2002 New Zealand rugby league tour

Last updated

The 2002 New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain and France was a tour by the New Zealand national rugby league team. The New Zealand national rugby league team drew the series 1.5-1.5 against Great Britain and also defeated Wales and France.

Contents

Background

This was the Kiwis first tour of Great Britain since the 2000 World Cup, the Kangaroos having toured Great Britain the previous year.

The original squad named in September included Nathan Cayless, Craig Smith and Tevita Vaikona who all later had to withdraw from the final squad. [1] [2]

Before the tour started the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark, held an official reception for the team at the Beehive. It was the first New Zealand rugby league tour to receive an official farewell from a Prime Minister in Parliament. [3]

The tour was opened against Hull F.C. at The Boulevard, the same ground had hosted the first Test matched played by the 1907 New Zealand team. This match was the last international played at the ground, while the 1907 team had played in the first. [4]

Motu Tony broke his hand in the match against England A and was ruled out of the rest of the tour. Steve Clark refereed all three Test matches against Great Britain.

Former Kiwis player Sean Hoppe, who had not represented his country since 1999, was given the honour of captaining St Helens R.F.C. in a tour match against the Kiwis. [5] [6] The match was meant to be his last before retirement however he was later called into the touring squad due to injuries and his final two matches were test matches against Great Britain and France. Hoppe was called up over Lesley Vainikolo who was also considered as a replacement after injuries to several backs including Motu Tony and Clinton Toopi. [7]

In the end Great Britain tied the series, taking the inaugural Baskerville Shield as hosts. [8] The third test match was Great Britain's first win over New Zealand since 1993.

Squad

Kiwis captain Nathan Cayless withdrew due to suspension and was replaced by Andrew Lomu while Willie Talau required surgery and was unavailable. After the Australia Test both Lomu and Matt Utai were withdrawn by their clubs for off-season surgery. On arriving in England, English based players Craig Smith and Tevita Vaikona were ruled out due to injury. [9] Later Motu Tony and Robbie Paul were sidelined with injuries and in France Richard Swain left to sign a deal with the Broncos and Stephen Kearney flew home due to a family illness. [10]

Clinton Toopi broke his hand in a scuffle with Nigel Vagana during a team drinking session after the second test. Freeman and team management initially tried to cover up the incident, claiming the injury occurred during the match, before media found out and had a field day. [10]

NameClubAustraliaWalesGBGBGBFranceGamesTriesGoalsFGsPoints
Monty Betham Auckland colours.svg New Zealand Warriors BEBEBELK40000
Jason Cayless Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters PR10000
Henry Fa'afili Auckland colours.svg New Zealand Warriors WGWGWGWGWGWG630012
Awen Guttenbeil Auckland colours.svg New Zealand Warriors BESRLKLKSRBE60000
Lance Hohaia Auckland colours.svg New Zealand Warriors FEFEFEFEFEFE617018
Sean Hoppe Saintscolours.svg St Helens R.F.C. WGCE20000
Stacey Jones (c) Auckland colours.svg New Zealand Warriors HBHBHBHBHBHB661026
Stephen Kearney Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm LKLKSRSR41004
Ali Lauitiiti Auckland colours.svg New Zealand Warriors SRSRSRBEBESR61004
Andrew Lomu Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters BE10000
Francis Meli Auckland colours.svg New Zealand Warriors WGWGWGCEWG540016
Robbie Paul Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls FBFBFBHK41004
Tony Puletua Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers BEBEBEBE40000
Paul Rauhihi Canterbury colours.svg Bulldogs RLFC PRPRPRPRPRPR60000
Jerry Seuseu Auckland colours.svg New Zealand Warriors PRPRPRPRPRBE61004
Michael Smith Castleford colours.svg Castleford Tigers SR10000
David Solomona Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels BEBEBEBEBE50000
Richard Swain Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm HKHKHKHKHK5214036
Logan Swann Auckland colours.svg New Zealand Warriors BEBEBEBEBE52008
Motu Tony Auckland colours.svg New Zealand Warriors BE10000
Clinton Toopi Auckland colours.svg New Zealand Warriors CECECE31004
Matt Utai Canterbury colours.svg Bulldogs RLFC WG11004
David Vaealiki Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels FBFBFB31004
Nigel Vagana Canterbury colours.svg Bulldogs RLFC CECECECECECE640016
Ruben Wiki Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders SRCESRSRLK51004

Fixtures

The New Zealand side played five test matches while on their European tour and one test in New Zealand before leaving.

