May 13, 2025 • 40 mins
In this episode of Ashes Rugby League Podcast, hosts Lee Addison and Johnny Davidson once again delve into the upcoming Ashes Rugby League series/
Lee is in the studio (apologies for occasional sound mishap) whilst John has been out there getting the interviews. He chats with Bevan French of Wigan, a man linked with representing England, and former Great Britian prop Terry O'Connor.
We also release details of the Rugby League Coach UK Ashes Tour 2025 and reflect on the 2001 Kangaroos Tour starring some familar names.
Lee is in the studio (apologies for occasional sound mishap) whilst John has been out there getting the interviews. He chats with Bevan French of Wigan, a man linked with representing England, and former Great Britian prop Terry O'Connor.
We also release details of the Rugby League Coach UK Ashes Tour 2025 and reflect on the 2001 Kangaroos Tour starring some familar names.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello and welcome to Ashes Rugby League Podcast Episode three
with Lee Addison and John Davidson. You will be only
getting me for big parts of today, but you'll be
getting lots of John Davidson, the Intrepid Reporter, as interviewed
(00:22):
a couple of people for this podcast, so don't worry.
You're not going to be listening to me waffle on
for the next forty minutes. If you do like communicating
with me, though, please visit Rugby League Coach dot com
dot au, email me admin at Rugby League Coach dot
com dot au or contact me on socials at Rugby
(00:44):
League Coach on every channel apart from X, which is
at rl cop net. If you want to get in
touch with the interrepided reporter Johnny j O h n
n Y Johnny D Davidson on X formerly known as Twitter,
he loves a good tweet and you can email in
(01:07):
journalists dot John Davidson at email. In this third episode
of the Ashes Rugby League Podcast, you are going to
hear from Wigan fall back former Paramatta fall back Bevan French,
who has been linked with a position in the England
(01:30):
squad for the Ashes this year due to his heritage.
We hear from Bevan French. Johnny interviewed him recently at
the Magic You will also hear from Terry O'Connor, the
prop formerly of Great Britain, Ireland, Salford, Wigan and witness
(01:53):
those Australians who are thinking don Thember Terry O'Conner. I
tell you how you'll remember Terry, the fight with Gordon
Tallis and the World Challenge when played with Terry happens
to be one of my really mates, So Johnny, I've
(02:13):
given him the time off this week. What actually happened
is we couldn't get together to record. You were going
to join me for the recording, but we couldn't work
out the time and with the desire to get podcast
out at retlyt the same time each Wednesday morning in
England each Wednesday evening in Australia every fortnight, I said,
(02:37):
I'll just record on my own. There's plenty of your audio, Johnny,
and I'll tell everyone that you have. So that's that.
The big news I think in the last couple of
weeks vis A vv ashes has been the Australians that
might play for England, namely A. J. Brimpton and the
(03:05):
other one linked French, but also the injury to Matty
Adam Matty Nicholeton, not Matty Adamsons a few few decades out.
Matty Nicholeton, the Canberra Raiders second rower. The Englishman who's
out for three months his ash's chance. It could impact
(03:28):
his ashy chances because being out for three months it
might turn into three and a half or four. Who's
to say he'll play himself back into form. So never
good you get a big injury, something to do with
his hand or thumb. I believe the first thing I'm
going to do is I'm going to play the interview
(03:51):
John did with Bevan French. John interviewed Bevan after the
game between Wigan and Warrington. At the game is parked
the magic round and therefore you'll hear a bit of
(04:12):
noise in the background. He asked him about the game
and then at the end he mentioned its potential interest
him playing for England. Take it away, Johnny.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
If I head your head upon that top, can he
is probably God have a weird one for us.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
I think.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
It was a good grind for us. I think good
lessons we can take out of it. Probably quite a
bit patchy, without disappointing things like that. But probably you've
had a bit of frustration as well then, which just
probably a lot of time offering the play, I guess,
which sort of keeps things even, really, I guess. But
you know that's going to happen again in the future,
so learned to deal with that and taking the lessons
(04:53):
out of it would be good.
Speaker 5 (04:53):
And I'm just happy to get the two points and
again you've got the weekend off there. He do you
think the team sort of try everyone like this mid
sort of period. It seems like you guys have get
picked up a few wins on the road.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Yeah, the mid period has been good.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
I think you look over the last five weeks and
we're sort of built each week and today was probably
a little step back, but you know, we've got the
weekend off now, and I think we're just glad we
finished a week this little block we've spoken about before
our week off. You know, we ended it on a
high note, so I know it wasn't the best, but
you know, we're all just happy that we finished the.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Way we wanted to or planned here.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Yeah, it's brilliant the way the stadium and everything's set
up and you know, all teams are here and all
the crowd, so it's you know, you feel the atmosphere
out there for sure, and you know it entertaining. It
brings the best out of both teams. I think, you know,
there's quite a few. I'm not too short over the weekend,
but I don't know. In that game there there's quite
a few, you know, flameboy tries, you know, especially that
(05:51):
last one from Washington that was crazy. So it brings
the best out of both teams trying to express themselves
and to the big stage for everyone, isn't it's a
playing here, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Did you have any family or anything come over for
the for the weekend watch your play here?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Yeah no, no, not this week.
Speaker 4 (06:09):
Probably save a bit for summer.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I think you're the family over.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yeah, it's still a bit chilly for them. Now you
gotta get a your is it your uncle a character?
You gotta get him.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
He's in my ear every week about coming over. There's
no doubt he'll send me a video after this watching
this game about what I did wrong and things like that.
So I've been looking forward to that.
Speaker 5 (06:29):
He is here a big in terms of your whole life,
and that big influence sort of to keep me in
track or you know, he's the opposite see the joke.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Of the family.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
Yeah, sends me what I do wrong and every way,
but he doesn't have a clue about all right, so
he's not a he's gonna be pisceed right now watching
this and other stuff like that. It's all a joke
and laughingly and so you always love it.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
So that's good.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
I was going to to had a couple of players,
well one x lines who mentioned your name and I
after there's anything in it at all as well, last England,
I'm for England, like because you'd be eligible.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
I think residency.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Yeah, I think I've quite a couple of people who
have asked me now and something that's never really crossed
my mind, to be honest. Yeah, I don't see myself
as an aus, especially you know, being Abridginal Inigenous say yeah, yeah,
it's never really crossed my mind, to be honest.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Yeah, they're still in saying that that.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
You know, they've got two quality halves are already and
have and Mikey and harried so and you know, wells
we are aware about out the backside.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I don't know where off he anyway.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
So uh, it's good to be mentioned and brought up.
But yeah, it's not really crossed my mind.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Sean's not had any chats with you, He's not said,
you know, do you fancy it?
Speaker 4 (07:38):
None he has he has a really put it in
a pressure from me. I think he understands or knows
with who knows. This is a long bus ride home.
We've got a few vis here, so you might get
in my ear.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
But.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Yeah, I don't think it would.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
We want to latrell. No one wants to run up.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Yeah, pressure, great stuff from We're intrepid reporter John Davidson. Look,
I'm an Englishman if you hadn't noticed, but in Australia
for a long time, and I can promise you that
some englishmen and women and work as well, never ever
(08:13):
countenance anybody with an Australian accent play for England, though
there's still to this day some english people that do
not like them for England. I will say, however, there
is no doubt to me that Victory is a passionate
about for England. Have no problem at all listening to
Bevan speak, then I don't think he'll be playing for Himland.
