England national rugby league team
Encyclopedia
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team
, who also represented Wales, Scotland
and Ireland
. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League
. As of 2008, the team now participates in all World Cups
, Four Nations
, and Test matches.
The team dates back to 1904 when they played against a mixture of Welsh and Scottish players in Wigan
. Since then, and right up until the 1950s, they regularly toured Australia and New Zealand and played both home and away matches against neighbours Wales and France. But when it was decided that Great Britain would tour the Southern Hemisphere
instead of England, France and Wales became the only regular opponents. Even then though, there are some long periods where England barely played any matches. Their first appearance in the Rugby League World Cup
was in 1975, and since then they have become runners-up in 1975
and 1995
, the latter tournament being held in England. In 2008 they competed in the 2008 World Cup
in Australia. For many years England also competed in the European Nations Cup
and in 2006, an England 'A' team, competed for the Federation Shield
. In the past England's main rivals have been Wales
and France
, with the rivalry stretching back to 1908 and 1934 respectively. However, England's main rivals would now be Australia, New Zealand
and, to a lesser extent, France
.
Traditionally a predominantly white kit is worn including white shorts and socks. However the shirt usually features some form of red, like red stripes, crosses or chevrons. These colours are similar to other English sporting teams and are the colours used on the national flag. In 2008 a new kit was introduced featuring a red cross on the front and red strips down the sides of the shirt, shorts and socks were white too with red strips. Also in 2008 the Rugby Football League chose to abandon the traditional English lion on the badge in favour of a much simpler shield and cross design, nevertheless the team will still be known as "The Lions".
Currently the team is ranked third in the world, behind Australia and New Zealand
. Steve McNamara
became head coach leaving the Bradford Bulls
to take the national job and Jamie Peacock
is the current captain, having played for England since 2000.
, citing that they wanted to play professionally, and formed the Northern Rugby Football Union
. The twenty-one clubs were all from Northern England and the players were largely working class. However it was not just English players who made the switch, Scottish and Welsh players also switched allegiance to the new code, wanting payments for playing. Switching heightened in the early 20th century with more Scottish and Welsh players leaving the RFU than ever before.
The England national rugby union team
had been playing international matches since 1871, but it was not until 1904, nine years after the formation of the new code, that an international rugby league match was played. At the start of 1903 season the Northern Union thought about international matches and scheduled a match for England on New Years Day 1904 in Oldham
. On that day though, the ground was frosty and the match was cancelled and it was rescheduled for April.
On 5 April 1904 England competed against a team called "Other Nationalities
", who were made up of ten Welshman and two Scotsman, including George Frater
, who captained the side. It was a period of experimentation for the Northern Union and each team had twelve players, not thirteen. At Central Park (Wigan)
, Wigan
the ground was muddy and in poor condition, however the match went ahead. England steamed into a 3–0 lead, from a try by Warrington
's John "Jackie" Fish
. This is despite Salfords
James Lomas
arriving late and causing England to start the match with eleven players. Fish missed the conversion and so the Other Nationalities were able to level the scores a little later, Welshman Thomas crashing over for a try. The conversion was missed and going into half-time the score was tied 3–3. In the second half Thomas went over for another try before Wigan
's Harris sealed a 9–3 win for the Other Nationalities in the final minutes of the match. A total of 6,000 spectators turned up for the match, which was considered a poor showing despite a Broughton Rangers v Bradford cup clash being scheduled on the same day.
In 1905 a match between the two sides was played at Bradford. This time England won 26–11 even though they were losing 11–0 at half-time. Wigan's Jim Leytham
scored four tries in succession, a record that still stand today. The match was played with fifteen players on each side and so was the 1906 match. Played in Wigan again, the match finished a 3–3 draw. The concept was abandoned after the 1906 match. By 1908 the game had expanded much more into Australia, New Zealand and Wales and England began playing those teams. Harold Wagstaff
made his debut for England in 1908 against the touring Kangaroos team at 17 years and 228 days.
The Other Nationalities side did return in 1921.
An England side beat the Australasian team of the 1921-22 Kangaroo tour 4–5 at Highbury
.
England's played only one international between 10 May 1956 and 7 November 1968 an 18–6 victory at Headingley.
coached by Alex Murphy
, which was played over several months in both hemispheres on a league basis. Normally Great Britain
would represent England in the World Cup, but the RLIF wanted to capitalise on the large amount of Welsh players in the game at the time, and so England and Wales fielded separate teams.
England won their first match, a 20–2 victory over France in Leeds in March. In June the Lions suffered their first defeat in just their second match of the tournament, losing 12–7 against a strong Wales side in Brisbane. A little later England managed to hold on for a draw against Australia in Sydney, the final score being 10–10. And they also picked up a point in Auckland, drawing 17–17 against New Zealand. At the end of October, after the domestic season had finished, England beat the Welsh 22–16 in Warrington and then crossed the English Channel
to thrash a French side 48–2 in Bordeaux. Bradford played host the England versus New Zealand match, in which England won comfortably 27–12.
At the start of November, England squeezed past Australia winning 16–13 in November at Wigan. This meant that the Kangaroos had finished on 13 points, with the Lions on 12 points. Australia were deemed champions by finishing top of the table, but because they had not beaten England a final match was quickly arranged. Australia beat England 25–0 at Leeds to clinch their fourth title.
England were coached by Phil Larder
. The Lions got off to a flying start beating Australia 20–16 in the opening game at Wembley, then hammering Fiji
and South Africa
in the remaining group games to finish top of group A. This set up a semi-final game at Old Trafford against Wales. England won the tussle 25–10 to reach the World Cup final, but they lost 16–8 to Australia at Wembley Stadium.
was coach of England for the World Cup in 2000
. Compared to 1995, England had little success, losing their opening game at Twickenham
22–2 against Australia. But they won their remaining two pool games against Fiji
and Russia
. A surprising display by Ireland
in the quarter-finals, saw England scrape through to the semi-finals 26–16. England then went down to a record defeat, losing 49–6 to New Zealand
at Bolton
, and were knocked out of the tournament.
