1972 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand and Fiji | |||||
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Manager | Joe French | ||||
Tour captain(s) | Greg Davis | ||||
Summary |
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Total |
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Test match |
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Opponent |
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New Zealand |
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Fiji |
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The 1972 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand and Fiji was a series of thirteen rugby union matches, including three tests, played by the Wallabies in New Zealand, plus a one-off test match played by the Wallabies against the Fijians in Fiji. The tour took place in August and September 1972. [1]
The test series in New Zealand was won by the All Blacks with three wins from three matches. The test match in Fiji was won by the Wallabies. [2]
Scores and results list Australia's points tally first.
Opposing Team | For | Against | Date | Venue | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Otago | 0 | 26 | 5 Aug 1972 | Carisbrook, Dunedin | Tour match [3] |
West Coast-Buller | 10 | 15 | 9 Aug 1972 | Victoria Square, Westport | Tour match [4] |
Taranaki | 20 | 15 | 12 Aug 1972 | Rugby Park, New Plymouth | Tour match [5] |
Bay of Plenty | 6 | 6 | 15 Aug 1972 | Tauranga Domain, Tauranga | Tour match [6] |
New Zealand | 6 | 29 | 19 Aug 1972 | Athletic Park, Wellington | Test match [7] |
King Country | 13 | 6 | 23 Aug 1972 | Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui | Tour match [8] |
Hawke's Bay | 14 | 15 | 26 Aug 1972 | McLean Park, Napier | Tour match [9] |
Nelson Bays | 26 | 7 | 29 Sep 1972 | Trafalgar Park, Nelson | Tour match [10] |
New Zealand | 17 | 30 | 2 Sep 1972 | Lancaster Park, Christchurch | Test match [11] |
North Otago | 37 | 12 | 5 Sep 1972 | Centennial Park, Oamaru | Tour match [12] |
Waikato | 24 | 26 | 9 Sep 1972 | Rugby Park, Hamilton | Tour match [13] |
Poverty Bay / East Coast | 22 | 19 | 12 Sep 1972 | Rugby Park, Gisborne | Tour match [14] |
New Zealand | 3 | 38 | 16 Sep 1972 | Eden Park, Auckland | Test match [2] |
Fiji | 21 | 19 | 19 Sep 1972 | National Stadium, Suva | Test match [15] |
The Wallaby squad was captained by Greg Davis described by Howell as "a leader of men who believed a leader should lead....a single minded flanker who gave no quarter and asked for none". [16] Davis was making his seventh and final overseas tour with the Wallabies, his third as captain. Howell writes that for Davis at 33 years and the end of a magnificent career, the seven loss & five win result of the tour was "a disaster and occasioned Davis' retirement". [17] An injury picked up in New Zealand prevented Davis from leading the side in the Test match in Fiji on the way home. Peter Sullivan led the Wallabies to a narrow 21-19 victory against Fiji. He had already captained Australia in two mid-week games during the New Zealand leg. The third Test in New Zealand, a 38-3 romp by the All Blacks was Greg Davis' last match. [17]
Joe French was the Tour Manager. Bob Templeton was the team's coach who carried the traditional touring title of Assistant Manager. [1]
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