(08:38):
The other name that has been mentioned and he's actually
taken the initiative by asking to be cleared to play
for England is A J. Brimson of the Gold Coast Titans.
Steve Mascowd wrote an article recently I will paraphrase this
(09:00):
England coach Sean Wayne saying that he's never spoken to
AJ Brimton. The Brisbane born Brimpton had his country of
elections changed from Australia to England by the IRL, the
International League, which means the fact that he played in
(09:21):
the World Cup nine for Australia doesn't matter and he
was able to twitch over from England. Sean Wayne, the
England coach, I spoke to his agent. I don't know
how many times I got many messages from him previous
to him Getroland. But I've not spoken to the player
of himself. I've just spoken to the agent and I
(09:44):
just know England. Mascott asked Wayne if it was usual
for agents to bobby for their clients to be picked
in international teams, which Wayne replied not. He also went
to to say he when Victor Bradley wanted to play
for England, he rang me himself really impressed. He told
(10:06):
me himself. He was really keen, that was to it.
I was very impressed. So what I'm getting Payne would
like to hear from a J. Bruton and French if
he's interested himself. But in this article Wayne stopped short
(10:28):
of saying he wanted a call from saying that's up
to a J. That's up to his agent AJ. Now
the other thing that came up in this interview was
how Sean Wayne is getting frustrated that he can't do
camps during the year with his players. But trust me,
(10:51):
the same thing in Australia too. A bit more about that.
It's also going to look at indeed and one kangaroo
tour in a series where Terry O'Connor played all three
games for Great Britain. The big news I want to
(11:15):
talk you through now is I can now confirm that
rugby coach my company is hosting an ASHES tour to
the UK over and November. Even if you're English or
in Europe and you think this doesn't really relate to me, people,
you can actually contact me if you want to come
(11:37):
on the tour without flight. It's going to be a
little bit deeper for you, isn't it. Now? I just
want you to know in terms of mathematics, a tour
like this should cost you in the region of two
thousand dollars. All flights are included, All accommodation is included
for fourteen ninety top quality hotels. You've got tickets for
(11:59):
the first two matches. All your travel is included. Internally
in terms of traveling to games and events. There's a
couple of tours organized in London already. One of them
is a tour of London. The other is a pub
or a pub or if you like in Belgravia, a
(12:20):
private one. When we are in Liverpool, there's a day
trip to the Lake District and there's auto a Beatles tour.
I am also going to be organizing some events that
are Rugby League related to and I would love to
have some coaches on there that want to come over
to England and work with some English English clubs or spells,
(12:44):
but ideas families are welcome. I interview the travel agent
I am working with Phil Ray of Born Travel. If
you're really not interested in this tour, please listening. But
(13:05):
also if you're really not interested, get forward about thirteen minutes.
That's on the other side. Bill Ray don't travel. You
are now back with Lee Addison on episode three of
Ash's Rugby League Podcast. I do regular columns now for
(13:29):
zero Tackle dot com and also forty twenty magazine in
England forty as a word, twenty written as a number.
This month I've done an article on the NRL potential
influence on Super League and their potential investment and streaming,
(13:49):
and I argue that something I'd be too late to save,
not to save the game, but to get it as
a worldwide phenomenon. But next month I do an article
that I've sent. It could be edited, but I've sent
it has four reasons in one come win the Ashes.
Four reasons and I've looked at four areas. The four
(14:14):
areas are the r LPA, quality of the NR, the
fact that Australia might be depleted form and history. Let
me outline some of the things you can expect to
read about article. The r LPA, for those who don't know,
it's a league player at proteer, very very influential in
(14:37):
the on the NRL. They have players best interest at heart.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
They say.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
They have a range that players aren't to do more
than required in terms of training commitments, game commitments and
also mandatory standard periods at the end of each season.
I know for a fact the ROLPA have stepped in
(15:11):
when it comes to organization this kind of rutal. For example,
do you remember when the ashes were first announced in
and around that there was meant to be a trip
and a warm up game in France, but that seems
(15:33):
to have withered on the vine. That's what I mean about.
Australia are going to come to England having not had
a warm up game. Some of their players won't have
played for close to two months because their teams went
out in the finals. Last year. Mitchell Moses played for
(15:55):
Australia having not played since Origin, so this could be
a real benefit to England. But Sean Wayne is also
saying he's got his own concerns and he can't have
a warm up game or camp. Here's two in England,
two frustrated coaches by the sounds of it. But on
(16:19):
the flip side, if the RLPA do have the best players,
sorry the player's best interest, there's a risk that these
will come very fresh, which could be for England. The
second issue I spoke about was the quality of the NRL.
I think my own best company and world of league.
(16:41):
And there's more English players in it right now than ever,
which is great. Our players are going to benefit from
the level of football. But the flip side of that
is that most coaches in the NRL will know all
their weaknesses. Don Young is a perfect example of that.
(17:03):
His weaknesses of it been exposed so much his club
wants to move him on. Also, because of the quality
of the NRL players get injured, it's a lot easier.
Mattin Nicholson has just mentioned the third area in this article.
Australia will probably be depleted. I went on record at
(17:28):
the end of last season saying that it was the
most what did I say first? But also I don't
think it was that it was the weakest Australian team
since nineteen ninety five when the game would split between
the IRL and Super League, and they still since more
(17:50):
players have switched allegiance to Samoa, Tonga etc. Some of
Australia's best players by Australia in the country of Australia,
not the team Australia. There's no doubt Australian side has
been a bit beat weaker. On top of that, injuries,
(18:14):
playing mask as I speak, we've not had Origin yet
that tends to wipe out a few players for a while.
And Origin is two teams of Australia's best players. There's
a lot can happen between now and October. And the
more players that jump ship to play for Samoa Tonga
(18:39):
or New Zealand one, the more players that get injured
are only going to Australia. But at the same time
that is also going to provide an opportunity for a
siege mentality to be created by Malmoninger. And I think
(19:01):
we are in an era where the kangaroos are looking
for any motivation to keep their flying alive because I
think kangaroos are under steed from and if you like,
for want of a better term, and players who sometimes
just don't know because there's two generations of people who
(19:24):
don't know what actual heares mean means. The fourth territory
is form and history, and I think we all realize
that the last half a century Australia have been dominant,
but recent form is a bit more interesting. England are
(19:47):
undefeated since the twenty twenty two World Cup. Australia lost
the championship in twenty twenty three but gained it twenty four.
We can go deeper into that do in the article
if you want to. Previous year Australia won the World Cup,
(20:09):
England when it was their big moment, failed against Samoa,
who a week later looked at thirty. In these four areas,
I really break down who I think benefits from those
and for each team. That will be in forty PY
(20:32):
magazine in June. Terry O'Connor. Terry O'Connor played for Wigan,
for Salford before that and then he ended his career
at Witness. He also played for.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Ireland.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
He also played for Lancashire, who played fourteen times at
Great Britain. Whilst at Wigan he went He won the
Challenge Cup, the Charity Shield, the Regal Trophy, the Premiership
and the Championship. He is a very decorated player. He
(21:12):
is now a Sky Sports commentator, started doing that in
two thousands. Also one of my better friends outlet Terry
caught up with John Davidson at the Magic Round. Johnny
asked him about his excitement for the fourth.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Company stare with the one and only Terry O'Connor.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
Terry the Asters this year first one in twenty two
years even when you were playing. That's how long ago,
how excited that you as a as an ex player,
as a fan, as a pandit, yeah, brilliant.
