Today, November 4 2026, marks 20 years since England/Great Britain last defeated Australia in a Men’s Test match.

Sydney hosted the fourth round of that year’s Tri-Nations series, as Great Britain, as they were then, faced Australia and New Zealand in a seven-week-long series that saw each team face each other twice before a final between the top two.

The Lions ultimately finished bottom of the three and missed out on the final, but they did manage to take a 23-12 victory against a Kangaroos side that would end up taking home the trophy.

To this day, that result remains the last time any UK-based side went on to defeat Australia in a senior international fixture, highlighting just how much the gap between Super League and NRL has widened since the mid-2000s.

England have just been dumped out of the World Cup at the group stages, and with huge uncertainty over the future of English rugby league, there are many concerns about when another victory over the Aussies could come.

With today being a milestone day from that result, we have taken a look at where the 17 from that day are now, and there are some stars from that team who are still involved in the England camp today.

The last Great Britain team to defeat Australia: Where are they now?

Full-back: Paul Wellens

The St Helens legend was GB’s opening scorer on that victorious day, and was the scorer of two of GB’s nine tries across the series.

Following a three-year spell as Saints boss, 2026 saw him move to North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL. He was also one of Brian McDermott’s assistants at this year’s World Cup.

Wingers: Brian Carney and Gareth Raynor

Carney is a proud Irishman and the only non-English player to represent the Lions in the game. This game would actually be the final of Carney’s international career, and would have been the final of his rugby league career had he not returned to the sport with Warrington in 2009.

The 50-year-old is now a key member of the Sky Sports broadcast team, and has recently outlined why a deal between the NRL and Super League is a must, but it is also only the starting point for developing the game in the UK.

Leeds-born Raynor was another try scorer that evening, with the Hull FC man dotting down for the match-winner with five minutes to go. He was also lucky not to be sent off for a collision with Darren Lockyer earlier in the game.

Centres: Keith Senior and Kirk Yeaman

Senior featured in all four matches of the series that year, and made a huge 43 appearances at international level across 11 years. The Leeds and Sheffield icon is now the Director of Rugby at Championship club Hunslet, and is also a keen bodybuilder!

Yeaman provided the assist to Raynor’s match-winning score, as the FC connection proved pivotal that evening. The 43-year-old hung up his boots in 2018, and, as of 2021, embarked on a role within the prison service.

Halves: Leon Pryce and Sean Long

The St Helens pairing of Pryce and Long were on fire that night, with Long pulling the strings in an emphatic victory. Pryce was a master of mind games that year, with his ‘Blackpool beach over Bondi beach’ comments causing a stir across Australia.

Now, Pryce is the head coach of York Valkyrie in the Women’s Super League whilst Long, after head coach roles at Oldham and Featherstone, is in rugby union and is part of the coaching staff at Harlequins.

Props: Stuart Fielden and Jamie Peacock

Two of England’s most fierce forwards, Fielden and Peacock were part of perhaps the most famous fight in international rugby league, with the pair having a coming-together with Australia’s Willie Mason.

Just two minutes into the game, punches were thrown as Mason knocked Fielden down to the floor before Peacock arrived as cavalry to even things up.

More recently, Fielden is a qualified Pastoral and Behavioural Intervention Officer. He will also have a guest coaching role next week as he oversees the Kiwi Masters’ squad that will take on Bryn Hargreaves All-Stars in a charity event in Warrington.

Hooker: Terry Newton

Wigan-born number nine Newton played in all four games of the series, and racked up a total of 18 international games across his career.

The 1999 and 2002 Challenge Cup winner is fondly remembered by all that knew him, with this year marking 16 years since his death in September 2010.

Back Row: Gareth Ellis and Gareth Hock

Ellis joined Wellens as being Great Britain’s top scorer across the campaign, albeit only with two scores. The former Leeds, Wakefield, Hull FC and NRL forward has recently made the move to York Knights, where he will join Mark Applegarth’s coaching set-up.

Hock was another ever-present that series. The 215-time Super League player has found himself in court this year, and has been found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was sentenced in July, but avoided jail and was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work as well as an 18-month community order.

Loose Forward: Sean O’Loughlin

O’Loughlin was already a regular in the GB set-up in 2006, having also featured in the 2004 Tri-Nations. The Wigan legend remains at the Warriors to this day and is an assistant under Matt Peet. He was also part of McDermott’s coaching staff at the 2026 World Cup.

Bench: James Roby, Adrian Morley, Lee Gilmour and Jon Wilkin

Roby has recently landed a new role with the St Helens club, and will become the club’s new partnership manager. Morley is a keen advocate for Rugby League Cares, and is often seen playing in charity matches alongside other ex-pros.

Gilmour was another try-scorer on that day, as he ran a damaging inside line to sail through the Kangaroos’ defence. The former St Helens and Huddersfield man was previously part of Wakefield Trinity’s coaching set-up, and, in 2023, he turned his hand to coaching in the amateur game with Brighouse Rangers.

Wilkin remains a prominent member of the rugby league media, and this week he has issued a plea to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, saying that the sport can be used for social change.

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