1947-48 Australia rugby union tour of the British Isles, Ireland, France and North America
Encyclopedia
Between July 1947 and March 1948 the Australia national rugby union team
– the Wallabies – conducted a world tour encompassing Ceylon, Britain, France and the United States on which they played five Tests and thirty-six minor tour matches. It was the first such tour in twenty years, since that of the 1927–28 Waratahs, as the 1939 Wallaby
tour had been thwarted by World War II
.
The 1947–48 side was notable in preserving their try-line uncrossed by any of the Home Nations
in the first four Tests played. The nine-month journey was one of the last of that era of epic tours when transport was mostly by ship and when the tourists were whole-heartedly welcomed by rugby fans and townships, civic officials and royalty.
The Australians in those days were still showcasing the new running style of rugby that had not yet been fully embraced in the northern hemisphere. The legacy of Johnnie Wallace
's leadership of 1927–28, of Cyril Towers
and the credo of galloping rugby as played at his Randwick club
in Sydney had some bearing on this. But Batchelor also suggests that the everyday competition for public attention between the two rugby codes caused the Australian game (both in Sydney and Brisbane) to need to match the speed and open play of the 13-a-side code. This need was not the same in London and Cardiff where rugby league
as yet posed no threat to spectator numbers coming through rugby union turnstiles.
A squad of thirty players was selected under tour captain Bill McLean
. McLean was an experienced Wallaby and leader of men. His father and brother had represented as both Wallabies and Kangaroos
, with his other brother Jack also a Wallaby tourist. Bill he had been selected in the 1939 side that had travelled to England under captain Vay Wilson
and were promptly turned about upon the declaration of war without playing a match. He had seen action in World War II
against the Japanese as a Captain in an AIF
Commando unit in Borneo
. He had captained Australia's first post-war Wallaby sides on four occasions against the All Blacks
. His return to the British Isles was in some ways a completion of unfinished business.
Trevor Allan
was only 20 when selected as vice-captain of the squad. He had impressed in his first state
and national representative starts a year earlier but in a squad of veteran campaigners including Graeme Cooke and Phil Hardcastle his vice-captaincy was a surprise and an indication that he was being groomed for the future.
The tour was only six matches old when Bill McLean fulfilled his dream of playing at Twickenham
in a minor clash against Combined Services. The match was near completion when McLean was hit by three tacklers from different angles. Howell, Tressider and Shehadie all write that the snap of bone breaking was audible to onlookers. McLean suffered a serious spiral fracture of the tibia and fibula and had played his last representative match. The tour captaincy passed at that moment to Allan, now just a few days past his 21st birthday. Allan was leading a squad comprising war veterans in Ken Kearney
, Col Windon
, Eddie Broad
and Neville Emery; three qualified medical practitioners in Phil Hardcastle, Doug Keller and Clem Windsor; and a mixture of new and experienced Wallabies.
The tradition on earlier Australian tours had been that the manager took care of arrangements and the Asst-Manager fulfilled the coaching duties. Shehadie reports that Arnold Tancred
and McLean coached and trained the 1947–48 side with vigour while Jeff Noseda took care of tour administration. Journalist Phil Tressider accompanied the touring party and wrote of Tancred "I remember Tancred as a grim, brooding man who not only managed the team but coached it and was sole selector. He would brook no interference and he kept the press at arm's length. He was fortified by his experiences as a player with the 1927-28 Waratahs and he had an aching ambition for victory", Shehadie wrote of Tancred. "[He] was a very strict disciplinarian who was determined that we would win as many matches as possible. He would constantly remind us that we would only be remembered for the number of matches we won" and goes on to quote Jack Pollard: "The only criticism of Tancred was that relied perhaps too heavily on the team's proven stars and did not give newcomers many opportunities. He barred sportswriters travelling with the team from staying in the same hotel, was uncooperative with the Press, and the team did not enjoy very sympathetic media coverage".
in July 1947 aboard the passenger liner Orion. They departed Australia from Fremantle after crossing the Great Australian Bight, next docking in Colombo
, Ceylon where they were welcomed and entertained by the expatriate community like the 1927–28 Waratahs before them. From there they sailed to Aden
in Yemen, then Port Said
, Egypt before arriving in England
in the port town of Tilbury
.
