1921–22 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain

Rugby league tour (1921–1922) August 2020 July 2013 Sh 1921 kangaroos.jpg Tour match photo taken at Barrow 17 September 1921 – 21 January 1922 1921–22 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain Australasia 1921 1922 Great Britain Billy Cann and George Ball Arthur Hennessy Les Cubitt 36 27 0 9 3 1 0 2 GBR 3 1 0 2 1911–12 1929–30 The 1921–22 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain was the third ever Kangaroo tour. Again an Australasian side rather than an Australian team alone (although the 28-man squad featured only one New Zealander) travelled to Great Britain to contest the Ashes.Kangaroo Tour: 1921–1922 Fagan Sean Sean Fagan 2006 rl1908.com Australia http://www.rl1908.com/Kangaroos/1921.htm 20 February 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110102124512/http://www.rl1908.com/Kangaroos/1921.htm 2 January 2011 Coached by Arthur Hennessy and captained by Les Cubitt, the Kangaroos travelled on the RMS Tahiti to England for best-of-three series of Test matches against Great Britain for the Ashes. The tour took place during the 1921–22 Northern Rugby Football Union season and also featured matches against several of the clubs in that competition as well as other representative teams. The tour also involved some degree of player misbehaviour, with one young footballer almost sent home from San Francisco because of all the broken glasses following a drinking session on board the team's ship.Tatnell Paul Code of conduct: are players in a different league? The Sydney Morning Herald Fairfax Media 16 September 2010 http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/code-of-conduct-are-players-in-a-different-league-20100916-15e6z.html 27 February 2011 Touring squad During 1921, the New Zealand side toured Australia, playing matches against New South Wales and Queensland, which served as selection trials for the upcoming 'Australasian' team's tour, for which only one New Zealander, Bert Laing, selected.100 Years: Maori Rugby League, 1908–2008 John Coffey Bernie Wood 2008 Huia Publishers New Zealand 978-1-86969-331-2 73 https://books.google.com/books?id=nklWo8vw-iIC 26 February 2011 The team wore the sky blue jersey of New South Wales and the only non-New South Welsh player to appear in a test was Queenslander Billy Richards in the third.Sean Fagan (2009) "Tommy Gorman's Maroon Giants". rl1908.com https://web.archive.org/web/20101010004445/http://www.rl1908.com/Origin/1920s.htm 10 October 2010 Billy Cann was co-manager of the Australasian touring squad along with Souths' secretary, George Ball. Secretary of the Queensland Rugby League, and football journalist Harry Sunderland also accompanied the team.Edmond Scott (2006) 'Sunderland, Harry (1889–1964)'. Australian Dictionary of Biography, Online Edition ISSN 1833-7538, published by Australian National University On this tour Sandy Pearce at 38 years of age became the oldest Australian international player.sydneyroosters.com.au Tricolours 50 to 1 4 March 2010 http://www.sydneyroosters.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=23078 27 February 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20120314065128/http://www.sydneyroosters.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=23078 14 March 2012 New South Wales Early in the 1921 NSWRFL season, players who were selected had to leave their clubs for the tour. All but one of the League's nine teams (University) were represented in the touring squad: Cec Blinkhorn, three-quarter back for North Sydney Frank Burge, forward for Glebe Harry Caples, half back for Eastern Suburbs George Carstairs, back for St. George Jimmy Craig, three-quarter back for Balmain (c) Les Cubitt, three-quarter back for Eastern Suburbs Charles Fraser, back for Balmain Bert Gray, forward for Glebe Harold Horder, three-quarter back for North Sydney Clarrie Ives, forward for North Sydney Albert Johnston, half back for St. George Reg Latta, forward for Balmain Ted McGrath, forward for South Sydney Rex Norman, three-quarter back for Eastern Suburbs Sandy Pearce, forward for Eastern Suburbs Herman Peters, three-quarter back for North Sydney Clarrie Prentice, forward for Western Suburbs Felix Ryan, forward for Newtown Bill Schultz, forward