1982 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France
The 1982 Kangaroo tour was the fifteenth
The 1982 Kangaroos, coached by
Touring party
The team was coached by the tough and single-minded
Interviewed by journalist/author Ian Whiticker in 2004 Krilich said about the talented squad; "The players in that squad were yet to reach their full potential. We were criticised as a weak side, but nobody knew how great a player Wayne Pearce was going to be on the tour. Wally Lewis was still in his early 20s, and many of the Queenslanders were in the early stages of their careers". He also spoke of Stanton (who was his
While the pair did not enjoy an easy relationship, mostly due to Stanton not being impressed with his attitude to training or habits on tour which actually caused him to put on weight, Wally Lewis also found respect for Stanton he had not previously experienced after making his test debut under him against France in 1981. After missing selection for the first Test in Hull in favour of Parramatta's 1982 premiership winning Five-eighth Brett Kenny, Stanton challenged Lewis to get back into shape and win his way back into the Test team, something he achieved with selection on the bench for the second Test in Wigan and the third Test in Leeds. Lewis later admitted that early on in the tour his poor attitude did not sit well with Stanton and that it had led to his missing first test selection. Although this was his first Kangaroo Tour, it was not the first tour of Great Britain and France for Lewis who had been a member of the 1977 Australian Schoolboys rugby union tour of Japan, Great Britain and France, a team that included future dual-rugby international Michael O'Connor as well as the Ella brothers Mark, Gary and Glen, cousins of 1982 tourist Steve Ella.
Six players from the 1982 NSWRL premiership winning Parramatta Eels were selected in the squad, a new Kangaroo tour record for the club with all six players playing in at least one test each on the tour. Manly, the team they defeated in the inaugural
One notable absentee was Western Suburbs Five-eighth Terry Lamb who had represented NSW in the 1981 State of Origin game. Lamb was originally selected to tour but declined to do so due to his upcoming wedding to his fiancé Kim.[3]
Tour managers were the Newtown administrator Frank Farrington and Queenslands, Tom Drysdale. Open Rugby magazine claimed the Australians had brought "a new dimension of excitement and adventure" to the game and former England great Alex Murphy, who called each test for the BBC alongside Ray French, called then "men from another planet."[1]
This was the first Kangaroo tour since the introduction of State of Origin and it allowed Queensland to counter New South Wales' long dominance in representative selection with a record-equalling eleven Queenslanders selected for the tour.[4] This was a considerable increase on the Queensland representation in the 1978 Kangaroos when only three players were selected. Two of those players, Kerry Boustead and Rod Morris, were also members of the 1982 Kangaroos.
Despite there being a record number, the selection of only 11 Queenslander's in the 28 man touring squad was controversial. Queensland had won the 1982 State of Origin series despite being comparatively under prepared due to the NSWRFL clubs refusing to release their Queensland players for pre-series training. Among the Queensland Origin representatives to miss selection were Manly-Warringah's Paul Vautin and Chris Close (who had been the Man of the Match in both Origin games in 1980 and 1981), Wynnum-Manly fullback Colin Scott and South Sydney outside back Mitch Brennan.
Future Kangaroos captain Mal Meninga, making the first of his record four consecutive Kangaroo Tours, was the leading point scorer on tour with 166 from 10 tries and 68 goals, including 48 points in the three Tests against Great Britain (2 tries, 21 goals), and 17 points in the two Tests against France (1 try, 7 goals). John Ribot was the leading try scorer on tour with 25 from just 14 games, including a try in the 3rd test against Great Britain. Ribot added 20 goals to his points tally to join Meninga as the only players on tour to score over 100 points.
By club
The touring side was represented by 17 New South Welshmen (N) and 11 Queenslanders (Q).
- Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles(5): Max Krilich (captain) (N), John Ribot (Q), Les Boyd (N), Paul McCabe (Q), Ray Brown (N)
- Parramatta Eels (6): Brett Kenny (N), Peter Sterling (N), Steve Ella (N), Eric Grothe (N), Ray Price (N), John Muggleton (N)
- Canterbury Bulldogs(3): Greg Brentnall (N), Chris Anderson (N), Steve Mortimer (N)
- Fortitude Valley Diehards (2): Wally Lewis (vice-captain) (Q), Mark Murray (Q)
- St George Dragons(2): Rod Reddy (Q), Craig Young (N)
- Wynnum-Manly Seagulls(2): Gene Miles (Q), Rod Morris (Q)
- Balmain Tigers (1): Wayne Pearce (N)
- Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (1): Steve Rogers (N)
- Eastern Suburbs Roosters(2): Ian Schubert (N), Kerry Boustead (Q)
- Norths Devils (1): Greg Conescu (Q)
- North Sydney Bears (1): Don McKinnon (N)
- Souths Magpies (1): Mal Meninga (Q)
- Warwick Wattles (1): Rohan Hancock (Q)
Papua New Guinea and Western Australia
Before flying to England, half the squad, led by Kangaroos vice-captain
Those missing from the 2nd test win over
who played in Perth on the same day. Of the quartet that played in Perth, only Boyd would go on to play in the first test against Great Britain.Saturday, 2 October 1982
|
Papua New Guinea | 2–38 | Australia |
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Tries: Goals: Kungas Kuveu (1/2) |
[5] |
Tries: John Ribot (4) Greg Brentnall (2) Kerry Boustead Brett Kenny Mal Meninga Steve Rogers Goals: Mal Meninga (4/10) |
Papua New Guinea
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Australia
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Saturday, 2 October
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5–57 | Australia
| |
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Tries: Mick Rasmussen Goals: P. Harrison (1) |
[6] |
Tries: Chris Anderson, Greg Conescu, Steve Ella, Gene Miles, Rod Morris, Paul McCabe, Wayne Pearce (2)
Goals: Wally Lewis (4) Steve Ella (3) Les Boyd |
Western Australia
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Australia
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In Perth, the Kangaroos crossed for 13 tries (with Eric Grothe bagging four) and predictably defeated WA 57–5.
Great Britain
Once on English soil controversy surfaced when the incumbent Australian Test halves from the mid-year tests against
Leading up to the first Test at the Boothferry Park ground in Hull, the Kangaroos also played a tour international match against Wales at Ninian Park in Cardiff on 24 October. The match was played in heavy rain in front of 5,617 fans and Australia, captained by Wally Lewis, ran in nine tries to one in a 37–7 rout. The game marked the first time Lewis, who would take over the Test captaincy in 1984, captained Australia in an international match.
Fiery forward Les Boyd enhanced his reputation for the rough play when he was sent off twice on tour. He was sent off in the first game of the tour against Hull Kingston Rovers at
Test Venues
The three Ashes series tests took place at the following venues.
Hull | Wigan | Leeds |
---|---|---|
Boothferry Park | Central Park | Headingley |
Capacity: 26,800 | Capacity: 30,000 | Capacity: 30,000 |
Sunday, 10 October
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Hull Kingston Rovers | 10–30 | Australia
|
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Tries: George Fairbairn (2)
|
[7] |
Tries: Goals: Mal Meninga (6) |
Hull Kingston Rovers
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Australia
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Hull KR led the Kangaroos 8–5 at half time but that was as good as it got for Roger Millward's men as the Kangaroos piled on 25 points to just 2 in the second half to run out easy 30–10 winners. Man of the Match Mal Meninga lit up Craven Park on his first taste of football on English soil, scoring a try and kicking 6 goals in the win.
Wednesday, 13 October
|
Wigan | 9–13 | Australia
|
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Tries: Henderson Gill Goals: Colin Whitfield (3) |
[8] |
Tries: Kerry Boustead, John Muggleton, Paul McCabe Goals: Steve Ella (2) |
Wigan
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Australia
|
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Friday, 15 October
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Barrow | 2–29 | Australia
|
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Tries: Goals: Steve Tickle (1) |
[9] |
Tries: Ian Schubert (2), Greg Conescu, Steve Ella, Mark Murray, Wayne Pearce, Steve Rogers Goals: Wally Lewis (3) Steve Rogers (1) |
Barrow
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Australia
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St Helens
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Australia
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Wednesday, 20 October
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Leeds | 4–31 | Australia
|
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Tries: Goals: Mark Conway (2) |
[11] |
Tries: Eric Grothe, Steve Rogers Goals: Mal Meninga (5) |
Leeds
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Australia
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Wales
The Kangaroos played an international against Wales at Ninian Park in Cardiff. This was the first time Wally Lewis (playing in the unfamiliar position of centre) would captain Australia against an international team.
