The 1950 Great Britain Lions tour was a tour by the Great Britain national rugby league team of Australia and New Zealand which took place between May and August 1950. The tour involved a schedule of 25 games: 19 in Australia including a three-test series against Australia for the Ashes, and a further 6 in New Zealand including two test matches against New Zealand. A scheduled fixture in Forbes, New South Wales, against a Western Districts team, was abandoned when the chartered plane could not land due to bad weather. Captained by Ernest Ward, the Lions returned home having won 19 and lost 6 of their games. The team won the first test match of the tour but lost the second and third to lose the Ashes Test series to Australia. The team also lost both Test Matches in and against New Zealand. Despite being a British team â five of the squad were Welsh â the team played, and were often referred to by both the press at home and away, as England.
The touring party departed for Australia on 20 April aboard the SS Himalaya. Tom Spedding was the Team Manager, and George Oldroyd was the Business Manager, of the touring party.
With Ron Roberts late try in the Brewongle Stand corner, Australia won The Ashes for the first time since 1920. Due to constant heavy rains in Sydney in early-mid 1950 and with the amount of use it was put through, the SCG was reduced to a bog for the game.