Some representative matches of regional British & Irish rugby teams

NORTH-WEST COUNTIES 16-14 New Zealand [HT: 9-10] (22 November 1972, Ellis Sports Ground, Workington; 10,000-12,000 spectators.)

15 Barry O'Driscoll* (Manchester, Lancashire & Ireland); 14 Tony Richards (Fylde & Lancs), 13 Chris Wardlow* (Coventry & Cumberland and Westmorland), 12 David Roughley (Liverpool & Lancs), 11 Stuart Maxwell (New Brighton & Cheshire): 10 Dick Cowman* (Coventry & Cumb/Westm), 9 Steve Smith (Sale & Ches): 1 Frank Anderson (Orrell & Lancs), 2 John Lansbury (Sale & Ches), 3 Fran Cotton* (Loughborough Colleges & Lancs, c), 4 Richard Trickey (Sale & Lancs), 5 Mike Leadbetter* (Broughton Park & Lancs), 6 Dave Robinson (Gosforth & Cumb/Westm), 8 Peter Dixon* (Gosforth & Cumb/Westm), 7 Tony Neary* (Broughton Park & Lancs).

(Coach: John Burgess.)

MIDLAND COUNTIES (WEST) 16-8 New Zealand (6 December 1972, The Reddings, Moseley)

15 Sam Doble* (Moseley & Staffordshire); 14 David Duckham* (Coventry & Warwickshire), 13 Peter Preece* (Coventry & Warks), 12 Malcolm Swain (Moseley & North Midlands), 11 Martin Cooper (Moseley & N Mids); 10 John Finlan* (Moseley & N Mids), 9 Jan Webster* (Moseley & Staffs): 1 Keith Fairbrother* (Coventry & Warks), 2 John Gray (Coventry & Warks), 3 Trevor Corless (Birmingham & N Mids), 4 Nigel Horton* (Moseley & N Mids), 5 Les Smith (Moseley & N Mids), 6 Tim Cowell (Coventry & Warks), 8 John White (Moseley & N Mids), 7 Ian Pringle (Moseley & N Mids).

(Subs: 16 Peter Rossborough* [Coventry & Warks], 17 Barrie Corless [Coventry & Warks], 18 Geoff Evans* [Coventry & Warks], 19 Dan Protherough [Moseley & N Mids], 20 Tim Smith [Moseley & N Mids], 21 John Barton* [Coventry & Warks].)

London Division 18-21 NEW ZEALAND (24 October 1979, Twickenham)

London Division: 15 Billy Bushell (Harlequins); 14 Bob Demming (Bedford), 13 Nick Preston (Richmond), 12 Matthew Fosh (Cambridge University), 11 Derek Wyatt* (Bath); 10 Tim Bryan (Northampton), 9 Barry Murphy (London Irish). 1 Terry Claxton (Harlequins), 2 Tony Boddy (Metropolitan Police), 3 Clint McGregor (Saracens), 4 Nick Martin* (Harlequins), 5 Chris Ralston* (Richmond), 6 Adrian Alexander (Harlequins), 8 Andy Ripley* (Rosslyn Park), 7 Bob Mordell* (Rosslyn Park).
(Subs: 16 Ian Williamson [Blackheath, full-back], 17 James Thornton [Cambridge University, centre], 18 A.N. OTHER, 19 Andy Wolstenholme [Blackheath, hooker], 20 Andy Cutter [Harlequins, prop], 21 Nick Mallett [Oxford University, number 8].)

NORTHERN DIVISION 21-9 New Zealand (17 November 1979, Cross Green, Otley)

15 Kevin O'Brien (Broughton Park); 14 John Carleton (Orrell), 13 Tony Wright (Sale), 12 Tony Bond* (Sale), 11 Mike Slemen* (Liverpool); 10 Alan Old* (Sheffield), 9 Steve Smith* (Sale): 1 Colin White (Gosforth), 2 Andy Simpson (Sale), 3 Fran Cotton* (Sale), 4 Bill Beaumont* (c, Fylde), 5 Jim Syddall (Waterloo), 6 Roger Uttley* (Wasps), 8 Peter Dixon* (Gosforth), 7 Tony Neary* (Broughton Park).

