The 1988 Great Britain Lions tour was the Great Britain national rugby league team's 18th tour of Australasia and took place from May to July 1988. It started with a Test match against Papua New Guinea before the best-of-three series against Australia for the Ashes title, and finally a Test against New Zealand. Some of these matches counted toward the ongoing 1985–1988 World Cup tournament. An additional 13 matches were played against local club and representative sides from each host nation.
Background The tour took place after Britain's 1987–88 Rugby Football League season. A 16-man British press party - the largest ever - accompanied the team through Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand.
Touring squad Mal Reilly was the British team's coach. The assistant coach was British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA) and RFL Coaching Director Phil Larder. The tour manager was Les Bettinson. The touring side's captain was Ellery Hanley, who was signed by Sydney club the Balmain Tigers to play the remaining rounds of the 1988 NSWRFL season once his representative commitments were fulfilled. It was also announced during the tour that Kevin Ward, who had played in Manly-Warringah's 1987 premiership winning team, would rejoin the Sea Eagles for the remainder of their season once the tour was completed.
An initial 23-man squad for the tour was selected in April 1988, with an additional three players to be selected from a "train-on" squad. Andy Goodway withdrew from the tour due to "business commitments", and was replaced by Roy Haggerty. Des Drummond was removed from the squad after allegedly punching a spectator who rushed onto the pitch shouting racial abuse during the British season. Carl Gibson was selected as his replacement. Steve Hampson withdrew due to injury, and Joe Lydon was dropped for allegedly assaulting a spectator.
Name Position Club Apps Tests Tries Goals Drop goals Points Notes Forward Castleford 9 4 0 0 0 0 Forward Wigan 8 2 0 0 0 0 Forward Leeds 5 0 0 5 0 10 Forward Widnes 5 0 3 5 0 22 Forward Halifax 8 3 1 0 0 4 Half Wigan 1 1 0 0 0 0 Forward Widnes 3 0 1 0 0 4 Forward Bradford Northern 10 0 6 0 0 24 Half Oldham 7 0 5 0 0 20 Back Bradford Northern 13 5 9 1 0 38 Back Leeds 10 0 2 0 0 8 Wing Wigan 12 4 7 0 0 28 Half Wigan 8 5 0 0 0 0 Forward Warrington 10 5 5 0 0 20 Forward St Helens 8 0 1 0 0 4 Forward St Helens 7 0 0 0 0 0 (c) Utility Wigan 11 5 8 0 0 32 Half Widnes 13 5 1 0 0 4 Forward Widnes 7 3 0 0 0 0 Utility Castleford 3 0 0 0 0 0 Back St Helens 13 5 1 43 0 90 Forward Leeds 5 1 3 0 0 12 Wing Widnes 13 4 19 0 0 76 Forward St Helens 5 2 0 0 0 0 Forward Leeds 14 4 1 0 0 4 Back Leeds 5 2 5 1 0 22 Back Leeds 11 4 1 13 0 30 Forward Oldham 13 2 0 0 0 0 Forward Castleford 10 5 1 0 0 4 Back Leeds 6 0 0 0 0 0 Back Widnes 8 2 0 0 0 0
Papua New Guinea The Lions played only two games in Papua New Guinea, winning both of them.
FB 1 Dairi KovaeRW 2 Kepi SaeaCE 3 Mea MoreaCE 4 Bal Numapo (c)LW 5 Arnold KrewantyFE 6 Darius HailiHB 7 Tony KilaPR 8 Isaac RopHK 9 Michael MatmilloPR 10 Yer BomSR 11 Mathias KombraSR 12 Tuiyo EveiLK 13 Haoda KouoruSubstitutions:IC 14 Thomas RombukIC 15 Ngala LapanCoach: Barry Wilson FB 1 Paul LoughlinRW 2 Phil FordCE 3 Garry SchofieldCE 4 David StephensonLW 5 Henderson GillSO 6 Shaun EdwardsSH 7 Andy GregoryPR 8 Kevin WardHK 9 Kevin BeardmorePR 10 Brian CaseSR 11 Paul MedleySR 12 Mike GregoryLF 13 Ellery Hanley (c)Substitutions:IC 14 David HulmeIC 15 Paul DixonCoach: Mal Reilly
The result of this match counted towards the 1985–1988 World Cup tournament, the final of which was to be played later in the year. The first Test of the tour was played in 38 degree heat with fans clustered in trees and clinging to lights around the ground. 21-year-old Shaun Edwards, the youngest member of the touring party, damaged his knee after six minutes of the match and it was feared that he would miss the rest of the tour. By half time Great Britain were leading 28–6. Garry Schofield scored his 17th try in 18 Test matches for Great Britain, and captain Ellery Hanley made three try-saving tackles.
