1929–30 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain
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The 1929–30 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain was the fourth Kangaroo tour, and took the Australia national rugby league team all around England and also into Wales. The tour also featured the ninth Ashes series which comprised four Test matches and was won by Great Britain. The team sailed on the SS Orsova via the Panama Canal and played an exhibition game in New York before arriving in England.
Touring squad
A total of 28 footballers were selected to go on the tour: 13 from clubs of Sydney's NSWRFL Premiership, 4 from clubs of the Toowoomba Rugby League, 3 from clubs of the Brisbane Rugby League premiership, 3 from clubs of the Ipswich Rugby League and 5 from elsewhere in country New South Wales and Queensland. In Sydney on 24 July 1929, the day before the Kangaroos were to sail to England, Queensland's Tom Gorman was named captain of the squad.[1] He was the first Queenslander to captain a touring Kangaroos side.[2] South Sydney's Arthur Hennessey joined the tour as non-playing coach,[3] the first such appointment till Clive Churchill in 1959.[4] The tour manager was Harry Sunderland.[5]
The players were paid £4 10s per week from the time they left Sydney till they returned. The English and Australian Leagues agreed on strict rules prohibiting English clubs from signing the Australian players during the tour.[6]
| Name | Posit. | Club | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vic Armbruster | Forward | Fortitude Valley | 3 |
| George Bishop | Hooker | Balmain | 2 |
| Bill Brogan | Forward | Western Suburbs (Sydney) | 3 |
| Joe Busch | Half | Eastern Suburbs (Sydney) | 4 |
| Dan Dempsey | Hooker | Tivoli | 1 |
| Arthur Edwards | Half | Fortitude Valley | 0 |
| Cec Fifield | Three-quarter | Western Suburbs (Sydney) | 4 |
| Harry Finch | Three-quarter | South Sydney | 0 |
| Tom Gorman (c) | Three-quarter | Brothers (Brisbane) | 4 |
| Arthur Henderson | Hooker | Booval | 0 |
| Jack Holmes | Half | Newtown (Sydney) | 0 |
| Arthur Justice | Hooker | St. George | 2 |
| Harry Kadwell | Half | South Sydney | 0 |
| Jack Kingston | Forward | Cootamundra | 2 |
| Fred Laws | Half | Newtown (Toowoomba) | 1 |
| Mick Madsen | Forward | Brothers (Toowoomba) | 2 |
| Paddy Maher | Three-quarter | South Sydney | 0 |
| Frank McMillan | Fullback | Western Suburbs (Sydney) | 4 |
| Wally Prigg | Forward | Central Newcastle | 2 |
| Alan Ridley | Three-quarter | Queanbeyan | 0 |
| Eddie Root | Forward | South Sydney | 0 |
| Les Sellars | Forward | Starlights (Ipswich) | 0 |
| Bill Shankland | Three-quarter | Eastern Suburbs (Sydney) | 4 |
| Bill Spencer | Three-quarter | ? (Bundaberg) | 4 |
| Herb Steinohrt | Forward | Valleys (Toowoomba) | 3 |
| George Treweek | Forward | South Sydney | 4 |
| Jack Upton | Fullback | Souths (Toowoomba) | 0 |
| Eric Weissel | Half | Temora | 3 |
Matches
| Saturday, 7 September | Rochdale  |
3 – 36 |  Australasia |
Athletic Grounds, Rochdale | |
| Attendance: 6,521 |
| Wednesday, 11 September | York  |
11 – 32 | Australasia |
Wigginton Road, York | |
| Attendance: 4,729 |
| Saturday, 14 September | Batley  |
5 – 27 | Australasia |
Mount Pleasant, Batley | |
| Attendance: 6,000 |
| Thursday, 19 September | Widnes  |
13 – 37 | Australasia |
Lowerhouse Lane, Widnes | |
| Attendance: 6,000 |
| Saturday, 21 September | Broughton Rangers  |
8 – 21 | Australasia |
The Cliff, Swinton | |
| Attendance: 6,514 |
| Thursday, 26 September | Lancashire  |
14 – 29 | Australasia |
Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington | |
| Attendance: 24,000 |
| Saturday, 28 September | Wakefield Trinity  |
14 – 3 | Australasia |
Belle Vue, Wakefield | |
| Attendance: 9,786 |
