The build up to the Test Series against New Zealand has got me thinking about my first taste of live Test Match rugby league.
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 could boast the talents 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 Leuluai, 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 Tests against Great Britain.
Great Britain were led by Maurice Bamford – a surprise choice as 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 U21s, 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.
Unfortunately, none of my mates who I went to watch Hull KR play on a weekly basis with wanted to attend the Test Matches but I was determined to watch my rugby league hero, Gary Prohm, playing for New Zealand.
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 with the local travel company.
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 80s 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 offs.
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 80s the Kiwis 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 Kiwis 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 fullback instead of his more preferred centre position with, bizarrely, Gary Kemble on the bench – scored a try that was converted by 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 was well on his way to proving himself as one of the greatest players in the world.
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 two 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 Kiwis side while New Zealand loose forward Hugh McGahan was equally effective for the tourists.
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 Kiwis back in front – a Joe Lydon penalty goal after 67 minutes cut the deficit to two points – 16-18.
The real fun began in the last 10 minutes and made a memorable game unforgettable.
Great Britain had lost nine 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 ten 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 eight minutes to go Britain scored one of the best tries I have ever seen.
Dynamite Des Drummond, the Leigh wing legend, collected a New Zealand kick just five yards out from his own line on the right wing.
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.
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 Tests 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 three minutes to throw everything at the Kiwis to get the victory we all so desperately wanted.
Unfortunately, the Kiwis 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 rest of the series against New Zealand.
The rest of the 1985 series was just as thrilling as the first Test at Headingley.
Garry Schofield scored four tries in the second Test at Wigan as Great Britain rallied brilliantly to hammer the Kiwis 25-8 in front of 15,500 fans and the third Test, played at Elland Road in Leeds, ended in a 6-6 draw and the series was tied.
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 series currently being played is just as exciting.
You can follow me on Twitter @sharpster69
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