, this time travelling to Australia to do so. They got one sole win against Papua New Guinea in the opening match of the tournament, but, following that, lost once to Australia and twice to eventual Cup winners New Zealand. England's performance in the World Cup attracted criticism from the local media.
In 2002 England toured Fiji
and Tonga
. Karl Harrison
became England coach in July 2004 replacing John Kear. He led England to European Nations Cup success in 2004 and coached them to a win over France and a narrow defeat by New Zealand in 2005. Harrison stepped down, citing family reasons in August 2006 and was replaced by Paul Cullen
. England took part in the Federation Shield
in the Autumn 2006, which they won.
In 2011, it was announced that the England Knights, a bridge between the academy and first class sides, similar to the set-up with England's cricket and rugby union
sides, was to be established.
and Tudor Rose
. It was similar to most other English sporting badges, such as the England national football team
and the English national cricket team which all promote similar attributes.
. The cross of St George is positioned across a three-dimensional shield within the design. The date "1895" is placed through the centre of the cross, symbolizing the birth of rugby league. Many people involved in the sport were consulted throughout the design process, which took a little under a year. The logo will be used for the 2008 World Cup
and many future events and tournaments.
. This will support the RFL's strategy for the growth and development of the sport in this country and throughout Europe. The separation of Great Britain will also create an important opportunity for the Celtic Nations
to drive the growth of the game in their territories.
As of 10 October 2011:
In addition, McNamara has revealed details of a new England Knights programme featuring players from Super League clubs who will supplement the pool of players available to the national team and add valuable pressure for international selection among the sport's top stars.
The squad will face France
and another Cumbria
, as Samoa
had to cancel their UK tour.
, in 1975
, 1995
, 2000
and 2008
. They have never won the competition, although finished runners-up to Australia in 1975 and 1995. In every other year Great Britain
have represented England.
competition in 2006. The tournament was held in England and France and was contested by England, Tonga, Samoa and France. England won their three group matches in Leeds, London and Hull before beating Tonga 32–14 in Widnes. The tournament was axed due to poor attendances, particularly in England.
. The Exile team will be made up of Australian and New Zealander players contracted to English Super League
clubs. It is intended that this will become an annual fixture. These fixtures however will not be granted Test status for the English players.
, Wales. In 1975 they played Papua New Guinea for the first time. More recently in the 1995 and 2000 World Cups, England has faced new opposition in teams like South Africa, Fiji and Ireland.
represented England as well as Scotland, Wales and Ireland, and so England did not compete in those tournaments despite many players from those Great Britain teams being English. In 1975 Wales were considered to be good enough for their own team, and so Great Britain split into England and Wales for the competition. This is similar to the 1995 tournament and also the 2000 competition in which Ireland and Scotland also competed as well as England and Wales.
, who are not yet ready for selection in the main England team. In 2003 and 2004, England A participated in the European Nations Cup
.
. But they started playing as the "The Rugby League Conference Lionhearts", playing other representative teams. In 2000 they competed in the first round of the Challenge Cup
losing against Eccles, and losing to Featherstone Lions in the same round in 2001. In 2002 they changed their name to the England Lionhearts, so that they could compete in the Amateur Four Nations competitions against Wales A, Scotland A and Ireland A each year. Likewise those teams are made up of domestic talent in those countries. In 2006 they halted the Welsh dominance of the competition, winning the tournament for the first time. But they were unable to hold onto their trophy, finishing third in 2007 behind Wales and Ireland. In October 2005 the Lionhearts played the Malta national team
, in what was the first ever rugby league game played in Malta
. The Lionhearts lost 36–6. On 6 May 2006 the team played Serbia in Pančevo
and won 50–4.
inductees, or are one of the top five caps, tries, goals, or points scorers for England. Although both Gus Risman
, and Jim Sullivan were Welsh
, they are British Rugby League Hall of Fame inductees, and actually played for England, as well as for Wales
, and Great Britain
. British Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee Vince Karalius
was English (of Lithuanian heritage), and although he played for Great Britain, he never played for England, as England games were limited in his playing era. Although George Fairbairn
is Scottish
, as of 7 November 2010, he is England's highest goal, and points scorer.
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
, who also represented Wales, Scotland
Scotland national rugby league team
The Scotland national rugby league team represent Scotland in international rugby league football tournaments. The team is run under the auspices of the Scotland Rugby League, and are nicknamed The Bravehearts. Scotland are not regarded as a test nation...
and Ireland
Ireland national rugby league team
The Ireland national rugby league team, known as the Wolfhounds, represent the island of Ireland in rugby league football. The team is organized by Rugby League Ireland and are accredited as an affiliate member of the Rugby League International Federation...
. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
. As of 2008, the team now participates in all World Cups
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
, Four Nations
Rugby League Four Nations
The Rugby League Four Nations is an annual rugby league football tournament run in partnership between the Australian Rugby League, Rugby Football League and New Zealand Rugby League representing the top three nations in the sport: Australia, England and New Zealand. A fourth partner, France,...
, and Test matches.
The team dates back to 1904 when they played against a mixture of Welsh and Scottish players in Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
. Since then, and right up until the 1950s, they regularly toured Australia and New Zealand and played both home and away matches against neighbours Wales and France. But when it was decided that Great Britain would tour the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
instead of England, France and Wales became the only regular opponents. Even then though, there are some long periods where England barely played any matches. Their first appearance in the Rugby League World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
was in 1975, and since then they have become runners-up in 1975
1975 Rugby League World Cup
The 1975 Rugby League World Cup was the seventh staging of rugby league football's World Cup tournament...
and 1995
1995 Rugby League World Cup
The 1995 Rugby League World Cup was held during October in the United Kingdom. It was the eleventh staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was marketed as the Halifax Centenary World Cup, reflecting the tournament's sponsorship and the fact that 1995 marked the 100th birthday of the sport...
