1948 New Zealand rugby league tour of Australia | |||||
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Manager | Vic Simpson Bill Swift | ||||
Tour captain(s) | Patrick Smith | ||||
Top point scorer(s) | Warwick Clarke 42 | ||||
Top try scorer(s) | Dave Redmond 3 | ||||
Top test point scorer(s) | Warwick Clarke 16 | ||||
Top test try scorer(s) | Dave Redmond 2 | ||||
Summary |
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Total |
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Test match |
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Opponent |
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Tour chronology | |||||
Previous tour | 1938 by ![]() ![]() 1946 by ![]() 1947-48 to ![]() ![]() | ||||
Next tour | 1949 by ![]() ![]() 1950 by ![]() 1952 by ![]() |
The 1948 New Zealand rugby league tour of Australia was the fourteenth tour by New Zealand's national rugby league team, and the eleventh tour to visit Australia. The eight-match tour included two Test Matches, which were the first played by New Zealand in Australia since 1909.
Captained by Pat Smith, the Kiwis returned home having won six and lost two of their games. The team won the first test match of the tour but lost the second.
Squad
Player | Pos. | Age[1] | Weight | Province | Tests on Tour |
Games | Tries | Goals | FG | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Doug Anderson | Centre | 21 | 11 st. 8 lb. (73 kg) | ![]() | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Bob Aynsley | Hooker | 26 | 13 st. 2 lb. (83 kg) | ![]() | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Des Barchard | Halfback | 25 | 12 st. 2 lb. (77 kg) | ![]() | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Vic Belsham | Five-eighth | 22 | 10 st. 8 lb. (67 kg) | ![]() | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Warwick Clarke | Fullback | 28 | 11 st. 4 lb. (72 kg) | ![]() | 2 | 6 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 42 |
Rex Cunningham | Halfback | 25 | 11 st. 5 lb. (72 kg) | ![]() | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Joe Duke | Second-row | 30 | 13 st. 6 lb. (85 kg) | ![]() | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Jack Forrest | Wing | 24 | 12 st. 9 lb. (80 kg) | ![]() | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Abby Graham | Five-eighth | 28 | 11 st. 2 lb. (71 kg) | ![]() | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Albert Hambleton | Prop | 23 | 14 st. 4 lb. (91 kg) | South Auckland | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Travers Hardwick | Lock | 26 | 13 st. 2 lb. (83 kg) | ![]() | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sandy Hurndell | Second-row | 21 | 14 st. 10 lb. (93 kg) | ![]() | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Joffe Johnson | Prop | 30 | 15 st. 0 lb. (95 kg) | ![]() | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Allen Laird | Lock | 24 | 12 st. 8 lb. (80 kg) | ![]() | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Charlie McBride | Second-row | 23 | 13 st. 2 lb. (83 kg) | ![]() | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Bill McKenzie | Wing | 23 | 12 st. 7 lb. (79 kg) | ![]() | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
John Newton | Prop | 27 | 14 st. 12 lb. (94 kg) | ![]() | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Dave Redmond | Wing | 24 | 12 st. 4 lb. (78 kg) | ![]() | 2 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
Maurie Rich | Fullback | 23 | 12 st. 8 lb. (80 kg) | ![]() | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 16 |
Maurie Robertson | Centre | 22 | 11 st. 10 lb. (74 kg) | ![]() | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Patrick Smith | Hooker | 32 | 14 st. 10 lb. (93 kg) | ![]() | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Allan Wiles | Centre | 27 | 12 st. 4 lb. (78 kg) | ![]() | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Ken Mountford, who was initially selected in the touring party, withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Allen Laird.[2]
The touring squad were the first rugby league team to fly to Australia.[3]
The Rugby League News published pen portraits of the tourists: backs, forwards and the co-managers.
