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Phil Lowe

Playing Career

All information provided below is based only on data available in the RLP database and should be used as a guide only.

Vital Statistics

Born
Thursday, 19th January, 1950
Died
Wednesday, 20th March, 2024 (Aged 74 years and 61 days)
Place Of Birth
Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England

Competitions Won

World Cup
1972
Test Series
1970 New Zealand vs Great Britain
European Championship
1969/70, 1977/78
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL)
1976
Premiership Trophy
1980/81

Biography

Great Britain forward first came to Australia as a 20-year-old from Hull KR on the Lions' Ashes-winning 1970 tour. Lowe, who admits that he didn’t work hard enough to play in a Test match in Australia, made his debut against the Kiwis on the NZ leg of the tour. Two years later, he was the sensation of Great Britain's World Cup win in France and was lured to Australia by glamour club Manly in 1974. A determined runner, Lowe had a highly successful stay with the Sea Eagles, scoring Manly’s only try in the 13-10 grand final win against P’matta in 1976. Returning to Hull KR for the 1976-77 English season he declined to return to the Sea Eagles and, after an uneasy stand-off, Manly released him from his contract. After winning a Challenge Cup final with Hull KR in 1980, Lowe was later named manager of England’s World Cup team in 1995.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.
Representative Career - International   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Tests (Senior International Matches) - 17 - 17 10-10 - - - - 30 - - - 11 5 1 64.71% List
The Ashes - 5 - 5 2-2 - - - - 6 - - - 2 3 - 40.00% List
World Cup 1 4 - 4 3-3 - - - - 9 - - - 3 - 1 75.00% List
Tour Matches Hull Kingston RoversHKR - 3 1 4 1-1 - - - - 3 - - - 1 3 - 25.00% List
Tour Matches Great BritainGBR - 22 1 23 14-14 - - - - 42 - - - 18 3 2 78.26% List
Test Series 1 6 - 6 4-4 - - - - 12 - - - 3 3 - 50.00% List
European Championship 2 4 - 4 2-2 - - - - 6 - - - 2 2 - 50.00% List
Club Career - Australia   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) 1 72 - 72 25-25 - - - - 75 - - - 49 23 - 68.06% List
NRL Finals - 7 - 7 2-2 - - - - 6 - - - 3 4 - 42.86% List
Preseason Cup - 11 - 11 2-2 - - - - 6 - - - 8 3 - 72.73% List
Midweek Cup - 5 - 5 3-3 - - - - 9 - - - 3 1 1 60.00% List
Club Career - UK   Comp Wins Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
English Championship - 40 11 51 18-18 - - - - 54 - - - 33 15 3 64.71% List
Premiership Trophy 1 3 - 3 2-2 - - - - 6 - - - 3 - - 100.00% List
Challenge Cup - 6 - 6 1-1 - - - - 3 - - - 3 3 - 50.00% List
Regal Trophy - 7 3 10 6-6 - - - - 18 - - - 7 3 - 70.00% List
Yorkshire Cup - 3 1 4 1-1 - - - - 3 - - - 2 2 - 50.00% List
UK Top Division - 40 11 51 18-18 - - - - 54 - - - 33 15 3 64.71% List
Overall   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
First Class  180 17 197 78-78 - - - - 234 - - - 133 58 6 67.51% List

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Great Britain 1970, 1972-73, 1978   12 - 12 8-8 - - - - 24 - - - 8 3 1 66.67% List
England 1970, 1977-78, 1981   5 - 5 2-2 - - - - 6 - - - 3 2 - 60.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Great Britain 1970-1972   4 - 4 3-3 - - - - 9 - - - 3 - 1 75.00% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Year

Team Season   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
ManlyManly 19741974 NSWRFL   23 - 2310-10 - - - - 30 - - - 15 8 - 65.22% List
ManlyManly 19751975 NSWRFL   24 - 248-8 - - - - 24 - - - 16 8 - 66.67% List
ManlyManly 19761976 NSWRFL   25 - 257-7 - - - - 21 - - - 18 7 - 72.00% List

NSWRFL (NRL Premiership) - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Manly 1974-76   72 - 72 25-25 - - - - 75 - - - 49 23 - 68.06% List

English Career - By Year

Team Season   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Hull KRHull KR 1977/78   - - 0--- - - - - - - - - - - - - List
Hull KRHull KR 1979/80   - - 0--- - - - - - - - - - - - - List
Hull KRHull KR 1980/81   21 1 2211-11 - - - - 33 - - - 14 6 2 63.64% List
Hull KRHull KR 1981/82   29 4 3314-14 - - - - 42 - - - 24 8 1 72.73% List
Hull KRHull KR 1982/83   9 10 193-3 - - - - 9 - - - 10 9 - 52.63% List

English Career - By Team

Team Years   Starts Int APP 3ST 3PT T G1FG 2FG FG Pts Bin5 Bin Off W L D Win%  
Hull KR 1980-82   59 15 74 28-28 - - - - 84 - - - 48 23 3 64.86% List

Your Say

  • John Allen
    7 Oct 2014 2:06pm

    I saw Plil Lowe play, in I my opinion, the greatest individual game of all for Manly against St George in Australia circa 1972. After scoring a try he was dry reaching and a few minutes later he scored another. His herculean effort was unsurpassible and the crowd was awed. Truly the best I ever saw. Mal Reilly, Bobby Fulton were team mates and the great Graham Langlands played for St George that day.

  • John Stagg
    20 Feb 2026 1:30pm

    He was a Great player a pity he didn’t play for my team at the time St George.

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Contributions: Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Greg Fiveash, Rugby League Tables, Paul Carter, Max Turner, Alan Katzmann, Tony McCarron, Bill Bates, AJ Lucantonio

Sources: RFL Player Registers, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook (1981-82 to 1999), Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club