The 1958 Great Britain Lions tour was the Great Britain national rugby league team's 11th tour of Australia and New Zealand and took place from May to November 1958. The Lions played 26 games on tour including the three test Ashes series against Australia and two tests against New Zealand.1958 Great Britain Lions tour at Rugby League Project
The Great Britain squad was coached by Jim Brough. The team captain was Alan Prescott from St Helens while Phil Jackson from Barrow was the tour vice-captain. The team managers were Mr B. Manson and Tom Mitchell.
The tour saw a record AU£78,417 in gate receipts with the Lions taking home a profit in excess of £40,000.
Touring squad During the tour, players used numbers 1–26 in positional order, with full-backs as numbers 1 and 2. The Rugby League News published a photo of the touring squad and pen pictures of some players in two groups: one, and two.
Player Age Weight Club TestsonTour GamesinAus GamesinNZ TriesinAus GoalsinAus FG PointsinAus Total Points Alvin Ackerley 30 14 st. 0 lb. (89 kg) Halifax 1 12 1 0 0 3 Harry Archer 23 13 st. 12 lb. (88 kg) Workington 0 7 0 0 0 0 Eric Ashton 23 13 st. 12 lb. (88 kg) Wigan 4 13 20 13 0 86 116 Dave Bolton , 21 11 st. 6 lb. (73 kg) Wigan 2 8 6 0 0 18 Frank Carlton 22 11 st. 10 lb. (74 kg) St Helens 1 6 16 0 0 48 Jim Challinor , 23 13 st. 0 lb. (83 kg) Warrington 2 9 7 0 0 21 Alan Davies , 25 13 st. 8 lb. (86 kg) Oldham 4 15 11 0 0 33 Brian Edgar , 22 14 st. 4 lb. (91 kg) Workington 2 11 3 0 0 9 Eric Fraser 27 13 st. 0 lb. (83 kg) Warrington 5 13 5 82 0 179 238 Dennis Goodwin 28 15 st. 0 lb. (95 kg) Barrow 2 8 2 0 0 6 Tommy Harris 30 13 st. 0 lb. (83 kg) Hull 4 10 3 0 0 9 Dick Huddart 21 14 st. 4 lb. (91 kg) Whitehaven 4 17 15 0 0 45 Ken Jackson 29 14 st. 10 lb. (93 kg) Oldham 0 6 0 0 0 0 Phil Jackson (vc) , 25 14 st. 12 lb. (94 kg) Barrow 3 9 4 0 0 12 Vince Karalius 25 14 st. 6 lb. (92 kg) St Helens 4 11 2 0 0 6 Mick Martyn 22 14 st. 4 lb. (91 kg) Leigh 1 12 15 0 0 45 Brian McTigue 27 14 st. 4 lb. (91 kg) Wigan 4 12 3 11 0 31 Glyn Moses 30 13 st. 0 lb. (83 kg) St Helens 0 12 1 0 0 3 Alex Murphy 19 11 st. 0 lb. (70 kg) St Helens 4 15 15 3 0 51 Frank Pitchford 24 11 st. 0 lb. (70 kg) Oldham 1 8 7 0 0 21 Alan Prescott (c) 30 15 st. 10 lb. (100 kg) St Helens 2 9 0 0 0 0 Ike Southward 23 12 st. 0 lb. (76 kg) Workington 4 12 13 20 0 79 165 Mick Sullivan 24 11 st. 12 lb. (75 kg) Wigan 5 12 20 0 0 60 114 Abe Terry 24 16 st. 0 lb. (102 kg) St Helens 2 10 2 0 0 6 Johnny Whiteley 27 14 st. 8 lb. (93 kg) Hull 4 10 7 0 0 21 Bill Wookey 22 14 st. 0 lb. (89 kg) Workington 0 7 6 0 0 18
Australian leg
Test venues The three Ashes series tests took place at the following venues. As per normal to maximise the gate, two tests were played at the 70,000 capacity Sydney Cricket Ground.
Sydney Brisbane Sydney Cricket Ground Brisbane Exhibition Ground Capacity: 70,000 Capacity: 35,000
The final match before the first Test was often viewed by the home side as a chance to soften up the tourists and that was certainly the case in a violent clash which saw four players dismissed by referee Col Pearce – Vince Karalius (Great Britain); Greg Hawick, Rex Mossop and Peter Dimond (NSW).
The Ashes The three Ashes series tests drew an aggregate attendance of 171,060. 1st Test
FB 1 Gordon CliffordWG 2 Ross KiteCE 3 Harry WellsCE 4 Brian CarlsonWG 5 Ian MoirFE 6 Tony BrownHB 7 Keith HolmanPR 13 Bill MarshHK 12 Ken KearneyPR 11 Brian Davies (c)SR 10 Rex MossopSR 9 Norm ProvanLF 8 Kel O'SheaCoach: Norm Robinson FB 9 Eric FraserWG 22 Ike SouthwardCE 14 Phil JacksonCE 7 Alan DaviesWG 23 Mick SullivanSO 4 Dave BoltonSH 19 Alex MurphyPR 21 Alan Prescott (c)HK 11 Tommy HarrisPR 24 Abe TerrySR 8 Brian EdgarSR 16 Mick MartynLF 25 Johnny WhiteleyCoach: Jim Brough
After going through the tour undefeated before the test, the Lions ran into a hungry Australian side who led 10–0 after just 10 minutes and led 18–0 at halftime in front of 68,777 fans at the SCG.