(Coach: Des Seabrook)

Midlands Division 8-21 AUSTRALIA (6 November 1984, Welford Road, Leicester)

Midlands Division: 15 Dusty Hare* (Leicester); 14 Steve Holdstock (Nottingham), 13 Paul Dodge* (Leicester), 12 Clive Woodward* (Leicester), 11 John Goodwin (Moseley); 10 Les Cusworth* (Leicester), 9 Nick Youngs* (Leicester). 1 Lee Johnson (Coventry), 2 Peter Wheeler* (c, Leicester), 3 Gary Pearce* (Northampton), 4 Vince Cannon (Northampton), 5 Neil Mantell* (Nottingham), 6 Peter Cook (Nottingham), 8 Graham Robbins (Coventry), 7 Gary Rees* (Nottingham).

(Subs: 16 Simon Hodgkinson [Nottingham, full-back], 17 Gary Hartley [Nottingham, centre], 18 Steve Thomas [Coventry, scrum-half], 19 Steve Brain* [Coventry, hooker], 20 John Wells [Leicester, flanker], 21 Steve Wilkes [Coventry, prop].)

Northern Division 12-19 AUSTRALIA (28 November 1984, St Anthony's Road, Blundellsands)

Northern Division: 15 Derek Boyd (West Hartlepool); 14 Mike Harrison (Wakefield), 13 Kevin Simms (Cambridge University), 12 Bryan Barley* (Wakefield), 11 Rory Underwood* (Leicester); 10 Rob Andrew (Cambridge University), 9 Steve Smith* (c, Sale). 1 Paul Huntsman (Headingley), 2 Andy Simpson (Sale), 3 Eddie Bell (West Hartlepool), 4 Jim Syddall* (Waterloo), 5 Steve Bainbridge* (Fylde), 6 Phil Moss (Orrell), 8 Paul Simpson* (Bath), 7 Peter Buckton (Liverpool).

(Subs: 16 John Buckton [Hull & East Riding, centre], 17 David Johnson [Gosforth, fly-half], 18 Gary Williams [Orrell, scrum-half], 19 Mike Dixon [Fylde, hooker], 20 Wade Dooley [Preston Grasshoppers, lock], 21 Sam Hodgson [Vale of Lune, flanker].)

LONDON DIVISION 21-10 Australia (15 October 1988, Twickenham, London)

15 Stuart Thresher (Harlequins); 14 Andy Harriman (Harlequins), 13 Fran Clough* (Wasps), 12 Rob Lozowski* (Wasps), 11 Mark Bailey* (Wasps); 10 Adrian Thompson (Harlequins), 9 Steve Bates (Wasps): 2 John Olver (Harlequins), 4 Neil Edwards (Harlequins), 5 Paul Ackford (Harlequins), 6 Mick Skinner* (Harlequins), 8 Dean Ryan (Saracens), 7 David Pegler (c, Wasps).

(Props unknown - definitely not Harlequins players, however. Quite possibly Paul Rendall* of Wasps at loosehead and Jeff Probyn* of Wasps at tighthead.)

London & South-East Division 12-39 NEW ZEALAND (23 October 1993, Twickenham, London)

15 Huw Davies* (Wasps); 14 Tony Underwood* (Leicester), 13 Damian Hopley (Wasps), 12 Will Carling* (Harlequins), 11 Chris Oti* (Wasps); 10 Rob Andrew* (c, Wasps), 9 Steve Bates* (Wasps): 1 Jason Leonard* (Harlequins), 2 Brian Moore* (Harlequins), 3 Jeff Probyn* (Wasps), 4 Alex Snow (Harlequins), 5 Dean Ryan* (Wasps), 6 Matt Greenwood (Wasps), 8 Chris Sheasby (Harlequins), 7 Rory Jenkins (London Irish).