Wigan Album

Ron.
Correct me if I'm wrong but if you mean by West the club side West (Sydney West)then I don't think it is them. The reason I say this is because the British Tourist to my knowledge didn't play individual club sides until 1962, the first being the great St George side. They usually played combined sides or district sides ie combined Sydney or Brisbane NSW Queensland etc. The first experiment of a club side playing the tourist St George turned out to be a bit of an embarrassment for the Aussies, St George lost 32-3 to the tourist. The game is available on DVD, with interviews with Aussie players before the match,with them of course saying they would murder the poms.

They did play club sides on the 1946 and 1950 tours. In 1950 they played Western Australia in their first game winning 87-4
In the book THE INDOMITABLES it gives information on all the games they played during the 1946 tour:-
In Australia P20 W16 D1 L3
In New Zealand P7 W5 D0 L2
It's a great read for anyone interested in the History of the game.

Ron.
I have received the tour itinerary for the 1950 tour of Australia by the British Tourist, and whilst they did play Western Australia as their first match in Perth, that was a combined team from the whole of Western Australia, which was an very weak league at the time, probably just above our amateur leagues. There is no mention on the tour of the tourist playing any team with West in their name, and I still think the first solely club side in Australia to play the British tourist was St George in 1962.The photo is definitely the 1950 tour,Ernie Ashcroft didn't tour in 1946.If you want the itinerary of the tour post your e-mail address and I will post it to you.Great Britain V NSW in Sydney 70,814 in attendance.Not bad. PS They played West coast at Greymouth on the New Zealand leg of the tour, but again that was probably a combined team

I just presumed it was against WESTS as the ball boy has it printed on his jersey In 1946 they definitely played against club sides including:-
Newcastle June15th Newcastle 18 England 13
Wide Bay June 26th Wide Bay 12 England 16
Mackay July 2nd Mackay 0 England 94
Brisbane July 9th Brisbane 15 England 21
Ipswich July 11th Ipswich 12 England 29
Toowoomba 13th July Toowoomba 5 EWngland 34

On the 1946 tour,in Australia,the Lions played Western District at Orange on Wednesday 12.06.1946.On the New Zealand leg of the tour they played West Coast at Victoria Park Greymouth on Monday 29.07.1946.On the 1950 tour,in Australia,the Lions played Western Australia at the Claremont Showground,Perth on the 14.05.1950. This was the first game that any Australian State team had played any International touring team.My late dad Jimmy was at the match with his mate the late Sam Shepherd.A rope around the field provided a barrier.Later in the tour on Wednesday 07.06.1950 the Lions played Western Districts at Spooner Park ,Forbes,while on the New Zealand leg of the tour they played West Coast at Wingham Park,Greymouth on Monday 31.07.1950.I have a collection of match programmes covering every game the Lions played on both the 1946 and 1950 tours plus related memorabillia.

Hi David now that's a collection I would love to see.I have a couple of programmes from two of the games played in New Zealand in 1950.

The collection is open for anyone to see.E Mail me.Tour programmes for the 1954,1958 etc.as well as pre war tour programmes and related items can also be seen.

David tried to e.mail you but your e.mail address isn't correct. You have put a ' instead of a @. in your e.mail address I have changed it. Did you receive it?

Great photo capturing the moment. David interesting post earlier outlining the itinery of the team and would really like to see the tour memorabilia. I sent you an email from work, this is especially regarding your late dads friend whom he went to the game in Perth with, did you receive this? I like Ron swapped the ' with a @ - Thank you.