Instead its players would represent England, Wales and Scotland at Test level,[1] and it was planned that the Great Britain team would come together in future only for occasional tours, similar to the British and Irish Lions in rugby union.

Great Britain won the opening game 6–4 on an SCG mudheap, but lost the second test played on a dry track at the Brisbane Cricket Ground 15–3.

[8] On Saturday 10 November 1951 the first televised rugby league match was broadcast from Station Road, Swinton, where Great Britain met New Zealand in the second Test of the 1951 series.

With the series level at one win each, the Great Britain management decided to rest most of their Test players and field a side which was predominantly made up of forwards for the game against New South Wales.

Great Britain won two and drew one of the fixtures: 45–12 Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds; 19–19 Stade Municipal, Toulouse; 29–14 Knowsley Road, St. Helens.

Dave Valentine's side, without most of the first choice internationals was not expected to do well, but beat Australia and New Zealand to finish top of the table level on points with France.

When the dust settled Turner was ordered off, but five minutes elapsed before he was finally escorted from the field by Bill Fallowfield, secretary of the Rugby Football League.

The tournament is decided on a league system but with both Great Britain and Australia undefeated, the last match became a virtual World Cup final.

Eric Ashton lifted the trophy after a 10–3 victory at Odsal in front of a crowd of 32,733 and Britain played in an exhibition game in lieu of a decider.

[12] In December 1960, Great Britain beat France 21–10 at Stade André Moga, Bordeaux, and in January 1961, they won again 27–8 at Knowsley Road, St Helens.

In what became known as the "Swinton Massacre", the Kangaroos wrapped up the series with a 50–12 win over the Lions, including 3 tries by Ken Irvine, 2 each to Reg Gasnier and Peter Dimond, while Graeme Langlands scored two himself as well as kicking seven goals.

Referee "Sergeant Major" Eric Clay was prominent when he sent off Lions blind-side prop (10) Cliff Watson, as well as Australians Brian Hambly and Barry Muir.

Although Great Britain dominated the possession, the Kangaroos were able to exploit their chances, and ran out unexpected 12–7 winners in a scrappy, bad-tempered game that became known as "The Battle of Leeds".

Clive Sullivan had risen to the Great Britain captaincy, the first black captain of a home international side, and was in charge for the 1972 World Cup held in France.

Great Britain had won the first Test three weeks earlier at Wembley, and needed to win at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds to retain the Ashes.

The 1978 Ashes series were won by the touring Australians, but Great Britain, labelled a Dads' Army team thanks to their front row with both props (Jim Mills and Brian Lockwood) and hooker (Tony Fisher) all being over 30 years of age, beat the Kangaroos in the second test 18–14, at Bradford's Odsal Stadium, before a crowd of 26,447.

A number of players withdrew because of injury, and coach Eric Ashton was unable to fly out with his squad because his daughter had been involved in a car crash.

Coached by Frank Stanton and captained by Max Krilich, the Kangaroos included veterans such as Craig Young, Steve Rogers, Kerry Boustead, the fiery Les Boyd, Rod Reddy and Ray Price, as well as a crop of young players on their way to superstar status in rugby league including Mal Meninga, tour vice-captain Wally Lewis, Brett Kenny, Peter Sterling, Eric Grothe and Wayne Pearce.

During the second half of that game, Kangaroos replacement Wally Lewis fired a bullet like 20 metre pass for Meninga to score in the corner.

Soundly thrashed to that point of the series, the play did psychological damage to the Lions who were left wondering just how good the Australians really were if someone who could pass like Lewis couldn't even make the starting XIII.

The third test was held at Headingley, Leeds which ended 32–8, though the game was in the balance until the final ten minutes when the Kangaroos superior fitness told and they ran in four late tries.

In 1985, Garry Schofield re-wrote the record books by scoring four tries as Great Britain beat New Zealand in a test series at Central Park, Wigan.

The 1986 Kangaroos, who like their 1982 counterparts (and included 5 players from "The Invincibles" – Wally Lewis (captain), Peter Sterling (vice-captain), Mal Meninga, Brett Kenny and Gene Miles) went through Great Britain and France undefeated and earned the nickname "The Unbeatables".

A combination of soaring temperatures, altitude and the atmosphere created by over 11,500 Papua New Guinea fans, many clinging to trees outside the tiny, ramshackle ground in Goroka, unnerved the tourists.

[24] During the 1990 Ashes series, Great Britain defeated Australia 19–12 in the first test at Wembley on Saturday 27 October 1990 in front of a new record home crowd of 54,567.

The 1989-92 Rugby League World Cup was played out over three-years, the Great Britain side squeezed into the final on goal difference ahead of New Zealand.

During the second test in Wigan, Lions and Wigan winger Martin Offiah's reputation as the fastest player in the game, which had taken a big hit when he was defeated in a 100-metre match race with Parramatta Eels (Australia) flyer Lee Oudenryn during the 1992 Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, was further dented when he made a break and despite having a 3-metre start, was run down from behind and unceremoniously bundled into touch by Kiwi and Leeds centre Kevin Iro.

Great Britain won the first test 8–4 at Wembley after playing most of the game without captain Shaun Edwards who was sent off in the first half for a high tackle on Bradley Clyde.

[33] After the tour had concluded, several of the Great Britain players and head coach Wayne Bennett came under intense media scrutiny and fan backlash.

During the 1990s the Rugby Football League expanded this to Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the jersey bore the name British Isles XIII, despite the fact that the entire island is represented by a separate team.