, the latter tournament being held in England. In 2008 they competed in the 2008 World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
in Australia. For many years England also competed in the European Nations Cup
Rugby League European Nations Cup
The European Cup is a rugby league football tournament for European nations that was first held in 1935. The tournament was first started in 1935, with England, Wales and France each playing each other once...
and in 2006, an England 'A' team, competed for the Federation Shield
Federation Shield
-Standings:-Final:Rob Purdham captained the victorious England side in this tournament, with Matt Diskin as the vice-captain. The Paul Cullen coached side entered the final as favourites following a successful group stage with three wins from three matches....
. In the past England's main rivals have been Wales
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
and France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
, with the rivalry stretching back to 1908 and 1934 respectively. However, England's main rivals would now be Australia, New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
and, to a lesser extent, France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
.
Traditionally a predominantly white kit is worn including white shorts and socks. However the shirt usually features some form of red, like red stripes, crosses or chevrons. These colours are similar to other English sporting teams and are the colours used on the national flag. In 2008 a new kit was introduced featuring a red cross on the front and red strips down the sides of the shirt, shorts and socks were white too with red strips. Also in 2008 the Rugby Football League chose to abandon the traditional English lion on the badge in favour of a much simpler shield and cross design, nevertheless the team will still be known as "The Lions".
Currently the team is ranked third in the world, behind Australia and New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
. Steve McNamara
Steve McNamara
Steve McNamara is an English professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently coach of the England national team.-International honours:...
became head coach leaving the Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
to take the national job and Jamie Peacock
Jamie Peacock
James "Jamie" Peacock is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Leeds Rhinos of the European Super League...
is the current captain, having played for England since 2000.
The first matches
In 1895 twenty-one clubs split with the Rugby Football UnionRugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
, citing that they wanted to play professionally, and formed the Northern Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
. The twenty-one clubs were all from Northern England and the players were largely working class. However it was not just English players who made the switch, Scottish and Welsh players also switched allegiance to the new code, wanting payments for playing. Switching heightened in the early 20th century with more Scottish and Welsh players leaving the RFU than ever before.
The England national rugby union team
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
had been playing international matches since 1871, but it was not until 1904, nine years after the formation of the new code, that an international rugby league match was played. At the start of 1903 season the Northern Union thought about international matches and scheduled a match for England on New Years Day 1904 in Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
. On that day though, the ground was frosty and the match was cancelled and it was rescheduled for April.
On 5 April 1904 England competed against a team called "Other Nationalities
Other Nationalities rugby league team
The Other Nationalities rugby league team regularly played international, and also county, rugby league football teams in Europe from 1904 to 1975. The team, created in 1904 to play England in the first ever rugby league international match, was at first made up of Welsh and Scottish players...
", who were made up of ten Welshman and two Scotsman, including George Frater
George Frater
George Frater was a Scottish professional rugby league footballer of the 1890s and 1900s who at representative level played for Other Nationalities, and at club level for Oldham, playing at , i.e...
, who captained the side. It was a period of experimentation for the Northern Union and each team had twelve players, not thirteen. At Central Park (Wigan)
Central Park (Wigan)
Central Park was a rugby league stadium in Wigan, England. It was the home of Wigan RLFC before the club moved to the JJB Stadium in 1999. Its final capacity was 18,000.-History:...
, Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
the ground was muddy and in poor condition, however the match went ahead. England steamed into a 3–0 lead, from a try by Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
's John "Jackie" Fish
John Fish
John "Jack"/"Jackie" Fish was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1890s and 1900s who at representative level played for England, and at club level for Warrington, playing at , i.e...
. This is despite Salfords
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
James Lomas
James Lomas (rugby league)
James Lomas was a pioneering English rugby league footballer of the early 20th century. Hailing from Maryport, Cumberland, his career lasted for twenty-four years from 1899 to 1923. A three-quarter and prominent goal-kicker, Lomas captained the Great Britain national rugby league team.Lomas was...
arriving late and causing England to start the match with eleven players. Fish missed the conversion and so the Other Nationalities were able to level the scores a little later, Welshman Thomas crashing over for a try. The conversion was missed and going into half-time the score was tied 3–3. In the second half Thomas went over for another try before Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
's Harris sealed a 9–3 win for the Other Nationalities in the final minutes of the match. A total of 6,000 spectators turned up for the match, which was considered a poor showing despite a Broughton Rangers v Bradford cup clash being scheduled on the same day.
In 1905 a match between the two sides was played at Bradford. This time England won 26–11 even though they were losing 11–0 at half-time. Wigan's Jim Leytham
Jim Leytham
James "Jim" Leytham was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1890s, 1900s and '10s who at representative level played for Great Britain, England, and Lancashire, and at club level for Lancaster, and Wigan, playing at , i.e...
scored four tries in succession, a record that still stand today. The match was played with fifteen players on each side and so was the 1906 match. Played in Wigan again, the match finished a 3–3 draw. The concept was abandoned after the 1906 match. By 1908 the game had expanded much more into Australia, New Zealand and Wales and England began playing those teams. Harold Wagstaff
Harold Wagstaff
Harold Wagstaff was an English rugby league footballer of the early 20th century. He played as a and was nicknamed the Prince of Centres...
made his debut for England in 1908 against the touring Kangaroos team at 17 years and 228 days.
The Other Nationalities side did return in 1921.
An England side beat the Australasian team of the 1921-22 Kangaroo tour 4–5 at Highbury
Arsenal Stadium
Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
.
England's played only one international between 10 May 1956 and 7 November 1968 an 18–6 victory at Headingley.
