The 1924 Great Britain Lions tour was a tour by the Great Britain national rugby league team of Australia and New Zealand which took place between May and August 1924. The tour involved a schedule of 27 games; 18 in Australia, including a three-test series against Australia for the Ashes and a further nine in New Zealand, including a three-test series against New Zealand.
Captained by Jonty Parkin, the Lions returned home having won 21, and lost six games. They won the Ashes against Australia by two tests to one, but lost two out of three tests against New Zealand.
Despite being classed as Great Britain with the presence of Welsh players, the team actually played the tour listed as England.1924 Great Britain Lions tour summary - Rugby League Project
Squad An initial 20-man squad for the tour was named on 27 February 1924, with six additional players being selected in the following weeks. Wakefield Trinity scrum-half Jonty Parkin was appointed as captain.
Name Position Nationality Club Fullback Oldham Fullback Wigan Wing Broughton Rangers Wing Swinton Wing Wigan Wing Oldham Centre Leeds Centre Barrow Centre Wigan Centre Wakefield Trinity Stand-off Wigan Stand-off Hull Scrum-half Leigh (c) Scrum-half Wakefield Trinity Prop forward Hull Prop forward Barrow Prop forward Warrington Prop forward Leeds Hooker Rochdale Hornets Hooker Huddersfield Second-row Oldham Second-row Leigh Second-row Halifax Second-row Oldham Loose forward Batley Loose forward Wigan
The two team managers were J. H. Dannatt of Hull and E. Osborne of Warrington.
Schedule and results The majority of the touring party departed from Tilbury on 11 April 1924. Due to their involvement in the 1924 Challenge Cup final, the nine players selected from Wigan and Oldham travelled overland and joined the ship at Marseille. The team arrived in Melbourne on 20 May. Date Opponents Score (GB first) Venue Attendance Notes 24 May Victoria align="center" Brunswick Street Oval, Melbourne 15,000 26 May Southern Districts align="center" Fisher Park, Cootamundra 5,500 31 May Newcastle align="center" Newcastle Sports Ground, Newcastle 9,000 4 June New England align="center" Tamworth Oval, Tamworth 3,500 7 June NSW Firsts align="center" Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 42,000 9 June NSW Firsts align="center" Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 48,000 12 June Ipswich align="center" North Ipswich Reserve, Ipswich 2,000 14 June Queensland Firsts align="center" Brisbane Exhibition Ground, Brisbane 35,000 19 June Toowoomba align="center" Athletic Oval, Toowoomba 10,000 21 June NSW Firsts align="center" Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 26,042 23 June align="center" Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 50,005 25 June Orange align="center" Wade Park, Orange 5,000 28 June align="center" Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 33,842 2 July North Coast align="center" Oakes Oval, Lismore 8,000 5 July Central Queensland align="center" George Street Ground, Rockhampton 8,000 8 July Maryborough align="center" Maryborough Showgound, Maryborough 2,500 12 July align="center" Brisbane Exhibition Ground, Brisbane 39,000 16 July Universities XIII align="center" Sydney Sports Ground, Sydney 2,000 23 July South Auckland align="center" Steele Park, Hamilton 3,000 26 July Auckland align="center" Carlaw Park, Auckland 20,000 28 July Waikato align="center" Paterson Park, Ngāruawāhia 30 July Provincial XIII align="center" Carlaw Park, Auckland 7,000 2 August align="center" Carlaw Park, Auckland 22,000 6 August align="center" Basin Reserve, Wellington 6,000 9 August align="center" Tahuna Park, Dunedin 14,000 15 August West Coast align="center" Victoria Park, Greymouth 3,000 16 August Canterbury align="center" Addington Showgound, Christchurch 9,000
The team departed New Zealand aboard the RMS Tahiti, returning home via America.
References
External links Lions Tour 1924 at Rugby League Project