Featherstone's Great Britain Tourists

1966 Tourist Carl Dooler

From 1910 until 1996 Great Britain regularly toured Australia and New Zealand, customarily playing a three test series against both nations, as well as a large number of other games against regional, representative and club sides. Making a Great Britain tour was considered, alongside playing at Wembley, as the pinnacle of any player’s career. They earned the right to be called Great Britain Lions. Featherstone Rovers have supplied 14 such players. Three of these players, Cooper, Dooler and Smales didn’t play in a test match, so never became full internationals.

A further five players, namely Terry Clawson, Arnie Morgan, Mal Dixon, Gary Jordan and Peter Smith won Great Britain caps, but never toured. Morgan and Smith however, as well as Keith Bridges, Jimmy Thompson and Steve Nash, did “tour” with Great Britain in World Cup Tournaments.

 The official list of Featherstone Rovers’ Great Britain Lions is:

1.  Tommy Askin 1928

2.  Gary Cooper 1962 (not capped)

3.  Don Fox 1962

4.  Carl Dooler 1966 (not capped)

5.  Jimmy Thompson 1970, 1974

6.  Keith Bridges 1974

7.  Steve Nash 1974

8.  Steve Evans 1979

9.  David Hobbs 1984

10.         Chris Bibb 1990

11.         Deryck Fox 1990, 1992

12.         Ian Smales 1990 (not capped)

13.         Paul Newlove 1992

14.         Steve Molloy 1996