1975 World Cup
England played at the World Cup in 19751975 Rugby League World Cup
The 1975 Rugby League World Cup was the seventh staging of rugby league football's World Cup tournament...
coached by Alex Murphy
Alex Murphy (rugby league)
Alex J. Murphy OBE is an English former professional rugby league footballer and coach of the mid to late 20th century...
, which was played over several months in both hemispheres on a league basis. Normally Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
would represent England in the World Cup, but the RLIF wanted to capitalise on the large amount of Welsh players in the game at the time, and so England and Wales fielded separate teams.
England won their first match, a 20–2 victory over France in Leeds in March. In June the Lions suffered their first defeat in just their second match of the tournament, losing 12–7 against a strong Wales side in Brisbane. A little later England managed to hold on for a draw against Australia in Sydney, the final score being 10–10. And they also picked up a point in Auckland, drawing 17–17 against New Zealand. At the end of October, after the domestic season had finished, England beat the Welsh 22–16 in Warrington and then crossed the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
to thrash a French side 48–2 in Bordeaux. Bradford played host the England versus New Zealand match, in which England won comfortably 27–12.
At the start of November, England squeezed past Australia winning 16–13 in November at Wigan. This meant that the Kangaroos had finished on 13 points, with the Lions on 12 points. Australia were deemed champions by finishing top of the table, but because they had not beaten England a final match was quickly arranged. Australia beat England 25–0 at Leeds to clinch their fourth title.
1995 World Cup
In the 1995 World Cup1995 Rugby League World Cup
The 1995 Rugby League World Cup was held during October in the United Kingdom. It was the eleventh staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was marketed as the Halifax Centenary World Cup, reflecting the tournament's sponsorship and the fact that 1995 marked the 100th birthday of the sport...
England were coached by Phil Larder
Phil Larder
Phil Larder MBE , is an English rugby league and rugby union coach.After graduating with a degree in Physical Education and Sports Science from Loughborough University in 1965, he played rugby union at centre for Broughton Park in Manchester and then Sale...
. The Lions got off to a flying start beating Australia 20–16 in the opening game at Wembley, then hammering Fiji
Fiji national rugby league team
-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
and South Africa
South Africa national rugby league team
The South Africa national rugby league team are a growing force in rugby league football, South Africa competes sporadically against other international nations because of their location and their absence from any major international competitions. They are ranked twenty-third in the world...
in the remaining group games to finish top of group A. This set up a semi-final game at Old Trafford against Wales. England won the tussle 25–10 to reach the World Cup final, but they lost 16–8 to Australia at Wembley Stadium.
2000 World Cup
John KearJohn Kear
John Kear is an English rugby league coach and former rugby league player. Kear is currently the coach of Batley Bulldogs...
was coach of England for the World Cup in 2000
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France...
. Compared to 1995, England had little success, losing their opening game at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
22–2 against Australia. But they won their remaining two pool games against Fiji
Fiji national rugby league team
-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
and Russia
Russia national rugby league team
-2008 World Cup Qualifying:In 2006 Russia were involved in Europe Round One, defeating Netherlands national rugby league team and Serbia national rugby league team to finish second and keep their World Cup dream alive. They then went through to Europe Round Two in Europe Pool Two with Ireland and...
. A surprising display by Ireland
Ireland national rugby league team
The Ireland national rugby league team, known as the Wolfhounds, represent the island of Ireland in rugby league football. The team is organized by Rugby League Ireland and are accredited as an affiliate member of the Rugby League International Federation...
in the quarter-finals, saw England scrape through to the semi-finals 26–16. England then went down to a record defeat, losing 49–6 to New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
at Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, and were knocked out of the tournament.
2008 World Cup
England once again competed in the 2008 World Cup2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
, this time travelling to Australia to do so. They got one sole win against Papua New Guinea in the opening match of the tournament, but, following that, lost once to Australia and twice to eventual Cup winners New Zealand. England's performance in the World Cup attracted criticism from the local media.
England 'A'
In October 1999, England met France in Carcassonne. The England team were without players involved with Great Britain, who were in Queensland for the Tri-Nations competition. The French fielded an experienced and talented squad but in the end England narrowly won 28–20.In 2002 England toured Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
and Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
. Karl Harrison
Karl Harrison
Karl Harrison, is an English former rugby league player and coach. He was a player for Hull and Halifax, and also represented Great Britain at prop forward. He won the last of his 14 International caps in 1994. He was the head coach of Salford City Reds rugby league team for five years, before...
became England coach in July 2004 replacing John Kear. He led England to European Nations Cup success in 2004 and coached them to a win over France and a narrow defeat by New Zealand in 2005. Harrison stepped down, citing family reasons in August 2006 and was replaced by Paul Cullen
Paul Cullen (rugby league)
Paul Cullen is an English professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the head coach for the Widnes Vikings of the Co-operative Championship. Cullen previously coached the Warrington Wolves as well as the England national team...
. England took part in the Federation Shield
Federation Shield
-Standings:-Final:Rob Purdham captained the victorious England side in this tournament, with Matt Diskin as the vice-captain. The Paul Cullen coached side entered the final as favourites following a successful group stage with three wins from three matches....
in the Autumn 2006, which they won.
In 2011, it was announced that the England Knights, a bridge between the academy and first class sides, similar to the set-up with England's cricket and rugby union
England Saxons
England Saxons is the current name of England's men's second national rugby union team. The team has previously been known by a number of names, such as England B, Emerging England and, most recently, England A...
sides, was to be established.
The Lions Crest
The badge was originally a combination of the St. George's cross, the Three Lions Coat of Arms of EnglandCoat of arms of England
In heraldry, the Royal Arms of England is a coat of arms symbolising England and its monarchs. Its blazon is Gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or armed and langued Azure, meaning three identical gold lions with blue tongues and claws, walking and facing the observer, arranged in a column...
and Tudor Rose
Tudor rose
The Tudor Rose is the traditional floral heraldic emblem of England and takes its name and origins from the Tudor dynasty.-Origins:...