Speaker 6 (21:53):
It's always great when because if you look, if you
read comments of not everyone as well, by the way,
in Australy, because I went to Australia last year and
put me into to Gordon Tallas, and Tallas was so
complimentary about the game and even even going back into
the day when I grew up watching watching Witness and
he was naming the likes of Darren Right and Andy
(22:14):
Curry and all of them, and he was saying that
look should have never ever had it easy against a
British pack.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
He said, the British forwards like a different breed. And
so we have got respect over there.
Speaker 6 (22:25):
But then again that there's there's there's people over there
that don't really respect Super League in its entirety.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
But then when you come over here and you see
some of.
Speaker 6 (22:33):
The players that that struggle, they've got household names, but
the ones that get through maybe like that you go
back years ago, Jason Demetio came over backpacking but was
a great player. But yeah, I think it's always great
and as as Brits or as the English team will beat,
you always want to get one over on thoses because
(22:53):
they've always been the best, always won so many titles
over the years against Us and playing in the Ashes,
it's some one often.
Speaker 5 (23:01):
I mean it's fifty years I think roughly since a
Nash has winn and Great Britain or England hasn't beaten
stry since six. You give them a chance to win
the series. I mean, I think I can win a game,
but yeah, you give them a chance to win two.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
Absolutely play. You won't play rugby if you didn't think
you could win those games, would you.
Speaker 6 (23:19):
So like the players that are going to get the
opportunity to put on an England jersey are at the
peak of the performances. So they're playing against thirty other
blocks on the field and they've just got back themselves
and whatever gets you that international jersey, you've got to
believe in it when you when you put it on,
you've got to believe that you're better than the person.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
But you're playing against them. I just think that it's
a it's a it's a once in a lifetime opportunity
to play in it.
Speaker 6 (23:45):
You might never get that chance again, and absolutely give
give us a crack, not just to win one, but
at least two games.
Speaker 5 (23:52):
You tell me about your experiences of the ashes. I
know we were chatting earlier about the infamous chasing statements incident.
I think I read a story in The Guard your
comment with Ard happens, but stepped on your head.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
That's not a normal thing.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
But yeah, what are your memories of your acts games?
Speaker 6 (24:07):
Yeah, yeah, I've bumped into Jason as well since that,
and yeah it was a bit of a bit of
a weird one, but he apologized straight after it, and mate,
it's just one of those things.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
I loved it.
Speaker 6 (24:20):
I grew up in in Witness and I said, I
watched Witness all or I've watched Mark my heroes and Steve,
Steve O'Neill was my was my hero growing up. And
I grew up in a team with Bobby Golden, who
was like, and I still say to this day, like
one of the best players that's ever played competition, so
in rugby league, in Super League, and I look, I'll
(24:41):
look back at like when you get the chance to
play in and represent your country like we did with
Great Britain. Your memory first goes back to when you're
a kid running around Victoria Park and Witness with a
rugby jersey on, pretending that.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
You were a player that played for Great Britain and
to get that chance. And then you go out.
Speaker 6 (25:01):
Singing the national anthem and you look up to where
all the family are sat and and like they're.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
The ones that put you there, And I say, we've
come from come from nothing really in.
Speaker 6 (25:10):
Witness, like working class family and mom and dad give
up an awful lot, like most most currents did.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
And we were out there representing the nation and really special,
really special.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
I made that I was I was rating up about
that today as the one guy at Addersfield getting that
win in the first game.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
That been amazing.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Well, that that's the thing John, everyone always says.
Speaker 6 (25:31):
And like the Aussies the actually say themselves like, you know,
always gotta be worried of them in the first Test
because they come out fired him and we did. And
it wasn't that the Aussies were undercut. We were just
well and truly preferred to them. And yeah, we give
him Scully. Scully at the end like took the to
the right hand side of the sticks from the scoreboard
that Huddersfield scored the gate the try that that quints
(25:54):
the game, and right the celebration started then. But then
the next morning, the next morning, it wasn't about like
our great Britain had done and third player temper. It
was all about, oh yeah, well the OSSI is the
second Test. They're gonna come back. They didn't quite prepare
for this game, but they're gonna come back bigger, better, faster, stronger.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
And I thought it's a bit disrespectful.
Speaker 6 (26:14):
Yeah, do you know from the from the press until
five o'clock the following Saturday when they beat us, well.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Was it?
Speaker 1 (26:21):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (26:22):
Yeah, it was like poking on its nest. But then
the last the last game we.
Speaker 6 (26:30):
We knew it was, was absolutely all on and and
I'll always remember that Third Test because it was played
at Wigan, who was playing for at the time, so
it was like a home game to me.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
It was a it was a.
Speaker 6 (26:43):
Sellout crowd and the night before the before the Test,
they always showed.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
A room with not always but like some idiot.
Speaker 6 (26:53):
And my roommate was Barry mcdermough and he said to
me the night before the game, he said, look, he said,
first scrum tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
He said, he going off. You're with me.
Speaker 6 (27:01):
And like he said, he said, if they think they're
gonna come over here and take the asses back on
the plane, they're going on the thing coming, I'm gonna
give him. And I'm like that right, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Nodding nod in my head.
Speaker 6 (27:12):
Whatever he's said, he's he is right on que Barry McDermott,
the one and.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
Only he said to me, yeah, yeah, you're with me.
You're with me. He said, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 6 (27:25):
And then thinking in the packing hand against for petrol
siven receiver, big fig and forward first scrumm it's off
was someone else like Danny Bade And anyway, we got
off to a brilliant start. John I think Paul Johnson
scored in the bottom corner and we were on top
of and then we made a mistake that was a
scrum and I looked at him thinking is this a scrum?
Speaker 3 (27:46):
Because I don't go throwing a hairmaker now and then
it's not the scrub.
Speaker 6 (27:49):
And anyway, he wasn't nice and going no, we're on top,
we're on top, We're on top. And then a few
players later the ads he started turning the screw score
to try and kick off. We made a mistake and
then they scored again. And I've been walking down to
the scrub dead I've heard him turn around to He
just said, hey, you're having it you He said, you
(28:12):
turn around and there's big Jason.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
Rownds walking down and it was Andrew Johns.
Speaker 6 (28:17):
He said it to the first time, and then Jason
right said, pulled your head in your fat pomy. Yet
he said you're having it as well, and I thought, well,
I know which one I'm going to have. By the
time we've got down to the scrub formed in the
bottom corner, he'd offered the whole pack out john So
I thought, well, this is the one and then bump.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
It was all on.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
It was all on, and it was a It was
a tough old game.
Speaker 6 (28:37):
Got back to play against Jason Stevens in that game
and we were giving him, We give him right goal,
but fortunately we couldn't get the result, which always always
like probably annoys me.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
Yeah, we were so close, and like with the smart start,
that was.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
So good, so.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
Good at that time, you look at the team that
we had the other phenomenal seas and.
Speaker 5 (29:03):
Then it would especially because you you know you're part
of those Wigging teams have beat the Broncos, you know.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
And I was stacking international so as possible.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
Yeah, it get me done.
Speaker 6 (29:12):
Yeah, well I look at the look go back two
years ago when Saint's Shams went down down Under and
everyone said after that result, oh yeah they got them.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
They were a bit cold, they didn't know what to expect.