| Thursday, 1 October | Keighley  |
9 – 15 | Australasia |
Lawkholme Lane, Keighley | |
| Attendance: 3,000 |
1st Test
In the tour matches leading up to the first Test, the Australian team had won 7 of their 8 games.[6] The English team was weakened by the absence of their usual captain, Jonty Parkin (who was suffering from lower back pain), as well as Brough and Ellaby
Saturday, 5 October 1929 |
England  |
8 – 31 |  Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Jack Feetham Alf Middleton Goal: Joe Thompson (1) |
Tries: Bill Shankland (2) George Bishop Wally Prigg Bill Spencer George Treweek Eric Weissel Goals: Eric Weissel (5) |
Australia had scored four tries by half time. England's first try came 14 minutes into the second half. This was England captain Les Fairclough's last match against the Australians.[8]
| Wednesday, 9 October | Castleford  |
2 – 53 | Australasia |
Wheldon Road, Castleford | |
| Attendance: 4,000 |
| Saturday, 12 October | Huddersfield  |
8 – 18 | Australasia |
Fartown Ground, Huddersfield | |
| Attendance: 18,560 |
| Wednesday, 16 October | Leigh  |
16 – 19 | Australasia |
Mather Lane, Leigh | |
| Attendance: 8,000 |
| Saturday, 19 October | Barrow  |
10 – 13 | Australasia |
Little Park, Barrow-in-Furness | |
| Attendance: 10,000 |
| Wednesday, 23 October | Leeds  |
10 – 13 | Australasia |
Headingley, Leeds | |
| Attendance: 10,000 |
| Saturday, 26 October | Hull  |
2 – 35 | Australasia |
The Boulevard, Hull | |
| Attendance: 10,000 |
| Saturday, 2 November | Oldham  |
10 – 18 | Australasia |
The Watersheddings, Oldham | |
| Attendance: 18,000 |
2nd Test
In response to their loss to the Australians in the previous Test, the British made several changes to their side for the 2nd Test.
Saturday, 9 November 1929 |
| England |
9 – 3 | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Artie Atkinson Goals: Jim Sullivan (3) |
Tries: Bill Shankland Goals: |
England, with the help of Parkin closed the gap between themselves and the Australians, with Sullivan's goal kicking giving the home team a winning margin of 9–3.[9]
| Wednesday, 13 November | Bradford Northern  |
17 – 26 | Australasia |
Birch Lane, Bradford | |
| Attendance: 7,000 |
| Saturday, 16 November | St Helens  |
18 – 18 | Australasia |
Knowsley Road, St Helens | |
| Attendance: 9,500 |
| Wednesday, 20 November | Yorkshire  |
12 – 25 | Australasia |
Belle Vue, Wakefield | |
| Attendance: 7,011 |
| Saturday, 23 November | Halifax  |
9 – 58 | Australasia |
Thrum Hall, Halifax | |
| Attendance: 8,440 |
| Saturday, 30 November | Swinton  |
9 – 58 | Australasia |
Station Road, Swinton | |
| Attendance: 9,000 |
| Tuesday, 3 December | English League XIII  |
18 – 5 | Australasia |
Central Park, Wigan | |
| Attendance: 9,987 |
| Saturday, 7 December | Cumberland  |
8 – 5 | Australasia |
Lonsdale Park, Workington | |
| Attendance: 3,500 |
| Wednesday, 11 December | Glamorgan/Monmouth  |
9 – 39 | Australasia |
White City Stadium, Cardiff | |
| Attendance: 3,000 |
| Saturday, 14 December | St Helens Recreation  |
8 – 22 | Australasia |
City Road, St Helens | |
| Attendance: 9,000 |
| Wednesday, 18 December | English League XIII |
22 – 32 | Australasia |
St James' Park, Newcastle | |
| Attendance: 9,690 |
| Saturday, 21 December | Warrington  |
17 – 8 | Australasia |
Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington | |
| Attendance: 12,826 |
| Wednesday, 25 December | Hunslet  |
18 – 3 | Australasia |
Parkside, Hunslet | |
| Attendance: 12,000 |
| Thursday, 26 December | Hull KR  |
5 – 10 | Australasia |
Craven Park, Hull | |
| Attendance: 12,000 |
| Saturday, 28 December | Wigan  |
9 – 10 | Australasia |
Central Park, Wigan | |
| Attendance: 8,000 |
3rd Test
England had held the Ashes for almost 20 years, and this match would decide whether they were to continue doing so.