. It was similar to most other English sporting badges, such as the England national football team
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and the English national cricket team which all promote similar attributes.
The Shield Crest
The new official logo was launched on 6 February 2008 on the rugby league magazine programme Boots N' AllBoots N' All
Boots 'N' All is the Sky Sports-televised rugby league, weekly magazine programme, focusing on the Super League, National Leagues and amateur game...
. The cross of St George is positioned across a three-dimensional shield within the design. The date "1895" is placed through the centre of the cross, symbolizing the birth of rugby league. Many people involved in the sport were consulted throughout the design process, which took a little under a year. The logo will be used for the 2008 World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
and many future events and tournaments.
2008
From 2008 onwards, the England team will compete in all World Cups, international tournaments and Test series. This is instead of playing as Great BritainGreat Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
. This will support the RFL's strategy for the growth and development of the sport in this country and throughout Europe. The separation of Great Britain will also create an important opportunity for the Celtic Nations
Celtic nations
The Celtic nations are territories in North-West Europe in which that area's own Celtic languages and some cultural traits have survived.The term "nation" is used in its original sense to mean a people who share a common traditional identity and culture and are identified with a traditional...
to drive the growth of the game in their territories.
2011 ETS Squad
2011 Four Nations SquadAs of 10 October 2011:
2011 Knights Squad
As of 10 October 2011:In addition, McNamara has revealed details of a new England Knights programme featuring players from Super League clubs who will supplement the pool of players available to the national team and add valuable pressure for international selection among the sport's top stars.
The squad will face France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
and another Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, as Samoa
Samoa national rugby league team
-Notable Players & Coaches:* John Ackland * Steve Kaiser Coach 1990 - 1994* Steve Kaiser 1986* Afi Ah Koui 1986* Andrew Ah Koui 1986* George Apelu 1986* Fa'ausu Afoa circa-1995* Wing Afoa 1990 - 1994* Isaak Ah Mau circa-2006...
had to cancel their UK tour.
World Cup
England have competed four times in the World CupRugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
, in 1975
1975 Rugby League World Cup
The 1975 Rugby League World Cup was the seventh staging of rugby league football's World Cup tournament...
, 1995
1995 Rugby League World Cup
The 1995 Rugby League World Cup was held during October in the United Kingdom. It was the eleventh staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was marketed as the Halifax Centenary World Cup, reflecting the tournament's sponsorship and the fact that 1995 marked the 100th birthday of the sport...
, 2000
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France...
and 2008
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
. They have never won the competition, although finished runners-up to Australia in 1975 and 1995. In every other year Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
have represented England.
European Nations Cup
England have competed in twenty-six European Nations Cups, the first in 1935. In the past the tournament has been axed and revived many times, and it was stopped for six years because of the Second World War. From 1935 to 1949 (minus the war years) England played France and Wales annually, and won the tournament in 1935, 1946, 1947 and 1948. From 1950 to 1956 an Other Nationalities team were added as the fourth team in the competition (except in 1956 when Wales did not field a team). During those years England won in 1950 and 1954. Since then the tournament has run for some seasons, but never for more than five years at a time. But from 1970 to 1996 England won it six out of a possible nine times. In 2003 the tournament was revived and England comfortably won, beating her old rivals plus Scotland, Ireland and Russia. England beat the same opponents to win the cup again in 2004. This was the last time England competed, they were replaced by Georgia. The cup ran for just one more year before it was axed again. It has not since returned. In total England have won the cup fourteen times.Federation Shield
England competed in the only Federation ShieldFederation Shield
-Standings:-Final:Rob Purdham captained the victorious England side in this tournament, with Matt Diskin as the vice-captain. The Paul Cullen coached side entered the final as favourites following a successful group stage with three wins from three matches....
competition in 2006. The tournament was held in England and France and was contested by England, Tonga, Samoa and France. England won their three group matches in Leeds, London and Hull before beating Tonga 32–14 in Widnes. The tournament was axed due to poor attendances, particularly in England.
England vs Exiles International Origin Match
Commencing on 10 June 2011, the English national team will play the Exiles in the Rugby League International Origin MatchRugby League International Origin Match
The Rugby League International Origin Match is an annual rugby league fixture between the English national side and an Exiles side consisting of foreign players currently playing in the English Super League competition. The match was held for the first time at Headingley Carnegie Stadium in Leeds...
. The Exile team will be made up of Australian and New Zealander players contracted to English Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
clubs. It is intended that this will become an annual fixture. These fixtures however will not be granted Test status for the English players.
2011 Exiles Squad
As of 4 May 2011:Coaches
| Name | Nat | Tenure | Matches | Won | Drew | Lost | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phil Larder Phil Larder Phil Larder MBE , is an English rugby league and rugby union coach.After graduating with a degree in Physical Education and Sports Science from Loughborough University in 1965, he played rugby union at centre for Broughton Park in Manchester and then Sale... |
 |
1995 – December 1999 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| John Kear John Kear John Kear is an English rugby league coach and former rugby league player. Kear is currently the coach of Batley Bulldogs... |
|
January 2000 – July 2004 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Karl Harrison Karl Harrison Karl Harrison, is an English former rugby league player and coach. He was a player for Hull and Halifax, and also represented Great Britain at prop forward. He won the last of his 14 International caps in 1994. He was the head coach of Salford City Reds rugby league team for five years, before... |
|
July 2004 – August 2006 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Paul Cullen Paul Cullen (rugby league) Paul Cullen is an English professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the head coach for the Widnes Vikings of the Co-operative Championship. Cullen previously coached the Warrington Wolves as well as the England national team... |
|
August 2006 – November 2007 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Tony Smith |  |
November 2007 – December 2009 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 40% |
| Steve McNamara Steve McNamara Steve McNamara is an English professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently coach of the England national team.-International honours:... |
|
April 2010–Present | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 40% |
Team
- Highest winning score: 76–4 v Russia at St Helens (World Cup), 1 November 2000
- Widest winning margin: 76–4 v Russia at St Helens (World Cup), 1 November 2000
- Highest losing score: 52–4 v Australia at Melbourne (World Cup), 2 November 2008
- Widest losing margin: 52–4 v Australia at Melbourne (World Cup), 2 November 2008
Individual
- Most tries in a match: 4
- Jim LeythamJim LeythamJames "Jim" Leytham was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1890s, 1900s and '10s who at representative level played for Great Britain, England, and Lancashire, and at club level for Lancaster, and Wigan, playing at , i.e...
