How Queensland toppled the mighty British and Irish Lions in 1971

News.com.au

10 hours ago

With a pre-match steak from a local pub settling in their stomachs, hope in their eyes and will in their hearts, the 1971 Queensland rugby team played themselves into folklore by beating the British Lions 15-11 at Ballymore.
Fifty-four years later Queensland will again play the Lions - on Wednesday at Suncorp Stadium.
And each and every member of the current Reds side would do well to take the leaf out of the books from the class of '71 whose deeds against the odds reached sporting miracle status.
Back in 1971 the Barry Honan-captained state side arrived at Ballymore for the midweek match after mustering for lunch at the Belfast Hotel where they ingested a steak, potato, salad and also a rousing pre-game speech from coach Bob Templeton.
'Tempo said they (the Lions) are expecting to beat us handsomely, but that this was a fantastic opportunity,'' skipped Honan recalled.
'He said you can play season long for your club and Queensland, but these one-off games, if we won, would be something people would remember for the rest of their lives.''
Queensland fullback Lloyd Graham, a field goal hero after his staggering 55m goal from an angle helped his side win, said while it was backs to the wall stuff, coach Templeton gave the team hope.
'Tempo said we are up against some pretty heavy stuff. But he virtually said if we all buckle down, we can make a game of this and possibly win,'' Graham said.
'We all looked at each other and thought 'that is ridiculous'.
'But by the time we got to Ballymore we had convinced ourselves that we were a chance.
'We couldn't wait to get on the field and see how good we could be.
'And we won it on defence.
'It was a funny thing. We were standing in the showers after the game and we could not believe what we had just done.''
Yet the day had started like any other for the players. Like any other Tom, Dick or Harry, the Queensland players had gone to their workplaces in the morning, unaware by day's end they would be sporting heroes.
What a contrast it was for someone like skipper Honan.
A schoolteacher, he took a maths class in the morning, but by day's end he was mobbed by a euphoric home crowd who had rushed onto the field to sweep the Queensland heroes away on an emotional magic carpet ride.
'We'd come from work that morning, had our big steak at the Belfast Hotel. We just arrived in individual cars and some of us, well, they tried to lock some of us out at the gate,'' Honan said, in reference to a gatekeeper not recognising one car load of players.
The game was a pitched battle, which suited the Queensland forwards of the day just fine.
Three penalty goals by winger Jeff McLean, a first half field goal by champion fullback Graham, and then a second, soaring 55m field goal in the second half by Graham was enough to give Queensland the win.
It took tons of courage for Queensland to withstand the British battery, time and again, throughout the second half.
A rallying Lions were coming to get Queensland in the second half and seemed certain to win, but they never did as the hometown heroes avoided capture due to their daring guts and desperation.
After the match Lions captain John Dawes presented Barry Honan with the Lion that a British supporter had purchased in Singapore and handed to the Dawes so the side had a mascot for the tour.
'Up for grabs in the match was the Lion (mascot),'' Honan said.
'It was their official mascot and the idea was their captain John Dawes would present this Lion to the first team on tour to beat them on the tour of New Zealand or in their matches against Queensland and New South Wales.
'Well they did not know at the time that the Lion would last just one game after we had that historic victory.''
Graham believed the Queensland squad had been hardened by a long tour of New Zealand the year before. 'That was when we learnt a lot of things,'' he said.
'Our forwards toughened up. They realised how tough and how strong they had to be and how much defence we needed to do to improve.
'So it probably did not surprise me that we were capable of defending like we did that day against the Lions.''
In the Lions team were champions like Willie John McBride, Mike Gibson, David Duckham, Ian McLauchlan and captain Dawes.
Queensland's win that day against the Lions, and then the Queenslanders 1980 victory over the All Blacks, are high tide moments in the code's history in this state.
The living members of the Queensland side will be guest of the Australian Rugby Union at Wednesday's match.
The Queensland team. Where are they now:
15. Lloyd Graham (GPS):
A prodigious kicker, Graham has long retired from his work as an advertising executive and now lives in Brisbane's inner west. He was a big, strong fullback as a runner, but his kicking was out of this world. 'Against the Lions it did not surprise me to see the ball sailing back over my head after Lloydie kicked it,'' said Queensland captain Barry Honan. He kicked it a mile.''
14. Jeff McLean (Brothers):
