2001 Kangaroo tour

Last updated
2001 Kangaroos tour
Date11 November 2001 – 24 November 2001
Coach(es) Chris Anderson
Tour captain(s) Brad Fittler
Top point scorer(s) Andrew Johns (34)
Top try scorer(s)Andrew Johns (3)
Summary
PWDL
Total
03020001
Test match
03020001
Opponent
PWDL
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
3 2 0 1
Tour chronology
Previous tour 1994
Next tour 2003

The 2001 Kangaroo Tour was the Australia national rugby league team's nineteenth Kangaroo tour of Great Britain. The truncated tour featured only the three Ashes series Test matches against Great Britain. The 2001 tour was almost abandoned due to military action in the wake of the September 11 attacks. [1] Australia continued its dominance, winning two of the three tests against Great Britain and retaining The Ashes that they have held since 1973.

Contents

Background

The 2001 Kangaroo tour was initially cancelled by the Australian Rugby League (ARL) but after strong public opinion in both Great Britain and Australia, it went ahead. However, the only games played were the three tests, marking the first Kangaroo Tour to not play against any British club or provincial teams. The 2001 tour was also the first since 1952–53 not to include a test series against France following The Ashes series.

Touring Squad

The team was coached by Chris Anderson who was making his third Kangaroo Tour, and first as coach, after playing in the 1978 and 1982 tours, the second in 1982 as a member of the famed "Invincibles". Team captain was Brad Fittler, the youngest ever Kangaroo tourist in 1990 at the age of 18, was making his third and last Kangaroo Tour after being part of the successful 1990 and 1994 touring teams. Fittler was also the only member of the squad that had previously taken part in a Kangaroo tour.

PlayerClubPosition(s)GamesTriesGoalsF/GoalsPoints
Braith Anasta Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury Bulldogs Five-eighth 31004
Trent Barrett St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons Five-eighth , Halfback 32008
Nathan Blacklock St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons Wing 10000
Danny Buderus Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Hooker 30000
Dane Carlaw Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Prop , Second-row 30000
Petero Civoniceva Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Prop 30000
Brad Fittler (c) Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters Five-eighth 31106
Mark Gasnier St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons Centre 00000
Matthew Gidley Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Centre 31004
Andrew Johns Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Halfback 3311034
Robbie Kearns Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm Prop 30000
Ben Kennedy Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Lock 31004
Darren Lockyer Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Fullback 32008
Jamie Lyon Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels Centre 30000
Adam MacDougall Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Centre , Wing 32008
Brad Meyers Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Second-row , Prop 21004
Jason Ryles St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons Prop 30000
Jason Stevens Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla Sharks Prop 30000
Lote Tuqiri Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Wing 20000
Michael Vella Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels Prop 20000
Daniel Wagon Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels Lock , Wing 00000

Ashes series

Test Venues

The three Ashes series tests took place at the following venues.

Huddersfield Bolton Wigan
McAlpine Stadium Reebok Stadium JJB Stadium
Capacity: 24,500Capacity: 28,700Capacity: 25,138
Huddersfield the-john-smiths-stadium.jpg Bolton macron wanderers stadium.jpg Wigan athletics dw stadium.jpg

Results

DateOpponentScoreGroundRefereeCrowdReport
November 11Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 20 – 12 McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield R. Connolly (GB)21,458 bbc.co.uk
November 17Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 12 – 40 Reebok Stadium, Bolton B. Harrigan (AUS)22,152 bbc.co.uk
November 24Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 8 – 28 JJB Stadium, Wigan B. Harrigan (AUS)25,011 bbc.co.uk

1st Test

2nd Test

17 November 2001
Great Britain  Flag of the United Kingdom.svg12 – 40Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Tries
Leon Pryce
Paul Sculthorpe




