So after the debacle of 1995, the Lions returned to play their first competitive games in six years in Madrid in February 1997. After entering that years European Championship, they were drawn to face Spain away in a final qualifying match.

Spain 14-17 Great Britain

European Nations Championship Qualifer in Estadio de la comunidad, Madrid, Spain - February 23rd 1997

Great Britain took on Spain in a qualifying match in Madrid in February for the European Championship finals in Bolzano, Italy that summer. In a game that was a lot tighter than most people expected, GB won 17-14, but only after a last minute 41 yard TD pass from Stuart Franklin to Mark Cohen. Seale-McConnie had put the Brits on the board in the second quarter with a 10 yard run, but Spain responded before half-time to make the score 7-6 to GB at the break. In the third quarter Jon Wyse's 20 yard field goal put GB 10-6, before Spain took the lead with a 1 yard run and converted the 2 PAT to go 14-10 in front. Late in the fourth quarter Cohen's catch from Franklin saved red faces all round.

Click here for a full match report

Scoring:

2nd Qtr Seale-McConnie 10yd TD run Jon Wyse XP Kick 7-0
Spain replied TD 7-6
3rd Qtr Jon Wyse 30 yard Field Goal 10-6
Spain 1 yd TD run and converted 2 XP 10-14
4th Qtr Mark Cohen 41 yd TD pass from Stuart Franklin XP kick Wyse 17-14

Full squad v Spain

QB. Doug Cotterill (Birmingham Bulls), Stuart Franklin (London Olympians)
RB. Justin Oke, Collis Seale-McConnie, Stephen Hutchinson, Nigel Fleming (all London Olympians), Matt Townsend (Crawley Raiders), Derek Gallagher
WR. Mark Cohen (Birmingham Bulls), Leroy Innes, Clive Palumbo, Jeremy Simms (all London Olympians), Graham Reith (Scottish Claymores)
TE. Gerry Anderson, Darren Cooper, Adam Earle (all London Olympians)
OL. Barry Driver, Richard Barrett (both Birmingham Bulls), Dean Locke, Tony Hales (both London Olympians), Gerard Colquhoun, Don Edmonson (both Stirling Broncos)
DL. John Adams (East Kilbride Pirates), Matthew Barrett (Birmingham Bulls), David 'Farmer' Glover, Gary Thomas (both London Olympians), Tony McKenzie (London Monarchs), Kirby, James Dorman, Adi-Buer Puplampu (Bristol Aztecs)
LB. Booth, Ken Biggs, James Dougall (East Kilbride Pirates), Richard Draper (Leicester Panthers), Martin Fisher, Paul Newey (both Birmingham Bulls), Simon Newnham (London O’s), Mark Pagett
DB. Sonnell Baptiste, Rowelle Blenham,), Lance Knight, Scott Rowe, Jon Wyse, Ahmed Hashim (Birmingham Bulls (Staffordshire Surge)
P. Mark Cohen (Birmingham Bulls)
K. Jon Wyse (Staffordshire Surge)