Tour
May 22 | New South Wales ![]() |
23–17 | ![]() |
Sydney Cricket Ground | |
Tries: 5 Len Smith Norm Jacobson Eddie Tracey Johnny Graves Les Cowie Goals: 4 Keith Froome (4) |
Program Report[4] |
Tries: 3 Jack Forrest Allen Laird John Newton Goals: 4 Warwick Clarke (4) |
Attendance: 43,505 Referee: George Bishop |
New South Wales: FB: Noel Pidding (21) ( |
May 23 | Combined Country ![]() |
16–30 | ![]() |
Wollongong Showground | |
Tries: 4 Bobby Dimond Bill Burgess Johnny Hawke Ron Rowles Goals: 2 Fred Chew (2) |
Article[5] Report[6][7] Report |
Tries: 6 Albert Hambleton (2) Des Barchard (2) Charlie McBride Joe Duke Goals: 6 Maurie Rich (6) |
Attendance: 10,000 Gate: AU£ 1,069 Referee: M. Ibbotson |
NSW Country PR: Ron Mann ( |
1st Test
May 29 |
Australia ![]() |
19–21 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Tries: 1 Jack Rayner Goals: 8 Johnny Graves (5) Keith Froome (3) |
Program Report[8] Database |
Tries: 3 Dave Redmond (2) Charlie McBride Goals: 6 Warwick Clarke (6) |
Sydney Cricket Ground Attendance: 55,866 Referee: T. McMahon Jnr |
Australia FB: Noel Pidding (age 21) ( |
June 2 | Northern NSW ![]() |
7–13 | ![]() |
League Park, Armidale | |
Tries: 1 Cec Fitzsimmons Goals: 2 Bruce Flint (2) |
Teams[9][10] Report[11] |
Tries: 3 Doug Anderson Rex Cunningham Allen Laird Goals: 2 Maurie Rich (2) |
Attendance: 4,000 Referee: H. Morson |
Northern NSW FB: Bruce Flint ( |
June 5 | Queensland ![]() |
10–11 | ![]() |
Brisbane Cricket Ground | |
Tries: 2 Duncan Hall Ignatius Tyquin Goals: 2 Dan O'Connor (2) |
Team[12] Report[13] Report[14] |
Tries: 1 Allan Wiles Goals: 4 Warwick Clarke (4) |
Attendance: 20,812 Gate: AU£ 2,535 Referee: S.W. Chambers |
Queensland FB: Dan O'Connor (age 30) ( |
June 6 | Rockhampton ![]() |
2–12 | ![]() |
Rockhampton Showground | |
Tries: 0 Goals: 1 Ken Brighton |
Team[15] Report[16] |
Tries: 2 Abby Graham (2) Goals: 3 Warwick Clarke (3) |
Attendance: 3,176 Gate: AU£ 599 Referee: J. Shuttleton |
Rockhampton FB: R. Graff ( |
2nd Test
June 12 |
Australia ![]() |
13–4 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Tries: 3 Ignatius Tyquin Len Pegg Pat McMahon Goals: 2 Keith Froome (2) |
Report[17] Report[18] Database |
Tries: 0 Goals: 2 Warwick Clarke (2) |
Brisbane Cricket Ground Attendance: 23,013 Gate: AU£ 3,689 Referee: S. Chambers |
Australia FB: Clive Churchill (age 21) ( |
June 14 | Newcastle | 9–10 | ![]() |
Newcastle Sports Ground | |
Tries: 1 Ned Andrews Goals: 3 Ron Crossley (3) |
Teams[19][20] Report[21] |
Tries: 2 Dave Redmond Sandy Hurndell Goals: 2 Warwick Clarke (2) |
Attendance: 8,000 Gate: AU£ 566 Referee: W. Jackson |
Newcastle FB: Les Gilbert ( |
Sources
Acronym | Item | Years | Database App | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Direct Online Access | ||||
RLN | Rugby League News | 1920-1973 | Trove | Match Program in Sydney, Team Lists, Team Photos, Articles |
RLP | Rugby League Project | 1907–present | Website | Test Match teams & scorers. |
Sun | The Sun (Sydney) | 1910-1954 | Trove | Match Reports, Articles. |
DT | The Daily Telegraph (Sydney) | 1931-1954 | Trove | Match Reports, Articles. |
CM | The Courier-Mail | 1933-1954 | Trove | Match Reports, Articles. |
- | Various Regional Newspapers | 1891-1954 | Trove | Match Reports, Given Names of Players |
Offline Resources | ||||
EECYB | E.E. Christensen's Official Rugby League Year Book | 1946-1978 | Copies at State Library of NSW | Teams, Point Scorers, Report. 1949 Yearbook covers the 1948 tour. |
References
- ↑ Age as given in the ‘’Rugby League News’’ for the first match against New South Wales
- ↑ "League Replacement - Team for Australia". Gisborne Herald. Gisborne: Gisborne Herald Company. 15 May 1948. p. 5. Retrieved 27 Dec 2020 – via National Library of New Zealand - Papers Part.