New Zealand vs Australia

British leg

Wales vs New Zealand

3 November 2002
Wales  Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg22–50Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Tries:
Paul Atcheson
Hefin O'Hare
Kris Tassell


Goals:
Lee Briers (5)		 [14]
Tries:
Francis Meli (3)
Logan Swann (2)
Lance Hohaia
Stacey Jones
Robbie Paul
Goals:
Richard Swain (6)
Lance Hohaia (1)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 8,746
Referee: Steve Ganson (England)
Player of the Match: Stacey Jones (New Zealand)
Kit left arm white hoops.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body redwhitehorizontal.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm white hoops.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Wales
Kit left arm whiteshoulders.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body whiteV.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm whiteshoulders.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks band white.png
Kit socks long.svg
New Zealand
FB1 Damian Gibson
RW2 Hefin O'Hare
RC3 Kris Tassell
LC4 Adam Hughes
LW5 Chris Smith
SO6 Lee Briers (c)
SH7 Mark Lennon
PR8 Keith Mason
HK9 Ian Watson
PR10 Dave Whittle
SR11 Justin Morgan
SR12 David Mills
LK13 Paul Highton
Substitutions:
IC14 Paul Atcheson
IC15 Gareth Dean
IC16 Gareth Price
IC17 Rob Roberts
Coach:
Flag of England.svg Neil Kelly
Millennium Stadium inside.jpg
FB1 Robbie Paul
LW2 Henry Fa'afili
RC3 Nigel Vagana
LC4 Ruben Wiki
RW5 Francis Meli
FE6 Lance Hohaia
HB7 Stacey Jones (c)
PR8 Jerry Seuseu
HK9 Richard Swain
PR10 Paul Rauhihi
SR11 Ali Lauiti'iti
SR12 Awen Guttenbeil
LK13 Stephen Kearney
Substitutions:
IC14 Monty Betham
IC15 David Solomona
IC16 Logan Swann
IC17 Tony Puletua
Coach:
Flag of New Zealand.svg Gary Freeman

Baskerville Shield

After 30 New Zealand vs England / Great Britain test series since 1907, the Baskerville Shield was inaugurated for series between New Zealand and England / Great Britain. The shield is named in honour of Albert Henry Baskerville who organised New Zealand's first ever tour of Great Britain in 1907.

Venues

The three Baskerville Shield tests took place at the following venues.

Blackburn Huddersfield Wigan
Ewood Park McAlpine Stadium JJB Stadium
Capacity: 31,000Capacity: 24,500Capacity: 25,133
Ewood Park 2011.jpg Galpharm Stadium - geograph.org.uk - 312658.jpg England v France 2013 RLWC (1).jpg

1st Test

9 November 2002
Great Britain  Flag of the United Kingdom.svg16–30Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Tries:
Jamie Peacock
Leon Pryce

Goals:
Andy Farrell (4)		 [15]
Tries:
Henry Fa'afili (3)
Nigel Vagana (2)
Stacey Jones
Goals:
Richard Swain (3)
Ewood Park, Blackburn
Attendance: 16,654
Referee: Steve Clark (Australia)
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body GBRL.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks bluehorizontal.png
Kit socks long.svg
Great Britain
Kit left arm whiteshoulders.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body whiteV.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm whiteshoulders.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks band white.png
Kit socks long.svg
New Zealand
FB1 Gary Connolly
RW2 Leon Pryce
RC3 Martin Gleeson
LC4 Keith Senior
LW5 Karl Pratt
SO6 Kevin Sinfield
SH7 Paul Deacon
PR8 Stuart Fielden
HK9 Keiron Cunningham
PR10 Barrie McDermott
SR11 Andy Farrell (c)
SR12 Adrian Morley
LK13 Mike Forshaw
Substitutions:
IC14 Lee Gilmour
IC15 Chris Joynt
IC16 Paul Anderson
IC17 Jamie Peacock
Coach:
Flag of Australia (converted).svg David Waite
FB1 Robbie Paul
LW2 Henry Fa'afili
RC3 Nigel Vagana
LC4 Clinton Toopi
RW5 Francis Meli
FE6 Lance Hohaia
HB7 Stacey Jones (c)
PR8 Jerry Seuseu
HK9 Richard Swain
PR10 Paul Rauhihi
SR11 Ali Lauiti'iti
SR12 Stephen Kearney
LK13 Awen Guttenbeil
Substitutions:
IC14 Monty Betham
IC15 David Solomona
IC16 Logan Swann
IC17 Tony Puletua
Coach:
Flag of New Zealand.svg Gary Freeman

