This was also against New Zealand and came exactly 30 years
ago back in 1985.
I was 16 years old, just out of school and on a YTS Training
Scheme earning £27.50 per week.
Even though I remember seeing the 1982 Kangaroo tourists in
the flesh in their opening Tour Match against Hull Kingston Rovers, I never
attended any of the Test Matches.
There were some outstanding talents going to be on display
in the Test Series. |
| New Zealand Captain Mark Graham |
New Zealand could boast the talent’s of the best forward in
the world at the time in their Captain, Mark Graham – he truly was an outstanding
rugby league player – alongside the Sorensen brothers, Dane and Kurt, in the
front row and Greme West and Hugh McGahan in the back row.
In the backs they had plenty of talent playing in the UK for
both Hull clubs and could call on world class players such as Gary Prohm, Gary
Kemble, James Leulaui, Dane O’Hara and Fred Ah Kuoi for the Test Matches plus
they also had Dean Bell, Olsen Filipaina and Clayton Friend plus two players
who would make big names for themselves at St. Helens later in their careers –
Shane Cooper and Mark Elia.
They were led by the man rated as the best coach in the
world at that time, Graham Lowe, and came into the Test Series on the back of
three consecutive wins over Great Britain – no Kiwi team had won four
consecutive Test’s against Great Britain.
Great Britain were led by Maurice Bamford – a surprise
choice as Head Coach the previous year – and he wanted his GB team to play with
passion, speed and skill and he selected his squad accordingly.
A three quarter line of Des Drummond, Garry Schofield,
Ellery Hanley and Joe Lydon was exciting and very dangerous. It was packed full
of pace, power and silky skills and Bamford was intent on using these talents
to win the Test Series.
The Kiwis started off the tour with a defeat at Wigan who
were the coming force in the British game before defeating Great Britian U21’s,
double League Champions Hull Kingston Rovers and Cumbria in the lead up to the
First Test.
The First Test was to take place at Headingley on Saturday
19th October and I planned to be there.
 |
| Gary Prohm in full flow. |
I was 16, I couldn’t drive, my family never had a car and
was going on my own. There was only one way I was going to get there and that
was by coach – that’s how we travelled to all of our Hull KR away games at the
time.
I worked in the centre of Hull at the time so I went to
Paragon Bus station one lunch time and booked myself on a coach with
Kingstonian. I had no problem travelling by myself – I seem to remember
travelling to a Rovers game at Wigan earlier in the year on my todd.On the day of the game I got a bus into the town centre, boarded the coach and away we went for the 60 mile journey to Leeds and my first taste of live international rugby league.
Headingley hasn’t really changed in the last 30 years – it
was and still is a fantastic venue for watching rugby league and I regularly
followed Hull KR over to play Leeds.
Back in the day there was no segregating home fans and away
fans and putting away fans behind the goalposts – we went where we wanted to
and in the 80’s Hull KR had a huge away following and regularly ‘took over’ the
home stand including the South Stand at Headingley – this led to some great
atmospheres as fans had highly competitive and noisy ‘’sing off’s’’.
So, there was only one place I was headed to watch the Test
Match and that was the South Stand.
I was really looking forward to this match and even though I
was a huge Gary Prohm fan, I was very patriotic and was desperate to see a
Great Britain win.
As everyone knows, a Test Match at any level against New
Zealand starts off with the wonderful Haka – you can watch it as many times as
you like on TV but to be in the ground and watch it live is something special –
I feel as though it is somewhat ‘watered’ down these days but back in the 80’s
the Kiwi’s displayed a huge amount of passion and aggression and made it clear
they were ready for a battle.
And what a battle it was – my first taste of international
Rugby League did not disappoint.
The Kiwi’s were criticised on this tour for being overly
physical, what a surprise with the Sorensen brothers and Kevin Tamati in the
side, but in this Test Match they played some great rugby.
Great Britain set off like a house on fire and opened the
scoring when Wigan second rower Andy Goodway, taking advantage of a dropped
ball by James Leuluai – playing at full back instead of his more preferred
centre position with, bizarrely, Gary Kemble on the bench - scored a try that
was converted by full back Mick Burke after just three minutes.
The tourists, superbly led by Mark Graham in the opening
half hour before he had to depart due to injury just after half time, hit back
quickly and decisively.
Three tries in a 19 minute spell saw New Zealand surge into
the lead. Graham scored one of the tries with the other two coming from wingers
Bell and O’Hara.
Both sides were constantly looking to move the ball and
there was no shortage of physical action up front either and it was a great
game to watch unfold in front of you and atmosphere was electric in the ground.
Great Britain were on the ropes at 14-6 down and the next
score before half time would be very important.
