1953 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand

Last updated
1953 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand
ManagerDudley F. Locke
George McLeod
Coach(es) Clive Churchill
Tour captain(s) Clive Churchill
Top point scorer(s) Noel Pidding 63
Top try scorer(s) Des McGovern 19
Top test point scorer(s) Noel Pidding 13
New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg Des White 24
Top test try scorer(s) Ken McCaffery 2
Harry Wells 2
New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg Ron McKay 3
Summary
PWDL
Total
09070002
Test match
03010002
Opponent
PWDL
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
3 1 0 2
Tour chronology
Previous tour 1949 Australian colours.svg to New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg
1952 New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg to Australian colours.svg
1952-53 to Flag of the United Kingdom.svgFlag of France.svg
Next tour 1956 New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg to Australian colours.svg
1952-53 to Flag of the United Kingdom.svgFlag of France.svg
1961 Australian colours.svg to New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg

The 1953 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand was a mid-season tour of New Zealand by the Australia national rugby league team. The Australians played nine matches on tour, including three tests against the New Zealand national rugby league team. The tour began on 24 June and finished on 18 July. [1]

Contents

Leadership

Clive Churchill was both the captain and the coach of the touring side. He appeared in eight of the nine matches.
In the one game in which Churchill was absent, against Northland, Ken McCaffery captained the Australian team.
The team was managed by Dudley Locke of Wollongong and George McLeod of Maryborough. [2]

Touring squad

The Rugby League News published the touring team including the players' ages and weights. [3] Match details - listing surnames of both teams and the point scorers - were included in E.E. Christensen's Official Rugby League Yearbook, as was a summary of the players' point-scoring. [4]
Crocker, Davies, Drew, Hornery, Banks, McCaffery, McGovern and Watson were selected from Queensland clubs. Carlson, Gill and Paul were selected from clubs in New South Wales Country areas. The balance of the squad had played for Sydney based clubs during the 1953 season.

PlayerPositionAgeWeightClubTests
on
Tour
GamesTriesGoals FG Points
Ferris Ashton Second-row 2614 st. 8 lb. (93 kg) Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs 1545022
Roy Bull Prop 2314 st. 4 lb. (91 kg) Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah 36206
Brian Carlson Wing 2013 st. 3 lb. (84 kg) New South Wales colours.svg Newcastle Northern Suburbs2616558
Clive Churchill Fullback 2611 st. 7 lb. (73 kg) South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney 381003
Les Cowie Lock 2813 st. 4 lb. (84 kg) South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney 150000
Harold Crocker Lock 2415 st. 0 lb. (95 kg) Western Suburbs colours.svg South Brisbane 350000
Brian Davies Prop 2215 st. 0 lb. (95 kg) Brothers Colours.svg Brisbane Brothers 373009
Bernie Drew Second-row 2413 st. 7 lb. (86 kg) Parramatta colours.svg Ipswich Railways1592031
Charlie Gill Prop 3013 st. 12 lb. (88 kg) New South Wales colours.svg Newcastle Northern Suburbs371105
Greg Hawick Five-eighth 2113 st. 0 lb. (83 kg) South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney 261309
Keith Holman Halfback 2511 st. 9 lb. (74 kg) Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs 1422010
Alan Hornery Hooker 2713 st. 6 lb. (85 kg) Wests Panthers Colours.svg Brisbane Western Suburbs 051105
Ken Kearney Hooker 2714 st. 2 lb. (90 kg) St. George colours.svg St George 340000
Bob Banks Five-eighth 2212 st. 6 lb. (79 kg) Newtown colours.svg Toowoomba Newtown3742016
Ken McCaffery Centre 2313 st. 0 lb. (83 kg) Balmain colours.svg Toowoomba Souths3680024
Des McGovern Wing 2413 st. 4 lb. (84 kg) Newtown colours.svg Toowoomba Newtown16191059
Albert Paul Second-row 2514 st. 2 lb. (90 kg) Parramatta colours.svg Lakes United 051105
Noel Pidding Wing 2612 st. 6 lb. (79 kg) St. George colours.svg St George 38918063
Alex Watson Centre 2013 st. 4 lb. (84 kg) Wests Panthers Colours.svg Brisbane Western Suburbs 0561020
Harry Wells Centre 2114 st. 2 lb. (90 kg) St. George colours.svg Wollongong3770021

Tour

The Australians played nine matches on the tour, winning seven matches and losing two, both being tests against the Kiwis.


Wednesday 24 June
West Coast Saintscolours.svg 11 – 17 Australian colours.svg Australia
[5]
Wingham Park, Greymouth
Attendance: 2,003

