From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

1911–12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain

Rugby league tour (1911–1912)

Field	Value
image	1911-12 Kangaroos.jpg
caption	The Kangaroo squad of 1911–12
date	23 September 1911 – 3 February 1912
tour	1911–12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain
team	Australasia
yearstart	1911
yearfinish	1912
destination	Great Britain
manager	Charles H. Ford and John Quinlan
captain	Chris McKivat
matchplayed	36
matchwon	29
matchdraw	2
matchlost	5
testplayed	3
testwon	2
testdraw	1
testlost	0
opponent1
played1	3
won1	2
draw1	1
lost1	0
previous	[1908–09](1908-09-kangaroo-tour-of-great-britain)
next	[1921–22](1921-22-kangaroo-tour-of-great-britain)

| top test point scorer = | top test try scorer = The 1911–12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain was the second ever Kangaroo tour and was actually a tour by an "Australasian" squad that included four New Zealand players in addition to 24 Australian representatives. It took place over the British winter of 1911–12 and this time, to help promote the game of Rugby league in New Zealand, the Northern Rugby Football Union invited a combined Australian and New Zealand team. They became the first tourists to win the Ashes. and the last to do so on British soil for over half a century. The tour was a success in performance and organisation. Matches were well attended, the squad's touring payments were maintained throughout and the players all shared in a bonus at the tour's end.

Touring squad

Prior to the tour a three-way series of matches between New South Wales, Queensland and New Zealand was organised as a basis of selection for the tour.{{cite web |author-link = Sean Fagan |access-date = 2009-07-06 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101008200119/http://rl1908.com/Kangaroos/NZ.htm |archive-date = 8 October 2010 |url-status = dead}} The New South Welshmen dominated the touring side, with four New Zealanders and only one Queenslander selected. However counted amongst the New South Welshmen was Con Sullivan, who had moved to Australia from New Zealand a few years before. Due to family and business commitments, rugby league great Dally Messenger declined to tour with the 1911–12 Kangaroos.{{cite web

New South Wales

All eight teams of the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership were represented in the touring squad.

Bob Stuart, forward for Annandale
Bob Craig, forward for Balmain
Charles "Chook" Fraser, fullback for Balmain
Arthur "Pony" Halloway, half for Balmain
Charles McMurtrie, forward for Balmain
Dan Frawley, three-quarter for Eastern Suburbs
Bob Williams, forward for Eastern Suburbs
Peter Burge, forward for Glebe
(c) Chris McKivat, half for Glebe
Billy Farnsworth, half for Newtown
Viv Farnsworth, three-quarter for Newtown
Paddy McCue, forward for Newtown
Joe Murray, forward for Newtown
Webby Neill, fullback for Newtown
Bill Noble, forward for Newtown
Charlie Russell, three-quarter for Newtown
Tom Berecry, North Sydney
Albert Broomham, North Sydney
Con Sullivan, forward for North Sydney
W. A. Cann, forward for South Sydney
Steve Darmody, South Sydney
Herb Gilbert, three-quarter for South Sydney
Howard Hallett, fullback for South Sydney
Tedda Courtney, forward for Western Suburbs

New Zealand

The New Zealand players that accompanied the Australians on tour have been listed in the Australian Rugby League's Kangaroos players register.{{cite web | author-link = Australian Rugby League

George A. Gillett (forward)
Arthur Francis (forward)
Charlie Savory (forward)
Frank Woodward (half)

Queensland

Robert "Harold" Nicholson of Queensland was also selected for the tour but withdrew.{{cite web | author-link = Queensland Rugby League