Henry Fa'afili scored three tries in the 30–16 first test win over Great Britain at Ewood Park, the first Kiwis hat-trick against the Lions in 97 matches dating back to 1907. His tries all came in the second half as the Kiwis rallied from a 10–6 halftime deficit to win comfortably. [10]

2nd Test

3rd Test

France vs New Zealand

Aftermath

New Zealand halfback Stacey Jones won the George Smith Medal as player of the series against Great Britain. [19] The tour was Freeman's last as head coach. In 2003 Daniel Anderson was named as the new Kiwis coach.

Related Research Articles

The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth World Cup for men’s national rugby league teams, held between 28 October and 25 November and hosted between the United Kingdom, Ireland and France. Australia won their ninth title by beating New Zealand 40-12 in the final at Old Trafford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand national rugby league team</span> Sports team representing New Zealand

The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league since 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name. The team's colours are black and white, with the dominant colour being black, and the players perform a haka before every match they play as a challenge to their opponents. The New Zealand Kiwis are currently second in the IRL World Rankings. Since the 1980s, most New Zealand representatives have been based overseas, in the professional National Rugby League and Super League competitions. Before that, players were selected entirely from clubs in domestic New Zealand leagues.

The 2005 Rugby League Tri-Nations was played in Great Britain and Australasia. The final was played between Australia and New Zealand at Elland Road on Saturday 26 November. New Zealand won the match 24-0 and were crowned 2005 Tri-Nations champions, breaking Australia's 27-year undefeated international tournament record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clinton Toopi</span> Former NZ & Maori dual-code rugby international footballer

Clinton James Te-Whata Toopi is a New Zealand former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. A New Zealand international representative centre, he played his club football in the National Rugby League for the New Zealand Warriors and the Gold Coast Titans, and in the Super League for the Leeds Rhinos. Clinton began coaching the Helensvale Hornets in 2021 and guided them to victory in the 2022 Gold Coast A Grade Competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigel Vagana</span> Former New Zealand and Samoa international rugby league footballer

Nigel Faletoese Vagana, also known by the nicknames of "Pablo", and "Chiko", is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, as a wing, centre and five-eighth. A New Zealand and Samoa international representative, he retired as the Kiwis' all-time top try-scorer with 19. Vagana played club football in New Zealand for the Warriors, in England for Warrington, and in Australia for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Vagana represented the New Zealand national team 32 times between 1998 and 2006, including playing in the 2000 World Cup. He is also the cousin of Bradford Bulls prop-forward Joe Vagana, and former Silver Ferns netball player Linda Vagana.

The 2007 All Golds Tour was a tour by the New Zealand national rugby league team, the Kiwis, of Great Britain and France. Conducted as part of the celebrations of a century of rugby league in New Zealand, it was a re-creation of the original New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain in 1907. The Kiwis played four test matches, winning one against France, but losing the series against Great Britain 3–0, failing to win the Baskerville Shield. A special game was played between the "All Golds" and the "Northern Union", a New Zealand vs Great Britain veterans game for internationally retired players. The tour also involved a reception with HM Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace for the squad.

Tevita Vaikona is a Tongan professional rugby league and rugby union footballer, a winger who played rugby league and picked up many honours before switching codes to rugby union. In 2002, Vaikona was voted best rugby league winger in the world.

The 2006 New Zealand rugby league season was the 99th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand. The main feature of the year was the seventh season of the Bartercard Cup competition that was run by the New Zealand Rugby League. The Auckland Lions won the Cup by defeating the Canterbury Bulls 25–18 in the grand final.

The 2000 New Zealand rugby league season was the 93rd season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand. The main feature of the year was the inaugural season of the Bartercard Cup competition that was run by the New Zealand Rugby League. The Canterbury Bulls won the Cup by defeating the Otahuhu Leopards 38–24 in the Grand Final.

The 2002 New Zealand rugby league season was the 95th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand. The main feature of the year was the third season of the Bartercard Cup competition that was run by the New Zealand Rugby League. The Mt Albert Lions won the Cup by defeating the Hibiscus Coast Raiders 24–20 in the Grand Final.

