Former Great Britain tour manager and leading rugby league administrator Tom Mitchell has died at the age of 84.

Mitchell was in charge of the British side which lost just one of their 21 matches in Australia in 1958 - a record which still stands.

He was also Rugby Football League Council chairman in 1961-62, a life member of the RFL and patron of British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA) as well as being Workington Town president.

RFL chief executive Neil Tunnicliffe said: "The whole game of rugby league, however and wherever it's played, will be deeply saddened to learn of the death of Tom Mitchell.

"His influence over our sport, at all levels, over the past half-a-century has been simply and absolutely immense.

"The number of areas to which he contributed - grass roots expansion, international competition, commercial development, administration and government - covered a quite phenomenal spread.

"He was a most remarkable and inspirational, and we shall all miss his presence."

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