Tour schedule

Played: 35 Won: 28 Drew: 2 Lost: 5 Ashes: Australia 2–0

Date	Opponent	Location	Result	Score	Attendance
Match 1	23 September 1911	Midlands/Southern England	The Butts Ground, Coventry	Won	20–11
Match 2	25 September 1911	[[File:Yorkshire_rose.png	20px]] Yorkshire	Bramall Lane, Sheffield	Won	33–13
Match 3	30 September 1911	Broughton Rangers	Wheater's Field, Broughton, Salford	Won	18–8
Match 4	2 October 1911	[[File:Red Rose Badge of Lancaster.svg	20px]] Lancashire	Ewood Park, Blackburn	Won	25–12
Match 5	7 October 1911		Bridgend Field, Ebbw Vale, Wales	Won	28–20
Match 6	11 October 1911	Widnes	Lowerhouse Lane, Widnes	Won	23–0
Match 7	14 October 1911	St. Helens	Knowsley Road, St. Helens	Won	16–5
Match 8	18 October 1911	England XIII	Craven Cottage, London	Won	11–6
Match 9	22 October 1911	Hunslet	Parkside, Hunslet	Draw	3–3
Match 10	25 October 1911	Northern League XIII	Goodison Park, Liverpool	Won	16–3
Match 11	28 October 1911	Wigan	Central Park, Wigan	Lost	2–7
Match 12	1 November 1911	Swinton	Chorley Road, Swinton	Won	28–9
Match 13	4 November 1911	Hull F.C.	The Boulevard, Hull	Won	26–7
Match 14	8 November 1911		St James' Park, Newcastle	Won	19–10
Match 15	11 November 1911	Oldham	Watersheddings, Oldham	Lost	8–14
Match 16	15 November 1911	Leigh	Mather Lane, Leigh	Won	13–12
Match 17	18 November 1911	Wakefield Trinity	Belle Vue, Wakefield	Won	24–10
Match 18	22 November 1911	[[File:Arms_of_Cumberland_County_Council.svg	20px]] Cumberland	Athletic Ground, Maryport	Won	5–2
Match 19	25 November 1911	Barrow	Cavendish Park, Barrow	Won	44–8
Match 20	29 November 1911	Runcorn	Canal Street, Runcorn	Won	23–7
Match 21	2 December 1911	Huddersfield	Fartown, Huddersfield	Lost	7–21
Match 22	6 December 1911	England XIII	Trent Bridge, Nottingham	Lost	3–5
Match 23	9 December 1911	Salford	The Willows, Salford	Won	6–3
Match 24	13 December 1911	York	Clarence Street, York	Won	16–8
Match 25	16 December 1911		Tynecastle Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland	Draw	11–11
Match 26	20 December 1911	/ Wales/West England	Ashton Gate, Bristol	Won	23–3
Match 27	23 December 1911	Rochdale Hornets	Athletic Grounds, Rochdale	Won	18–6
Match 28	26 December 1911	Halifax	Thrum Hall, Halifax	Won	23–5
Match 29	30 December 1911	Warrington	Wilderspool, Warrington	Won	34–6
Match 30	1 January 1912		Villa Park, Birmingham	Won	33–8
Match 31	6 January 1912	Leeds	Headingley, Leeds	Won	8–6
Match 32	13 January 1912	Hull Kingston Rovers	Craven Street, Hull	Won	5–2
Match 33	20 January 1912	Barrow	Cavendish Park, Barrow	Won	22–5
Match 34	27 January 1912	Batley	Mount Pleasant, Batley	Lost	5–13
Match 35	31 January 1912	Northern League XIII	Central Park, Wigan	Won	20–12
Match 36	3 February 1912	Runcorn	Canal Street, Runcorn	Won	54–6

Test matches

First Ashes Test

Test No. 12 Will Davies (2)

Goals: Johnny Thomas (2) Howard Hallett Billy Cann Arthur Francis Goals: Billy Cann (1) Arthur Francis (1)

The Kangaroos performing their war cry before the first Test.

Great Britain	Position	Australasia
Jim Sharrock	FB	Charles Fraser
Will Davies	WG	Albert Broomham
Bert Jenkins	CE	Howard Hallett
Harold Wagstaff	CE	Herb Gilbert
Joe Miller	WG	Charles Russell
Johnny Thomas (c)	SO	Viv Farnsworth
Fred Smith	SH	Chris McKivat (c)
James Clampitt	PR	Arthur Francis
Oliver Burgham	HK	Paddy McCue
Fred Harrison	PR	Billy Cann
Ben Gronow	SR	Tedda Courtney
Billy Winstanley	SR	Bob Williams
Albert Avery	LF	Bob Craig
	Coach

In this match, Australia's Charles Fraser became Australia's youngest Test player at 18 years and 301 days, a record which would stand until 2007.

