Garry Schofield

Great Britain Test centre was the youngest ever Lions tourist when he came to Australia as an 18-year-old in 1984. Schofield, who was the top try-scorer in English club football during the 1983-84 season (38t), had already made his Test debut against France earlier that year and played in all three Tests in Australia. One of the highest paid players in England during the 1980s (he left Hull for Leeds on a record £170,000 contact in 1987), he regularly returned to Australia play for Balmain each year before making his second Lions tour in 1988. One of the world's finest backline players, he guested with Wests the following year before switching to five-eighth with great success. After a spectacular try in Great Britain's 19-12 win in the First Test at Wembley in 1990, he deputised for the injured Ellery Hanley as Test captain on the 1992 Lions Tour (his third tour of Australia and NZ) and masterminded the 33-10 thrashing of Australia in Melbourne with an audacious display. Leeds refused a clearance to allow him play with Manly in 1993 but approaching the 1994 Ashes series (incredibly, his sixth series since 1984), he failed to make the Lions’ train-on squad after a falling out with his Leeds captain-coach and newly appointed Great Britain coach Ellery Hanley. However, following the suspension of Great Britain Test half and captain Mike Gregory after Great Britain’s shock First Test win, Schofield was chosen on the interchange bench in the remaining two Tests of the series. After stints with Huddersfield (1996-98) and Bramley (1999) Schofield retired with the imposing record of 440 English club games between 1983 and 1999 (1707 pts) and a record equalling 46 Test appearances (equal with Mick Sullivan) including 12 as captain.