1980 New Zealand rugby union tour of North America and Wales

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1980 New Zealand rugby union tour of North America and Wales
Summary
PWDL
Total
7700
Test match
3 [1] 000
Opponent
PWDL
Flag of the United States.svg  United States [2]
1 1 0 0
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada [3]
1 1 0 0
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales
1 1 0 0

The 1980 New Zealand tour of Wales was a collection of friendly rugby union games undertaken by the New Zealand All Blacks against Wales that also took in two international games in North America en route to South Wales. This was a single test tour against each of the countries played, with four games against Welsh club opposition.

Contents

Although the games were played within a tight schedule, the All Blacks were victorious in all seven matches. New Zealand scored 32 tries for and only conceding 2 against, for a total points tally of 197 to 41 over the entire tour.

Results

DateOpponentLocationResultScore
Match 1 8 October USA San Diego Stadium, San DiegoWon6–53
Match 2 11 October Canada Swangard Stadium, BurnabyWon10–43
Match 3 18 October Cardiff Cardiff Arms Park, CardiffWon9–16
Match 4 21 October Llanelli Stradey Park, LlanelliWon10–16
Match 5 25 October Swansea St Helens, SwanseaWon0–32
Match 6 28 October Newport Rodney Parade, NewportWon3–14
Match 7 1 November Wales Cardiff Arms Park, CardiffWon3–23

Touring party

Full-backs

Three-quarters

Five-eighths

Half-backs

Forwards

Matches

United States

8 October
United States  Flag of the United States.svg6–53Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Pen: Cooke (2)Try: Woodman (3)
Osborne (2)
Wilson
Allen
Old
Con: Codlin (6)
Pen: Codlin (3)
San Diego Stadium
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: I. Nixon (United States)

Canada

11 October
Canada  Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg10–43Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Try: Bibby
Pen:Schiefler (2)
Try: Shaw (3)
Mourie
Haden
Osborne
Wilson
Fraser
Con: Rollerson (4)
Pen: Rollerson
Swangard Stadium
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: C. Thomas (Wales)

Cardiff RFC

18 October
Cardiff RFC 9–16Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Pen: Davies (2)
Drop: Davies
Try: Fraser
Woodman
Con: Codlin
Pen: Codlin
Drop: Allen
Cardiff Arms Park
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: F. Palmade (France)

Llanelli RFC

21 October
Llanelli RFC 10–16Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Try Jones
Pen: Bennett
Drop: Gravelle
Try: Rollerson
Robertson
Con: Rollerson
Pen: Rollerson
Drop:Taylor
Stradey Park
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Alan Hosie (Scotland)

Like the game played three days earlier against Cardiff, Llanelli proved tough opposition for the touring New Zealand side. Of the seven games played during the tour this was the closest in score, with only a six-point margin and at half time Llanelli were actually 10–3 ahead.

This match is often remembered for a controversial refereeing decision by Scottish referee Alan Hosie. Towards the end of the game, with the match still in the balance, Hosie appeared to send off the All Black lock, Graeme Higginson, only for a group of Llanelli players, led by Phil Bennett to challenge the referee over the action. Higginson was allowed to stay on the field with Hosie stating later that there was no sending off, and he had only giving Higginson a warning.

Swansea RFC

25 October
Swansea RFC 0–32Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Try: Higginson
Shaw
Loveridge
Fraser
Wilson (2)
Con: Rollerson
Pen: Rollerson (2)
St Helens
Attendance: 28,000
Referee: J. R. West (Ireland)

Newport RFC

28 October
Newport RFC 3–14Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Pen: BollandTry: Shaw
Wilson
Pen: Coldin (2)
Rodney Parade
Attendance: unknown
Referee: A. Welsby (England)

Wales

1 November
Wales  Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg3–23Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Pen: Fenwick Try: Mourie
Allen
Fraser
Reid
Con: Rollerson (2)
Pen: Rollerson
Cardiff Arms Park
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: J. R. West (Ireland)

The All Blacks returned to the Cardiff Arms Park in the final game of the tour and quickly showed a dominance of the game that would continue until the final whistle. The fact that roughly 85% of the match was played in the Welsh half of the field correlates with the final score and the four tries from New Zealand that were without a Welsh reply. The defeat would have been far heavier, but Rollerson managed to convert only three of nine attempts at goal.

From this match only three Welsh players emerged with any credit. Full back J. P. R. Williams, scrum half Terry Holmes and on the wing 19-year-old Robert Ackerman, whose excellent covering play of Stu Wilson earned him a standing ovation when he left the field with an injury before the final whistle. [4]

References

  1. for two of them New Zealand did not award full international caps
  2. New Zealand did not award full international caps
  3. New Zealand did not award full international caps
  4. Rothmans Rugby Yearbook 1981–82 Vivian Jenkins (1982) pg 42 ISBN   0-907574-05-X