First test

Saturday 27 June
New Zealand  Flag of New Zealand.svg25 – 5Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Tries:
Ron McKay (2)
George Davidson
Jimmy Edwards
Des White Goals:
Des White (4/4)
John Bond (1/1)
[6]
Tries:
Ferris Ashton
Goals:
Noel Pidding (1/1)
Rugby League Park, Christchurch
Attendance: 5,509
Referee: Wally Wilkinson Flag of New Zealand.svg
Kit left arm whiteborder.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body kiwis1950.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm whiteborder.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks white hoops.png
Kit socks long.svg
New Zealand
Kit left arm kangaroos.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body kangaroos54.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm kangaroos.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks hoops gold.png
Kit socks long.svg
Australia
FB1 Canterbury colours.svg Des White
RW2 Canterbury colours.svg Jimmy Edwards
RC3 Sunshine Coast Colours.svg Ron McKay
LC4 Canterbury colours.svg Tommy Baxter
LW5 Canterbury colours.svg Bevin Hough
FE6 Canterbury colours.svg Bill Sorensen
HB7 North Sydney colours.svg Jimmy Haig (c)
PR8 North Sydney colours.svg John Bond
HK9 Canterbury colours.svg George Davidson
PR10 Saintscolours.svg Bill McLennan
SR11 Saintscolours.svg Bob Neilson
SR12 Saintscolours.svg Frank Mulcare
LF13 North Sydney colours.svg Alister Atkinson
Coach:
Flag of New Zealand.svg Jim Amos
FB1 South Sydney colours.svg Clive Churchill (c)
RW2 Newtown colours.svg Brian Carlson
RC3 Illawarra colours.svg Harry Wells
LC4 Toowoomba Clydesdales colours.svg Ken McCaffery
LW5 St. George colours.svg Noel Pidding
FE6 Toowoomba Clydesdales colours.svg Bob Banks
HB7 Western Suburbs colours.svg Keith Holman
PR8 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Roy Bull
HK9 St. George colours.svg Ken Kearney
PR10 Newtown colours.svg Charlie Gill
SR11 Brothers Colours.svg Brian Davies
SR12 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Ferris Ashton
LF13 Western Suburbs colours.svg Harold Crocker
Coach:
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Clive Churchill

Tuesday 30 June
South Island 9 – 66 Australian colours.svg Australia
[7]
Tahuna Park, Dunedin
Attendance: 2,956

Second test

Saturday 4 July
New Zealand  Flag of New Zealand.svg12 – 11Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Tries:
Ron McKay
Bob Neilson
Goals:
Des White (3/3)
[8]
Tries:
Ken McCaffery
Brian Carlson
Goals:
Noel Pidding (1/2)
Basin Reserve, Wellington
Attendance: 5,394
Referee: Wally Wilkinson Flag of New Zealand.svg
Kit left arm whiteborder.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body kiwis1950.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm whiteborder.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks white hoops.png
Kit socks long.svg
New Zealand
Kit left arm kangaroos.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body kangaroos54.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm kangaroos.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks hoops gold.png
Kit socks long.svg
Australia
FB1 Canterbury colours.svg Des White
RW2 North Sydney colours.svg Cyril Paskell
RC3 Sunshine Coast Colours.svg Ron McKay
LC4 Canterbury colours.svg Tommy Baxter
LW5 Canterbury colours.svg Jimmy Edwards
FE6 Canterbury colours.svg Bill Sorensen
HB7 North Sydney colours.svg Jimmy Haig (c)
PR8 Saintscolours.svg Bill McLennan
HK9 Canterbury colours.svg George Davidson
PR10 North Sydney colours.svg John Bond
SR11 Saintscolours.svg Bob Neilson
SR12 Saintscolours.svg Frank Mulcare
LF13 North Sydney colours.svg Alister Atkinson
Coach:
Flag of New Zealand.svg Jim Amos
FB1 South Sydney colours.svg Clive Churchill (c)
RW2 Newtown colours.svg Brian Carlson
RC3 Illawarra colours.svg Harry Wells
LC4 Toowoomba Clydesdales colours.svg Ken McCaffery
LW5 St. George colours.svg Noel Pidding
FE6 Toowoomba Clydesdales colours.svg Bob Banks
HB7 South Sydney colours.svg Greg Hawick
PR8 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Roy Bull
HK9 St. George colours.svg Ken Kearney
PR10 Newtown colours.svg Charlie Gill
SR11 Brothers Colours.svg Brian Davies
SR12 Western Suburbs colours.svg Harold Crocker
LF13 South Sydney colours.svg Les Cowie
Coach:
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Clive Churchill

Monday 6 July
Taranaki Sunshine Coast Colours.svg 3 – 62 Australian colours.svg Australia
[9]
Pukekura Park, New Plymouth
Attendance: 1,950

Wednesday 8 July
South Auckland 11 – 63 Australian colours.svg Australia
[10]
Davies Park, Huntly
Attendance: 1,044

Saturday 11 July
Auckland Canterbury colours.svg 4 – 26 Australian colours.svg Australia
[11]
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 8,556

Wednesday 15 July
Northland New South Wales colours.svg 7 – 98 Australian colours.svg Australia
[12]
Okara Park, Whangārei
Attendance: 1,051

Third test

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References

  1. "Kangaroos Tour 1953 - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 2020-09-18.
  2. New South Wales Rugby Football League. (1920). "Manager For N.Z." The Rugby League News. 34 (5 (18 April 1953)). Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League. nla.obj-643706177. Retrieved 17 Jan 2021 via Trove.
  3. New South Wales Rugby Football League. (1920). "Sound Side For N.Z." The Rugby League News. 34 (16 (20 June 1953)). Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League. nla.obj-643864189. Retrieved 16 Jan 2021 via Trove.
  4. E.E.Christensen (1954). "Players' Records in N.Z.". E.E. Christensen's Official Rugby League Yearbook. 8. Sydney: E.E.Christensen.
  5. 1953 West Coast vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  6. 1953 New Zealand vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  7. 1953 South Island vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  8. 1953 New Zealand vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  9. 1953 Taranaki vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  10. 1953 South Auckland vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  11. 1953 Auckland vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  12. 1953 Northland vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  13. 1953 New Zealand vs Australia – Rugby League Project