1910 Great Britain Lions tour

Touring squad

The team originally scheduled to tour consisted of eighteen internationals: nine English, eight Welsh and one Scottish.{{Cite news

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.

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.

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.{{Cite news Jack Hickey, Dally Messenger Goals: Dally Messenger (2) James Lomas (2), Frank Shugars Goals: James Lomas (4) Jim Leytham (1) This was the third match and first win of the visitors' series against New South Wales, with their captain, Jim Lomas featuring prominently.{{Cite news

Ashes series

Sydney's Royal Agricultural Showground was the venue for the first Ashes test on Australian soil.{{Cite news |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006194834/http://www.nwemail.co.uk/sport/pride_of_lions_lives_on_1_667046?referrerPath=home |archive-date=6 October 2012 John Barnett Jack Hickey Dally Messenger Charlie Woodhead Goals: Dally Messenger (4) Bill Jukes, (3) Jim Leytham (2) Billy Batten Johnny Thomas Goals: Jim Leytham (1) James Lomas (1) Johnny Thomas (1)

This day also featured a goal-kicking contest between the two sides' captains, Dally Messenger and Jim Lomas, won 3-2 by Lomas

John Barnett Dally Messenger Chris McKivat Robert Craig Bob Tubman Goals: Jack Hickey Jim Leytham (4) Johnny Thomas Herbert Kershaw

Goals: James Lomas (2) Johnny Thomas (2)

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. 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.{{Cite news | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120404142734/http://www.lep.co.uk/news/new_trophy_will_honour_lancaster_s_rugby_great_1_138299?action=logout | archive-date = 4 April 2012 | url-status = dead

The British had thus won the series in two tests.{{Cite news |author-link = Sean Fagan |access-date = 13 March 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101009103223/http://rl1908.com/Kangaroos/tests.htm |archive-date = 9 October 2010 |url-status = dead}}{{Cite news

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.{{Cite news |author-link = Sean Fagan |access-date = 20 March 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110514024646/http://rl1908.com/Kangaroos/arl-colours.htm |archive-date = 14 May 2011 |url-status = dead}}

Goals: H Messenger (2) Goals: J Lomas, J Thomas The British team were conveyed on to the ground by a group of "Jack tars" in port at Sydney who took the place of the horses that were to pull the drag coach.{{Cite news

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.{{cite book |author-link = Sean Fagan |access-date = 19 March 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061021075837/http://www.rl1908.com/articles/australasia.htm |archive-date = 21 October 2006 |url-status = dead}}

V Farnsworth, H Messenger, H Brackenrigg, B Spence Goals: H Messenger (5), H Brackenrigg (3), C McKivat (2) 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.{{Cite news

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.{{Cite news

B Jenkins (4), J Lomas, F Smith Goals: J Lomas (4) 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 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.

Seagar, A Asher, Griffin Goals: Jackson 0/2 Jenkins, Jukes (2), Avery, Riley (3), Leytham (2), Kershaw, Lomas, Winstanley Goals: Lomas 8/11, Leytham 1/1 The Auckland side was; Alf Chorley, L Nolan, G Smith, Albert Asher, Alf Jackson, Ronald MacDonald, Len Farrant, Fred Jackson (c), Charles Dunning, Jim Griffin, Alex Stanaway, H Fricker, George Seagar. Emergencies; Syd Riley, Arthur Carlaw, J Bennett, Jim Rukutai, Bob Mitchell.

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. Ernie Buckland Ned Hughes Ronald MacDonald George Seagar

Goals: Fred Jackson (4) Albert Avery (3) Bert Jenkins (2) Herbert Kershaw (2) Jim Leytham (2) Jim Lomas Fred Smith Johnny Thomas Goals: Jim Lomas (6) Johnny Thomas (1) Field Goals: Jim Sharrock (1)

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.{{Cite news

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

References

1. "History of Rugby League: No.15 1909–1910". League Publications.
2. "The History of Rugby League". napit.co.uk.
3. Barraclough, Neil. "Review". rugbyleaguebooks.com.
4. "The British (N.R.U.) Football Team".
5. Lex Marinos. (2008). "From a Federation Game to a League of Nations". Australian Society for Sports History.
6. Coffey, John and Bernie Wood ''Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909–2009'', 2009. {{ISBN. 978-1-86969-366-4, p.39.
7. Coffey, John and Bernie Wood ''Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909–2009'', 2009. {{ISBN. 978-1-86969-366-4.
8. John Coffey and Bernie Wood, ''The Kiwis: 100 Years of International Rugby League'', Hodder Moa, Auckland, 2007, p. 39.