Then when Penrick came over here, they said, we are
well as truly hope for this. Yeah, went against Wigan
and Wigging beat them.
Speaker 6 (29:32):
Yeah, like there's no excuses, like we can absolutely do
it against the best, like Penrith have been one of
the best teams in the modern game.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
Forty is yeah.
Speaker 6 (29:40):
Yeah, really had Saints going down to Australia, We've had
Wigging beat them at home when they were well and
truly prepared for it.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
I'm not making any excuses for anyone doing.
Speaker 5 (29:50):
Back to England's too well and starting at Wembley, you
think that's a good place to start the series. Hopefully
I think they've sold thirty thousand, but hopefully you know
seventy has or.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
More stadium stadium.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
Yeah right again, big starts. That's it. Like before two
play came in and when I was going up as
a kid.
Speaker 6 (30:09):
Please, you were brought up what to the Challenge Cup
up Wembley before there was Grand Finals, and my players
will get the opportunities to play in Challenge Cup finals.
And you look at Wembley and it is unreal and
like the fans have done absolutely everything.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
Do you know to give them a lift?
Speaker 6 (30:27):
Second and third test also, so you imagine if we
get off to a flyer like we always do, get
off to a flyer.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
And then the next two games, well I've been the
fans for be eight too.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Man, you're backward. We added some on episode three of
Ash's Rugby League podcast. Terry played in the two thousand
and three series that they spoke about in the last podcast.
But now to close, we're going to focus on what
happened in two thousand and one November two thousand and
one to be dad, because the tour never nearly never
(31:01):
got off the round. It was the Kangaroo's nineteenth tour
of Great Britain and it was the first time that
they didn't play a Test against France since nineteen thirty
three and thirty four season, so the first time since
(31:23):
before World War II. Those of you who remember, but
those of you younger will know that in twenty eleven,
two thousand and one, in the September with the September
eleventh attacks on the world trade fantastic and that's why
(31:45):
the tests were nearly canceled, but a truncated series happened instead.
The ashes had been held by Australia since nineteen seventy,
so this was now two thousand and Australia were coached
(32:08):
by Chris Anderson, who was on his third Kangaroot four
he'd been on two as a player in nineteen seventy eight.
Nineteen eighty two. Team captain was Brad Fittler, who in
nineteen ninety was the youngest ever tourist at the age
of eighteen, and he was also on his third Kangaroo tour.
(32:30):
He'd been on the tour in nineteen nineteen. Nineteen ninety four.
He was the only player that had ever been in
a Kangaroot door before. In the Australian side. The touring
squad breithon Asta, the current MRL three sixty hot and
(32:50):
player manager Trent Barrett At the former Manly and Bulldog's
Coat who's now working on the start of the Nathan
blackbadeeras Dane Carlo Petro Sivana Siver was on the tour.
Brad Fitler, former New South Wales coach and Channel nine analyst,
was the captain Mark Gasnier, the nephew of the famous
(33:14):
Reg Gasney. Matthew Gidley am I writing thinking he's an
administrator of Newcastle Knight still the Future eight immortal. Andrew
Johns was on the tour. Robbie Kerns he didn't get
knocked out by Adrian morley On. Ben Kennedy un Lockier
was on this tour. Amy Lyon was the player. He
(33:36):
was Adam McDougall, Brad Myers, Jason Ryles, the current Bara
matter Eels coach, Jason Stevens, Lottie Key, Michael Veller and
Daniel Sign Where he actually series took place. Tests took
place field Bolton, Wigan. None of those stadiums are being
(33:58):
used this time. Timer are in London, Wembley, Everton in
Liverpool and leads at Headingly, this was the first Test
to be played at Wigan, for example, since the nineteen
eighty six two. On the eleventh of November two thousand
(34:19):
and one, Great Britain beat in Australia twenty twelve in
Huddersfield in front of twenty one thousand, seven hundred and
fifty people. Tries were scored twice by Paul Tulthorpe and
Jamie Peacock, and Barrel kicked three goals and school would
two goals for Great Britain. Australia tries scored by Adam
(34:41):
mcgogle and Joey John who autok bold they rather than
to get a full bot pull back, Leon Price only
palled on sen we're in the back line. Paul school
Thorpe was at six, Mike Foreshaw was at seven. Our
man Terry O'Connor and Barry McDermott, one of well his
(35:04):
best mate, were both front Rowe and Kevin Sinfield, the
man who's done so much running from his mate Rob
Burrow and mosting your own disease. Hooker Chris joined Jamie
Peacock and the current Lions rugby union coach Andy Farrell
made up the back role with Andy Farrell and Paul Wellens,
(35:26):
Richard horn Or Anderson and Stuart Gilden, and the coach
was one of my mentors, David Waite. Second Test Australia
pounded Great Britain forty twelve. Joey scored two more tries.
Braith and Asta, Ben Kennedy, Darren Locker and Adam McDougall
all added one each. Joey slotted all six goals for
(35:48):
Great Britain, Leon Price and All replied with fries and
two goals. England. Sorry, Great Britain were down fourteen a
half time. They only scored there two tries in the
final ten minutes. After getting beat the week before, Australia
pulled Britain's hance down the team. The British team was
(36:10):
quite similar at the time. For the.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
Third Test.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
They moved from Huddersfield to Wigan and as I said,
it's the first time tint eighty six played at Wigan.
This was on the twenty fourth November two thousand and one.
They all played week after week, very similar to what's
going to happened this year and Great Britain were beat
in twenty eight to eight. Paul Johnson by for Britain
and Andy Farrell added two goals. Australia's tries was scored
(36:41):
by Trent Barrett twice, Matthew Gidley, Darren Luckey and Brad Myers,
Andrew Johnes three goals and kicked another. Trent Barrett was
Man of the Match in that game. What also happened
in next tour there was an English referee in the
first Test and an Australian ref in the next to
Bill Harry. He made interesting decisions. So it was a
(37:05):
good series. It was great series, and two years later
it was even better. My big memories of that series
were Anderson had taken away in an ambulance from the
third Test. He had a heart attack during the first half,
and he stayed at Morris Lynds's house for a long time.
Morris lindsay that the Lake Morrisons he was mine and
(37:27):
he drank all his wine apparently, and Morris was complaining
to me about that. But Anderson's still knocking around. It's
still in one piece. So for him leading try scorers
and points scorers on that are certain. Andrews and I
(37:47):
think with hindsight that was when Joey was a new
cattle woman here between ninety seven and two thousand and one.
It was really really that was the series and he dominated.
(38:07):
I don't know, if you're up in first Test. Man
of the match was possible, thought in the first test
Trent Barron. The largest attendance was over to uh Adian.
(38:32):
So the next ASHES podcast we're going to be looking
at the nineteen ninety seven too Perleague seem to have
been wiped from history. You've heard from Bever French. You've
heard from Terry O'Connor thanks to Johnny Davidson, who will
be with us next time in a form night. You've
also heard from Phil Ray. The travel agents organizing the
(38:55):
ASH don't stretchen not. Families are welcome. Kids are welcome,
parents obviously, big drinkers are welcome. Non drinkers are welcome. Coaches,
everyone's welcome. We're going to have a great trip. Also,
the value is unbelievable. Please get in touch with me
(39:15):
if you're interested in that, or you do simply want
to contribute to this podcast. Mean a coach dot com
dot who is the email address. RUGB League Coach dot
dot au is my website. You will see links for
the Ashes, tore them other things on there. Also get
Total League Coach Apartment next where it's a net you
(39:38):
can contact the interrupted reports John Davidton at Johnny the
Davidson so j o A. When y the Davidson on
X and journalist dot John davidtonmail dot com is his email.