for Balmain Duncan Thompson, half back for North Sydney Dick Townsend, forward for Newtown Dick Vest, three-quarter back for Western Suburbs Jack Watkins, forward for Eastern Suburbs Queensland Neville Broadfoot, three-quarter back for Queensland Edwin Brown, three-quarter back for Newtown (Toowoomba)Queensland Representative Players 2010 Queensland Rugby League Australia http://www.qrl.com.au/default.aspx?s=history-players 20 February 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110218193614/http://www.qrl.com.au/default.aspx?s=history-players 18 February 2011 dead Norm Potter, forward for Queensland Bill Richards, forward for Western Suburbs (Brisbane) New Zealand The sole New Zealand player that accompanied the Australians on tour has been listed in the Australian Rugby League's Kangaroos players register.Australian Kangaroos players register australianrugbyleague.com.au http://www.australianrugbyleague.com.au/kangaroos/register.php 6 July 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20120317113820/http://www.australianrugbyleague.com.au/kangaroos/register.php 17 March 2012 Bert Laing, half back for Auckland Matches Before sailing for England the team stopped in New Zealand for an exhibition match at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.Fagan Sean New Zealand 'Kangaroos' rl1908.com 2009 http://www.rl1908.com/Kangaroos/NZ.htm 27 February 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20101008200119/http://rl1908.com/Kangaroos/NZ.htm 8 October 2010 Also during the tour, the Northern Rugby Football Union tried to arrange a match in Paris, but opposition from the RFU-aligned French Rugby Federation made it impossible.Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain: A social and cultural History Collins Tony Tony Collins (historian) 2006 Taylor & Francis 978-0-415-39614-1 70–71 https://books.google.com/books?id=J6nXcpxXzWsC 27 February 2011 After arriving in England, the Kangaroos played four matches against local clubs before the first Ashes test, winning all of them with dominant margins: F0F8FF 17 September 1921 Salford 3–48 Australasia Tries: 1 Tries: 12Goals: 6 The Willows, Salford 9,000 F0F8FF 20 September 1921 Keighley 0–29 Australasia Tries: 7Goals: 4 Lawkholme Lane, Keighley 5,500 F0F8FF 24 September 1921 Hull Kingston Rovers 6–26 Australasia Goals: 3 Tries: 6Goals: 4 Craven Street, Hull 13,000 F0F8FF 28 September 1921 Bradford Northern 3–53 Australasia Tries: 1 Tries: 15Goals: 4 Birch Lane, Bradford 3,000 First Ashes test #eeeeee 1 October 1921 GBR 6–5 1st Ashes Test AUS Tries: Squire Stockwell Billy Stone Goals: Tries: Cec Blinkhorn Goals: Jim Craig (1) Headingley, Leeds 31,700 Frank Renton (England) Great BritainPositionAustraliaGwyn ThomasFBCharles Fraser (c)Billy StoneWGHarold HorderHarold Wagstaff (c)CEDick VestJim BaconCEJim CraigSquire StockwellWGCec BlinkhornJonty ParkinSOAlbert JohnstonJohnny RogersSHDuncan ThompsonArthur SkelhornePRClarrie PrenticeJoe CartwrightHKSandy PearceBilly CunliffePRFelix RyanJack BeamesSRFrank BurgeEdgar MorganSRAlbert GrayJack PriceLFJack Watkins Coach The Kangaroos' winning streak came to an end when they played against England. Australasia led 5–3 at the break and the match seemed to be theirs when Frank Burge scored a late try, but it was disallowed by referee Frank Renton. Thus, a sole second-half try from the British close to full-time was enough for them to win it. F0F8FF 6 October 1921 Widnes 4–28 Australasia Goals: 2 Tries: 6Goals: 5 Lowerhouse Lane, Widnes 11,000 F0F8FF 8 October 1921 Broughton Rangers 6–18 Australasia Goals: 3 Tries: 4Goals: 3 The Cliff, Broughton, Salford 17,000 FFCBDB 10 October 1921 ENG 5–4 England vs Australia at Highbury Australasia Tries: Frank Todd Goals: Tom Clarkson (1) Goals: Goals: Bert Gray (1) Duncan Thompson (1) Highbury, London 12,000 F0F8FF 15 October 1921 3:30Wigan RL History – 1921–22 Season at wigan.rlfans.com Wigan 6–14 Australasia Goals: J Sullivan 3 Tries: 2Goals: 4 Central Park,1921 Tour Match: Wigan 6 Australia 14 http://wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/index.php?page_id=699 cherryandwhite.co.uk RLFANS.COM 20 September 2013 Wigan 24,308 F0F8FF 19 October 1921 Leeds 5–11 Australasia Tries: 1Goals: 1 Tries: 3Goals: 1 Headingley, Leeds 14,000 F0F8FF 22 