Goals
Andy Farrell (2)
[5]
Tries
Andrew Johns (2)
Braith Anasta
Brad Fittler
Ben Kennedy
Darren Lockyer
Adam MacDougall
Goals
Andrew Johns (6)
Reebok Stadium, Bolton
Attendance: 22,152
Referee: Bill Harrigan Flag of Australia (converted).svg
Player of the Match: Andrew Johns Australian colours.svg [6]
Great BritainPositionAustralia
Kris Radlinski FB Darren Lockyer
Leon Pryce WG Lote Tuqiri
Gary Connolly CE Matthew Gidley
Keith Senior CE Jamie Lyon
Paul Johnson WG Adam MacDougall
Paul Sculthorpe SO Trent Barrett
Kevin Sinfield SH Andrew Johns
Terry O'Connor PR Jason Stevens
Mike Forshaw HK Danny Buderus
Barrie McDermott PR Robbie Kearns
Chris Joynt SR Dane Carlaw
Jamie Peacock SR Ben Kennedy
Andy Farrell (c) LF Brad Fittler (c)
Paul Wellens Int. Braith Anasta
Richard Horne Int. Michael Vella
Paul Anderson Int. Petero Civoniceva
Stuart Fielden Int. Brad Meyers
David Waite Coach Chris Anderson

After trailing 40 nil at half time, Great Britain's two tries in the final ten minutes were too little too late. [7] The main contributors of Australia's victory were scrum half back Andrew Johns, who scored two tries and kicked all but one of the six conversions, and fullback Darren Lockyer. [8]

3rd Test

For the first time since the 1986 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France, the Lions and Kangaroos had met in Wigan.

24 November 2001
Great Britain  Flag of the United Kingdom.svg8 – 28Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Tries
Paul Johnson



Goals
Andy Farrell (2)
[9]
Tries
Trent Barrett (2)
Matthew Gidley
Darren Lockyer
Brad Meyers
Goals
Andrew Johns (3)
Brad Fittler
JJB Stadium, Wigan
Attendance: 25,011
Referee: Bill Harrigan Flag of Australia (converted).svg
Player of the Match: Trent Barrett Australian colours.svg [10]
Great BritainPositionAustralia
Paul Wellens FB Darren Lockyer
Leon Pryce WG Nathan Blacklock
Gary Connolly CE Matthew Gidley
Keith Senior CE Jamie Lyon
Paul Johnson WG Adam MacDougall
Paul Sculthorpe SO Trent Barrett
Paul Deacon SH Andrew Johns
Stuart Fielden PR Jason Stevens
Mike Forshaw HK Danny Buderus
Barrie McDermott PR Robbie Kearns
Chris Joynt SR Dane Carlaw
Terry O'Connor SR Ben Kennedy
Andy Farrell (c) LF Brad Fittler (c)
Kevin Sinfield Int. Braith Anasta
David Hodgson Int. Brad Meyers
Paul Anderson Int. Petero Civoniceva
Jamie Peacock Int. Jason Ryles
David Waite Coach Chris Anderson

Great Britain scored the opening try of the match early in the first half, but by the break trailed 12-6 behind Australia. [11] During the first half of the game, Australia's coach Chris Anderson suffered a heart attack and was taken to hospital. [12]

Statistics

Leading Try Scorer

Leading Point Scorer

Largest Attendance

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References

  1. "Ashes tour back on". BBC News . 16 October 2001. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  2. 1st Test Report
  3. Gordos, Phil (11 November 2001). "Great Britain stun Aussies". BBC Sport . Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  4. "Clockwatch: GB 20-12 Australia". BBC News . 11 November 2001. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  5. 2nd Test Report
  6. "Johns warns against complacency". BBC News . 17 November 2001. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  7. "Clockwatch: GB 12-40 Australia". BBC News . 17 November 2001. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  8. Chowdhury, Saj (17 November 2001). "Australia humiliate Lions". BBC Sport . Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  9. 3rd Test Report
  10. Chowdhury, Saj (24 November 2001). "Kangaroos seal Ashes triumph". BBC Sport . Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  11. "Clockwatch: GB 8-28 Australia". BBC News . 24 November 2001. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  12. Chowdhury, Saj (25 November 2001). "Aussie coach suffers heart attack". BBC Sport . Retrieved 30 December 2013.