The 2003 New Zealand rugby league season was the 96th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand. The main feature of the year was the fourth season of the Bartercard Cup competition that was run by the New Zealand Rugby League. The Canterbury Bulls won the Cup by defeating the Marist Richmond Brothers 32–28 in the Grand Final.

The 2004 New Zealand rugby league season was the 97th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand. The main feature of the year was the fifth season of the Bartercard Cup competition that was run by the New Zealand Rugby League. The Mt Albert Lions won the Cup by defeating the Marist Richmond Brothers 40–20 in the Grand Final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 New Zealand rugby league season</span> Sports season

The New Zealand rugby league season 2010 was the 103rd season of rugby league that was played in New Zealand. The main feature of the year was the new National Zonal competition run by the New Zealand Rugby League. The premier teams competed for the Albert Baskerville Trophy, which was won by Auckland when they defeated Counties Manukau 14 - 6 in the Grand Final.

The 1998 New Zealand rugby league season was the 91st season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand. The main feature of the year was the National Provincial competition that was run by the New Zealand Rugby League. Auckland won the National Provincial Competition by defeating Canterbury 44-8 while Waikato ended the season holding the Rugby League Cup.

The 1999 New Zealand rugby league season was the 92nd season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand. The main feature of the year was the National Provincial competition that was run by the New Zealand Rugby League.

The 1990 New Zealand rugby league season was the 83rd season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand. The main feature of the year was the National Provincial Competition that was won by Auckland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 New Zealand rugby league tour of England</span>

The 2015 New Zealand rugby league tour of England was a tour by the New Zealand national rugby league team. The New Zealand national rugby league team played a match against the Leeds Rhinos and competed in a three match test series against England for the Baskerville Shield, losing 2-1.

The 1993 New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain and France was a tour by the New Zealand national rugby league team. The New Zealand national rugby league team lost a series 0-3 against Great Britain but defeated Wales and France in one-off test matches. They also won games against Wigan, St Helens, Widnes, Leeds and the Great Britain under 23's.

The 2000 New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain was a tour by the New Zealand national rugby league team to compete at the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. New Zealand dominated Group 1 of the tournament thrashing Lebanon, the Cook Islands and Wales with a combined score of 206–28, before winning their quarter-final against France and their semi-final against England to qualify for the final. In the final, they lost to defending champions Australia 12-40 to finish runners-up in a World Cup tournament for the second time.

References

  1. ↑ In-form Smith wins Kiwi call-up BBC Sport, 21 September 2002
  2. ↑ NZ player profiles BBC Sport, 21 October 2002
  3. ↑ Jessup, Peter (12 October 2002). "Kiwi players let their hair down at Clark bash". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 14 September 2011.
  4. ↑ New Zealand Rugby League Annual 2002, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 2002. p.35
  5. ↑ Hoppe's last stand; Sean's set to skipper St Helens The Daily Post, 25 October 2002
  6. ↑ SAINTS STARS' LAST GOODBYE One hell of a bargain for Blues; Knowsley Road favourites bow out against Kiwis Liverpool Echo, 25 October 2002
  7. ↑ Freeman eyes Vainikolo to replace injured Tony New Zealand Herald, 1 November 2002
  8. ↑ Lions edge Kiwis in thriller BBC Sport, 23 November 2002
  9. ↑ New Zealand Rugby League Annual 2002, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 2002. p.34
  10. 1 2 3 New Zealand Herald. "Rugby League: Kiwis tours build up special magic". nzherald.co.nz.
  11. ↑ New Zealand vs Australia test
  12. ↑ "Hull F.C vs New Zealand". Archived from the original on 2008-11-14. Retrieved 2017-06-16.
  13. 1 2 Kiwi tour schedule BBC Sport, 23 October 2002
  14. ↑ Wales vs New Zealand
  15. ↑ 1st Test - Great Britain vs New Zealand [ permanent dead link ]
  16. ↑ "2nd Test - Great Britain vs New Zealand". Archived from the original on 2016-04-05. Retrieved 2017-06-16.
  17. ↑ "3rd Test - Great Britain vs New Zealand". Archived from the original on 2016-05-27. Retrieved 2017-06-16.
  18. ↑ France vs New Zealand
  19. ↑ "Jones voted world's best". BBC Sport. BBC. 19 December 2002. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.