The Invincibles (rugby union)

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The Invincibles was a nickname given to the 1924-25 New Zealand rugby union team which toured the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Canada. The team was captained by Cliff Porter, and numbered among its top players George Nepia and brothers Cyril and Maurice Brownlie.

Between September 1924 and February 1925, the team played 32 games including four test matches, one each against Ireland, England, Wales, and France. They won all 32 games, scoring 838 points and only having 116 points scored against them.

[edit] Results

(test matches listed in bold)

vs Devonshire 11-0
vs Cornwall 29-0
vs Somersetshire 6-0
vs Gloucestershire 6-0
vs Swansea Club 39-3
vs Newport Club 13-10
vs Leicester Club 27-0
vs North Midlands 40-3
vs Cheshire 18-5
vs Durham County 43-7
vs Yorkshire 42-4
vs Lancashire 23-0
vs Cumberland 41-0
vs Ireland 6-0
vs Ulster 28-6
vs Northumberland 27-4
vs Cambridge University 5-0
vs London Counties 31-6
vs Oxford University 33-15
vs Cardiff Club 16-8
vs Wales 19-0
vs Llanelli Club 8-3
vs East Midlands 31-7
vs Warwickshire 20-0
vs Combined Services 25-3
vs Hampshire 22-0
vs London Counties 28-3
vs England 17-11
vs Selection Francais 37-8
vs France 30-6
vs Vancouver 49-0
vs Victoria (Canada) 68-4

[edit] The squad

Ces Badeley Handley Brown Cyril Brownlie
Maurice Brownlie Bert Cooke Leslie Cupples
Bill Dalley Quentin Donald Gus Hart
Ian Harvey Bill Irvine Fred Lucas
Brian McCleary Neil McGregor Read Masters
Jimmy Mill Abe Munro George Nepia
Mark Nicholls Lui Paewai Jim Parker
Cliff Porter Jock Richardson Alan Robilliard
Jack Steel Ron Stewart Snowy Svenson
Alf West Son White

Cliff Porter was tour captain, but played only 17 of the 30 games due to injury, including just one test (against France). During the remaining games, tour vice-captain Jock Richardson took over the captaincy.

[edit] References

  • Chester, R., Palenski, R., and McMillan, N. (1998) The Encyclopedia of New Zealand Rugby. Auckland: Hodder Moa Beckett.