After the match Edwards was flown to Sydney to undergo surgery on his knee's cartilage due to the injury he sustained while playing in this match.
Australia The Australian leg of the tour took place in the midst of the 1988 NSWRFL season as well as the 1988 State of Origin series. In 1988 Australia was also celebrating its national bicentenary. The tour's itinerary, which involved short periods between matches, making it tough for the visitors, was designed by the Australian Rugby League but agreed to by the British.
The Ashes series attracted just 67,554 to the three tests, with the dead rubber third game attracting just 15,944 to the Sydney Football Stadium. The second Ashes test against Australia at Lang Park in Brisbane drew the tour's highest attendance of 27,130 while the game against reigning Sydney premiers Manly-Warringah attracted the highest non-test attendance of the tour with 21,131. The total Ashes series attendance was 7,926 less than had attended the 1984 series played in Australia and was 34,006 less than the record breaking series played in England during the 1986 Kangaroo Tour. It was also easily the lowest ever attended Ashes series played in Australia since 1910 which attracted 60,000 fans.
Test Venues The three Ashes series tests took place at the following venues. Two games were played in Sydney at the new Sydney Football Stadium which had replaced the Sydney Cricket Ground as the main rugby league venue in Sydney.
Sydney Brisbane Sydney Football Stadium Lang Park Capacity: 40,000 Capacity: 32,500
North Queensland: Namok, Gagai, Taylor, Turia, Curry, Worth, Filosi, Colwell, Bax, McAskill, House, Dalley, Greenwood. Res - Ernest, Conlan
Great Britain: Phil Ford, Paul Medley, Carl Gibson, David Stephenson, Martin Offiah, David Hulme, Mike Ford, Brian Case, Paul Groves, Roy Powell, Karl Fairbank, Paul Dixon, Andy Platt (c). Res - Roy Haggerty
FB 1Glenn FrendoLW 2Troy ClarkeCE 3Jeff DoyleCE 4Tony KempRW 5Glenn MillerFE 6Robbie McCormackHB 7Steve FulmerLK 8Mark GlanvilleSR 9Sam Stewart (c)SR 10Michael McKiernanPR 11David ThorneHK 12Tony TownsendPR 13Brett ShoreSubstitutions:IC 14Steve WaltersIC 15Scott CarterCoach: Allan McMahon FB 1 Paul LoughlinRW 2 Henderson GillCE 3 Carl GibsonCE 4 Darren WrightLW 5 Martin OffiahSO 6 Ellery Hanley (c)SH 7 Andy GregoryPR 8 Kevin WardHK 9 Kevin BeardmorePR 10 Hugh WaddellSR 11 Mike GregorySR 12 Paul DixonLF 13 Andy PlattSubstitutions:IC 14IC 15Coach: Mal Reilly
The Newcastle Knights, a new team in the NSWRL Premiership in 1988, was rewarded for large early season attendances with a game against the touring Lions.