October 1921 Wakefield Trinity 3–29 Australasia Tries: 1 Tries: 7Goals: 4 Belle Vue, Wakefield 6,000 F0F8FF 26 October 1921 Batley 7–33 Australasia Tries: 1Goals: 2 Tries: 7Goals: 6 Mount Pleasant, Batley 6,000 FFCBDB 29 October 1921 Warrington 8–5 Australasia Goals: 4 Tries: 1Goals: 1 Wilderspool, Warrington 16,000 FFCBDB 2 November 1921 York 9–3 Australasia Tries:Farrar 1Goals:Corsi 2Field goals:McEwan 1 Tries:Reg Latta 1 Clarence Street, York 3,000 At halftime York led 4–3 in a game that "was characterised by rough and scrambling play, minor injuries being numerous."The Kangaroos. Beaten by York. The Sydney Morning Herald 9 4 November 1921 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PxoTAAAAIBAJ&pg=2315,60359 26 February 2011 Second Ashes test #eeeeee 5 November 1921 GBR 2–16 2nd Ashes Test AUS Goals: Johnny Rogers Goals: Tries: Cec Blinkhorn (2) Harold Horder Dick Vest Goals: Duncan Thompson (2) The Boulevard, Hull 21,504 R. Robinson Great BritainPositionAustraliaGwyn ThomasFBCharles Fraser (c)Billy StoneWGHarold HorderBilly BattenCEDick VestJim BaconCEGeorge CarstairsSquire StockwellWGCec BlinkhornJonty Parkin (c)SOHarry CaplesJohnny RogersSHDuncan ThompsonArthur SkelhornePRBill SchultzJoe CartwrightHKSandy PearceBilly CunliffePRClarrie PrenticeJack BeamesSRReg LattaEdgar MorganSRJack WatkinsJack PriceLFFrank Burge Coach In the second Test the scores were 2-all at half-time, but after that the Australian backline of Horder, Carstairs, Vest and Blinkhorn cut loose. The Kangaroos scored 4 tries to nil, the win setting up the third and final Test as the Ashes decider. This was also the last Test in the international career of Sandy Pearce and made him the oldest ever Kangaroo. The Kangaroos played sixteen more tour matches between the second and third Tests: F0F8FF 9 November 1921 Bramley 7–92 Australasia Tries: 1Goals: 2 Tries: 24Goals: 10 Barley Mow, Bramley 1,500 Up to and including the final Kangaroo Tour which included matches against English club sides in 1994, this would be the highest ever score by the Kangaroos. The closest The Kangaroos ever came to this score was an 80–2 win over the Sheffield Eagles in 1994. F0F8FF 12 November 1921 Rochdale Hornets 2–16 Australasia Goals: 1 Tries: 4Goals: 4 Athletic Grounds, Rochdale 12,000 FFCBDB 16 November 1921 Swinton 9–0 Australasia Tries: 1Goals: 3 Chorley Road, Swinton 6,000 F0F8FF 19 November 1921 Huddersfield 2–36 Australasia Goals: 1 Tries: 8Goals: 6 Fartown, Huddersfield 12,000 F0F8FF 23 November 1921 St. Helens 8–16 Australasia Tries: 2Goals: 1 Tries: 4Goals: 2 Knowsley Road, St. Helens 6,000 F0F8FF 26 November 1921 Oldham 5–16 Australasia Tries: 1Goals: 1 Tries: 4Goals: 2 Watersheddings, Oldham 15,000 F0F8FF 30 November 1921 Lancashire 6–29 Australasia Tries: 2Goals: 0 Tries: 6Goals: 4 Goodison Park, Liverpool 17,000 F0F8FF 3 December 1921 Barrow 15–24 Australasia Tries: 3Goals: 3 Tries: 6Goals: 3 Little Park, Roose, Barrow 8,000 F0F8FF 7 December 1921 Yorkshire 8–24 Australasia Tries: 2Goals: 1 Tries: 6Goals: 3 Belle Vue, Wakefield 6,000 F0F8FF 10 December 1921 WAL 16–21 Wales vs Australia Australasia Goals: Tommy Howley, Johnny Rogers Goals: Ben Gronow (4) Jim Sullivan (1) Tries: Cec Blinkhorn, Frank Burge, Jim Craig, Harold Horder, Albert Johnston Goals: Duncan Thompson (3) Taff Vale Park, Pontypridd 13,000 FFCBDB 14 December 1921 Lancashire 8–6 Australasia Tries: 2Goals: 1 Tries: 2 Wilderspool, Warrington 6,000 FFCBDB 17 December 1921 Dewsbury 13–6 Australasia Tries: 3Goals: 2 Tries: 2 Old Crown Flatt ground, Dewsbury 6,000 F0F8FF 21 December 1921 Leigh 4–17 Australasia Goals: 2 Tries: 5Goals: 1 Mather Lane, Leigh 5,000 F0F8FF 24 December 1921 Hull F.C. 10–21 Australasia Tries: 2Goals: 2 Tries: 5Goals: 3 The Boulevard, Hull 12,000 F0F8FF 27 December 1921 Widnes 8–17 Australasia Tries: 2Goals: 1 Tries: 5Goals: 1 Lowerhouse Lane, Widnes 12,000 F0F8FF 31 December 1921 Halifax 6–35 Australasia Tries: 2 Tries:Cec Blinkhorn 3Felix Ryan 1Bill Richards 1Bert Laing 1Harold Horder 1Clarrie Prentice 1Duncan Thompson 1Goals:J Craig 3Field goalJ Craig 1 Thrum Hall, Halifax 12,000 Among those present for this match was the UK's Speaker of the House of Commons, J. H. Whitley. The half-time score was 18–3 to the visitors, who were without Dick Vest due to ill health.A