16th July….
Hunslet Hawks had reverted back to Hunslet RLFC from the start of the 2017 season. Today was the last game of the league season for the newly named club.. It was a disappointing campaign finishing 10th after a narrow home win over Newcastle Thunder 26-25 and missing out on the Super 8s for a chance at promotion. However, the lower finishing teams were to compete for the League One Shield and 10th place gave Hunslet four home games against three away. The first game was to be in two weeks time with a home game against Coventry Bears.
Registering with Hunslet today in 1964 was David Croft. David only made 20 appearances in six seasons for the first team but was an important member of the “A” team in 1965 when they secured the Yorkshire Senior Competition Cup with a win over Wakefield Trinity.
The Lions tours continued today with Les White hooking for Great Britain in the 1932 3rd Test against Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground. The series was tied 1-1 and the decider was watched by over 50,000. Les gave GB an equal share of the ball from the scrums but the penalty count was heavily in favour of the Aussies. 9-0 down approaching half-time the tourist pulled a try back to go in six points down. A tactical change at half time with centre Brogden swapping places with Risman at stand-off reportedly gave fresh impetus to GB’s backs and they secured two tries to level the scores at 11-11 with 17 minutes to play. A Sullivan drop goal was cancelled out by an Australia penalty. Swinton’’s Evans received a serious head injury but refused to leave the field. England’s backs attacked at every opportunity and got their reward close to the end as Leeds’ Stan Smith completed his hat-trick and Sullivan converted. The Ashes were coming back to England!
It was also Test match day for the 1966 tourists. Neither of Hunslet’s tourists had featured in the first test win in Sydney but Bill Ramsay got the nod for today’s game in Brisbane. It was not to be for the tourists today, losing 4-6 and the decider to come in a week’s time.
17th July….
The day following the Test the Tourists played Western Division at Parkes with Geoff Shelton at centre. GB won comfortably 38-11.
The 1954 team had to face a third Test against Australia in a decider for the Ashes with Dickie Williams at stand-off. Nearly 68,000 were at the Sydney Cricket Ground to see Dickie win the toss and GB played attacking rugby form the start prompted by Williams’s clever kicking. However Australia scored first with an unconverted try. Dickie then scored a converted try but GB didn’t press home their advantage and the Aussies scored again. It was 10-8 to Australia at half-time. A converted try extended Australia’s lead but Valentine put GB back in the game with a try. However with 10 minutes to go Australia went 20-11 in front but Dickie scored his second try in front of the posts to make for an exciting finish. The home side held fast and secured the Ashes 20-16.
18th July….
1936 and another third Test decider, this time with Harry Beverley in the ranks. Australia took the lead when they kicked a penalty. After a melee, Australia’s Stehr got a badly cut nose and GB’s Arkwright was ordered from the field. As Stehr was helped from the field he too received his marching orders. After a couple of missed penalties GB finally got on the tour sheet when Brogden cross kicked for Hudson to score a converted try. In the second half GB gained regular ball from the scrums and secured another converted try. Another goal put Great Britain 12-2 in front before future Hunslet player Vic Hey scored a converted try for Australia but that was the end of the scoring and the Tourists retained the Ashes.
1914’s team had a match at Napier, New Zealand to play Hawke’s Bay. Fred Smith and Walter Guerin were on duty as the Tourists won 30-7, Walter kicking 5 goals.
Making his second “debut” for Hunslet today in 1999 was Jamie Leighton in a 56-12 win at Oldham. Jamie had played three games on loan in 1996 and came back this time to help Hunslet to the Grand Final and he played in the decider at Headingley, his sole career drop goal being the differnce between the teams. He stayed at South Leeds Stadium in 2000 to bring his total to 28 appearances, 1 try, 1 drop goal.