(Wigan) v Other NationalitiesOther Nationalities rugby league teamThe Other Nationalities rugby league team regularly played international, and also county, rugby league football teams in Europe from 1904 to 1975. The team, created in 1904 to play England in the first ever rugby league international match, was at first made up of Welsh and Scottish players...
at Bradford, 2 January 1905 - Stanley "Stan" MoorhouseStanley MoorhouseStan Moorhouse was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1910s and '20s who at representative level played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Huddersfield, and Bradford Northern playing at , i.e...
(Huddersfield) v Wales at Plymouth, 15 February 1913 - Peter NorburnPeter NorburnPeter Norburn is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s and '60s who at representative level has played for England, and at club level for Swinton, playing at , or , i.e...
(Swinton) v Other NationalitiesOther Nationalities rugby league teamThe Other Nationalities rugby league team regularly played international, and also county, rugby league football teams in Europe from 1904 to 1975. The team, created in 1904 to play England in the first ever rugby league international match, was at first made up of Welsh and Scottish players...
at Wigan, 28 November 1953 - Keith FieldingKeith FieldingKeith John Fielding is an English former dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s, '70s and '80s who at representative level has played rugby union for England, and at club level for Moseley Rugby Football Club, playing at Wing, i.e...
(Salford) v France at Bordeaux, 11 October 1975 - Stuart WrightStuart WrightStuart Wright is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s, 70s and '80s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and England, and at club level for Wigan, and Widnes, playing at , i.e...
(Widnes) v Wales at St. Helens 28 May 1978 - Martin OffiahMartin OffiahMartin Offiah MBE is an English former rugby league and rugby union footballer.He is known as "Chariots" Offiah after the film Chariots of Fire...
(Wigan) v France at Gateshead, 12 June 1996 - Sam TomkinsSam TomkinsA pre-season unofficial friendly match provided Tomkins his first experience against top-flight opposition as he came off the bench during Lee Briers' testimonial match in a 30–22 loss to Warrington Wolves. Noble followed this up by providing Tomkins, aged 19, with his first team debut on 12 May...
(Wigan) v France at Leigh Sports Village, 12th June 2011 - Tony ClubbTony ClubbTony Clubb is an English professional rugby league footballer for Harlequins RL of Super League. An England international representative centre, he has played his whole professional career to date with the Harlequins....
(Harlequins) v Papua New Guinea at Auckland, 6 November 2010 - Sam TomkinsSam TomkinsA pre-season unofficial friendly match provided Tomkins his first experience against top-flight opposition as he came off the bench during Lee Briers' testimonial match in a 30–22 loss to Warrington Wolves. Noble followed this up by providing Tomkins, aged 19, with his first team debut on 12 May...
(Wigan) v Wales at Leigh Sports Village, 29th October 2011
- Jim Leytham
- Most goals in a match: 15
- Wayne GodwinWayne GodwinWayne Godwin, born 13 March 1982 in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England is an English rugby league player.Wayne Godwin plays for Salford City Reds in the Super League.Godwins's position of choice is at hooker...
(Castleford) v Russia (European Nations Qualifier) at Moscow, 25 Oct 2004
- Wayne Godwin
- Most points in a match: 34
- Wayne GodwinWayne GodwinWayne Godwin, born 13 March 1982 in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England is an English rugby league player.Wayne Godwin plays for Salford City Reds in the Super League.Godwins's position of choice is at hooker...
(Castleford) v Russia (European Nations Qualifier) at Moscow, 25 Oct 2004 (15g 1t)
- Wayne Godwin
Other
- Biggest home attendance: 66,000 v Australia at Wembley (World Cup Final), 28 October 1995
Overall
The first ever match for England was against a mixture of Welsh and Scottish players calling themselves the "Other Nationalities" in 1904. This match was lost, but England won a year later against the same opposition. In 1908 England first played a touring team, New Zealand. The first match played out of England was a little later in 1908 in TonypandyTonypandy
Tonypandy is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. A former industrial coal mining town, today Tonypandy is best known as the site of the Tonypandy Riots....
, Wales. In 1975 they played Papua New Guinea for the first time. More recently in the 1995 and 2000 World Cups, England has faced new opposition in teams like South Africa, Fiji and Ireland.
| Against | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | % Won |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | 43 | 16 | 2 | 70.5% | |
| 38 | 29 | 7 | 2 | 75.6% | |
| 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 50% | |
| 20 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 45% | |
| 11 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 36.4% | |
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| Total | 157 | 104 | 45 | 8 | 68.5% |
Rugby League World Cup
Please note that before 1975, and after 1975 until 1995, Great BritainGreat Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
represented England as well as Scotland, Wales and Ireland, and so England did not compete in those tournaments despite many players from those Great Britain teams being English. In 1975 Wales were considered to be good enough for their own team, and so Great Britain split into England and Wales for the competition. This is similar to the 1995 tournament and also the 2000 competition in which Ireland and Scotland also competed as well as England and Wales.