Sunday, 24 October 1982
|
Wales | 7–37 | Australia |
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Tries: Brynmor Williams Goals: Steve Fenwick (1) Lynn Hopkins (1) |
[12] |
Tries: Steve Ella (4) John Ribot (2) Wally Lewis Mark Murray Don McKinnon Goals: Wally Lewis (4) Don McKinnon (1) |
Wales
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Australia
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Playing fullback, Steve Ella pressed for test selection by scoring 4 tries in the game. Only two players from the team, second row forward Rod Reddy and reserve winger Kerry Boustead, were considered certainties for selection in the upcoming 1st Ashes test.
The Ashes series
Due to sponsorship reasons, the 1982 Ashes was known as the "Dominion Insurance Test series".
First Test
While Australia's side for the opening Test was built around the new breed of young players such as
Saturday, 30 October 1982
|
Great Britain | 4–40 | Australia |
---|---|---|
Tries Goals Lee Crooks (2/2) |
[13] |
Tries Goals Mal Meninga (8/10) |
Boothferry Park, Hull
Attendance: 26,771 Referee: Julien Rascagneres Player of the Match: Wayne Pearce |
Great Britain
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Australia
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Great Britain did well in the first half to trail by only 10–4 at half time, but the two penalty goals by debutante second rower Lee Crooks was as good as it got for the home side. In the second half the Kangaroos unleashed their skills and fitness, and blazed six tries to leave the British game, and most of the 26,771 strong crowd packed into
In his test debut for Australia, back row forward Wayne Pearce was judged as the Man of the Match thanks to his defensive work and having a hand in a number of tries as well as backing up a break by Max Krilich and Craig Young to race away and score a 45-metre try with only French referee Julien Rascagneres anywhere near him. Centre Mal Meninga, playing his 4th test and the first of what would eventually be a record 17 Ashes tests against Great Britain, scored the opening try of the game after good lead up work by Peter Sterling and Pearce, then easily palming off Les Dyl and outpacing fullback George Fairbairn to score in the corner. Meninga also kicked 8 of 10 goals for a personal haul of 19 points. His 8 goals also broke the record number of goals for an Australian in a test in England, the old record of 7 had been set by Graeme Langlands in the second test of the 1963–64 Kangaroo tour (the famous "Swinton Massacre" test). It also equaled the most goals for an Australian in an Ashes test, the record was previously the sole property of Noel Pidding who kicked 8 in the first test of the 1954 series at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
In commentary for the BBC, former Great Britain and England dual-rugby international forward Ray French stated after the final siren "Well, I've got to eat a little humble pie. I thought Great Britain could do something, but with only those two penalty goals from Lee Crooks its back to the drawing board for the Great Britain selectors I'm afraid", while his commentary partner, Wigan coach, former Lions halfback and Kangaroos tormentor Alex Murphy said during the first half "We need something to combat this lot."
Wednesday, 3 November
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4–44 | Australia
| |
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Tries: Goals: John Woods (2) |
[14] |
Tries: Chris Anderson (3), Paul McCabe (3), John Ribot (3), John Muggleton (2), Wally Lewis (3/11) Goals: Mal Meninga Wally Lewis (1/2) |
Leigh
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Australia
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Sunday, 7 November
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6–13 | Australia
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Tries: Goals: Keith Mumby (3) |
[15] |
Tries: Greg Brentnall, Gene Miles, Paul McCabe Goals: Steve Rogers (2) |
Bradford Northern
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Australia
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Tuesday, 9 November
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Cumbria | 2–41 | Australia
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Tries: Goals: Lyn Hopkins (1) |
[16] |
Tries: Peter Sterling Goals: Mal Meninga (7) |
Carlisle Attendance: 5,748 Referee: Stan Wall |
Cumbria
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Australia
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This was the first time that future Australian test halves pair Wally Lewis and Peter Sterling played alongside each other as Australia's five-eighth and halfback.
Sunday, 14 November
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Fulham | 5–22 | Australia
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Tries: Hussein M'Barki Goals: Steve Diamond (1) |
[17] |
Tries: Steve Ella, John Muggleton, Mark Murray, Paul McCabe, Don McKinnon, John Ribot Goals: Steve Ella (1/4) Wally Lewis (1/4) |
Fulham
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Australia
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Tuesday, 16 November
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Hull F.C. | 7–13 | Australia
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Tries: David Topliss Goals: Lee Crooks (2) |
[18] |
Tries: (2) |
Hull
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Australia
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Emulating what cross-town rivals Hull Kingston Rovers had done in the opening game of the tour, Hull led the Kangaroos at half time, this time 7–0. It would not be until
Australia played the game with the same team that would line up in the second test at Wigan just 4 days later.
