The 1989 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 a three test series against the New Zealand national rugby league team. The tour began on 4 July and finished on 23 July. [1]
Australia, the reigning Rugby League World Cup champions after having defeated New Zealand 25–12 in the 1988 World Cup Final at Auckland's Eden Park ground, defeated the home side 3–0 in the series. The third test of the series also doubled as the first match of the 1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup tournament. [2]
The series was broadcast to Australia by the Nine Network with commentary provided by Ray Warren and Darrell Eastlake.
As of 2017, this remains the last full mid-season Kangaroo tour of New Zealand in which the Australians played against club and regional teams.
Don Furner had stepped down after three successful years as coach and was replaced by 1978 Kangaroo tour captain and Manly-Warringah's 1987 premiership winning coach Bob Fulton. Wally Lewis was the captain of the side as he had been since 1984 while Manly-Warringah's Paul Vautin was the team vice-captain. Vautin captained the team in the three non-test games of the tour.
Queensland had won the 1989 State of Origin series with a 3–0 clean sweep of New South Wales prior to the tour. Of the 20 man touring team, 12 were from Qld with 8 from NSW. Balmain Tigers front rower Steve Roach was the only tourist who had not played in the Origin series.
Only 10 players from the touring party would go on to be selected for the 1990 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France.
The Australians played six games on the tour, winning five.
Tuesday 4 July |
New Zealand XIII  | 18 – 50 |  Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Duane Mann, Kelly Shelford, Dave Watson Goals: Phil Bancroft (3) | [3] | Tries: Greg Alexander (3), Gary Belcher (3), Sam Backo, Des Hasler, Michael O'Connor Goals: Michael O'Connor (7) |
New Zealand XIII: Morvin Edwards, Sam Panapa, Dave Watson, Tea Ropati, David Ewe, Kelly Shelford, Phil Bancroft, George Mann, Duane Mann, Russell Tuuta, Shane Hansen, Francis Leota, Mike Kuiti (c). Res - Gary Mercer, Peter Brown.
Australia: Gary Belcher, Michael O'Connor, Peter Jackson, Tony Currie, Michael Hancock, Des Hasler, Greg Alexander, Sam Backo, David Trewhella, Steve Roach, Bruce McGuire, Dan Stains, Paul Vautin (c). Res - Kerrod Walters, Martin Bella.
Sunday 9 July |
New Zealand  | 6 – 26 |  Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Mark Elia Goals: Kevin Iro (1/2) | [4] | Tries: Tony Currie Wally Lewis Paul Sironen Kerrod Walters Goals: Mal Meninga (5/5) |
Queen Elizabeth II Park, Christchurch Attendance: 17,000 Referee: Ray Tennant  Player of the Match: Bradley Clyde |
         New Zealand |      Australia |
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Wednesday 12 July |
Auckland  | 26 – 24 | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Shane Hansen, Francis Leota, Mike Patton, Dave Watson Goals: Kelly Shelford (5/6) Tea Ropati (0/1) | [5] | Tries: Dale Shearer (2), Greg Alexander, Tony Currie, Michael Hancock Goals: Michael O'Connor (2/5) |
Auckland: Carl Magatogia, Sam Panapa, Mike Patton, Dave Watson, Kevin Pulieta, Kelly Shelford (c), Neville Ramsay, Mike Thomson, Peter Ropati, George Mann, Tawera Nikau, Francis Leota, Shane Hansen. Res - Tea Ropati, Taime Tagaloa. Coach - Cameron Bell
Australia: Dale Shearer, Michael O'Connor, Peter Jackson, Tony Currie, Michael Hancock, Des Hasler, Greg Alexander, Sam Backo, David Trewhella, Martin Bella, Dan Stains, Bruce McGuire, Paul Vautin (c). Res - Bradley Clyde.
The 26-24 loss to Auckland was the Kangaroos first loss to a club or provincial team since losing 12-11 to NZ side South Island during the 1980 NZ tour. [6] As of 2017 it remains the last time an Australian side has lost a non-test match. This was also the last time the Australians would play a match at Carlaw Park.
Sunday 16 July |
| New Zealand | 0 – 8 | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Goals: Phil Bancroft (0/1) Kevin Iro (0/2) Tony Kemp (0/1) | [7] | Tries: Michael Hancock Goals: Mal Meninga (2/3) |
New Zealand | Australia |
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Wednesday 19 July |
Wellington  | 10 – 28 | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Morvin Edwards Goals: George Lajpold (3) | [8] | Tries: Dale Shearer (2), Greg Alexander, Michael Hancock, Michael O'Connor Goals: Michael O'Connor (3) Paul Vautin (1) |
Wellington: Morvin Edwards, David Ewe, George Lajpold, Charlie McAlister, Victor Aramoana, Geoffrey Tangira, Sibi Raika, Arnold Lomax, Barry Harvey (c), Daroa Ben-Moide, Sonny Whakarau, Kelly Makoare, Mike Kuiti.
Australia: Gary Belcher, Michael O'Connor, Peter Jackson, Dale Shearer, Michael Hancock, Paul Vautin (c), Greg Alexander, Steve Roach, David Trewhella, Martin Bella, Dan Stains, Paul Sironen, Bruce McGuire. Res - Kerrod Walters, Sam Backo.
As of 2017, this remains the last game Australia has played against a NZ club or provincial side.
The dead rubber third test also doubled as the first game of the 1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup tournament. It also saw the first time that the Mount Smart Stadium would host a rugby league test match. Australia's vice-captain Paul Vautin played his 13th and last test match. Tony Currie, Sam Backo and Bruce McGuire also played their last tests. With Paul Sironen out injured, Mal Meninga moved into the second row. After 9 tests on the wing, Dale Shearer played his first test at centre with Michael O'Connor coming in on the wing. This would also be the 24th and last time Wally Lewis would captain Australia in a test match.
Sunday 23 July |
| New Zealand | 14 – 22 | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Mark Elia Gary Mercer Goals: Kelly Shelford (3/4) | [9] | Tries: Bradley Clyde Mal Meninga Michael O'Connor Dale Shearer Goals: Mal Meninga (1/3) Michael O'Connor (2/3) |
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Ray Tennant Player of the Match: Bradley Clyde |
New Zealand | Australia |
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During the second half of the game, Australian captain Wally Lewis pulled off a massive (but fair) hit on Kiwi fullback Darrell Williams. Lewis later told that he thought he was lining up Brendon Tuuta who had produced a fair bit of foul play through the series, only to look down at the tackled player and find it was Williams and not Tuuta. [10]
Leading Try Scorer
Leading Point Scorer
Largest Attendance
Largest non-test Attendance
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Paul "Fatty" Vautin is an Australian football commentator and formerly a professional rugby league footballer, captain and coach. He has provided commentary for the Nine Network's coverage of rugby league since joining the network in 1992 and also hosted The Footy Show from its beginnings in 1994 opposite co-host Peter Sterling, until 2017. An Australian Kangaroos test and Queensland State of Origin representative lock or second-row forward, Vautin played club football in Brisbane with Wests, before moving to Sydney in 1979 to play with Manly-Warringah, whom he would captain to the 1987 NSWRL premiership. He also played for Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, and in England for St Helens.
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