What was your first international?

[The Hallucinating Goose]

I have mentioned on here before that I only started following RL about 15 years ago and only attended my first game in 2013.

That game was England v Fiji, in the World Cup, at the MKM Stadium in Hull.

With the Ashes coming up very soon, I was wondering what was the first international that you attended? 

[Shaggy]

1995 World Cup opener - England v Australia at Wembley!

[Bongo1]

1992 world cup final at Wembley 

 

 

 

[creditwhereitsdews]

World Cup Final, my first trip to Wembley in 1992, in the days when my team's supporters club got behind the national side and ran a bus to matches. Tense and ultimately heartbreaking match but what an occasion and atmosphere. Still rank that period as the time when rugby league was at its most successful and visible in this country.

[JF1]

GB v Australia at a very sparsely populated Wembley in 1973.

[Devon Ram]

Back in the 70s Headingly England v France, my uncle took me.

[Vyvyan]

1980 GB vs NZ at Odsal.  Wasn't much of a game.

Didn't go to one again until the 2nd test versus Australia in 1986.  GB got stuffed but the Aussies were great.

[Just Browny]

Not sure if it counts, but it was Warrington 0-24 Australia at Wilderspool in 1994. Warrington did everything but score and it was a game where everyone went home proud of the team's effort.

After that it was NZ 25-24 Tonga at the same ground in the 1995 World Cup.

[Maximus Decimus]

Great question and the long answer is I'm not 100% sure...

I think it might be Wales-PNG in 2000 but I don't remember thinking it was. 

My first Eng/GB game I think was the GB-NZ decider in 2002.

[Wollo Wollo Wayoo]

Not counting Wakey v New Zealand (late 60s) and v Australia (early 70s)

Wales v England at The Willows Aug 1975. 

Dave Topliss, Mick Morgan and Les Sheard in England team.

Jim Mills and Dave Chisnal following the expected script to the letter and getting sent off together.

[Dunbar]

Great Britain vs New Zealand 1985 Series Game 2 at Central Park.

[Gav Wilson]

GB v Australia, Huddersfield 2001. 

[M j M]

1993 third test GB vs NZ at Headingley. We wrapped up a 3-0 series win. Jason Robinson had only just broken into the team at the start of the series, Ellery had retired from rep football so Schoey was now the captain whilst Panface made his GB debut in this game.

[Just Browny]

3 minutes ago, Gav Wilson said:

GB v Australia, Huddersfield 2001. 

Nah. This is like how I say my first album was (What's the Story) Morning Glory, when it was really Psyche by PJ and Duncan.

I bet you were at Bolton in 2000 with the rest of us poor sods.

Edited October 13 by Just Browny

[Bull Mania]

GB v New Zealand at Huddersfield in the 2005 Tri Nations. Brian Carney having a stormer and Paul Deacon nearly dying! 

[Simon Hall]

1990. GB v Australia, 1st Ashes Test at Wembley. 

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

15th November 1978, 3rd test at Headingley. Only time I've stood in the South Stand. Place was rammed.

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

I am like Just Browny in that I saw a club -v- country fixture.  It was Wigan -v- New Zealand at Central Park on 4th September, 1965.  We lost 12-17 to the Kiwis before a crowd of about 13,000.

When my dad got a job with the Wigan and Leigh hospitals in 1963, we moved up from just outside Bristol to live in Astley, near Leigh -  a contrast in many ways.  Then, early in 1965, my dad died suddenly and, after much discussion and heart searching, my mum, brother and I decided we would move back to the Bristol area, where we had more and longer established friends.  I went back to my old school in Bristol to do my 'A' levels.

So, I knew that the game against New Zealand was the last time I would see Wigan play live for the foreseeable future.  So it turned out to be.  A week or so later, I was at school in Bristol.

I have just seen one full international; it was New Zealand's RLWC quarter-final defeat of Scotland, 40-4, on 15th November, 2013, at Headingley.  I knew my team would lose, but it was enjoyable and I was glad to see Alex Szostak get off the bench and get some game time.  Alex's dad (of Polish descent) met his mum (nee MacWhirter, which explains his Scottish eligibility) when they both worked for Craven District Council, at their Skipton head office, as I had done since the council's first fully operational day on 1st April, 1974.  I had been on the interview panel that gave Alex's dad the job at Craven.  There were three of us on the panel and it turned out that we each preferred a different candidate - something that I have never experienced before or since when interviewing!  The other two said that, as I would be working most closely with, and line managing, the successful candidate, the final choice in this strange circumstance should be with me.  So Alex's dad got both the job and hence the chance to meet and court Alex's mum!  The rest, as they say, is history...!

[Hopie]

http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/14310
England v Ireland at Headingley RLWC 2000, had such a good time I went to the next game in Bolton.

That was so harrowing my next international was the 2006 Federation Shield double header at Headingley (Samoa v Tonga and England v France)

[Big Picture]

Canada vs France in 1995, nextdoor to Stade Olympique in Montréal.

[Thunder Road]

Old Trafford October 1986.

That Joe Lydon try down the left. 

Ran past my then girlfriend and I like he was being chased by a tiger. 

Gary Jack did his best but my god on a torrential rainy day that was art.

 

My dad picked us both up like drowned rats.

 

Alas 4 hours later my dad died of a heart attack. 

So October 1986 is remembered for two things..

Apologies but sometimes its nice to remember a loved one..

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

If we are counting club games then Widnes v Australia, 13th Nov 1968. This is one of the earliest games I can remember attending, probably because the Australians performed a "war dance" prior to the game.  I was also at the game when Widnes beat them on 25th October 1978, the last time they were beaten by a club side. Also lucky enough to be at Princes Park when we did them at Melbourne in 1992.

[Waynebennettswinger]

GB vs PNG at Central Park. Don’t recall what year but it was bloody cold! I couldn’t imagine how cold the Kumuls felt. I do remember thinking that they looked tiny compared to the GB players though.

 

[JWK]

October 1970 Gb v Australia world cup at Headingly which GB won 11-4

A few weeks later went Headingley for the final which Australia won 12-7. It was known as the battle of headingley and recall it being a complete brawl from start to finish .Looked it up 14 players cautioned and 2 sent off. Those were the days!

[Anita Bath]

Rochdale Hornets v New Zealand 1965.

Great Britain U19 v France u19 1967

Great Britain v Australia @swinton 1967 3rd and deciding test. Hornets Malcolm Price scored GBs only try…..in a losing cause. Hard to believe we havent won a home series v kangaroos in my lifetime.