Fortunately, that score came from Great Britain and set the
second half up brilliantly.
 |
| Ellery Hanley |
He was in his first season at Wigan after a £150,000 move
from Bradford Northern and would go on to score 35 tries in 40 appearances for
the Central Park outfit in his debut season.
It was his individual brilliance that got Britain back into
the game three minutes before the break. His try was converted by Burke and
Britain were just 2 points down at half time – 12-14.
Skipper Harry Pinner, the St. Helens loose forward and
Widnes stand off Tony Myler gave outstanding first half performances and were a
constant thorn in the Kiwi’s side whilst New Zealand loose forward Hugh McGahan
was equally effective for the tourist’s.
It took 15 minutes for the first score of the second half, a
Burke penalty to level the scores at 14-14 before Kurt Sorensen charged over to
put the Kiwi’s back in front – a Joe Lydon penalty goal after 67 minutes cut
the deficit to 2 points – 16-18.
The real fun began in the last 10 minutes and made a
memorable game unforgettable.
Great Britain had lost 9 consecutive Test Matches against
either New Zealand or Australia going into this match and with the game hanging
in the balance going into the last 10 minutes and Great Britain playing well,
hopes were high among the supporters that they could pull a win out of the bag
– the atmosphere was absolutely electric.
With 8 minutes to go Britain scored one of the best tries I
have ever seen.
 |
| Dynamite Des Drummond |
Now, Drummond was a livewire – younger fans should think
Jason Robinson and you will have an idea of the type of player Drummond was –
and he was also mightily strong and a great athlete.
His pace took him past opposite winger Dane O’Hara and he
weaved past other defenders to the 25 yard line.
He then linked with Featherstone scrum half Deryck Fox and
substitute forward Chris Arkwright who fed the ball to the mercurial Hanley.
Hanley blasted down the left hand touchline on a scorching
50 yard run beating Dean Bell and holding off James Leuluai in the process all
the while noting that Joe Lydon was steaming up to support him.
We were in raptures in the stand – this was brilliant and
exciting rugby league – and it got better.
Hanley lobbed a high left handed pass which Lydon took
perfectly in his stride to score one of the most wonderful tries I have ever
witnessed.  |
| Joe Lydon - try scorer |
You can see this wonderful try at the start of the below link:
The stadium exploded and I never tire seeing that try even
30 years later.
Lydon converted his try and Britian led 22-18.
The whole of the 12,500 fans in this great rugby league
ground were making as much noise as possible in the hope that this was a new
dawn for British Rugby League.
Four months earlier New Zealand had suffered two defeats
against Australia in successive Test’s in the dying minutes of both matches and
they seemed to have learned from them.
They were not overawed by the situation or by the roar of a
vibrant home support – they were determined to win this Test Match.
Star forward Kurt Sorensen took on the leadership of the
team when Mark Graham went off injured and it was him who dragged his team over
the winning line.
A powerful Sorensen burst down the middle in the Great
Britain half was supported by Leuluai who took the pass to score near the posts
to level the scores.
The whole ground was now silent where five minutes earlier
it had been one of the greatest atmospheres I had experienced – the Kiwis had
not just knocked the stuffing out of their opponents but out of the supporters
as well.
Olsen Filipaina, who toe prodded his goal kicks just like
Mal Meninga, had the simple task of converting the try and edging the Kiwi’s
ahead 24-22.
Great Britain now had 3 minutes to throw everything at the
Kiwis to get the victory we all so desperately wanted.
Unfortunately, the Kiwi’s defence wasn’t going to give again
and Britain could not conjure up anymore magic tries and the match ended in
defeat for the home side.
Even so, the supporters gave the team a wonderful and noisy
reception as we fully appreciated the effort they had put into the match and,
just as importantly, the style of play they employed which had been so
enjoyable to watch.
Personally, it was disappointing to see Great Britain lose
the match but my enthusiasm for international Rugby League had been ignited and
I have enjoyed watching Great Britain or England many times over the last 30 years
and am really looking forward to the upcoming series against New Zealand.
I’ll be at the KC Stadium in Hull for the First Test with my
whole family and lot’s of players and parent’s from my U6’s rugby league team
at Skirlaugh.
The rest of the 1985 series was just as thrilling as the
First Test at Headingley.
 |
| Lee Crooks and Garry Schofield |
Britain trailed 6-0 at half time in the Third Test and three
penalty goals from Lee Crooks in the second half tied the match up.
Crooks held his nerve in the very last minute to kick the
penalty goal that levelled the scores in front of over 22,000 fans – I was
lucky enough to attend this match as well and it was another great
international rugby league Test Match.
Let’s hope the upcoming series is just as exciting.
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