After seeing the sights of a London still scarred from wartime devastation, the party left by train for Penzance
in Cornwall
where their on-land training would pick up ahead of the first tour match against Combined Cornwall and Devon at Cambourn won by the Wallabies. The minor matches would have an exacting toll with firstly McLean
's injury in the sixth game and then the loss of champion Manly
winger Charlie Eastes in the match against Newport to a broken arm which also spelled the end of his tour participation.
Rugged matches in Cardiff and Llanelly followed before the Wallabies returned to London where they visited the House of Commons and the House of Lords
and met Clement Attlee
at 10 Downing St. Later at St James Palace they were received by the Duke of Gloucester
, a former Governor-General of Australia
and met his young son Prince William
. A tour highlight was a royal reception at Buckingham Palace
where the squad met the King
and Queen and the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret
. When the squad travelled to Ireland for the second Test they met the President Éamon de Valera
.
Back in Britain after the France Test, the Wallabies met the British Barbarians
in their inaugural match against an international team – such fixtures would thereafter become a regular event against touring national southern-hemisphere sides. The Barbarians fielded six internationals from England, five from Wales, two from Scotland, one from Ireland. A Barbarian tradition is to select one uncapped player and on this occasion it was Blackheath F.C. winger Martin Turner. The Barbarians won 9–6 and at the after match function tour captain McLean
was given honorary Barbarian membership.
After the Barbarians match the team sailed for New York aboard the Queen Mary. From there they travelled across the Rockies by train, playing a number of fixtures against sides comprising expatriates and American footballers. The final tour match was against a University of California
team in Los Angeles. The homeward legs were taken by air – Australian National Airlines flew a Skymaster from Los Angeles to Hawaii (an overnight stop), to Canton Island, to Fiji (another overnight) before arriving in Sydney on 28 March 1948. Two years later that very same plane – the Amana – would crash on a scheduled flight from Melbourne to Perth killing all 29 on board.
, Trevor Allan
, Max Howell, John MacBride, Neville Emery, Cyril Burke
, Eric Davis, Ken Kearney
, Eric Tweedale, Joe Kraefft, Graeme Cooke, Douglas Keller, Arthur Buchan, Colin Windon
SCOTLAND: Ian Lumsden
, Thomas Jackson, John Innes, Thomas Wright, Charles McDonald, Derek Hepburn, Dallas Allardice, Robert Bruce, Dod Lyall, Ian Henderson, Leslie Currie, Hamish Dawson, Doug Elliot, Alexander Watt, Jimmy Lees
AUSTRALIA: Brian Piper, Arthur Tonkin
, Max Howell, Trevor Allan
, John MacBride, Neville Emery, Cyril Burke
, Bob McMaster, Ken Kearney
, Eric Tweedale, Joe Kraefft, Graeme Cooke, Douglas Keller, Arthur Buchan, Colin Windon
IRELAND: Dudley Higgins, William McKee, Kevin Quinn, Paddy Reid
, Kevin O'Flanghan, Jack Kyle
, Ernest Strathdee, Jimmy Corcoran, Karl Mullen
, Albert McConnell, Richard Wilkinson, Jimmy Nelson, Bill McKay, Ernie Keeffe, Desmond McCourt
AUSTRALIA: Brian Piper, Arthur Tonkin
, Trevor Allan
, Max Howell, John MacBride, Neville Emery, Cyril Burke
, Bob McMaster, Ken Kearney
, Eric Davis, Joe Kraefft, Graeme Cooke, Douglas Keller, Arthur Buchan, Colin Windon
WALES: Billy Cleaver
, Ken Jones, Bleddyn Williams
, Jack Matthews
, Leslie Williams
, Glyn Davies
, Handel Greville
, Emlyn Davies
, Mal James, Cliff Davies
, John Gwilliam
, Bill Tamplin
, Ossie Williams, Les Manfield, Gwyn Evans
Australia were beaten squarely in a dull, forwards based game with neither side penetrating to score a try.
