Brian Bevan puts the ball in the toe for Warrington against Wigan
Brian Bevan, the man nicknamed ‘the galloping’ ghost, announced his retirement, shortly before his 40th birthday, ending a career which saw him score a record 834 tries in English Rugby League.
An Australian serviceman, Bevan went to Cheshire club, Warrington for a trial in 1945, and soon became the biggest drawcard in the 13-man game in the UK. Rapidly losing his hair, and extremely thin, he did not seem suited to rugby league, yet his try scoring feats were phenomenal
He was able to get into his stride immediately, and could swerve left or right in an instant, and then regain his stride. Bevan also possessed an insatiable appetite for tries. In the 1952-53 season he scored 72 tries for Warrington, and the following season finished with 67, his feats helping ‘Wire’ win the Championship. Bevan joined Blackpool Borough in Lancashire in 1962.
English league journalist, A. N. Gaulton wrote that Bevan would always be regarded as one of the legends of the game. “His name will be linked along with those of Harold Wagstaff, Jim Sullivan, Gus Risman and many, many others – never to be forgotten,” wrote Gaulton.
In Australia there was great excitement around the imminent arrival of the French touring side, the fourth team from France to embark on a full scale tour of Australia and New Zealand. The 1951 and ’55 tourists won the Test series in Australia, while the 1960 side drew the series, with the First Test a try-less 8-8 result; Australia won the Second in Brisbane, and the French won the Third, back in Sydney. A French team also participated in the 1957 World Cup in Australia, a tournament won by the home side.
France had beaten Australia in a Test in Bordeaux in December, 1963, so they were expected to provide stiff opposition in the Test series beginning on June 13 in Sydney. The tour was to begin with a match against the Northern Territory in Darwin on May 13, followed by a match against North West Queensland in Mt Isa on May 16.
Australian centre, Reg Gasnier tipped fullback, Andre Carrere from Lezignan to be one of the tour stars. Claude Mantoulan from Perpignan was tipped to mark Gasnier. French journalist, Henry Garcia rated the ’64 squad as stronger than the 1960 outfit.
Some country teams named squads well in advance of their matches against the French. A case in point was North Coast of New South Wales, who were to host the tourists at Wauchope. Selectors picked much travelled utility back, Paul ‘Pappy’ Pyers, who played with Easts Roosters and Parramatta, and also played in Newcastle and Brisbane, as well as Cairns and Mackay. He represented Queensland 11 times between 1957 and ’59. Pyers played with South Grafton in 1964.
Former Kangaroo fullback, Ron Willey announced his retirement and indicated he would become a referee. Willey, a 1952/53 tourist to Britain and France, was back-up fullback to Test star, Ken Thornett at Paramatta in 1963.
Tweed product, Lionel Morgan, who played on the wing for Australia against France in 1960, was selected at fullback for Wynnum-Manly’s Brisbane premiership game against Valleys at Crosby Park, Albion. Morgan became the first Indigenous man to play rugby league for Australia when chosen for the Second Test against France, in 1960.
Footnote: Brian Bevan went on to be named in the Australian Team of the Century in 2008. I was one of the judges. Australian Rugby League Life Member, Kevin Brasch, who turned 90 on April 30, 2024, captained the North West side against France in Mt Isa.
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