It was a freezing afternoon for the deciding test, which Australia dominated yet was still unable to put points on the board.[10] With only a few minutes remaining and the scores locked at nil-all in the third and deciding test, Busch collected the ball from a scrum win 30 metres out and scooted down the sideline. He crashed over the try-line in the corner with England's loose forward Butters on his back making a last-ditch attempt to stop him. As the corner post went flying the crowd spilled onto the field in excitement. Referee Bob Robinson looked set to award Australia the try and the game (and with it the Ashes) when the touch-judge Albert Webster emerged through the crowd claiming Busch had taken out the corner post before grounding the ball. Even though the referee believed it was a fair try he had no option other than to rule 'no try'. The referee was reported to have said to the Kangaroos "fair try Australia, but I am overruled". The match finished as a 0–0 draw, leaving the series tied at one match apiece. For the remainder of his life Busch insisted he scored the try, quoted as saying "I got it down all right…it was a fair try."[11] The corner where Busch scored the disallowed try in Swinton, is still officially known as Busch's Corner.[12]
| Saturday, 11 January | Salford  |
5 – 21 | Australasia |
The Willows, Salford | |
| Attendance: 8,000 |
4th Test
After much deliberation the controversial decision was made to play a fourth Test a week later. This was the first and only time that a fourth test has been played on any Kangaroo tour.[13]
In this match Cec Fifield broke his ankle and was unable to play the remainder of the tour. In an enthralling and especially brutal match, the deadlock was only broken by Stan Smith's solitary unconverted try so England won 3–0, to retain the Ashes.[14]
Wales
Saturday, 18 January 1930 |
Wales  |
10 – 26 | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Steve Ray Mel Rosser Goals: Jim Sullivan (2) |
Tries: Jack Upton (2) Arthur Justice Wally Prigg Bill Spencer George Treweek Goals: Fred Laws (2/3) Bill Spencer (2/4) |
| Wales | Posit. | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Sullivan | FB | Frank McMillan |
| Steve Ray | WG | Bill Spencer |
| Mel Rosser | CE | Jack Upton |
| Tommy Parker | CE | Tom Gorman (c) |
| Johnny Ring | WG | Bill Shankland |
| Dai Davies | SO | Fred Laws |
| Billo Rees | SH | Joe Busch |
| Billy Williams | PR | Herb Steinohrt |
| Les White | HK | Arthur Justice |
| Joe Thompson (c) | PR | Bill Brogan |
| Frank Stephens | SR | Jack Kingston |
| Arthur Evans | SR | Wally Prigg |
| Jesse Meredith | LF | George Treweek |
References
- ↑ "Tom Gorman to captain Rugby Team for England". The Barrier Miner. 24 July 1929. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
- ↑ "Tom Gorman Kangaroos captain". The Courier-Mail. 8 January 2008. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
- ↑ Murray G. Phillips (2000). From Sidelines to Centre Field: A History of Sports Coaching in Australia. Australia: University of New South Wales Press. p. 27. ISBN 0868404101.
- ↑ Cunneen, Chris. "Hennessy, Arthur Stephen (1876–1959)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
- ↑ Scott, Edmond. "Sunderland, Harry (1889–1964)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
- 1 2 "ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN RUGBY". The Singapore Free Press. 5 October 1929. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
- ↑ "LEAGUE TEST: Australians win". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 October 1929. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
- ↑ saints.org.uk. "Les Fairclough". Players. Saints Heritage Society. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
- ↑ Goodman, Tom (15 June 1946). "League Tests nearly always grim Contests". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
- ↑ de la Rivière, Richard. "1929/30 Ashes Series". Thirteen. richarddelariviere.co.uk. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
- ↑ "League's Grand Old Man Departs". The Daily Telegraph. 31 May 1999.
- ↑ "Youth from bush jumped straight into Test league". The Daily Mirror. 11 May 1979.
- ↑ "The History of Rugby League". Rugby League Information. napit.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ↑ Tony Collins (2006). Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain: A Social and Cultural History. UK: Routledge. p. 116. ISBN 0203088352.
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