---
title: Lions roar with pride at their annual reunion luncheon
description: Over 400 rugby league internationals and their guests came together for the 2025 RL Lions Association's reunion luncheon hosted by RL Cares
image: https://rugbyleaguecares.org/hubfs/_AM20294-2.jpg
---
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# Lions roar with pride at their annual reunion luncheon
Feb 24, 2025, 8:26:01 AM
[Rugby League Cares](https://rugbyleaguecares.org/news/author/rugby-league-cares)
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### Old friendships and former rivalries were rekindled in Bradford when RL Cares hosted the Rugby League Lions Association's annual reunion luncheon.
Generously sponsored by Ellis Rugby, the event has evolved to provide one of the highlights of the sport’s calendar in recent years and in early February over 400 Lions and their guests came together for a truly special occasion at the Cedar Court Hotel.
This year’s reunion celebrated the 50th anniversary of an important year for the Association, 1975, when Great Britain were split into England and Wales for the World Championship, a tournament played throughout the year in both hemispheres.
England and Wales each named 20-man squads for the Australian and New Zealand leg of the Championship and 11 members of those squads – seven from Wales and four from England – were celebrated during the luncheon.
England players George Nicholls, Keith Bridges, Mick Morgan and Steve Norton recalled their memories of draws against both Australia and New Zealand, and spoke ruefully about a surprise defeat at the hands of Wales in Brisbane.
The defeat ultimately cost England the world title – the 1975 World Championship was decided by a league table, on top of which sat Australia, a solitary point ahead of England - but there would be no belated apology from Wales at the reunion.
“If we’d known that would happen we might have considered giving them a penalty in front of the posts late in the game,” joked Wales prop and enforcer Jim Mills. “Well, I say might…”
Mills was joined on stage by six of his 1975 team-mates – Brian Butler, Dick Evans, Roy Mathias, Mike Nicholas, Peter Rowe and Glyn Turner – who all reflected fondly on their experience with Wales half a century ago.
Another Wales legend, Clive Sullivan MBE, was represented at the reunion by his wife Ros, who presented Lions heritage certificates to Butler, Evans and Turner; Carol Millward, the wife of the late England captain Roger Millward, also presented a heritage certificate featuring his unique Lions number to Steve ‘Knocker’ Norton, one of the sport’s finest ball-handling back rowers.
Other Lions who received heritage certificates on a memorable day were Gary Price (1990 tour), Shaun Irwin (1990), Garreth Carvell (2006 and 2010), Mickey Higham (2008) and Clive Griffiths, Great Britain’s assistant coach on the 1996 tour. All were presented with their certificates by RL Hall of Famer Andy Gregory.
An extra special moment came when Jamie Jones Buchanan and Keith Senior took to the stage to receive the heritage certificate Lion number 522 Rob Burrow, a tourist in 2006 and 2008.
Following the luncheon, the RL Lions Association donated the proceeds of £6,500 to the RL Benevolent Fund, which provides lifelong support to players who have suffered life-changing injuries on the field of play.
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