The Wallabies enjoyed a feast of possession in the first half with their locks Cooke and Kraefft dominating the line-outs and their forwards ahead in the scrums three to one. The match was played at a furious pace and at the twenty-minute mark suddenly for the first time in four Tests the Australian goal line was threatened when the English centre Bennett put Swarbrick into open space.
Swarbrick licked up the pass like a sprinter head down for the finish. Sheer pace carried him on. Tonkin could not get to him. He swerved out, his flying feet not brushing the chalk from the touch line. Piper's dash to the corner was too late. Swarbrick pounced forward – he was clear ! The 70,000 crowd were on their toes. Wild arms waved to high heaven. The Twickenham Valley, pinched between the canyon grandstands, reverberated with thundering clanging to a crescendo. He was not only clear – he was through ! He was indeed over the line, safely, marvellously home. He had but to fall on his face and England would be a try up. A dead man must have scored us three points. And then, as Swarbrick hurled himself down, a pin-pointed rocket caught him, swept him through mid-air, ball and all, into the no-man's land of touch in goal. It was Trevor Allan
, the forlorn hope, saving his side after all was lost.
The sides were evenly matched thereafter with both sets of backs depriving the other of a scoring opportunity. Then right before half-time a kick by Newman failed to find touch and landed in the Australian pack for Ken Kearney
to bring the ball forward. It went through many hands before Colin Windon
scored in the corner to give the Wallabies a 3–0 lead at the break.
With the game three-quarters over England's full-back Syd Newman hit the post with a penalty attempt that would have kept them in the match. Then with ten minutes to go, the game opened up in Australia's favour. Alan Walker chip-kicked ahead, regathered in spectacular fashion and scored. Then Col Windon
's punishing defence on English pivot Tommy Kemp saw Kemp spill the ball and Windon set off like "the Breeze" he was affectionately known as and outpace all to the try-line.
AUSTRALIA: Brian Piper, Arthur Tonkin
, Trevor Allan
(c), Alan Walker, John MacBride, Neville Emery, Cyril Burke
, Nicholas Shehadie
, Ken Kearney
, Eric Tweedale, Joe Kraefft, Graeme Cooke, Douglas Keller, Arthur Buchan, Colin Windon
ENGLAND: Syd Newman, Dickie Guest, Billy Bennett, Edward Scott
, David Swarbrick, Tommy Kemp (c), Richard Madge, Eric Evans, John Keeling, Harry Walker, Joe Mycock
, Samuel Victor Perry
, Micky Steele-Bodger
, Douglas Vaughan, Jika Travers
AUSTRALIA: Brian Piper, Arthur Tonkin
, Trevor Allan
, Alan Walker, John MacBride, Neville Emery, Cyril Burke
, Nicholas Shehadie
, Ken Kearney
, Eric Tweedale, Joe Kraefft, Graeme Cooke, Douglas Keller, Arthur Buchan, Colin Windon
FRANCE: Andre Alvarez, Michel Pomathios, Pierre Dizabo, Maurice Terreau, Roger Lacaussade, Leon Bordenave, Gerard Dufau, Lucien Caron, Lucien Martin, Eugene Buzy, Alban Moga, Robert Soro, Jean Prat, Guy Basquet, Jean Matheu-Cambas
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
– the Wallabies – conducted a world tour encompassing Ceylon, Britain, France and the United States on which they played five Tests and thirty-six minor tour matches. It was the first such tour in twenty years, since that of the 1927–28 Waratahs, as the 1939 Wallaby
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
tour had been thwarted by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The 1947–48 side was notable in preserving their try-line uncrossed by any of the Home Nations
Home Nations
Home Nations is a collective term with one of two meanings depending on the context. Politically, it means the nations of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom...
in the first four Tests played. The nine-month journey was one of the last of that era of epic tours when transport was mostly by ship and when the tourists were whole-heartedly welcomed by rugby fans and townships, civic officials and royalty.
