Post War

The 1946 Lions tour saw the team sail to Australia on HMS Indomitable, stoking the boilers to keep fit. After a five day train journey across Australia, Gus Risman’s team retained the Ashes, drawing the first Test and winning the other two Tests to become the only touring side to remain unbeaten on a tour of Australia.

In 1947, Roy Francis was the first of a long line of black players, to be capped by Great Britain.

Australia made their 7th tour to the UK in 1948, and this time play the Ashes series against a side officially called Great Britain. Great Britain win both games 16-7 and 23-21.

In 1950, the British Lions returned to Perth soundly beating a full Western Australia team at Claremont Showground.

On Saturday 10 November 1951 the first televised rugby league match was broadcast from Station Road, Swinton, where Great Britain met New Zealand in the second Test of the 1951 series. A last-minute penalty saw the home side triumph by 20-19. The first Test was played at Odsal, Bradford and the third at Headingley, Leeds.

Willie Horne was captain of Great Britain for the 1954 tour of Australia, a gruelling schedule which lasted just over 3 months, and included 22 matches in Australia with a further 10 in New Zealand. In one match against New South Wales the referee left the field in disgust at the players' persistent fighting after 56 minutes so the match was abandoned. The first Test was held at the SCG, Sydney and was won by Australia. 47,096 people attended the Great Britain versus Australia Test on 3 July 1954 held at the Brisbane Cricket Ground, this is still the ground attendance record for any sport. The most famous incident of the tour took place on Saturday 10 July, the weekend before the third Test with the series level at one win each, the Great Britain management decided to rest most of their Test players and field a side which was predominantly made up of forwards for the game against New South Wales. The match was an exceptionally brutal affair and was abandoned in the second half after a brawl between all 26 players. Great Britain lost the deciding third Test 20-16 in Sydney in front of nearly 70,000 fans.

The first Rugby League World Cup took place in France in October and November 1954. Dave Valentine’s side, without most of the first choice internationals was not expected to do well, but beat Australia and New Zealand to finish top of the table level on points with France. The final, played at the Parc des Princes packed with 30,000 fans, took place on 13 November, where Great Britain beat France 16-12.

On 11 December 1955 the first official Test match took place between Great Britain and France, at Parc des Princes, the French winning 17-5.

The Kangaroos toured in 1956, Great Britain won the first Test 21-10 at Central Park, Wigan and Australia won the second 9-22 at Odsal, Bradford. Great Britain defeated Australia 19-0 in the third Test held at Station Road, Swinton, to take the Ashes series 2-1.

Just prior to the 1957 World Cup held in Australia, Great Britain played three matches against France, alternating between venues in Great Britain and France. Great Britain won two and drew one of the fixtures: 45-12 Headingley, Leeds; 19-19 Stade Municipal, Toulouse; 29-14 Knowsley Road, St Helens.

Britain were the favourites to win the second World Cup. A group stage was held first, with matches being held at locations in Sydney and Brisbane. Great Britain beat France 23-5 at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, lost 6-31 to Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, and 21-29 to New Zealand at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney. Australia won all three of their games and were declared the champions as the organisers decided no official final was necessary. Great Britain's heavy victory over France in the opening match, France's narrow victory over New Zealand, and Great Britain's narrow defeat to New Zealand in the final match secured Great Britain second place overall.

After the 1957 World Cup series in Australia, Alan Prescott's team went to New Zealand and then stopped off in South Africa to play some missionary games. Mixed-race Billy Boston flew home directly and alone, as apartheid was still in force. Both teams regarded the matches as mere exhibitions and engaged in a "touch" type of football at Benoni, Gauteng. The British team played with more gusto in the second match at Durban but the French team refused to take the game seriously. Feelings ran high between the two visiting teams after this match with the French players expressing resentment at Britain's sudden volte-face. It was anticipated that the third match at East London, in view of the strained relations now existing between both teams, would prove a thriller. This supposed grudge match did not eventuate, and the series faded out with Britain again winning with consummate ease.

Great Britain played two matches against France after the 1957 World Cup, alternating between venues in Great Britain and France. Great Britain won both tests; 14-25 at Stade Municipal, Toulouse; 44-15 at Central Park, Wigan.

On Saturday 14 June 1958, Great Britain lost the first Test 25-8 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. 48 hours later the British Lions met a powerful Brisbane side led by Australian skipper Brian Davies. Britain won 34-29, and then remained undefeated throughout the rest of their visit to Australia. On 5 July 1958, the Lions defeated Australia 25-18 in the second test at Brisbane with only eight fit players on the pitch. Captain Alan Prescott plays for 77 minutes with a broken arm, substitutions not being permitted until six years later, the match became known as "Prescott’s Match" or "the Battle of Brisbane". That lifted the tourists to clinch the series by winning the decider 40-17 in Sydney. The third test win is still a record win against the Australians on their turf.

In 1958, Great Britain were defeated 23-9 by France at Stade Lesdiguières.

During Australia's 1959 Kangaroo Tour of Great Britain, Australia won the first Test 22-14 at Station Road, Swinton. Great Britain won the second 11-10 at Headingley, Leeds. Great Britain won the third 18-12 at Central Park, Wigan with a match-winning try in the last few minutes, to take the Ashes series 2-1. This was the last Ashes won on home soil to date.