Oh you've enjoyed Episode three of Ash's Rugby League podcast.
(39:59):
I'm sure open with me and Johnny next time. Maybe
it's just Johnny. Maybe I should have take care, See
you later, m hm
Hello and welcome to Ashes Rugby League Podcast Episode three
with Lee Addison and John Davidson. You will be only
getting me for big parts of today, but you'll be
getting lots of John Davidson, the Intrepid Reporter, as interviewed
(00:22):
a couple of people for this podcast, so don't worry.
You're not going to be listening to me waffle on
for the next forty minutes. If you do like communicating
with me, though, please visit Rugby League Coach dot com
dot au, email me admin at Rugby League Coach dot
com dot au or contact me on socials at Rugby
(00:44):
League Coach on every channel apart from X, which is
at rl cop net. If you want to get in
touch with the interrepided reporter Johnny j O h n
n Y Johnny D Davidson on X formerly known as Twitter,
he loves a good tweet and you can email in
(01:07):
journalists dot John Davidson at email. In this third episode
of the Ashes Rugby League Podcast, you are going to
hear from Wigan fall back former Paramatta fall back Bevan French,
who has been linked with a position in the England
(01:30):
squad for the Ashes this year due to his heritage.
We hear from Bevan French. Johnny interviewed him recently at
the Magic You will also hear from Terry O'Connor, the
prop formerly of Great Britain, Ireland, Salford, Wigan and witness
(01:53):
those Australians who are thinking don Thember Terry O'Conner. I
tell you how you'll remember Terry, the fight with Gordon
Tallis and the World Challenge when played with Terry happens
to be one of my really mates, So Johnny, I've
(02:13):
given him the time off this week. What actually happened
is we couldn't get together to record. You were going
to join me for the recording, but we couldn't work
out the time and with the desire to get podcast
out at retlyt the same time each Wednesday morning in
England each Wednesday evening in Australia every fortnight, I said,
(02:37):
I'll just record on my own. There's plenty of your audio, Johnny,
and I'll tell everyone that you have. So that's that.
The big news I think in the last couple of
weeks vis A vv ashes has been the Australians that
might play for England, namely A. J. Brimpton and the
(03:05):
other one linked French, but also the injury to Matty
Adam Matty Nicholeton, not Matty Adamsons a few few decades out.
Matty Nicholeton, the Canberra Raiders second rower. The Englishman who's
out for three months his ash's chance. It could impact
(03:28):
his ashy chances because being out for three months it
might turn into three and a half or four. Who's
to say he'll play himself back into form. So never
good you get a big injury, something to do with
his hand or thumb. I believe the first thing I'm
going to do is I'm going to play the interview
(03:51):
John did with Bevan French. John interviewed Bevan after the
game between Wigan and Warrington. At the game is parked
the magic round and therefore you'll hear a bit of
(04:12):
noise in the background. He asked him about the game
and then at the end he mentioned its potential interest
him playing for England. Take it away, Johnny.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
If I head your head upon that top, can he
is probably God have a weird one for us.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
I think.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
It was a good grind for us. I think good
lessons we can take out of it. Probably quite a
bit patchy, without disappointing things like that. But probably you've
had a bit of frustration as well then, which just
probably a lot of time offering the play, I guess,
which sort of keeps things even, really, I guess. But
you know that's going to happen again in the future,
so learned to deal with that and taking the lessons
(04:53):
out of it would be good.
Speaker 5 (04:53):
And I'm just happy to get the two points and
again you've got the weekend off there. He do you
think the team sort of try everyone like this mid
sort of period. It seems like you guys have get
picked up a few wins on the road.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Yeah, the mid period has been good.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
I think you look over the last five weeks and
we're sort of built each week and today was probably
a little step back, but you know, we've got the
weekend off now, and I think we're just glad we
finished a week this little block we've spoken about before
our week off. You know, we ended it on a
high note, so I know it wasn't the best, but
you know, we're all just happy that we finished the.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Way we wanted to or planned here.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Yeah, it's brilliant the way the stadium and everything's set
up and you know, all teams are here and all
the crowd, so it's you know, you feel the atmosphere
out there for sure, and you know it entertaining. It
brings the best out of both teams. I think, you know,
there's quite a few. I'm not too short over the weekend,
but I don't know. In that game there there's quite
a few, you know, flameboy tries, you know, especially that
(05:51):
last one from Washington that was crazy. So it brings
the best out of both teams trying to express themselves
and to the big stage for everyone, isn't it's a
playing here, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Did you have any family or anything come over for
the for the weekend watch your play here?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Yeah no, no, not this week.
Speaker 4 (06:09):
Probably save a bit for summer.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I think you're the family over.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yeah, it's still a bit chilly for them. Now you
gotta get a your is it your uncle a character?
You gotta get him.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
He's in my ear every week about coming over. There's
no doubt he'll send me a video after this watching
this game about what I did wrong and things like that.
So I've been looking forward to that.
Speaker 5 (06:29):
He is here a big in terms of your whole life,
and that big influence sort of to keep me in
track or you know, he's the opposite see the joke.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Of the family.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
Yeah, sends me what I do wrong and every way,
but he doesn't have a clue about all right, so
he's not a he's gonna be pisceed right now watching
this and other stuff like that. It's all a joke
and laughingly and so you always love it.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
So that's good.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
I was going to to had a couple of players,
well one x lines who mentioned your name and I
after there's anything in it at all as well, last England,
I'm for England, like because you'd be eligible.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
I think residency.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Yeah, I think I've quite a couple of people who
have asked me now and something that's never really crossed
my mind, to be honest. Yeah, I don't see myself
as an aus, especially you know, being Abridginal Inigenous say yeah, yeah,
it's never really crossed my mind, to be honest.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Yeah, they're still in saying that that.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
You know, they've got two quality halves are already and
have and Mikey and harried so and you know, wells
we are aware about out the backside.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I don't know where off he anyway.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
So uh, it's good to be mentioned and brought up.
But yeah, it's not really crossed my mind.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Sean's not had any chats with you, He's not said,
you know, do you fancy it?
Speaker 4 (07:38):
None he has he has a really put it in
a pressure from me. I think he understands or knows
with who knows. This is a long bus ride home.
We've got a few vis here, so you might get
in my ear.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
But.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Yeah, I don't think it would.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
We want to latrell. No one wants to run up.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Yeah, pressure, great stuff from We're intrepid reporter John Davidson. Look,
I'm an Englishman if you hadn't noticed, but in Australia
for a long time, and I can promise you that
some englishmen and women and work as well, never ever
(08:13):
countenance anybody with an Australian accent play for England, though
there's still to this day some english people that do
not like them for England. I will say, however, there
is no doubt to me that Victory is a passionate
about for England. Have no problem at all listening to
Bevan speak, then I don't think he'll be playing for Himland.
(08:38):
The other name that has been mentioned and he's actually
taken the initiative by asking to be cleared to play
for England is A J. Brimson of the Gold Coast Titans.
