Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and suffering of all those who have served". Observed on 25 April each year, Anzac Day was originally devised to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served in the Gallipoli campaign, their first engagement in the First World War (1914–1918).
The Australian national rugby league team, the Kangaroos, have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the 'Northern Union game' in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League Commission, the Kangaroos are ranked first in the RLIF World Rankings. The team is the most successful in Rugby League World Cup history, having contested all 16 and won 12 of them, failing to reach the final only once, in the inaugural tournament in 1954. Only five nations have beaten Australia in test matches, and Australia has an overall win percentage of 70%.
The Anzac Test is an annual rugby league football test match played between Australia and New Zealand for the Bill Kelly Memorial Trophy.
Simon Alexander Mannering is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. He played for the New Zealand Warriors in the NRL. A New Zealand international second row forward, who could also play as a centre. He was appointed the New Zealand national team's captain in 2013 and was replaced by Jesse Bromwich in 2016 and was part of the 2008 World Cup-winning Kiwis team. Mannering was a one-club player who played his whole NRL career with the Warriors. With 301 appearances for the Warriors, Mannering is the club's most capped player.
Jason Nightingale is a former New Zealand international rugby league footballer who played as a winger and fullback for the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL.
The 2010 ANZAC Test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand on 7 May 2010. The match coincided with the official opening of AAMI Park in Melbourne. The match was won by Australia with a score of 12–8.
The 2012 ANZAC test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand at Eden Park on 20 April 2012. It was the 13th Anzac test played between the two nations.
The 1997 ANZAC test was the first annual Anzac test played between Australia and New Zealand. Conceived by the rebel Super League competition, any players aligned with the Australian Rugby League were not available for selection. The game was played on ANZAC Day, 25 April 1997 at the Sydney Football Stadium in front of 23,829 and was won by Australia 34–22.
The 2014 Anzac Test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on 2 May 2014. It was the 15th Anzac Test played between the two nations since the first was played under the Super League banner in 1997. It was also the first Test match played in Sydney since the 2010 Four Nations tournament. A Women's All Stars Match which is the Women's rugby league version of the game was played as the main curtain raiser for the Test, which was won 24-0 by the Women's All Stars.
The 2015 Anzac Test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. It was the 16th Anzac Test played between the two nations since the first was played under the Super League banner in 1997. Both sides were announced on 26 April. The game was originally scheduled to take place on 1 May, but it was postponed due to bad weather. The Test instead took place on May 3, along with a Women's rugby league match between the Australian Jillaroos and New Zealand Kiwi Ferns which served as the curtain-raiser for the main game, won 22-14 by the Jillaroos.
The 2007 ANZAC test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on 20 April 2007. It was the 8th Anzac test played between the two nations since the first was played under the Super League banner in 1997 and the third to be played in Brisbane.
The 2008 ANZAC test, also known as the Centenary Test as it commemorated the 100th anniversary of the first test match between the two countries, was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 9 May 2008. Commemorating the first trans-Tasman Test match, which was also played at Sydney on the same day in 1908, it was the 9th Anzac test played between the two nations since the first was played under the Super League banner in 1997. This was the first test played at the SCG since Australia had defeated New Zealand 29-12 in 1986 and the first ever rugby league test played under lights at the ground.
The 2005 Anzac Test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on 22 April 2005. It was the 6th Anzac test played between the two nations since the first was played under the Super League banner in 1997 and the first to be played in Brisbane.
The 2004 ANZAC test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand at the EnergyAustralia Stadium in Newcastle on 23 April 2004. It was the 5th Anzac test played between the two nations since the first was played under the Super League banner in 1997 and the first to be played in Newcastle.
The 2000 Anzac test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand at the Sydney Olympic Stadium 27 April 2000. It was the 4th Anzac test played between the two nations since the first was played under the Super League banner in 1997 and the third to be played in Sydney.
The 1998 Anzac test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand at the North Harbour Stadium 24 April 1998. It was the 2nd Anzac test played between the two nations since the first was played under the Super League banner in 1997 and the first to be played in New Zealand.
The 2009 ANZAC test, was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on 8 May 2009. It was the 10th Anzac test played between the two nations since the first was played under the Super League banner in 1997. This was the fourth Anzac Test played in Brisbane.
The 2016 Anzac Test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand at Hunter Stadium in Newcastle. It was the 17th Anzac Test played between the two nations since the first was played under the Super League banner in 1997.
The 2017 Anzac Test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand at Canberra Stadium. It was the 18th and last Anzac Test played between the two nations since the first was played under the Super League banner in 1997. The match was played on 5 May 2017.
The 2013 Pacific Rugby League International was created in advance of the international 2013 Rugby League World Cup campaigns played between Samoa and Tonga. Tonga won the test match 36–4. Tonga's Samisoni Langi won the player of the match award, scoring 16 points from two attempts and four conversions.