Second Test
Despite ten changes to the Lions' side, with only winger Des Drummond and props Trevor Skerrett and Jeff Grayshon (who also took over the captaincy) retained from the first Test thrashing, the second Test was scarcely a contest and the Kangaroos won by 27–6. The only change to the Kangaroos was tour vice-captain Wally Lewis' inclusion on the bench. With captain Max Krilich in some doubt with a niggling neck injury, hooker forward Ray Brown was also selected on the Kangaroos bench.
Prior to the second test, Phil Larder, the Coaching Director of the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA) spent a week in camp with Frank Stanton and the Kangaroos to observe their training and tactics. After Great Britain's first test humiliation, Larder (who was not actually connected to the Great Britain team in any way) had taken it upon himself to contact Stanton and request the opportunity. English football had begun to fall well behind Australia in recent years and Larder's initiative was rewarded by being made the Coaching Director of the Rugby Football League in 1983. He would also become the assistant coach of the Great Britain side in 1983.[19]
Saturday, 20 November 1982
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Great Britain | 6–27 | Australia |
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Tries Goals Keith Mumby (3/3) |
[20] |
Tries Goals Mal Meninga (6/8) |
Great Britain
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Australia
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Australia's fiery forward Les Boyd was sent off late in the first half for kicking a tackled player on the ground. The touch judge, only seeing Boyd's kick and not that it was in reaction to tackled Lions hooker John Dalgreen lashing out with a boot at Boyd while he was on the ground, came on with his flag up and French referee Julien Rascagneres, who did not actually see the incident, did not hesitate in sending Boyd off, leaving the Kangaroos to play out the remaining 46 minutes with twelve men.
Tuesday, 23 November
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Widnes | 6–19 | Australia
|
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Tries: Goals: Mick Burke (3) |
[21] |
Tries: Steve Mortimer (2), Paul McCabe, John Ribot, Steve Rogers Goals: Mal Meninga (2/6) |
Widnes
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Australia
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Third Test
Injuries forced Frank Stanton to make three changes to the Kangaroos for the final Test. Eric Grothe's knee injury in the second Test kept him out with the tour's leading try scorer John Ribot re-claiming his test spot on the wing; Rod Morris replaced Craig Young in the front row; while second test man of the match Ray Price was also ruled out with a knee injury and was replaced by Paul McCabe in the second row allowing Wayne Pearce to move to his favoured position at lock forward.
Sunday, 28 November 1982
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Great Britain | 8–32 | Australia |
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Tries Steve Evans Goals Lee Crooks (2/3) Field Goals Lee Crooks |
[22] |
Tries Kerry Boustead John Ribot Steve Rogers Brett Kenny Max Krilich Wayne Pearce Goals Mal Meninga (7/10) |
Great Britain
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Australia
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Kangaroos coach Frank Stanton predicted that the third Test would be the best contested of the three, and he was proved correct until the final ten minutes of play. Recalled
The first try of the game came with just on 50 minutes gone. From deep in his own half, Brentnall made a break down the right wing after breaking a tackle. The play looked like breaking down when he didn't pass to an un-marked Kerry Boustead on his outside and was tackled from behind by a desperate David Stephenson. From there the Kangaroos spread the ball to the opposite wing where Ribot was tackled. Wayne Pearce then broke the British line before passing to Rod Reddy who gave the ball to Ribot flying on his outside. Ribot crashed over in the corner with Lions fullback George Fairbairn clinging to his legs. Pearce then made another break and sent captain Max Krilich on a 30-metre run for his first try of the tour. Krilich scored under the posts giving Meninga an easy conversion and Australia held a 14–4 lead. With just over 10 minutes left to play the Aussies were holding-off Great Britain by 14–8 and an intense finish loomed after Hull F.C. winger Steve Evans had scored the Lions only try of the series (it was also the first try the Australians had conceded in all 11 Tests they'd played since the second Ashes Test of 1979 against the Lions in Brisbane). It seemed Britain had not been so far behind Australia's standard after all, but in the final 10 minutes the Kangaroos superior fitness told and they ripped the home side apart with 4 tries to Boustead, Pearce, Steve Rogers and Man of the Match Brett Kenny to run out win 32–8 winners and become the first touring side to go through Britain undefeated.
