2015 Kiwi tour | |||||
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![]() New Zealand vs Leeds Rhinos in Game 1 of the tour | |||||
Date | 23 October 2015 – 14 November 2015 | ||||
Summary |
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Total |
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Test match |
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Opponent |
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Tour chronology | |||||
Previous tour | 2007 | ||||
Next tour | 2018 |
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.
Official Rankings as of May 2015 [1] | |||
Rank | Change | Team | Points |
1 | ![]() | ![]() | 949.00 |
3 | ![]() | ![]() | 485.00 |
New Zealand had originally intended to host a tour against France, while Australia was speculated to host a Great Britain Lions tour. However the Australian Rugby League Commission declined to host a tour and as an alternative the Rugby Football League invited the New Zealand Rugby League to tour Great Britain for a three match series. [2]
On 25 February 2015, the three test match venues were confirmed with Hull's KC Stadium hosting game one on 1 November, the London Olympic Stadium hosting the second test on 7 November and the final test match being held at Wigan's DW Stadium on 14 November. [3]
The match against Leeds was the first time a Super League side had played a touring side since 2002, when the Kiwis played matches against Hull F.C. and St. Helens. It was the first time that Leeds played New Zealand since 1992. The match celebrated the 125th anniversary of Headingley. Leeds has defeated New Zealand once in eleven matches between the two teams. [4] [5]
An initial training squad was named on 8 September 2015 and added to as teams were eliminated from the NRL finals. Kieran Foran was among those initially named but he later withdrew due to injury, joining Shaun Johnson, Thomas Leuluai, Manu Vatuvei, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Jared Warea-Hargreaves as being unavailable for the tour. [6] Skipper Simon Mannering was also later made unavailable for the test series due to injury. [7]
Club Team | Players |
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Squad named on 8 September [8] | |
Manly Sea Eagles | Kieran Foran, Peta Hiku |
New Zealand Warriors | Solomone Kata, Tui Lolohea, Simon Mannering (c), Ben Matulino, Bodene Thompson |
Parramatta Eels | Manu Mau |
Penrith Panthers | Lewis Brown, Sam McKendry, Elijah Taylor, Dean Whare |
Wests Tigers | Manaia Cherrington, Tim Simona, Martin Taupau |
Added on 18 September [9] | |
South Sydney Rabbitohs | Bryson Goodwin, Issac Luke |
St George Illawarra Dragons | Jason Nightingale |
Added on 24 September [10] | |
Canterbury Bulldogs | Curtis Rona, Greg Eastwood |
Cronulla Sharks | Gerard Beale, Sosaia Feki |
Wests Tigers | Te Maire Martin |
Added on 1 October [11] | |
Melbourne Storm | Jesse Bromwich, Tohu Harris, Kevin Proctor |
Sydney Roosters | Matt McIlwrick, Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Isaac Liu, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Sam Moa |
The final touring squad of 23 players was named on 8 October. [12]
On 10 October, Jason Taumalolo withdrew from the touring 23-man squad due to a knee injury. He was replaced by Manaia Cherrington. [13] Curtis Rona left the tour after the second test match, returning to Australia to be present for the birth of his daughter. [14]
New Zealand played four matches on tour, including three test matches against England. [15]
Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Score | Attendance | Report |
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23 October | Leeds Rhinos | Headingley, Leeds | Won | 34–16 | 20,158 | [16] |
1 November | England | KC Stadium, Kingston upon Hull | Lost | 12–26 | 23,526 | [17] |
7 November | England | Olympic Stadium, London | Won | 9–2 | 44,393 | [18] |
14 November | England | DW Stadium, Wigan | Lost | 14–20 | 24,741 | [19] |
Gerard Beale was originally named to play but was replaced by Lewis Brown.
The match was shown on Premier Sports [20] and Sky Sport 2 [21]
23 October 2015 |
Leeds Rhinos ![]() | 16–34 | ![]() |
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Tries: Moon (2) 28' c, 55' c Briscoe 73' Goal: Lilley (2/3) 29', 56' | [16] | Tries: Nightingale 37' c Kahu 40' Bromwich 63' c Whare 66' Tuivasa-Sheck (2) 69', 80' Nikorima 78' c Goal: Luke (1/2) 38' Lolohea (2/5) 63', 78' |
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Ahead of New Zealand's Baskerville Shield series against England, their opponents had played a warm-up test match against France on 24 October. [22] [23]
All futures were shown on BBC Sport in the UK, [24] and Sky Sport 2 in New Zealand. [21]
Hull | London | Wigan |
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KC Stadium | Olympic Stadium | DW Stadium |
Capacity: 25,400 | Capacity: 66,000 | Capacity: 25,138 |
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1 November 2015 |
England ![]() | 26–12 | ![]() |
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Try: Hodgson 21' c Ferres (2) 36' c, 59' c O'Loughlin 77' c Goal: Widdop (5/5) 21', 36', 46', 59', 77' | [17] | Try: Harris 7' Moa 17' c Goal: Luke (2/3) 17', 27' |
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Alex Glenn and Lewis Brown were named as 18th and 19th man respectively for the Kiwis. [26]
7 November 2015 |
England ![]() | 2–9 | ![]() |
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Goal: Widdop (1/1) 8' | [18] | Try: Kenny-Dowall 43' c Goal: Luke (1/2) 14' Kahu (1/1) 43' Drop Goal: Kahu (1/1) 77' |
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Stephen Kearney originally named Tuimoala Lolohea at halfback before selecting Kodi Nikorima to start the match. [27]
14 November 2015 |
England ![]() | 20–14 | ![]() |
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Try: Whitehead (2) 27' c, 63' c O'Loughlin 72' c Goal: Widdop (4/4) 5', 27', 63', 72' | [19] | Try: Nightingale 36' c Tuivasa-Sheck 75' Kahu 79' Goal: Luke (1/3) 36' |
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With the win, England retained the Baskerville Shield. Isaac Liu and Gerard Beale were 18th and 19th man respectively for New Zealand. [29]
England's captain, Sean O'Loughlin was awarded the George Smith Medal as player of the series.
England's retained the Baskerville Shield, 8 years after it was last contested during the 2007 All Golds Tour. [30]