1966_Great_Britain_Lions_tour
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.
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]
Australia
1 June 1966 |
Far North Queensland | 7 – 48 | Great Britain |
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[5] |
4 June 1966 |
5 June 1966 |
8 June 1966 |
11 June 1966 |
Newcastle | 2 – 5 | Great Britain |
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13 June 1966 |
NSW North Coast | 20 – 52 | Great Britain |
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15 June 1966 |
New South Wales | 18 – 13 | Great Britain |
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18 June 1966 |
Southern NSW | 17 – 8 | Great Britain |
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19 June 1966 |
First Test
Australia | 13 – 17 | Great Britain |
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Tries: Banks Goals: Barnes (5) |
[9] |
Tries: Burgess, Hardisty, Watson Goals: Keegan (3) Drop goals: Bishop |
25 June 1966 |
Northern NSW | 15 – 13 | Great Britain |
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26 June 1966 |
Brisbane | 19 – 17 | Great Britain |
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29 June 1966 |
Queensland | 29 – 38 | Great Britain |
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2 July 1966 |
Wide Bay/Burnett | 22 – 30 | Great Britain |
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3 July 1966 |
Ipswich | 10 – 44 | Great Britain |
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7 July 1966 |
Toowoomba | 10 – 38 | Great Britain |
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10 July 1966 |
Second Test
Australia | 6 – 4 | Great Britain |
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Goals: Barnes (3) |
[10] |
Goals: Keegan (2) |
Western NSW | 11 – 38 | Great Britain |
---|---|---|
17 July 1966 |
Third Test
Australia | 19 – 14 | Great Britain |
---|---|---|
Tries: Irvine (3), King, Lynch Goals: Johns (2) |
[11] |
Tries: Hardisty (2) Goals: Gowers (4) |
23 July 1966 |
Riverina | 20 – 34 | Great Britain |
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24 July 1966 |
Balmain | 9 – 8 | Great Britain |
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26 July 1966 |
Monaro | 12 – 33 | Great Britain |
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31 July 1966 |
New Zealand
Waikato | 8 – 47 | Great Britain |
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3 August 1966 |
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 |
6 August 1966 |
Wellington | 9 – 28 | Great Britain |
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9 August 1966 |
West Coast | 5 – 27 | Great Britain |
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11 August 1966 |
Canterbury | 6 – 53 | Great Britain |
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13 August 1966 |
Taranaki | 17 – 51 | Great Britain |
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15 August 1966 |
Second Test
New Zealand | 14 – 22 | Great Britain |
---|---|---|
Goals: Wiggs (7) |
[13] |
Tries: Brooke (2), Aspinall, Burgess Goals: Gowers (5) |
20 August 1966 |
Auckland | 11 – 12 | Great Britain |
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23 August 1966 |
- 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.
- Lions Tour 1966 at Rugby League Project