Steve Mascowd wrote an article recently I will paraphrase this
(09:00):
England coach Sean Wayne saying that he's never spoken to
AJ Brimton. The Brisbane born Brimpton had his country of
elections changed from Australia to England by the IRL, the
International League, which means the fact that he played in
(09:21):
the World Cup nine for Australia doesn't matter and he
was able to twitch over from England. Sean Wayne, the
England coach, I spoke to his agent. I don't know
how many times I got many messages from him previous
to him Getroland. But I've not spoken to the player
of himself. I've just spoken to the agent and I
(09:44):
just know England. Mascott asked Wayne if it was usual
for agents to bobby for their clients to be picked
in international teams, which Wayne replied not. He also went
to to say he when Victor Bradley wanted to play
for England, he rang me himself really impressed. He told
(10:06):
me himself. He was really keen, that was to it.
I was very impressed. So what I'm getting Payne would
like to hear from a J. Bruton and French if
he's interested himself. But in this article Wayne stopped short
(10:28):
of saying he wanted a call from saying that's up
to a J. That's up to his agent AJ. Now
the other thing that came up in this interview was
how Sean Wayne is getting frustrated that he can't do
camps during the year with his players. But trust me,
(10:51):
the same thing in Australia too. A bit more about that.
It's also going to look at indeed and one kangaroo
tour in a series where Terry O'Connor played all three
games for Great Britain. The big news I want to
(11:15):
talk you through now is I can now confirm that
rugby coach my company is hosting an ASHES tour to
the UK over and November. Even if you're English or
in Europe and you think this doesn't really relate to me, people,
you can actually contact me if you want to come
(11:37):
on the tour without flight. It's going to be a
little bit deeper for you, isn't it. Now? I just
want you to know in terms of mathematics, a tour
like this should cost you in the region of two
thousand dollars. All flights are included, All accommodation is included
for fourteen ninety top quality hotels. You've got tickets for
(11:59):
the first two matches. All your travel is included. Internally
in terms of traveling to games and events. There's a
couple of tours organized in London already. One of them
is a tour of London. The other is a pub
or a pub or if you like in Belgravia, a
(12:20):
private one. When we are in Liverpool, there's a day
trip to the Lake District and there's auto a Beatles tour.
I am also going to be organizing some events that
are Rugby League related to and I would love to
have some coaches on there that want to come over
to England and work with some English English clubs or spells,
(12:44):
but ideas families are welcome. I interview the travel agent
I am working with Phil Ray of Born Travel. If
you're really not interested in this tour, please listening. But
(13:05):
also if you're really not interested, get forward about thirteen minutes.
That's on the other side. Bill Ray don't travel. You
are now back with Lee Addison on episode three of
Ash's Rugby League Podcast. I do regular columns now for
(13:29):
zero Tackle dot com and also forty twenty magazine in
England forty as a word, twenty written as a number.
This month I've done an article on the NRL potential
influence on Super League and their potential investment and streaming,
(13:49):
and I argue that something I'd be too late to save,
not to save the game, but to get it as
a worldwide phenomenon. But next month I do an article
that I've sent. It could be edited, but I've sent
it has four reasons in one come win the Ashes.
Four reasons and I've looked at four areas. The four
(14:14):
areas are the r LPA, quality of the NR, the
fact that Australia might be depleted form and history. Let
me outline some of the things you can expect to
read about article. The r LPA, for those who don't know,
it's a league player at proteer, very very influential in
(14:37):
the on the NRL. They have players best interest at heart.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
They say.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
They have a range that players aren't to do more
than required in terms of training commitments, game commitments and
also mandatory standard periods at the end of each season.
I know for a fact the ROLPA have stepped in
(15:11):
when it comes to organization this kind of rutal. For example,
do you remember when the ashes were first announced in
and around that there was meant to be a trip
and a warm up game in France, but that seems
(15:33):
to have withered on the vine. That's what I mean about.
Australia are going to come to England having not had
a warm up game. Some of their players won't have
played for close to two months because their teams went
out in the finals. Last year. Mitchell Moses played for
(15:55):
Australia having not played since Origin, so this could be
a real benefit to England. But Sean Wayne is also
saying he's got his own concerns and he can't have
a warm up game or camp. Here's two in England,
two frustrated coaches by the sounds of it. But on
(16:19):
the flip side, if the RLPA do have the best players,
sorry the player's best interest, there's a risk that these
will come very fresh, which could be for England. The
second issue I spoke about was the quality of the NRL.
I think my own best company and world of league.
(16:41):
And there's more English players in it right now than ever,
which is great. Our players are going to benefit from
the level of football. But the flip side of that
is that most coaches in the NRL will know all
their weaknesses. Don Young is a perfect example of that.
(17:03):
His weaknesses of it been exposed so much his club
wants to move him on. Also, because of the quality
of the NRL players get injured, it's a lot easier.
Mattin Nicholson has just mentioned the third area in this article.
Australia will probably be depleted. I went on record at
(17:28):
the end of last season saying that it was the
most what did I say first? But also I don't
think it was that it was the weakest Australian team
since nineteen ninety five when the game would split between
the IRL and Super League, and they still since more
(17:50):
players have switched allegiance to Samoa, Tonga etc. Some of
Australia's best players by Australia in the country of Australia,
not the team Australia. There's no doubt Australian side has
been a bit beat weaker. On top of that, injuries,
(18:14):
playing mask as I speak, we've not had Origin yet
that tends to wipe out a few players for a while.
And Origin is two teams of Australia's best players. There's
a lot can happen between now and October. And the
more players that jump ship to play for Samoa Tonga
(18:39):
or New Zealand one, the more players that get injured
are only going to Australia. But at the same time
that is also going to provide an opportunity for a
siege mentality to be created by Malmoninger. And I think
(19:01):
we are in an era where the kangaroos are looking
for any motivation to keep their flying alive because I
think kangaroos are under steed from and if you like,
for want of a better term, and players who sometimes
just don't know because there's two generations of people who
(19:24):
don't know what actual heares mean means. The fourth territory
is form and history, and I think we all realize
that the last half a century Australia have been dominant,
but recent form is a bit more interesting. England are
(19:47):
undefeated since the twenty twenty two World Cup. Australia lost
the championship in twenty twenty three but gained it twenty four.
We can go deeper into that do in the article
if you want to. Previous year Australia won the World Cup,
(20:09):
England when it was their big moment, failed against Samoa,
who a week later looked at thirty. In these four areas,
I really break down who I think benefits from those
and for each team. That will be in forty PY
(20:32):
magazine in June. Terry O'Connor. Terry O'Connor played for Wigan,
for Salford before that and then he ended his career
at Witness. He also played for.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Ireland.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
He also played for Lancashire, who played fourteen times at
Great Britain. Whilst at Wigan he went He won the
Challenge Cup, the Charity Shield, the Regal Trophy, the Premiership
and the Championship. He is a very decorated player. He
(21:12):
is now a Sky Sports commentator, started doing that in
two thousands. Also one of my better friends outlet Terry
caught up with John Davidson at the Magic Round. Johnny
asked him about his excitement for the fourth.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Company stare with the one and only Terry O'Connor.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
Terry the Asters this year first one in twenty two
years even when you were playing. That's how long ago,
how excited that you as a as an ex player,
as a fan, as a pandit, yeah, brilliant.
Speaker 6 (21:53):
It's always great when because if you look, if you
read comments of not everyone as well, by the way,
in Australy, because I went to Australia last year and
put me into to Gordon Tallas, and Tallas was so
complimentary about the game and even even going back into
the day when I grew up watching watching Witness and
he was naming the likes of Darren Right and Andy
(22:14):
Curry and all of them, and he was saying that
look should have never ever had it easy against a
British pack.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
He said, the British forwards like a different breed. And
so we have got respect over there.