Runaway Win The Sydney Morning Herald 7 2 January 1922 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-8QQAAAAIBAJ&pg=4822,957187 26 February 2011 F0F8FF 2 January 1922 Hunslet 10–19 Australasia Tries: 2Goals: 2 Tries: 5Goals: 2 Parkside, Hunslet 3,174 F0F8FF 7 January 1922 Cumberland 12–25 Australasia Tries: 2Goals: 3 Tries: 7Goals: 2 Lonsdale Park, Workington 5,000 Third Ashes test #eeeeee 14 January 1922 GBR 6–0 3rd Ashes Test AUS Tries: Herman Hilton F Gallagher Goals: Tries: Goals: The Willows, Salford 22,000 R. Jones Great BritainPositionAustraliaGwyn ThomasFBCharles Fraser (c)Danny HurcombeWGCec BlinkhornJim BaconCEDick VestHarold Wagstaff (c)CEGeorge CarstairsJim OwenWGHarold HorderJohn GreenallSOHarry CaplesJohnny RogersSHDuncan ThompsonArthur SkelhornePRBill SchultzJoe CartwrightHKClarrie PrenticeBilly CunliffePRFelix RyanHerman HiltonSRReg LattaBob TaylorSRBill RichardsFrank GallagherLFFrank Burge Coach The decider was played on a heavy, snow-bound field, much to the dismay of the fleet-footed Kangaroos. Early in the match the Australians were reduced to twelve men when Chook Fraser suffered a broken leg.Balmain Leagues Club (2009) "1920s". tigers.org.au https://web.archive.org/web/20110225205318/http://www.tigers.org.au/rugbyleague/history/1920-1929/ 25 February 2011 In what was described as "a bruising encounter", Herman Hilton took a pass from his captain, the "prince of centres", Harold Wagstaff to dive over, taking two defenders over the try-line with him.Hall of Fame – Herman Hilton Oldham Rugby League Heritage Trust http://www.orl-heritagetrust.org.uk/hall-of-fame/ 26 February 2011 The final score was 6–0 to the home side.British Football Results The New York Times 15 January 1922 https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1922/01/15/109831961.pdf 26 February 2011 By winning this third and deciding test of the series, Britain claimed the Ashes. FFCBDB 16 January 1922 Oldham 15–5 Australasia Tries: 3Goals: 5 Tries: 1Goals: 1 Watersheddings, Oldham 6,000 F0F8FF 21 January 1922 St Helens Recs 5–16 Australasia Tries: 1Goals: 1 Tries: 4Goals: 2 City Road, St. Helens 5,000 By the end of the tour, Australian three-quarter, Cec Blinkhorn, had scored 39 tries in 29 matches, which still stands as the record for most tries scored on a Kangaroo tour.Encyclopedia of Australian sport Shepherd Jim 1980 Rigby Australia 978-0-7270-1119-0 50 https://books.google.com/books?id=6xPwAAAAMAAJ 26 February 2011 The other winger, Harold Horder scored 35, and forward Frank Burge was not far behind with 33 tries from 23 games.Corcoran Kristine Burge, Frank (1894–1958) Australian Dictionary of Biography, Online Edition 1833-7538 Australian National University 2006 http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130337b.htm 26 February 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110303150302/http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130337b.htm 3 March 2011 live The team travelled back to Australia on the Orvieto, arriving in Fremantle in February 1922.United Press Association General Cables Evening Post New Zealand 7 National Library of New Zealand CIII 46 24 February 1922 http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=EP19220224.2.65 27 February 2011 Upon their return to Sydney a large dinner was held for the tourists by the New South Wales Rugby Football League, which was attended by the likes of Sir Joynton Smith, to celebrate the players' courageous effort and the fact that this was the first team to return to Sydney with a profit.Dinner to Australasian Team The Sydney Morning Herald 12 7 March 1922 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JfRjAAAAIBAJ&pg=4011,183947 27 February 2011 References External links 1921–22 Australasian Football Team Touring Great Britain – Souvenir (Melba Studios, Sydney) Ashes Series 1921/22 at rugbyleagueproject.org Category:Australia national rugby league team tours Category:Rugby league tours of Great Britain Kangaroo tour of Great Britain Kangaroo tour of Great Britain Kangaroo tour of Great Britain Kangaroo tour of Great Britain Kangaroo tour of Great Britain Kangaroo tour of Great Britain Kangaroo tour of Great Britain Kangaroo tour of Great Britain Kangaroo tour of Great Britain Kangaroo tour of Great Britain 1921 1921