The resurgence of international rugby league has been a highlight of recent seasons for most fans across the globe.
But even the most optimistic punter would have to admit things probably won’t go back to the way they used be.
Back in 1990, an Australian squad led by Bob Fulton and Mal Meninga spent two months in the northern hemisphere, playing 18 matches across England and France during a tour that featured a match many consider to be one of the greatest of all time.
“They were fantastic tours, but they were very long,” Australian and Queensland outside back Dale Shearer told Big League.
“I went in ’86 and 1990 and by the time the 1994 trip came around, I’d had kids by then and there was no way I could have been away for two months, so I was fortunate to do it when I did.”
Leaving just two weeks after the 1990 decider, a 28-man squad stacked with Raiders, Panthers and Broncos played two matches most weeks on a fiery tour that saw four players sent off and another three sin binned in one particular tour match.
“Because of my versatility, I played a lot of the midweek games as well, so they kept me busy,” Shearer recalled.
“But I didn’t mind it. I wanted to play as much as possible and it’d stopped me from going out on the drink as much as some of the other guys, which was probably a good thing over a long tour. We still had plenty.
“They are incredibly passionate supporters over there and sometimes the atmosphere in those smaller stadiums was better than the big stadiums we played the Tests in.
“I get the years muddled up nowadays but I remember playing in front of 60,000 at Wembley, which was great, but it was only three quarters full.
“Whereas when you went to the smaller stadiums and even Old Trafford in Manchester, they were packed to the brim and the atmosphere was incredible.”
After winning their first five tour matches, Great Britain beat Australia 19-12 in the first match of the three- Test Ashes Series.
Two weeks later, in a match many consider to be one of the greatest rugby league games ever played, England had one hand on the Ashes, before Ricky Stuart and Mal Meninga intervened.
Just minutes earlier, Stuart had thrown an intercept to gift Great Britain a four pointer. But the half bounced back and split the home side’s defence, eventually linking with ‘Mal’ to score a try that swung the series in Australia’s favour.
“I was on the other wing and was charging up the field in support, but they never looked over at me,” Shearer laughed.
“I was wide open and could have scored an easy try if Ricky kicked across to me, but he gave it to Mal and Mal did what he always did, bumped off a few players and scored to win us the game.”
Australia went on to win the final Test 14-0 before defeating France twice to finish the 18-match tour with just one loss.
It’s a trip Shearer says he’ll never forget.
“My wife Delyse, she’s since passed, but she came across for a few weeks and we got to do a few little trips around the place. I’d been lucky enough to travel a bit through footy, whereas she was a few years younger than me and had never been overseas before.
“It was an incredibly opportunity and I still look back at those memories on and off the footy field and smile.”
