Rugby League legends petition RFL to ‘bring back the Lions’ in 2027 relaunch

Rugby league greats including Brian Noble and Adrian Morley are urging the RFL to ‘bring back the Lions’.

The Rugby League Lions Association have launched a petition on their website, calling for Great Britain to be restored as the name of the UK’s elite national team.

The Great Britain name was effectively shelved in 2008 when England became the national team ahead of that year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Since then, the brand has been used just once, seven years ago, for a disastrous four-game tour to Papua New Guinea, Fiji and New Zealand.

The Lions Association represents players and staff selected for the senior national team on tours or international tournaments played in the southern hemisphere.

Since 2008, players representing England in the Four Nations and at World Cups Down Under have continued to be recognised as Lions.

The Lions Association is chaired by former Bradford Bulls and Wigan Warriors team boss Noble, who captained the 1984 Great Britain Lions tour and coached Great Britain to their last victory over Australia in Sydney in 2006.

He said: “Rugby league heritage is built around the Great Britain brand. I visit Australia regularly and when I go there, they understand that Great Britain is the international concept of our national team and that we play as the Great Britain Lions when we’re on tour.

“When I speak to the Welsh, Scottish and Irish players who I’ve had the privilege to play with or coach, they know that our primary brand is Great Britain, but as things stand, they are excluded from representing their country at the very highest level.

“That can’t be right. The timing to bring back Great Britain is perfect. The RFL has pressed the reset button and installed Brian McDermott as England’s interim coach for this year’s World Cup and with everything else that’s happening in the game right now, this is the ideal time to settle down, let the dust lie and make some good decisions.”

Noble stressed: “We are 100 per cent behind England in the 2026 World Cup, but rebranding the team as Great Britain from 2027 is the best decision the RFL could make.”

Adrian Morley calls on return of rugby league Lions

Morley – rugby league’s most capped player, who represented Great Britain and England on 53 occasions – is also throwing his weight behind the campaign.

“I was very fortunate to have played in winning Grand Final and Challenge Cup teams during my career, but my finest and proudest achievement was representing Great Britain,” he said.

“I grew up idolising the Great Britain players and it was watching the Lions beat the Aussies in that famous third Test of the 1988 tour that got me hooked into rugby league.

“It would be absolutely fantastic for current players from all the home nations to get to represent Great Britain and follow in the footsteps of all those who have experienced this honour throughout the history of our sport.”

The restoration of Great Britain is the main theme of ‘In the Lions’ Den,’ the Lions Association’s new monthly podcast.

Hosted by Brian Noble, the first episode features Lions Joe Lydon, David Lyon and Adrian Morley and premieres at 7pm today (Monday) August 10 on the Lions Association’s YouTube channel. It is also available on Spotify.