Rugby League Lions 1920

Two years after the end of hostilities, the Lions were again led Down Under by Harold Wagstaff but with a new look – gone were the red and white hooped jerseys of the first two tours, replaced by a dashing all white strip with dark socks.

Six years without international rugby had created huge interest in the Northern Union tourists, who kicked off the tour with a 27-20 win against Metropolis in front of a staggering Sydney Cricket Ground attendance of 67,859, around 10,000 of whom were sat around the edges of the pitch.

A 42-6 defeat by New South Wales a few weeks later suggested Wagstaff’s men might not have things all their own way, and so it proved in the first Test in Brisbane where Australia won an ill-tempered game 8-4, two goals from Huddersfield’s Ben Gronow providing the Lions’ only points.

Fired by that win, the host nation triumphed 21-8 in the second Test in Sydney to win the Ashes on home soil for the first time, conceding just one try against five of their own, including a try by each of their three-quarter line.

The Lions salvaged some pride with a 23-13 win in the third Test, helped by two tries from Oldham back row Herman Hilton plus others by Jim Bacon of Leeds and two from Hull FC’s Billy Stone, who also landed a goal to add to three by Huddersfield winger Johnny Rogers.

The match also saw international rugby league’s first substitution, when Australia’s ‘Junker’ Robinson went on in the second half to replace Frank Burge, who had suffered a shoulder injury.

The tourists lost a match in New Zealand for the first time with a 24-16 defeat by Auckland in front of a record crowd of 35,000 but hit back to win all three Tests.

Twenty two of the 26 tour team were selected to play in Test matches, while team manager John Wilson, who was offered, and accepted the role of Secretary of the Rugby League whilst on tour, also played in three tour games. He even kicked a goal.

Tour Summary