Right on half-time there was a set-to between forwards Les Boyd and Mick Crane which resulted in an all-in brawl. Boyd had hit Lions captain David Topliss (their third captain in as many tests) with a shoulder charge on the half-way line and Topliss had lashed out with his feet at Boyd who then punched Topliss as he lay on the ground, with Crane then coming in and began trading punches with the Australian front rower. As the teams lined up for the second half, referee Rascagneres called out both Boyd and Crane and sent both to the sin-bin for 10 minutes.
The Ashes series win was Australia's 4th straight over the Lions dating back to 1974, and their second straight 3–0 Ashes series win. It also continued the streak started by the
France
First Test
The tourists found the French Tests more of a challenge than the British, but in the end the Kangaroos prevailed and finished their tour unbeaten.
France
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Australia
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During the first half, Wally Lewis dislocated his shoulder while attempting to tackle a French player which ended his tour, though as there were only 2 weeks remaining he remained with the squad until they returned to Australia (the injury was a recurrence of a similar injury he had suffered while touring Great Britain and France with the Australian Schoolboys rugby union team in 1977). He was replaced by Eric Grothe who went to the wing, Mal Meninga moved to his preferred centre with Brett Kenny moving to 5/8. Within 12 minutes of being on the field, Grothe had scored two tries.
Second Test
Saturday, 18 December 1982
|
France | 9–23 | Australia |
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Tries Ivan Grésèque Goals Étienne Kaminski (3/3) |
[29] |
Tries Goals Mal Meninga (4/5) |
France
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Australia
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Statistics
Largest Attendance
- 26,771 – First test vs Great Britain at Boothferry Park
Largest Club Game Attendance
- 16,049 – Australia vs Hull F.C. at The Boulevard
Leading Point Scorer
- 169 by Mal Meninga (11 tries, 68 goals)
Leading Try Scorer
- 25 by Eric Grothe
The tally of 25 tries by Eric Grothe includes 4 tries scored in the match against Western Australia.
The leading try scorer in Great Britain and France was Steve Ella, with 22. Ella also scored one try against Papua New Guinea.
Location | Point Scorer | Leading Try Scorers | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mal Meninga | Steve Ella | Eric Grothe | John Ribot | |||
Tries | Goals | Points | Tries | Tries | Tries | |
Papua New Guinea | 1 | 4 | 11 | dnp | dnp | 4 |
Western Australia | dnp | 1 | 4 | dnp | ||
Great Britain | 7 | 50 | 121 | 9 | 7 | 9 |
France | 3 | 14 | 37 | 13 | 14 | 10 |
Total | 11 | 68 | 169 | 23 | 25 | 23 |
Aftermath
Following the most successful Kangaroo Tour in history, a number of Australians were targeted by English clubs. Over the next 3 years players such as
See also
- Heads, Ian and Lester, Gary (1988) 200 Years of Australian Sport, Lester Townsend, Sydney
- Whiticker, Alan(2004) Captaining the Kangaroos, New Holland, Sydney
- Andrews, Malcolm (2006) The ABC of Rugby League Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Sydney
- Australian cricket team in England in 1948
References
- ^ a b Heads, Lester p309
- ^ Whiticker p319
- ^ Last Straw for Lamb
- ^ John MacDonald and Ian Arnold (29 June 1989). "Kangaroos fly the Maroon flag". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia. p. 50. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
- ^ Papua New Guinea vs Australia
- ^ Western Australia vs Australia
- ^ Hull KR vs Australia
- ^ Wigan vs Australia
- ^ Barrow vs Australia
- ^ St Helens vs Australia
- ^ Leeds vs Australia
- ^ Wales vs Australia
- ^ 1st Ashes Test
- ^ Leigh vs Australia
- ^ Bradford Northern vs Australia
- ^ Cumbria vs Australia
- ^ Fulham vs Australia
- ^ Hull F.C. vs Australia
- ISBN 0-7022-2370-0.
- ^ 2nd Ashes Test
- ^ Widnes vs Australia
- ^ 3rd Ashes Test
- ^ Roanne XIII vs Australia
- ^ 1st Test – France vs Australia
- ^ Aquitaine vs Australia
- ^ Les Espoirs vs Australia
- ^ XIII Catalan vs Australia
- ^ Midi-Pyrénées vs Australia
- ^ 2nd Test – France vs Australia