Now deceased. McLean was 'the best winger in Australia at the time'' and the team goal kicker. 'He was internationally rated,'' Honan praised.
13. Alex Pope (Brothers):
Still alive and living in Queensland, Pope was a tremendous defender, Although he had quick hands, it was his defence which stood out. Boy on boy, he was feared in defence.
12. Barry Honan (Brothers):
Honan was the team's backline flagship, an Australian representative teammates looked up to. Lloyd Graham said of Honan: 'When I came into the team I said to myself 'stick around this bloke and he will make life easier for me'. Honan lives on the Sunshine Coast.
11. Richard Miller (University):
Tall and athletic, Miller was a big winger for his era. He made the Brisbane U19 side after leaving school and improved with more experience. He lives locally in SEQ.
10. Geoff Richardson (Townsville):
Living in Brisbane, dual international had no weaknesses in his game.
He had played for NSW earlier in his career, but was in North Queensland when he was named for this match. He was simply a remarkable talent.
9. Mick Barry (Brothers):
Now deceased, blindside specialist Barry 'was arguably the most underrated rugby player the country has ever seen,'' according to Honan. In his era were NSW champions John Hipwell and Ken Catchpole, so Barry played second fiddle. 'But in his own way he was every bit as good as them,'' Barry said. 'He won more games for Queensland and Brothers than anyone.''
8. Keith Bell (University)
A country boy from the Goondiwindi district, he was a Churchie boarder who played second row in the GPS First XV competition. He was a big, strong bloke, country tough who went on to play prop for Australia on a tour of the British Isles. He still lives on the Sunshine Coast.
7. Mick Flynn (Brothers)
Tragically Mick Flynn died aged 23, but the Marist old boy was recognised as the finest flanker of his era. 'He had as much potential as any one around that time. He was a genuine athlete and a great loss. He would have played for Australia.''
6. Rod Kelleher (Brothers)
Kelleher currently lives in New Zealand. He was not a big bloke, but he had 'the heart of a Lion''. 'He was a bloke you learned to hate because he was always in your face tackling you,'' Graham recalled. Honan said Kelleher played above his weight and was a great teammate. 'He was a guts man with no fear,'' Honan said.
5. Stuart Gregory (University)
Nick-named the Sandshoe, he lives around the corner from Graham in the inner west. A BBC old boy, he was an athlete who played many years for the Wallabies. He was not a big second rower, but he was a fine sportsman and a grand set piece performer.
4. Alan Skinner (Townsville)
Whereabouts unknown, Skinner was named from the Queensland Country side. Like his second row mate Gregory, Skinner was no giant, but he was tall enough and a fine athlete with a high work rate. A former business executive, Skinner also represented NSW.
3. David Dunworth (Brothers)
Now living on the Sunshine Coast, the Gregory Terrace old boy and former real estate agent had surprising speed for a big prop.
2. Mick Freney (Brothers)
Freney was a noted improver the more his career unfolded. He was not a schoolboy prodigy - indeed he played Second XV at Nudgee - but the more he played, the better he got. 'To the point where he was good enough to play for Australia,'' Honan said.
1. Bruce Brown (University)
An accountant, he was a front row tradesman notorious for his high work ethic. He was a veteran by the time the Lions match was played, having first represented Queensland in 1965.
Reserves:
Jules Guerassimoff (University)
A breakaway still living locally, Guerassimoff was a magnificent competitor who was the elder statesman of the squad having first represented Queensland 10 years earlier. A Wallaby, he was a legend of his era, a hard worker who was a great mentor to younger players.
Stan Pilecki (Wests)
Now deceased, the ex-draftsman known as the 'Pole'' had broken into the Queensland side on the tour of New Zealand 12 months earlier. He was a front row giant, a man with hands the size of wicket keeper gloves who contributed in all forward phases. Honan described him as a player who would 'scare the life out of the opposition'' before a match even started.
John Corness (Teachers-Norths)
A farmer from New Zealand, Corness broke into representative football representing the Queensland Country side in 1968 and worked his way into the Queensland squad where he was a fine halfback. 'If Mick Barry was not around, he would have played a lot more for Queensland,'' praised Honan.
David L'Estrange (Brothers)
Still playing touch football, L'Estrange had lovely hands and good speed as a fullback and then as a centre. Nicknamed Lizard, he was a stylish player of his era who represented Queensland and Australia with distinction. He was also a noted defender.
British Lions team: 15. R Hiller, 14. A Biggar, 13. J Dawes, 12. J Spencer, 11. D Duckman, 10. M. Gibson, 9 R Hopkins, 8. P Dixon, 7. F Slattery, 6. D Quinnell, 5. W McBridge, 4. G Brown, 3. F Lynch, 2. F Laidlaw, 1. J McLoughlin. Reserves: A Lewis, G Edwards, J Pullin, M Roberts