Anthony’s hot debut

Photo: Picture by DARREN ROBINSON

Anthony Morrison: played for BARLA Great Britain Lions against Pakistan.

RUGBY:

Rangers prop helps make history in Dubai
SADDLEWORTH Rangers player Anthony Morrison helped to create a slice of rugby league history in the heat of Dubai.

The 20-year-old prop was in the BARLA Great Britain Lions starting lining-up against a Pakistan side making their debut against a British amateur team.

Although Morrison did not get his name on the scoresheet at The Sports City Stadium, he played his part in the 60-0 success.

He got down to some hard work in front of invited guests, the British Consulate, who saw the Lions record 11 tries, which included a hat-trick by Pat Foulstone and a double from John Paul Brocklebank.

Morrison, grandson of former Oldham and Warrington RL player Ray Clark, was chosen for the Lions for the first time after impressing for Lancashire in the BARLA County Tri-Series.

After receiving a late call-up from coach John Fieldhouse, he scored a second-half try in the defeat of Yorkshire. An apprentice electrician, Morrison kept his place for the final, in which Lancashire were beaten 20-14 by Cumbria. Those performances earned him a place on the plane for BARLA’s week-long tour of Dubai.

Morrison, who joined Rangers as a junior, is already well-travelled, having recently spent a year in Australia. He said: “I played for a side called Old Bar in New South Wales. It was a great experience, playing and being in a different country.”