Speaker 6 (22:25):
But then again that there's there's there's people over there
that don't really respect Super League in its entirety.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
But then when you come over here and you see
some of.
Speaker 6 (22:33):
The players that that struggle, they've got household names, but
the ones that get through maybe like that you go
back years ago, Jason Demetio came over backpacking but was
a great player. But yeah, I think it's always great
and as as Brits or as the English team will beat,
you always want to get one over on thoses because
(22:53):
they've always been the best, always won so many titles
over the years against Us and playing in the Ashes,
it's some one often.
Speaker 5 (23:01):
I mean it's fifty years I think roughly since a
Nash has winn and Great Britain or England hasn't beaten
stry since six. You give them a chance to win
the series. I mean, I think I can win a game,
but yeah, you give them a chance to win two.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
Absolutely play. You won't play rugby if you didn't think
you could win those games, would you.
Speaker 6 (23:19):
So like the players that are going to get the
opportunity to put on an England jersey are at the
peak of the performances. So they're playing against thirty other
blocks on the field and they've just got back themselves
and whatever gets you that international jersey, you've got to
believe in it when you when you put it on,
you've got to believe that you're better than the person.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
But you're playing against them. I just think that it's
a it's a it's a once in a lifetime opportunity
to play in it.
Speaker 6 (23:45):
You might never get that chance again, and absolutely give
give us a crack, not just to win one, but
at least two games.
Speaker 5 (23:52):
You tell me about your experiences of the ashes. I
know we were chatting earlier about the infamous chasing statements incident.
I think I read a story in The Guard your
comment with Ard happens, but stepped on your head.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
That's not a normal thing.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
But yeah, what are your memories of your acts games?
Speaker 6 (24:07):
Yeah, yeah, I've bumped into Jason as well since that,
and yeah it was a bit of a bit of
a weird one, but he apologized straight after it, and mate,
it's just one of those things.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
I loved it.
Speaker 6 (24:20):
I grew up in in Witness and I said, I
watched Witness all or I've watched Mark my heroes and Steve,
Steve O'Neill was my was my hero growing up. And
I grew up in a team with Bobby Golden, who
was like, and I still say to this day, like
one of the best players that's ever played competition, so
in rugby league, in Super League, and I look, I'll
(24:41):
look back at like when you get the chance to
play in and represent your country like we did with
Great Britain. Your memory first goes back to when you're
a kid running around Victoria Park and Witness with a
rugby jersey on, pretending that.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
You were a player that played for Great Britain and
to get that chance. And then you go out.
Speaker 6 (25:01):
Singing the national anthem and you look up to where
all the family are sat and and like they're.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
The ones that put you there, And I say, we've
come from come from nothing really in.
Speaker 6 (25:10):
Witness, like working class family and mom and dad give
up an awful lot, like most most currents did.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
And we were out there representing the nation and really special,
really special.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
I made that I was I was rating up about
that today as the one guy at Addersfield getting that
win in the first game.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
That been amazing.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Well, that that's the thing John, everyone always says.
Speaker 6 (25:31):
And like the Aussies the actually say themselves like, you know,
always gotta be worried of them in the first Test
because they come out fired him and we did. And
it wasn't that the Aussies were undercut. We were just
well and truly preferred to them. And yeah, we give
him Scully. Scully at the end like took the to
the right hand side of the sticks from the scoreboard
that Huddersfield scored the gate the try that that quints
(25:54):
the game, and right the celebration started then. But then
the next morning, the next morning, it wasn't about like
our great Britain had done and third player temper. It
was all about, oh yeah, well the OSSI is the
second Test. They're gonna come back. They didn't quite prepare
for this game, but they're gonna come back bigger, better, faster, stronger.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
And I thought it's a bit disrespectful.
Speaker 6 (26:14):
Yeah, do you know from the from the press until
five o'clock the following Saturday when they beat us, well.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Was it?
Speaker 1 (26:21):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (26:22):
Yeah, it was like poking on its nest. But then
the last the last game we.
Speaker 6 (26:30):
We knew it was, was absolutely all on and and
I'll always remember that Third Test because it was played
at Wigan, who was playing for at the time, so
it was like a home game to me.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
It was a it was a.
Speaker 6 (26:43):
Sellout crowd and the night before the before the Test,
they always showed.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
A room with not always but like some idiot.
Speaker 6 (26:53):
And my roommate was Barry mcdermough and he said to
me the night before the game, he said, look, he said,
first scrum tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
He said, he going off. You're with me.
Speaker 6 (27:01):
And like he said, he said, if they think they're
gonna come over here and take the asses back on
the plane, they're going on the thing coming, I'm gonna
give him. And I'm like that right, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Nodding nod in my head.
Speaker 6 (27:12):
Whatever he's said, he's he is right on que Barry McDermott,
the one and.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
Only he said to me, yeah, yeah, you're with me.
You're with me. He said, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 6 (27:25):
And then thinking in the packing hand against for petrol
siven receiver, big fig and forward first scrumm it's off
was someone else like Danny Bade And anyway, we got
off to a brilliant start. John I think Paul Johnson
scored in the bottom corner and we were on top
of and then we made a mistake that was a
scrum and I looked at him thinking is this a scrum?
Speaker 3 (27:46):
Because I don't go throwing a hairmaker now and then
it's not the scrub.
Speaker 6 (27:49):
And anyway, he wasn't nice and going no, we're on top,
we're on top, We're on top. And then a few
players later the ads he started turning the screw score
to try and kick off. We made a mistake and
then they scored again. And I've been walking down to
the scrub dead I've heard him turn around to He
just said, hey, you're having it you He said, you
(28:12):
turn around and there's big Jason.
Speaker 3 (28:14):
Rownds walking down and it was Andrew Johns.
Speaker 6 (28:17):
He said it to the first time, and then Jason
right said, pulled your head in your fat pomy. Yet
he said you're having it as well, and I thought, well,
I know which one I'm going to have. By the
time we've got down to the scrub formed in the
bottom corner, he'd offered the whole pack out john So
I thought, well, this is the one and then bump.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
It was all on.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
It was all on, and it was a It was
a tough old game.
Speaker 6 (28:37):
Got back to play against Jason Stevens in that game
and we were giving him, We give him right goal,
but fortunately we couldn't get the result, which always always
like probably annoys me.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
Yeah, we were so close, and like with the smart start,
that was.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
So good, so.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
Good at that time, you look at the team that
we had the other phenomenal seas and.
Speaker 5 (29:03):
Then it would especially because you you know you're part
of those Wigging teams have beat the Broncos, you know.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
And I was stacking international so as possible.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
Yeah, it get me done.
Speaker 6 (29:12):
Yeah, well I look at the look go back two
years ago when Saint's Shams went down down Under and
everyone said after that result, oh yeah they got them.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
They were a bit cold, they didn't know what to expect.
Then when Penrick came over here, they said, we are
well as truly hope for this. Yeah, went against Wigan
and Wigging beat them.
Speaker 6 (29:32):
Yeah, like there's no excuses, like we can absolutely do
it against the best, like Penrith have been one of
the best teams in the modern game.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
Forty is yeah.
Speaker 6 (29:40):
Yeah, really had Saints going down to Australia, We've had
Wigging beat them at home when they were well and
truly prepared for it.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
I'm not making any excuses for anyone doing.