The Australians in those days were still showcasing the new running style of rugby that had not yet been fully embraced in the northern hemisphere. The legacy of Johnnie Wallace
Johnnie Wallace
Arthur Cooper "Johnnie" Wallace was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative three-quarter who captained the Waratahs on 25 occasions in the 1920s as well as representing for Scotland early in his career.-University & early representative career:Wallace arrived at St...
's leadership of 1927–28, of Cyril Towers
Cyril Towers
Cyril Towers was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative centre who made 57 appearances for the Wallabies, played in 19 Test matches and captained the national side on three occasions in 1937...
and the credo of galloping rugby as played at his Randwick club
Randwick DRUFC
Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club, also known as the Galloping Greens, is an Australian rugby union club which competes in the Sydney grade competition. The club was formed in 1882 and since then has won 31 first grade premierships and seven Australian club championships...
in Sydney had some bearing on this. But Batchelor also suggests that the everyday competition for public attention between the two rugby codes caused the Australian game (both in Sydney and Brisbane) to need to match the speed and open play of the 13-a-side code. This need was not the same in London and Cardiff where rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
as yet posed no threat to spectator numbers coming through rugby union turnstiles.
The squad's leadership
Bill McLean
William Malcolm McLean was an Australian soldier and a state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in five Test matches immediately after World War II.-Pre-war rugby:...
. McLean was an experienced Wallaby and leader of men. His father and brother had represented as both Wallabies and Kangaroos
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
, with his other brother Jack also a Wallaby tourist. Bill he had been selected in the 1939 side that had travelled to England under captain Vay Wilson
Vay Wilson
Vayro Wilson DSC was an Australian World War II naval combatant and a state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in three Test matches immediately prior to World War II.-Rugby career:...
and were promptly turned about upon the declaration of war without playing a match. He had seen action in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
against the Japanese as a Captain in an AIF
AIF
AIF may refer to:*AIF , refer List of role-playing games by name*Accredited Investment Fiduciary*Adult Interactive fiction, a game genre*American India Foundation*Anti-Iraqi Forces*Apoptosis inducing factor...
Commando unit in Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
. He had captained Australia's first post-war Wallaby sides on four occasions against the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
. His return to the British Isles was in some ways a completion of unfinished business.
Trevor Allan
Trevor Allan
Trevor Allan OAM was an Australian dual-code rugby international who captained Australia in rugby union before switching to rugby league with English club Leigh.-Rugby union club career:...
was only 20 when selected as vice-captain of the squad. He had impressed in his first state
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
and national representative starts a year earlier but in a squad of veteran campaigners including Graeme Cooke and Phil Hardcastle his vice-captaincy was a surprise and an indication that he was being groomed for the future.
The tour was only six matches old when Bill McLean fulfilled his dream of playing at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
in a minor clash against Combined Services. The match was near completion when McLean was hit by three tacklers from different angles. Howell, Tressider and Shehadie all write that the snap of bone breaking was audible to onlookers. McLean suffered a serious spiral fracture of the tibia and fibula and had played his last representative match. The tour captaincy passed at that moment to Allan, now just a few days past his 21st birthday. Allan was leading a squad comprising war veterans in Ken Kearney
Ken Kearney
Ken "Killer" Kearney was an Australian rugby footballer – a dual-code international player – and a rugby league coach. He represented the Wallabies in seven Tests and the Kangaroos in thirty-one Test matches and World Cup games. He captained Australia in nine rugby league Test matches in 1956 and...
, Col Windon
Colin Windon
Colin Windon was an Australian soldier and a state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in six Test matches in 1951...