FB 1SpinksLW 2PlaterCE 3GardnerCE 4Matthew RyanRW 5FrenchFE 6Rocky Laurie (c)HB 7Ewan McGradyLK 8MaynesSR 9LavenderSR 10CummingPR 11CotterHK 12MastersPR 13McCannSubstitutions:IC 14McCormackIC 15BriggsCoach: FB 1 Paul LoughlinRW 2 Phil FordCE 3 Garry Schofield (c)CE 4 David StephensonLW 5 Henderson GillSO 6 David HulmeSH 7 Mike FordPR 8 Brian CaseHK 9 Paul GrovesPR 10 Lee CrooksSR 11 Roy PowellSR 12 Paul MedleyLF 13 Roy HaggertySubstitutions:IC 14IC 15 Karl FairbankCoach: Mal Reilly
The Northern Division side, captained by former NSW, South Sydney and Eastern Suburbs five-eighth Rocky Laurie, gave the tourists their first defeat, and a heavy defeat at that. Also playing for Northern Division was future NSWRL Rothmans Medal winner with Canterbury-Bankstown, Moree Boomerangs Ewan McGrady who crossed for two tries and future Canterbury premiership winning centre Matthew Ryan. The game became known as "Black Sunday" for the Lions who went down 36-12. According to media reports, after the game Mal Reilly locked his team in the dressing room and upbraided them for 20 minutes before the media were allowed in.
FB 1Tim DwyerLW 2Stuart DavisCE 3Joe RopatiCE 4Darrell WilliamsRW 5Greg AustinFE 6Cliff LyonsHB 7Geoff TooveyLK 8Des HaslerSR 9Noel Cleal (c)SR 10Mark PocockPR 11Mark BrokenshireHK 12Charlie HaggettPR 13Ian GatelySubstitutions:IC 14Paul ShawIC 15Glenn RyanCoach: Bob Fulton FB 1 Phil FordRW 2 Carl GibsonCE 3 Ian WilkinsonCE 4 Darren WrightLW 5 Martin OffiahSO 6 David StephensonSH 7 David HulmePR 8 Hugh WaddellHK 9 Paul GrovesPR 10 Roy PowellSR 11 Karl FairbankSR 12 Paul MedleyLF 13 Andy Platt (c)Substitutions:IC 14 Roy HaggertyIC 15 Lee CrooksCoach: Mal Reilly
Although facing the Lions mid-week side which still included test players Andy Platt, Martin Offiah, Phil Ford, Carl Gibson, David Hulme and Roy Powell, Manly went into the game missing regular first grade players in lock forward Paul Vautin, centre Michael O'Connor and prop forward Phil Daley (Australian test players rested before the first test four days later), while fullback Dale Shearer, winger David Ronson and hooker Mal Cochrane were all unavailable due to injury. In the absence of usual team captain Vautin, the defending Winfield Cup premiers were captained by 1986 Kangaroo Tourist and 10 test veteran Noel Cleal who had a point to prove after being a shock omission from the Australian and NSW sides (the Lions camp and the English media following the team was reportedly dumbfounded at Cleal's non-selection). In front of a vocal Brookvale Oval crowd of 21,131, the largest non-test attendance of the tour and the 3rd highest tour attendance outside only the first and second Ashes tests, the makeshift Sea Eagles side put the tourists to the sword, running out five tries to nil winners. Manly's teenage halfback Geoff Toovey, playing only his third game of top grade football, capped a man-of-the-match performance scoring one of his sides tries. The match saw the first time that former test rivals and teammates in Manly's 1972 and 1973 premiership wins Bob Fulton (Manly) and Mal Reilly (Great Britain) would coach against each other.
For the Lions, their captain on the night Andy Platt was far and away their best player with the rest showing little form heading into the first test just 4 days later. After Cliff Lyons crossed for Manly's 5th try in just 60th minute, the game descended into a scrappy contest as fatigue and high frustrations for the Lions resulted in Mark Brokenshire (Manly) and Roy Haggerty (GB) each getting 10 minutes in the sin-bin for foul play. For Manly, Toovey, Lyons, Cleal and Des Hasler (playing at lock) led the way for the 30–0 win while fullback Tim Dwyer capped a fine night kicking 5 goals from 5 attempts.Manly-Warringah vs Great Britain 1988
The game was refereed by Frenchman Francis Desplas who would be the referee for all three tests of the Ashes series. Although not playing the game, Mal Reilly allowed Lions prop forward Kevin Ward who had played in Manly's 1987 Grand Final winning team (and would again link with Manly once the tour ended), to take the toss of the coin in front of his 'home' fans despite Andy Platt captaining the side. The scheduling of the game against the reigning Sydney premiers only four days out from the first test drew criticism from Lions management and the British press who were covering the tour.
1st Ashes Test