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Message: [QUOTE="Big Pete, post: 2720139, member: 1899"] ASHES SERIES FIRST TEST AUSTRALIA 17; GREAT BRITAIN 6 at Sydney Football Stadium Dignity and pride returned to Great Britain Rugby League in 80 minutes of dogged determination in the 100[SUP]th[/SUP] Anglo-Australian Test at the Sydney Football Stadium. The Lions were beaten but far from disgraced in a genuine Test match struggle, the like of which hadn’t been seen in Sydney for almost 15 years. On the stroke of halftime captain Ellery Hanley put his team ahead 6-0 with a try in the corner. Minutes earlier champion Australian halfback Peter Sterling was being treated for a serious shoulder injury and it appeared he would play no further part in the match. At that point victory was right in the grasp of the English team. But when Sterling somehow made his way back into the game for the second half, the English hearts sank just a little. He linked with Canberra prop Sam Backo after a grubber kick through and Backo was unstoppable so close to the line. And just four minutes later Sterling put Peter Jackson through for Australia’s second try and a 12-6 lead which they never looked like relinquishing. They closed their grip on the game with their advantage on the scoreboard and defended grimly from then on. The British couldn’t overcome the Aussies’ resolve late in the match, despite the magnificence of their forwards. The English pack, led by Manly’s 1987 grand final hero Kevin Ward, outpointed the Australian six, largely nullifying the backline brilliance of the Aussies. Wally Lewis was unable to dominate proceedings and Sterling, although he left his indelible stamp on the match, didn’t have the time or the space he normally enjoys to plan his game. His opposite, Andy Gregory probed and harried for the full 80 minutes, threatening Australia with his elusiveness. It was Australia’s relentlessness against a team unconditioned to winning that proved the difference. When debutant Peter Jackson scored his second try for Australia with five minutes to play, Sterling called it a day, the Aussies led 17-6 and the Centenary Test was unquestionably theirs. AUSTRALIA 17 (Jackson 2, Backo tries; O’Connor 2 goals; Lewis field goal) defeated GREAT BRITAIN 6 (Hanley try, Loughlin goal) Australia Garry Jack, Andrew Ettingshausen, Michael O’Connor, Peter Jackson, Tony Currie Wally Lewis ©, Peter Sterling Phil Daley, Greg Conescu, Sam Backo, Wally Fullerton-Smith, Paul Vautin, Bob Lidner Reserves: Steve Folkes, Gary Belcher Great Britain Paul Loughlin, Phil Ford, Garry Schofield, David Stephenson, Martin Offiah David Hulme, Andy Gregory Kevin Ward, Kevin Beardmore, Paul Dixon, Mike Gregory, Andy Platt, Ellery Hanley © Reserves: Roy Powell, Henderson Giill [/QUOTE]

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