1969 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand

Last updated
1969 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand
ManagerEddie Burns
Jack Lynch
Coach(es) Harry Bath
Tour captain(s) John Sattler
Top point scorer(s) Les Johns 42
Top try scorer(s) Dennis Manteit 5
Top test point scorer(s) Les Johns 14
New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg Don Ladner 22
Top test try scorer(s) Ron Coote 3
Summary
PWDL
Total
6402
Test match
2101
Opponent
PWDL
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
2 1 0 1
Tour chronology
Previous tour 1965 by Australian colours.svg to New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg
1967 by New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg to Australian colours.svg
1967-68 to Flag of the United Kingdom.svgFlag of France.svg
1968 by Flag of France.svg to New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg
Next tour 1970 by Flag of the United Kingdom.svg to New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg
1971 by Australian colours.svg to New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg

The 1969 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand was a mid-season tour of New Zealand by the Australia national rugby league team. The Australians played six matches on tour, including two tests against the New Zealand national rugby league team. The tour began on 28 May and finished on 10 June. [1]

Contents

Leadership

Harry Bath coached the Kangaroos side throughout the tour. South Sydney's John Sattler captained the side. In the two matches in which Sattler did not play, the team was captained by Les Johns (against Wellington) and John McDonald against Auckland.
The touring team was co-managed by Eddie Burns (Canterbury, NSW) and Jack Lynch (Ipswich, Qld). [2]

Touring squad

The Rugby League News published details of the touring team including the players' ages and weights. [3] A team photo was published during the tour.
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]
Denman, Fitzsimmons, Manteit, Robson and Weiss were selected from Queensland clubs. Cootes, Costello and Lye were selected from clubs in New South Wales Country areas. The balance of the squad were playing for Sydney based clubs during the 1969 season. [5]

PlayerPositionAgeWeight
st.lb (kg)
ClubTests
on
Tour
GamesTriesGoals FG Points
Michael Cleary Wing 2914.0 (89) South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney 0240012
Ron Coote Lock 2414.3 (90) South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney 2540012
John Cootes Wing 2713.10 (87) Wynnum-Manly Colours.svg Newcastle Western Suburbs 2432013
Ron Costello Second-row 2614.1 (89) North Sydney colours.svg C.B.C. Wollongong 142006
Jeff Denman Wing 2612.0 (76) Balmain colours.svg Brisbane Eastern Suburbs 030000
Brian Fitzsimmons Hooker 2612.8 (80) Brothers Colours.svg Glastone Brothers030000
Bob Honan Wing 2512.7 (79) South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney 261003
Les Johns Fullback 2712.0 (76) Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury 24019242
Graeme Langlands Centre 2713.0 (83) St. George colours.svg St George 250306
Graham Lye Five-eighth 2111.12 (75) Newcastle colours.svg Illawarra Western Suburbs 030000
Dennis Manteit Prop 2615.4 (97) Brothers Colours.svg Brisbane Brothers 0350015
Bob McCarthy Second-row 2415.3 (97) South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney 241003
John McDonald Centre 2413.0 (83) Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah 252006
Denis Pittard Five-eighth 2211.6 (73) South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney 241003
Ian Robson Second-row 2115.0 (95) Wests Panthers Colours.svg Brisbane Western Suburbs 020000
John Sattler (c) Prop 2614.8 (93) South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney 241003
Elwyn Walters Hooker 2413.11 (88) South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney 240000
Dennis Ward Halfback 2410.10 (68) Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah 251027
Col Weiss Second-row 2512.7 (79) Queensland colours.svg Bundaberg151003
John Wittenberg Prop 3015.3 (97) St. George colours.svg St George 251003

Tour

The Australians played six matches on the tour, winning the first four before losing the final two. [6]


Wednesday 28 May
North Island Colts New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg 13 – 17 Australian colours.svg Australia
Report [7]
Database [8]

First test

Sunday 1 June
New Zealand  Flag of New Zealand.svg10 – 20Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Tries:
Goals:
Don Ladner (5/5)
Team [7]
Report [9]
Database [10]
Tries:
Ron Coote (2)
John Cootes
Denis Pittard
Goals:
Les Johns (4/4)
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 13,459
Referee: John Percival 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 Don Ladner
RW2 Dennis Key
CE3 John Wilson
CE4 Sam Rolleston
LW5 Mocky Brereton
FE6 Trevor Patrick
HB7 Graeme Cooksley
PR8 Oscar Danielson
HK9 Colin O'Neil (c)
PR10 Bill Noonan
SR11 John Hibbs
SR12 Tony Kriletich
LF13 Rodney Walker
Coach:
Flag of New Zealand.svg Lory Blanchard
FB1 Les Johns
RW2 John Cootes
CE3 Graeme Langlands
CE4 John McDonald
LW5 Bob Honan
FE6 Denis Pittard
HB7 Dennis Ward
PR8 John Wittenberg
HK9 Elwyn Walters
PR10 John Sattler (c)
SR11 Ron Costello
SR12 Bob McCarthy
LF13 Ron Coote
Coach:
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Harry Bath