Second Ashes Test

Test No. 13 Harold Wagstaff (2) Jim Lomas

Goals: Alf Wood Dan Frawley Chris McKivat Charlie Russell Goals: Arthur Francis (1)

Great Britain	Position	Australasia
Alf Wood	FB	Howard Hallett
Albert Jenkinson	WG	Charles Russell
Jim Lomas (c)	CE	Viv Farnsworth
Harold Wagstaff	CE	Herb Gilbert
Billy Batten	WG	Dan Frawley
Jim Davies	SO	Bill Farnsworth
Fred Smith	SH	Chris McKivat (c)
Fred Harrison	PR	Arthur Francis
Tommy Woods	HK	Paddy McCue
Billy Winstanley	PR	Billy Cann
Dick Ramsdale	SR	Bill Noble
Doug Clark	SR	Tedda Courtney
Ben Gronow	LF	Bob Craig
	Coach

McKivat lead the way for Australia dominating the rucks and scoring a vital try. Renowned Australian journalist Claude Corbett was acting as one of the touch judges and referee Renton, over-ruled his goal decision on one of the Australian conversion attempts.

Third Ashes Test

Test No. 14 Doug Clark Jim Lomas

Goals: Alf Wood (1) Tom Berecry (2) Dan Frawley (2) Paddy McCue (2) Chris McKivat (2) Viv Farnsworth Goals: Dan Frawley (2) Herb Gilbert (1)

Great Britain	Position	Australasia
Alf Wood	FB	Howard Hallett
Billy Batten	WG	Dan Frawley
Jim Lomas (c)	CE	Viv Farnsworth
Bert Jenkins	CE	Herb Gilbert
Albert Jenkinson	WG	Tom Berecry
Fred Smith	SO	Bill Farnsworth
Jim Davies	SH	Chris McKivat (c)
Dick Ramsdale	PR	Con Sullivan
Billy Winstanley	HK	Paddy McCue
Doug Clark	PR	Billy Cann
Tommy Woods	SR	Bob Williams
Fred Harrison	SR	Bill Noble
Albert Avery	LF	Bob Craig
	Coach

Great Britain only needed to win the third Test to tie the series and keep the Ashes but were reduced to 12 men early in the encounter after an injury to Dick Ramsdale. Great Britain led 8–0 early but had no answer to the Australian attack as they ran in nine tries.

This would be the first (and final) time the Kangaroos would win The Ashes on British soil until the 1963–64 Kangaroo tour.

References

(2008). "100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908–2008". Huia Publishers.
"The history of rugby league". centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au.
Cunneen, Chris. (2001). "The best ever Australian Sports Writing". Black.
Kristine, Corcoran. "Pearce, Sidney Charles (Sandy) (1883–1930)". [[Australian National University]].
(12 June 1946). "1908-9 KANGAROOS BLAZED R.L. TRAIL". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
"1911 Tour Match: Wigan 7 Australia 2". RLFANS.COM.
[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/ashes-series-1911/game-1/england-vs-australia/summary.html 1st Ashes Test]
[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/ashes-series-1911/game-2/england-vs-australia/summary.html 2nd Ashes Test]
Alan Whiticker, ''Captaining the Kangaroos'' (2004) New Holland p44
[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/ashes-series-1911/game-3/england-vs-australia/summary.html 3rd Ashes Test]

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

australia-national-rugby-league-team-tours rugby-league-tours-of-great-britain 1911-in-rugby-league 1912-in-australian-rugby-league 1911-in-australian-rugby-league 1912-in-rugby-league 1911-in-english-rugby-league 1911-in-scottish-sport 1912-in-english-rugby-league 1911-in-new-zealand-rugby-league 1912-in-new-zealand-rugby-league 1912-in-scottish-sport australia–united-kingdom-sports-relations

Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about 1911–12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report