Lions test fullback Eric Fraser kicked 15 goals from 18 attempts in the match. Dick Huddart crossed for 4 tries while Eric Ashton and Mick Martyn each scored 3 tries.
2nd Test
FB 1 Gordon CliffordWG 2 Peter DimondCE 3 Brian CarlsonCE 4 Greg HawickWG 5 Ross KiteFE 6 Tony BrownHB 7 Keith HolmanPR 13 Bill MarshHK 12 Ken KearneyPR 11 Brian Davies (c)SR 10 Rex MossopSR 9 Norm ProvanLF 8 Kel O'SheaCoach: Norm Robinson FB 9 Eric FraserWG 22 Ike SouthwardCE 3 Eric AshtonCE 6 Jim ChallinorWG 23 Mick SullivanSO 4 Dave BoltonSH 19 Alex MurphyPR 17 Brian McTigueHK 11 Tommy HarrisPR 21 Alan Prescott (c)SR 25 Johnny WhiteleySR 12 Dick HuddartLF 15 Vince KaraliusCoach: Jim Brough
Inspired by captain Alan Prescott who played on until the end despite breaking his right arm in just the 3rd minute of the game, Great Britain leveled the series at 1–all with a 25–18 win over Australia in Brisbane. The injury ended Prescott's tour as a player. At half time, Prescott was offered a pain killing injection but refused, telling team manager Tom Mitchell "I just can't got off, Tom. We would be two men short. We have got to win, so I had better help the boys". Great Britain also lost Dave Bolton with a broken collar bone after just 17 minutes.
With Vince Karalius and Brian McTigue providing the muscle and teenage scrum-half Alex Murphy providing the class, the Lions had the measure of Australia this day.
3rd Test Former Australian captain Ken Kearney played his 31st and last test.
FB 1 Gordon CliffordWG 2 Ian MoirCE 3 Brian CarlsonCE 4 Harry WellsWG 5 Peter DimondFE 6 Greg HawickHB 7 Keith HolmanPR 13 Bill MarshHK 12 Ken KearneyPR 11 Brian Davies (c)SR 10 Rex MossopSR 9 Norm ProvanLF 8 Kel O'SheaCoach: Norm Robinson FB 9 Eric FraserWG 22 Ike SouthwardCE 3 Eric AshtonCE 6 Alan DaviesWG 23 Mick SullivanSO 4 Phil Jackson (c)SH 19 Alex MurphyPR 17 Abe TerryHK 11 Tommy HarrisPR 24 Brian McTigueSR 25 Johnny WhiteleySR 12 Dick HuddartLF 15 Vince KaraliusCoach: Jim Brough
Great Britain wrapped up The Ashes with a comprehensive 40–17 win over Australia in front of another 68,000+ crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground. As he had done in the second test in Brisbane, 19 year old St Helens scrum-half Alex Murphy tormented the home side and was awarded the Man of the Match. Following the game, Lions players chaired injured captain Alan Prescott (carrying The Ashes cup) on a lap of honour of the ground.
The following matches took place after the New Zealand leg of the tour.
In this game against the NSWRFL's Representative Colts (U/21), future Australian captain Reg Gasnier played his first game against Great Britain.
New Zealand 1st Test
FB 1 Cyril EastlakeWG 2 Tom HadfieldCE 3 Reese GriffithsCE 4 George TurnerWG 5 Neville DentonFE 6 George MenziesHB 7 Keith RobertsPR 13 Joe RātimaHK 12 Jock ButterfieldPR 11 Henry MaxwellSR 10 Cliff Johnson (c)SR 9 Trevor KilkellyLF 8 Rex PercyCoach: Travers Hardwick FB 9 Eric FraserWG 5 Frank CarltonCE 3 Eric AshtonCE 6 Alan DaviesWG 23 Mick SullivanSO 4 Phil Jackson (c)SH 20 Frank PitchfordPR 17 Brian McTigueHK 1 Alvin AckerleyPR 10 Dennis GoodwinSR 8 Dick HuddartSR 25 Johnny WhiteleyLF 15 Vince KaraliusCoach: Jim Brough
Just a week after their Ashes triumph over Australia, Great Britain were brought back down to earth by a committed New Zealand side 15–10 at Carlaw Park in Auckland.
2nd Test
FB 1 Cyril EastlakeWG 2 Tom HadfieldCE 3 Reese GriffithsCE 4 George TurnerWG 5 Neville DentonFE 6 George MenziesHB 7 Keith RobertsPR 13 Joe RātimaHK 12 Jock ButterfieldPR 11 Henry MaxwellSR 10 Trevor KilkellySR 9 Cliff Johnson (c)LF 8 Rex PercyCoach: Travers Hardwick FB 9 Eric FraserWG 5 Ike SouthwardCE 3 Eric Ashton (c)CE 6 Jim ChallinorWG 23 Mick SullivanSO 6 Alan DaviesSH 19 Alex MurphyPR 8 Brian EdgarHK 11 Tommy HarrisPR 17 Brian McTigueSR 8 Dick HuddartSR 10 Dennis GoodwinLF 15 Vince KaraliusCoach: Jim Brough
With Alex Murphy returning from injury, Great Britain outclassed New Zealand 32–15 in front of 25,000 at Carlaw Park.
References