, Eddie Broad
Eddie Broad
Edmund George "Eddie" Broad was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Broad, a fly-half, was born in Brisbane, Queensland and claimed 1 international rugby cap for Australia. He was selected in the 1947–48 Australia rugby union tour of the British Isles, Ireland, France and North America...
and Neville Emery; three qualified medical practitioners in Phil Hardcastle, Doug Keller and Clem Windsor; and a mixture of new and experienced Wallabies.
The tradition on earlier Australian tours had been that the manager took care of arrangements and the Asst-Manager fulfilled the coaching duties. Shehadie reports that Arnold Tancred
Arnold Tancred
Arnold Joseph P. Tancred was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative flanker. He was prominent in the meat industry in Australia with significant family business interests in meat wholesaling...
and McLean coached and trained the 1947–48 side with vigour while Jeff Noseda took care of tour administration. Journalist Phil Tressider accompanied the touring party and wrote of Tancred "I remember Tancred as a grim, brooding man who not only managed the team but coached it and was sole selector. He would brook no interference and he kept the press at arm's length. He was fortified by his experiences as a player with the 1927-28 Waratahs and he had an aching ambition for victory", Shehadie wrote of Tancred. "[He] was a very strict disciplinarian who was determined that we would win as many matches as possible. He would constantly remind us that we would only be remembered for the number of matches we won" and goes on to quote Jack Pollard: "The only criticism of Tancred was that relied perhaps too heavily on the team's proven stars and did not give newcomers many opportunities. He barred sportswriters travelling with the team from staying in the same hotel, was uncooperative with the Press, and the team did not enjoy very sympathetic media coverage".
Tour itinerary
The squad sailed southwards from Sydney HarbourPort Jackson
Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
in July 1947 aboard the passenger liner Orion. They departed Australia from Fremantle after crossing the Great Australian Bight, next docking in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Ceylon where they were welcomed and entertained by the expatriate community like the 1927–28 Waratahs before them. From there they sailed to Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
in Yemen, then Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
, Egypt before arriving in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the port town of Tilbury
Tilbury
Tilbury is a town in the borough of Thurrock, Essex, England. As a settlement it is of relatively recent existence, although it has important historical connections, being the location of a 16th century fort and an ancient cross-river ferry...
.
After seeing the sights of a London still scarred from wartime devastation, the party left by train for Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
where their on-land training would pick up ahead of the first tour match against Combined Cornwall and Devon at Cambourn won by the Wallabies. The minor matches would have an exacting toll with firstly McLean
Bill McLean
William Malcolm McLean was an Australian soldier and a state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in five Test matches immediately after World War II.-Pre-war rugby:...
's injury in the sixth game and then the loss of champion Manly
Manly RUFC
Manly Rugby Union Football Club are a rugby union club based in Manly, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. The club was formed in 1906 and competes in the New South Wales Rugby Union competitions, the Shute Shield and Tooheys New Cup. Manly, known as the Marlins, play their home games at Manly...
winger Charlie Eastes in the match against Newport to a broken arm which also spelled the end of his tour participation.
Rugged matches in Cardiff and Llanelly followed before the Wallabies returned to London where they visited the House of Commons and the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
and met Clement Attlee
Clement Attlee
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...
at 10 Downing St. Later at St James Palace they were received by the Duke of Gloucester
Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester was a soldier and member of the British Royal Family, the third son of George V of the United Kingdom and Queen Mary....
, a former Governor-General of Australia
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
and met his young son Prince William
Prince William of Gloucester
Prince William of Gloucester was a member of the British Royal Family, a grandson of George V.-Early life:...
. A tour highlight was a royal reception at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
where the squad met the King
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
and Queen and the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger daughter of King George VI....
. When the squad travelled to Ireland for the second Test they met the President Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
.