| Year | Round | Position | Won | Drawn | Lost | Pts Scored | Pts Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 1975 Rugby League World Cup The 1975 Rugby League World Cup was the seventh staging of rugby league football's World Cup tournament... |
Final | 2nd | 5 | 2 | 2 | 167 | 109 |
| 1995 1995 Rugby League World Cup The 1995 Rugby League World Cup was held during October in the United Kingdom. It was the eleventh staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was marketed as the Halifax Centenary World Cup, reflecting the tournament's sponsorship and the fact that 1995 marked the 100th birthday of the sport... |
Final | 2nd | 4 | 0 | 1 | 145 | 42 |
 20002000 Rugby League World Cup The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France... |
Semi-Final | 4th | 3 | 0 | 2 | 176 | 95 |
 2008Rugby League World Cup The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954... |
Semi-Final | 3rd | 1 | 0 | 3 | 82 | 142 |
Other England Teams
In addition to the England team, there has also been an England "Lionhearts" and England A team selected since 2002.England A
The England A team is made up of selected players from the Super LeagueSuper League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
, who are not yet ready for selection in the main England team. In 2003 and 2004, England A participated in the European Nations Cup
Rugby League European Nations Cup
The European Cup is a rugby league football tournament for European nations that was first held in 1935. The tournament was first started in 1935, with England, Wales and France each playing each other once...
.
England Lionhearts
England Lionhearts are selected from players in the Rugby League ConferenceRugby League Conference
The Rugby League Conference , was a series of regionally based divisions of amateur rugby league teams spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales.The RLC was founded as the 10-team Southern Conference League in 1997, with teams from the southern midlands and the...
. But they started playing as the "The Rugby League Conference Lionhearts", playing other representative teams. In 2000 they competed in the first round of the Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
losing against Eccles, and losing to Featherstone Lions in the same round in 2001. In 2002 they changed their name to the England Lionhearts, so that they could compete in the Amateur Four Nations competitions against Wales A, Scotland A and Ireland A each year. Likewise those teams are made up of domestic talent in those countries. In 2006 they halted the Welsh dominance of the competition, winning the tournament for the first time. But they were unable to hold onto their trophy, finishing third in 2007 behind Wales and Ireland. In October 2005 the Lionhearts played the Malta national team
Malta national rugby league team
In 2004, the Maltese Rugby League Association was formed to introduce the game of rugby league football to Malta. Malta played its first game in Malta on October 22, 2005 when they defeated England Lionhearts 36-6 at the Marsa Stadium, and in 2008 a domestic competition kicked off on the island.The...
, in what was the first ever rugby league game played in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. The Lionhearts lost 36–6. On 6 May 2006 the team played Serbia in Pančevo
Pancevo
Pančevo is a city and municipality located in the southern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina, 15 km northeast from Belgrade. In 2002, the city had a total population of 77,087, while municipality of Pančevo had 127,162 inhabitants. It is the administrative center of the South Banat...
and won 50–4.
- Adam Peel (St Ives Roosters)
- Andrew Lake (St Albans Centurions)
- Dan Reeds (Nottingham Outlaws)
- Demetrius Gonsalves (Leicester Storm)
- Greg Newlands (Jarrow Vikings)
- Josh Thorneycroft (Greenwich Admirals)
- Manbir Mann (Greenwich Admirals)
- Matt Evans (Telford Raiders)
- Matt Stringer (St Albans Centurions)
- Nicholas Agbo (Greenwich Admirals)
- Oliver Johnson (Southampton Spitfires)
- Paul Ashbridge (St Ives Roosters)
- Paul Hyder (Greenwich Admirals)
- Richard Wareing (Chorley Panthers)
- Rob Massam (Chester Gladiators)
- Ross Brooker (Guilford Giants)
- Russell Morris (Devon Sharks)
- Sam Broadbent (Chester Gladiators)
- Scott Aspinall (Bedford Tigers)
- Scott Holder (Kippax Knights)
- Tim Stevens (Hemel Stags)
- Tom Gallagher (East Lancashire Vikings)
Famous players
The following players played for England and are either British Rugby League Hall of FameBritish Rugby League Hall of Fame
The British Rugby League Hall of Fame was established by the Rugby Football League in 1988 to commemorate the greatest ever players in British rugby league...
inductees, or are one of the top five caps, tries, goals, or points scorers for England. Although both Gus Risman
Gus Risman
Augustus "Gus" John F. Risman was a Welsh rugby league footballer of the 1920s through to the 1950s.A devastating three-quarter who also played at , and /, Risman was born in Cardiff, brought up in Barry where he went to Barry County School, and played rugby union in South Wales as a schoolboy...
, and Jim Sullivan were Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
, they are British Rugby League Hall of Fame inductees, and actually played for England, as well as for Wales
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
, and Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
. British Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee Vince Karalius
Vince Karalius
Vincent Peter Patrick Karalius was an English professional Rugby League World Cup winning and coach who forged a fearsome reputation both as a strong runner of the ball, and as a devastating tackler.-Club career:...
was English (of Lithuanian heritage), and although he played for Great Britain, he never played for England, as England games were limited in his playing era. Although George Fairbairn
George Fairbairn (rugby league)
George Fairbairn is a Scottish former rugby league footballer and coach. He played club football for Wigan, winning the Man of Steel Award in 1980. Fairbairn was also the fullback and goal-kicker for the Great Britain national team, however he represented the English national team several times,...
is Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
, as of 7 November 2010, he is England's highest goal, and points scorer.
- Eric AshtonEric AshtonEric Ashton MBE was an English professional Rugby League World Cup-winning footballer of the 1950s and '60s and later a coach. He played his whole first grade football career for Wigan along with at times both captaining and coaching them; his position of choice was right centre...