- ↑ New South Wales Rugby Football League. (1920). "Kiwis Make Rugby League History". The Rugby League News. Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League (Vol. 29 No. 10 (29 May 1948)). nla.obj-644034424. Retrieved 28 Dec 2020 – via Trove.
- ↑ Corbett, W.F. (22 May 1948). "N.S.W. Beats New Zealand 23-17; League Thriller". The Sun (Sydney). Sydney: National Library of Australia. p. 6. Retrieved 14 Dec 2020.
- ↑ "Rugby League - New Zealand at S'ground". Illawarra Mercury. Wollongong: National Library of Australia. 20 May 1948. p. 10. Retrieved 14 Dec 2020.
- ↑ "Rugby League". Illawarra Mercury. Wollongong: National Library of Australia. 27 May 1948. p. 10. Retrieved 14 Dec 2020.
- ↑ "Kiwis Defeat Country". South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus. Wollongong: National Library of Australia. 27 May 1948. p. 17. Retrieved 14 Dec 2020.
- ↑ Corbett, W.F. (29 May 1948). "New Zealand Wins Sensational Test By 21-19". The Sun (Sydney). Sydney: National Library of Australia. p. 6. Retrieved 14 Dec 2020.
- ↑ "Visit of Kiwis". Armidale Express. Armidale: National Library of Australia. 28 May 1948. p. 15. Retrieved 15 Dec 2020.
- ↑ "Kiwi Visit". Armidale Express. Armidale: National Library of Australia. 31 May 1948. p. 10. Retrieved 15 Dec 2020.
- ↑ "Spotlight on Sport - Rugby League - Kiwi Calculations Upset - Internationals Hard pressed By Northern Side". Armidale Express. Armidale: National Library of Australia. 4 Jun 1948. p. 14. Retrieved 15 Dec 2020.
- ↑ "Q.R.L. Team Thompson As Half-Back". The Queensland Times. Ipswich: National Library of Australia. 1 Jun 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 27 Dec 2020.
- ↑ Kearney, L.H. (6 Jun 1948). "Queensland gave Kiwis League battle fright". Sunday Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. p. 10. Retrieved 23 Dec 2020.
- ↑ "Cunning Kick Clipped Queensland". Truth. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 6 Jun 1948. p. 12. Retrieved 27 Dec 2020.
- ↑ "Rockhampton Team". The Morning Bulletin. Rockhampton: National Library of Australia. 31 May 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 27 Dec 2020.
- ↑ "Mighty Defence Marks R'ton-Kiwi Match". The Morning Bulletin. Rockhampton: National Library of Australia. 7 Jun 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 27 Dec 2020.
- ↑ Reid, R.W. (12 Jun 1948). "L. Pegg's Brilliant Attacks". Brisbane Telegraph. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. p. 3. Retrieved 27 Dec 2020.
- ↑ Kearney, L.H. (13 Jun 1948). "Australians Hit Back Hard To Beat Kiwi". Sunday Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. p. 10. Retrieved 27 Dec 2020.
- ↑ "The Teams". The Newcastle Sun. Newcastle: National Library of Australia. 14 Jun 1948. p. 8. Retrieved 14 Dec 2020.
- ↑ Roulston, R. S. (7 Jun 1948). "Attacking Team To Meet Kiwis". The Newcastle Sun. Newcastle: National Library of Australia. p. 8. Retrieved 15 Dec 2020.
- ↑ "Kiwis Win 10-9 In Final Burst". Newcastle Morning Herald. Newcastle: National Library of Australia. 15 Jun 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 14 Dec 2020.