Speaker 5 (29:50):
Back to England's too well and starting at Wembley, you
think that's a good place to start the series. Hopefully
I think they've sold thirty thousand, but hopefully you know
seventy has or.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
More stadium stadium.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
Yeah right again, big starts. That's it. Like before two
play came in and when I was going up as
a kid.
Speaker 6 (30:09):
Please, you were brought up what to the Challenge Cup
up Wembley before there was Grand Finals, and my players
will get the opportunities to play in Challenge Cup finals.
And you look at Wembley and it is unreal and
like the fans have done absolutely everything.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
Do you know to give them a lift?
Speaker 6 (30:27):
Second and third test also, so you imagine if we
get off to a flyer like we always do, get
off to a flyer.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
And then the next two games, well I've been the
fans for be eight too.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Man, you're backward. We added some on episode three of
Ash's Rugby League podcast. Terry played in the two thousand
and three series that they spoke about in the last podcast.
But now to close, we're going to focus on what
happened in two thousand and one November two thousand and
one to be dad, because the tour never nearly never
(31:01):
got off the round. It was the Kangaroo's nineteenth tour
of Great Britain and it was the first time that
they didn't play a Test against France since nineteen thirty
three and thirty four season, so the first time since
(31:23):
before World War II. Those of you who remember, but
those of you younger will know that in twenty eleven,
two thousand and one, in the September with the September
eleventh attacks on the world trade fantastic and that's why
(31:45):
the tests were nearly canceled, but a truncated series happened instead.
The ashes had been held by Australia since nineteen seventy,
so this was now two thousand and Australia were coached
(32:08):
by Chris Anderson, who was on his third Kangaroot four
he'd been on two as a player in nineteen seventy eight.
Nineteen eighty two. Team captain was Brad Fittler, who in
nineteen ninety was the youngest ever tourist at the age
of eighteen, and he was also on his third Kangaroo tour.
(32:30):
He'd been on the tour in nineteen nineteen. Nineteen ninety four.
He was the only player that had ever been in
a Kangaroot door before. In the Australian side. The touring
squad breithon Asta, the current MRL three sixty hot and
(32:50):
player manager Trent Barrett At the former Manly and Bulldog's
Coat who's now working on the start of the Nathan
blackbadeeras Dane Carlo Petro Sivana Siver was on the tour.
Brad Fitler, former New South Wales coach and Channel nine analyst,
was the captain Mark Gasnier, the nephew of the famous
(33:14):
Reg Gasney. Matthew Gidley am I writing thinking he's an
administrator of Newcastle Knight still the Future eight immortal. Andrew
Johns was on the tour. Robbie Kerns he didn't get
knocked out by Adrian morley On. Ben Kennedy un Lockier
was on this tour. Amy Lyon was the player. He
(33:36):
was Adam McDougall, Brad Myers, Jason Ryles, the current Bara
matter Eels coach, Jason Stevens, Lottie Key, Michael Veller and
Daniel Sign Where he actually series took place. Tests took
place field Bolton, Wigan. None of those stadiums are being
(33:58):
used this time. Timer are in London, Wembley, Everton in
Liverpool and leads at Headingly, this was the first Test
to be played at Wigan, for example, since the nineteen
eighty six two. On the eleventh of November two thousand
(34:19):
and one, Great Britain beat in Australia twenty twelve in
Huddersfield in front of twenty one thousand, seven hundred and
fifty people. Tries were scored twice by Paul Tulthorpe and
Jamie Peacock, and Barrel kicked three goals and school would
two goals for Great Britain. Australia tries scored by Adam
(34:41):
mcgogle and Joey John who autok bold they rather than
to get a full bot pull back, Leon Price only
palled on sen we're in the back line. Paul school
Thorpe was at six, Mike Foreshaw was at seven. Our
man Terry O'Connor and Barry McDermott, one of well his
(35:04):
best mate, were both front Rowe and Kevin Sinfield, the
man who's done so much running from his mate Rob
Burrow and mosting your own disease. Hooker Chris joined Jamie
Peacock and the current Lions rugby union coach Andy Farrell
made up the back role with Andy Farrell and Paul Wellens,
(35:26):
Richard horn Or Anderson and Stuart Gilden, and the coach
was one of my mentors, David Waite. Second Test Australia
pounded Great Britain forty twelve. Joey scored two more tries.
Braith and Asta, Ben Kennedy, Darren Locker and Adam McDougall
all added one each. Joey slotted all six goals for
(35:48):
Great Britain, Leon Price and All replied with fries and
two goals. England. Sorry, Great Britain were down fourteen a
half time. They only scored there two tries in the
final ten minutes. After getting beat the week before, Australia
pulled Britain's hance down the team. The British team was
(36:10):
quite similar at the time. For the.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
Third Test.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
They moved from Huddersfield to Wigan and as I said,
it's the first time tint eighty six played at Wigan.
This was on the twenty fourth November two thousand and one.
They all played week after week, very similar to what's
going to happened this year and Great Britain were beat
in twenty eight to eight. Paul Johnson by for Britain
and Andy Farrell added two goals. Australia's tries was scored
(36:41):
by Trent Barrett twice, Matthew Gidley, Darren Luckey and Brad Myers,
Andrew Johnes three goals and kicked another. Trent Barrett was
Man of the Match in that game. What also happened
in next tour there was an English referee in the
first Test and an Australian ref in the next to
Bill Harry. He made interesting decisions. So it was a
(37:05):
good series. It was great series, and two years later
it was even better. My big memories of that series
were Anderson had taken away in an ambulance from the
third Test. He had a heart attack during the first half,
and he stayed at Morris Lynds's house for a long time.
Morris lindsay that the Lake Morrisons he was mine and
(37:27):
he drank all his wine apparently, and Morris was complaining
to me about that. But Anderson's still knocking around. It's
still in one piece. So for him leading try scorers
and points scorers on that are certain. Andrews and I
(37:47):
think with hindsight that was when Joey was a new
cattle woman here between ninety seven and two thousand and one.
It was really really that was the series and he dominated.
(38:07):
I don't know, if you're up in first Test. Man
of the match was possible, thought in the first test
Trent Barron. The largest attendance was over to uh Adian.
(38:32):
So the next ASHES podcast we're going to be looking
at the nineteen ninety seven too Perleague seem to have
been wiped from history. You've heard from Bever French. You've
heard from Terry O'Connor thanks to Johnny Davidson, who will
be with us next time in a form night. You've
also heard from Phil Ray. The travel agents organizing the
(38:55):
ASH don't stretchen not. Families are welcome. Kids are welcome,
parents obviously, big drinkers are welcome. Non drinkers are welcome. Coaches,
everyone's welcome. We're going to have a great trip. Also,
the value is unbelievable. Please get in touch with me
(39:15):
if you're interested in that, or you do simply want
to contribute to this podcast. Mean a coach dot com
dot who is the email address. RUGB League Coach dot
dot au is my website. You will see links for
the Ashes, tore them other things on there. Also get
Total League Coach Apartment next where it's a net you
(39:38):
can contact the interrupted reports John Davidton at Johnny the
Davidson so j o A. When y the Davidson on
X and journalist dot John davidtonmail dot com is his email.
Oh you've enjoyed Episode three of Ash's Rugby League podcast.
(39:59):
I'm sure open with me and Johnny next time. Maybe
it's just Johnny. Maybe I should have take care, See
you later, m hm
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