Back in Britain after the France Test, the Wallabies met the British Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
in their inaugural match against an international team – such fixtures would thereafter become a regular event against touring national southern-hemisphere sides. The Barbarians fielded six internationals from England, five from Wales, two from Scotland, one from Ireland. A Barbarian tradition is to select one uncapped player and on this occasion it was Blackheath F.C. winger Martin Turner. The Barbarians won 9–6 and at the after match function tour captain McLean
Bill McLean
William Malcolm McLean was an Australian soldier and a state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in five Test matches immediately after World War II.-Pre-war rugby:...
was given honorary Barbarian membership.
After the Barbarians match the team sailed for New York aboard the Queen Mary. From there they travelled across the Rockies by train, playing a number of fixtures against sides comprising expatriates and American footballers. The final tour match was against a University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
team in Los Angeles. The homeward legs were taken by air – Australian National Airlines flew a Skymaster from Los Angeles to Hawaii (an overnight stop), to Canton Island, to Fiji (another overnight) before arriving in Sydney on 28 March 1948. Two years later that very same plane – the Amana – would crash on a scheduled flight from Melbourne to Perth killing all 29 on board.
Test Matches
AUSTRALIA: Brian Piper, Arthur TonkinArthur Tonkin
Arthur Edward Joseph Tonkin was an Australian national representative rugby union player who featured in the 1947-48 Wallaby tour of the British Isles.-Early life:...
, Trevor Allan
Trevor Allan
Trevor Allan OAM was an Australian dual-code rugby international who captained Australia in rugby union before switching to rugby league with English club Leigh.-Rugby union club career:...
, Max Howell, John MacBride, Neville Emery, Cyril Burke
Cyril Burke
Cyril Thomas Burke, BEM was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative scrum-half who made twenty-six Test appearances for the Wallabies between 1946 and 1956.-Playing career:...
, Eric Davis, Ken Kearney
Ken Kearney
Ken "Killer" Kearney was an Australian rugby footballer – a dual-code international player – and a rugby league coach. He represented the Wallabies in seven Tests and the Kangaroos in thirty-one Test matches and World Cup games. He captained Australia in nine rugby league Test matches in 1956 and...
, Eric Tweedale, Joe Kraefft, Graeme Cooke, Douglas Keller, Arthur Buchan, Colin Windon
Colin Windon
Colin Windon was an Australian soldier and a state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in six Test matches in 1951...
SCOTLAND: Ian Lumsden
Ian Lumsden
Ian James Michael Lumsden is a former Scottish rugby union international.Lumsden, a full-back and occasional fly half, was capped seven times in Tests for Scotland. These appearances came in both the 1947 and 1949 Five Nations Championships.He also played first-class cricket with the Scottish...
, Thomas Jackson, John Innes, Thomas Wright, Charles McDonald, Derek Hepburn, Dallas Allardice, Robert Bruce, Dod Lyall, Ian Henderson, Leslie Currie, Hamish Dawson, Doug Elliot, Alexander Watt, Jimmy Lees
AUSTRALIA: Brian Piper, Arthur Tonkin
Arthur Tonkin
Arthur Edward Joseph Tonkin was an Australian national representative rugby union player who featured in the 1947-48 Wallaby tour of the British Isles.-Early life:...
, Max Howell, Trevor Allan
Trevor Allan
Trevor Allan OAM was an Australian dual-code rugby international who captained Australia in rugby union before switching to rugby league with English club Leigh.-Rugby union club career:...
, John MacBride, Neville Emery, Cyril Burke
Cyril Burke
Cyril Thomas Burke, BEM was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative scrum-half who made twenty-six Test appearances for the Wallabies between 1946 and 1956.-Playing career:...
, Bob McMaster, Ken Kearney
Ken Kearney
Ken "Killer" Kearney was an Australian rugby footballer – a dual-code international player – and a rugby league coach. He represented the Wallabies in seven Tests and the Kangaroos in thirty-one Test matches and World Cup games. He captained Australia in nine rugby league Test matches in 1956 and...
, Eric Tweedale, Joe Kraefft, Graeme Cooke, Douglas Keller, Arthur Buchan, Colin Windon
Colin Windon
Colin Windon was an Australian soldier and a state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in six Test matches in 1951...