Monday 2 June
South Island New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg 15 – 24 Australian colours.svg Australia
Report [11]
Database [12]

Wednesday 4 June
Wellington Wellington colours.svg 7 – 48 Australian colours.svg Australia
Team [13]
Report [14]
Database [15]
Basin Reserve, Wellington
Attendance: 1,415

Second test

Saturday 7 June
New Zealand  Flag of New Zealand.svg18 – 14Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Tries:
Bill Noonan
Phil Orchard
Goals:
Don Ladner (5/5)
Field goals:
Don Ladner (1)
Team [16]
Report [17]
Database [18]
Tries:
Ron Coote
Robert McCarthy
Goals:
Les Johns (4/4)
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 9,848
Referee: John Percival 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 Don Ladner
RW2 Phillip Orchard
CE3 Mocky Brereton
CE4 Brian Clark
LW5 Roy Christian
FE6 Gary Woollard
HB7 Graeme Cooksley
PR8 Oscar Danielson
HK9 Colin O'Neil (c)
PR10 Doug Gailey
SR11 Bill Deacon
SR12 Bill Noonan
LF13 Tony Kriletich
Coach:
Flag of New Zealand.svg Lory Blanchard
FB1 Les Johns
RW2 Bob Honan
CE3 Graeme Langlands
CE4 John McDonald
LW5 John Cootes
FE6 Denis Pittard
HB7 Dennis Ward
PR8 John Sattler (c)
HK9 Elwyn Walters
PR10 John Wittenberg
SR11 Bob McCarthy
SR12 Col Weiss
LF13 Ron Coote
Coach:
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Harry Bath

Tuesday 10 June
Auckland Canterbury colours.svg 15 – 14 Australian colours.svg Australia
Teams [19]
Report [20]
Database [21]
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 6,520

References

  1. "Kangaroos Tour 1969 - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  2. New South Wales Rugby Football League. (1920). "Team Manager for N.Z." The Rugby League News. 50 (14 (3 May 1969)). Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League. nla.obj-767453332. Retrieved 28 Jan 2021 via Trove.
  3. New South Wales Rugby Football League. (1920). "Players for N.Z. Tour". The Rugby League News. 50 (18 (24 May 1969)). Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League. nla.obj-759105460. Retrieved 28 Jan 2021 via Trove.
  4. E.E.Christensen (1970). "Australian Tour of N.Z.". E.E. Christensen's Official Rugby League Yearbook. 24. Sydney: E.E.Christensen.
  5. "N.S.W. 12, Queensland 5, Country 3 No Surprises In Rl Tour Team". The Canberra Times . Canberra: National Library of Australia. 19 May 1969. p. 14. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
  6. SteveRicketts (2019-06-19). "FLASHBACK: June 1969". Steve Ricketts. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  7. 1 2 "Weiss may play". The Canberra Times . Canberra: National Library of Australia. 29 May 1969. p. 30. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
  8. 1969 North Island Colts vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  9. "One-Sided R.L. Test New Zealand No Match For Australia". The Canberra Times . Canberra: National Library of Australia. 2 Jun 1969. p. 12. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
  10. 1969 New Zealand vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  11. "Kangaroos strike referee trouble again". The Canberra Times . Canberra: National Library of Australia. 3 Jun 1969. p. 20. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
  12. 1969 South Island vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  13. "Injuries plague league tourists". The Canberra Times . Canberra: National Library of Australia. 4 Jun 1969. p. 32. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
  14. "League tourists win at a canter". The Canberra Times . Canberra: National Library of Australia. 5 Jun 1969. p. 40. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
  15. 1969 Wellington vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  16. "Curfew set by coach". The Canberra Times . Canberra: National Library of Australia. 7 Jun 1969. p. 30. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
  17. "N.Z. On Top In Test". The Canberra Times . Canberra: National Library of Australia. 9 Jun 1969. p. 12. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
  18. 1969 New Zealand vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  19. "Battered league tourists face hard game". The Canberra Times . Canberra: National Library of Australia. 10 Jun 1969. p. 22. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
  20. "Sensational End To Tough League Tour - Referee knocked out; Wittenberg in hospital". The Canberra Times . Canberra: National Library of Australia. 11 Jun 1969. p. 32. Retrieved 29 Jan 2021.
  21. 1969 Auckland vs Australia – Rugby League Project