- Billy BattenBilly BattenWilliam "Billy" Batten, was an English rugby league footballer of the early 20th century. He played at , and for Great Britain, England, Hunslet, and Hull, and was one of the new game's first superstars...
- Charlie Carr
- Douglas ClarkDouglas Clark (rugby league)Douglas "Duggy" Clark MM was an English rugby league footballer, wrestler and World War I veteran. He played at , or for Huddersfield, Cumberland, England and the Great Britain national side. Clark also served in World War I on the front line in France in 1917, earning the Military Medal for his...
- William "Billy" DingsdaleWilliam DingsdaleWilliam "Billy" Dingsdale is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1920s, '30s and '40s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, England, and Lancashire, and at club level for Broughton Rangers, and Warrington, playing at , i.e...
- Joe EganJoe Egan (rugby league)Joe Egan is an English former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for Wigan from 1938 to 1950. In the 1948 Challenge Cup final Wigan defeated Bradford Northern 8-3 and Egan was the first captain to receive the trophy from a reigning monarch, King George VI. He was a member of the 1946...
- Alf EllabyAlf EllabyAlf Ellaby was an English rugby league footballer of the 1920s and '30s. He was born in Liverpool. A , he remains the English national team's all-time top try-scorer and became the highest try scorer in the game's history with 446 tries until overtaken by Brian Bevan in 1954...
- George FairbairnGeorge Fairbairn (rugby league)George Fairbairn is a Scottish former rugby league footballer and coach. He played club football for Wigan, winning the Man of Steel Award in 1980. Fairbairn was also the fullback and goal-kicker for the Great Britain national team, however he represented the English national team several times,...
- Andy Farrell
- Keith FieldingKeith FieldingKeith John Fielding is an English former dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s, '70s and '80s who at representative level has played rugby union for England, and at club level for Moseley Rugby Football Club, playing at Wing, i.e...
- Neil FoxNeil Fox (rugby league)Neil Fox MBE is an English former rugby league footballer and player-coach of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. A goal-kicking , he is one of the most prominent figures in the history of the sport because he holds the all-time points record, scoring 6,220 points during his career...
- Ken GeeKen GeeKenneth Gee was an English rugby league footballer of the 1930s, '40s and 50s, who at representaive level played for Great Britain winning 17-caps between 1946 and 1951, England winning 18-caps between 1943 and 1951, and Lancashire, and at club level for Wigan, playing at , i.e...
- Ellery HanleyEllery HanleyEllery Cuthwyn Hanley MBE is a British former rugby league footballer of the 1970s, 80s and 90s, and former head coach of Great Britain, St. Helens and Doncaster. As a player he played most of his games at /, or /. Over a period of nineteen years, he played for Bradford Northern, Wigan, Balmain,...
- Martin HodgsonMartin HodgsonMartin Hodgson was an English rugby league footballer of the 1920s and 30s. He was, without doubt, one of the game's greatest ever second row forwards and represented both Cumberland and Great Britain on many occasions, and also toured Australasia in 1932 and 1936 with the Great Britain tourists.A...
- Jimmy LedgardJimmy LedgardJames "Jimmy" A. Ledgard was a Rugby League World Cup winning for; Dewsbury, Leigh, England, and Great Britain,He left Dewsbury for a record fee of £2,650 in January 1948, bought by Leigh, .Ledgard made 334 appearances for Leigh after joining the club from Dewsbury in 1948, scoring a record 1,043...
- Roger MillwardRoger MillwardRoger Millward MBE is an English former rugby league footballer and coach of the mid to late 20th century. A goal-kicking , he gained a high level of prominence in the sport in England by playing for Hull KR and Castleford, as well as representing Great Britain...
- Alex MurphyAlex Murphy (rugby league)Alex J. Murphy OBE is an English former professional rugby league footballer and coach of the mid to late 20th century...
- Jonty ParkinJonty ParkinJonathon "Jonty" Parkin was an English rugby league footballer of the 1910s, '20s and '30s. He joined Wakefield Trinity as an 18-year-old in 1913 and gave 17 years' service, playing 349 times and earning 17 Great Britain Test caps, 12 England appearances and 17 for Yorkshire...
- Jamie PeacockJamie PeacockJames "Jamie" Peacock is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Leeds Rhinos of the European Super League...
- Gus RismanGus RismanAugustus "Gus" John F. Risman was a Welsh rugby league footballer of the 1920s through to the 1950s.A devastating three-quarter who also played at , and /, Risman was born in Cardiff, brought up in Barry where he went to Barry County School, and played rugby union in South Wales as a schoolboy...
- Kevin SinfieldKevin SinfieldKevin Sinfield is an English professional rugby league player. He is the captain of the Leeds Rhinos in Super League. His recognised position is /, although he can cover both /, and . He has represented both England and Great Britain at international level.-Career:Sinfield began his career at...
- Jim Sullivan
- Harold WagstaffHarold WagstaffHarold Wagstaff was an English rugby league footballer of the early 20th century. He played as a and was nicknamed the Prince of Centres...
- Ernest WardErnest WardErnest Ward was a rugby league player who most famously played for Bradford Northern. He also made 20 test appearances for Great Britain, and at club level has coached for Castleford...
See also
- Rugby league in EnglandRugby league in EnglandRugby league football is a team sport in England. The sport receives funding from Sport England as an "English priority" sport. The top-level competition in England—called Super League—is not an entirely all-English affair, as it includes a team from France, and also featured a team from Wales from...
- Rugby Football LeagueRugby Football LeagueThe Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
- British Rugby League Hall of FameBritish Rugby League Hall of FameThe British Rugby League Hall of Fame was established by the Rugby Football League in 1988 to commemorate the greatest ever players in British rugby league...
- England national rugby league team match results
- Great Britain national rugby league teamGreat Britain national rugby league teamThe Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
- List of England national rugby league team players
- England national rugby union teamEngland national rugby union teamThe England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...