TheSuper League Test series was arugby three-test match series between theGreat Britain Lions andSuper League'sAustralian national team held during November 1997 in England. Named theBritish Gas Test series due to sponsorship fromCentrica'sBritish Gas brand,[1] it went to a decider in the third test that was won by Australia.
The Australian side consisted only of players from the1997 Telstra Cup season (which was run by the Super League (SL)), with none from the1997 Optus Cup season (which was run by theAustralian Rugby League (ARL), who continue to disregard the series and do not count its matches in their records).[2] England'sRugby Football League on the other hand, who had been aligned with the Super League since 1995, does count the series' games as genuine test matches in their player records.[3]
Coming off the disaster of the Lions1996 Oceania tour (which did not include Australia) where the team won its tests againstPapua New Guinea andFiji, but lost all 3 tests againstNew Zealand and indeed did not even win a game on the New Zealand leg of the tour, The Lions were looking for redemption. The British team were also attempting to win their first series against Australia since 1970 and their first home series win against Australia since1959.[4] Lions fullback/wingerJason Robinson was the only player from both teams who was not actually a Super League aligned player having signed an ARL contract in 1995 at the height of theSuper League war. Robinson had in fact played for a Rest of the World team in a test against the Australian Kangaroos (ARL) earlier in 1997.[5] Although contracted to them, the ARL did not object to Robinson's selection for Great Britain. Robinson had been controversially left off Great Britain's 1996 Oceania tour by the RFL due to his ARL contract.
The three tests took place at the following venues:
| London | Manchester | Leeds |
|---|---|---|
| Wembley Stadium | Old Trafford | Elland Road |
| Capacity:82,000 | Capacity:56,000 | Capacity:40,000 |
.jpg) |  |  |
Saturday, 1 November 1997 |
Great Britain  | 14 – 38 |  Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Jason Robinson James Lowes Goals: Andy Farrell (3) | [6] | Tries: Laurie Daley (3) Brett Mullins (2) Craig Gower Darren Smith Goals: Ryan Girdler (5) |
This was Australia's first visit toWembley Stadium since theARL-only Kangaroos' 16–8 win overEngland in the1995 Rugby League World Cup final. It was also the 6th and final time the Australians would play at the famous venue until the2011 Rugby League Four Nations when they playedEngland at the newWembley Stadium.Great Britain on the other hand, were hoping for a repeat of their Wembley victories over Australia to begin both the1990 (19–12) and1994 (8–4)Ashes Series.[8] An Australian team drawn from the rebelSuper League competition was much too good for a Britain team coached by former Great Britain internationalAndy Goodway and captained by giantWiganlock forwardAndy Farrell.
Former Aussie internationalJohn Lang was coach of the Australians with the team captained byLaurie Daley, a veteran of the successful 1990 and 1994Kangaroo tours, and one of only five players in the team who had played a test at Wembley (Daley,Brett Mullins,Wendell Sailor andSteve Walters had played in 1994, whileAndrew Ettingshausen had played in both 1990 and 1994. Walters had also played in the1992 Rugby League World Cup final at Wembley when Australia defeated Great Britain 10–6 in front of a then world record international attendance of 73,631). Future great of the gameDarren Lockyer made his international debut for Australia atfullback.
This would be the last rugby league Test match played at the old Wembley Stadium which was demolished in 2003. The victory giving Australia a 6–4 record at the famous old stadium dating back to the last game of the1929–30 Kangaroo Tour when Australia defeatedWales 26–10 in what was the first ever rugby league international played at Wembley. The Kangaroos would next get to play Wembley in October 2011, that time at the newWembley Stadium when they defeated England 36–20 in the2011 Four Nations.
This game remains the only time that an Australian team has lost at Old Trafford since first playing at the "Theatre of Dreams" in1986.
Saturday, 8 November 1997 |
| Great Britain | 20 – 12 | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Andy Farrell Jason Robinson Goals: Andy Farrell (6/7) | [9] | Tries: Steve Walters Craig Gower Goals: Darren Lockyer (2/2) |
Great Britain dropped three players following their first test defeat;Mick Cassidy,Anthony Sullivan andDean Sampson.Martin Crompton was also sacked from the squad after failing to report to training.[10]
Gorden Tallis was sin-binned for dissent in the second half.Andy Farrell was credited for inspiring the British to victory.[11]
Sunday, 16 November 1997 |
| Great Britain | 20 – 37 | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Simon Haughton (2) Jason Robinson Goals: Andy Farrell (4) | [12] | Tries: Wendell Sailor (2) Ken Nagas Laurie Daley Brad Thorn Robbie Kearns Darren Smith Goals: Ryan Girdler (4) Field Goal: Darren Lockyer |
The Australian's wrapped up the Super League Test series with a 37–20 win over the Lions atElland Road in Leeds. The Australians also extended their unbeaten run against Great Britain at Elland Road in Leeds, having won all four of their games with the Lions played at the stadium since 1986.
