3rd July….

Hunslet centre Iain Higgins was over the Channel today in 2001 on international duty with Scotland. In an international match at Lezignan-Corbireres the Scots overcame France 42-20.

1954 was the 2nd Test in Brisbane. Dickie Williams was at half-back as the tourists levelled the series 38-21.

The latest stop on the 1966 tour was Bundaberg , Queensland, for a match with Wide Bay-Burnett. GB eased to a 30-22 win with Bill Ramsey in the pack.

4th July….

Of all the tests played on Lions tours, the 1914 3rd Test in Sydney is perhaps the most famous in the history of GB matches in Australia. It would become known as the Rourke’s Drift Test (after a battle in the Zulu Wars when 150 British soldiers held off 4,000 Zulu Warriors to defend a supply station).

At the end of the Queensland section of the tour, the Australians added an extra fixture to the itinerary on 20th June, presumably to cash in on the good crowds that gathered in Brisbane. On 24th June the tourists played a match in Newcastle while travelling back from Queensland and in Sydney, 3 days later on the Saturday the 1st Test was played, GB cruising to a 23-7 win.

Following this, two days later on the Monday, the two sides faced each other in the 2nd Test, again in Sydney, The Green and Golds coming out on top 12-7.

A trip out to Bathurst on Wednesday 1st July saw Western Districts beaten 42-3.

The 3rd Test was scheduled for Saturday 4th July in Sydney. After five matches in fifteen days (including the two test Tests in three days) plus travel from Brisbane to Sydney then out to Bathurst and back, the tour management refused to play the Test as, with no recovery times, they had five injuries meaning a non-competitive team. They telegrammed England to advised and were told ”play test match Saturday…more honour if you win”.

In a rousing speech before the game, Mr Houghton (Tour Manager) told the players “they were playing more than a game of football, they were playing for England and even more were playing for right over wrong. You will win because you have to. England expects every one of you to do his duty”.

Hunslet’s Fred Smith was in the side at stand-off on a heavy pitch played in front of 40,000 and by half-time the tourists were 9-0 up. Soon after the resumption, GB lost two players to injury but secured another try and goal. Against nine men at one stage the Aussies fought back with a couple of tries but superb defence from the tourists secured the most unlikely win.

Other tour matches on this day were;-

1936 at Brisbane Cricket Ground, Harry Beverley was in the pack as GB levelled the series with a 12-7 2nd test win.

1954 saw a match at Toowoomba which was won 25-14 despite featuring five tourists who also played in the previous day’s 2nd Test. Ginger Burnell and Geoff Gunney were on duty today.

5th July….

Another game at Toowoomba, this time in 1932 as Les White had the hooking duties in a 7-7 draw.