IRELAND: Dudley Higgins, William McKee, Kevin Quinn, Paddy Reid
Paddy Reid
Patrick "Paddy" Joseph Reid was an Irish dual-code rugby centre. Reid played club rugby under the rugby union code for Garryowen and played international rugby for Ireland, and was part of the Grand Slam winning team of 1948...
, Kevin O'Flanghan, Jack Kyle
Jack Kyle
John Wilson Kyle OBE , commonly referred to as Jack Kyle or Jackie Kyle, is a former rugby union player who played for Ireland, the British Lions and the Barbarians during the 1940s and 1950s...
, Ernest Strathdee, Jimmy Corcoran, Karl Mullen
Karl Mullen
Dr Karl Daniel Mullen was an Irish Rugby Union player and Consultant Gynaecologist who captained the Irish rugby team and captained the British Lions on their 1950 tour to Australia and New Zealand....
, Albert McConnell, Richard Wilkinson, Jimmy Nelson, Bill McKay, Ernie Keeffe, Desmond McCourt
AUSTRALIA: Brian Piper, Arthur Tonkin
Arthur Tonkin
Arthur Edward Joseph Tonkin was an Australian national representative rugby union player who featured in the 1947-48 Wallaby tour of the British Isles.-Early life:...
, Trevor Allan
Trevor Allan
Trevor Allan OAM was an Australian dual-code rugby international who captained Australia in rugby union before switching to rugby league with English club Leigh.-Rugby union club career:...
, Max Howell, John MacBride, Neville Emery, Cyril Burke
Cyril Burke
Cyril Thomas Burke, BEM was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative scrum-half who made twenty-six Test appearances for the Wallabies between 1946 and 1956.-Playing career:...
, Bob McMaster, Ken Kearney
Ken Kearney
Ken "Killer" Kearney was an Australian rugby footballer – a dual-code international player – and a rugby league coach. He represented the Wallabies in seven Tests and the Kangaroos in thirty-one Test matches and World Cup games. He captained Australia in nine rugby league Test matches in 1956 and...
, Eric Davis, Joe Kraefft, Graeme Cooke, Douglas Keller, Arthur Buchan, Colin Windon
Colin Windon
Colin Windon was an Australian soldier and a state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in six Test matches in 1951...
WALES: Billy Cleaver
Billy Cleaver
William 'Billy' Cleaver was a Welsh international fly-half who played club rugby for Cardiff. He won 14 caps for Wales and was selected to play in the British Lions on the 1950 tour of Australia and New Zealand...
, Ken Jones, Bleddyn Williams
Bleddyn Williams
Bleddyn Williams MBE , was a Welsh rugby union centre. He played in 22 internationals for Wales, captaining them five times, winning each time, and captained the British Lions in 1950 for some of their tour of Australia and New Zealand...
, Jack Matthews
Jack Matthews
Jack Matthews OBE is a former Wales rugby union international centre who played first-class club rugby for Cardiff and Newport. Along with Bleddyn Williams, Matthews formed a centre partnership which is regarded as one of the finest in the game...
, Leslie Williams
Leslie Williams
William Leslie "Les" Thomas Williams was a Welsh dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1940s and '50s who at representative level played rugby union for Wales, and at club level for Llanelli RFC, and Cardiff RFC, playing at Wing, or Centre, i.e...
, Glyn Davies
Glyn Davies (rugby player)
Glyn Davies was a Welsh international rugby union fly-half who played club rugby for a large selection of clubs but most notably for Pontypridd and Cambridge University. He won eleven international caps for Wales including a win over the touring 1947 Australia team...
, Handel Greville
Handel Greville
Handel Greville was a Welsh international rugby union fly-half who played club rugby for a large selection of clubs but most notably for Llanelli...
, Emlyn Davies
Emlyn Davies
Emlyn Davies was a Welsh international rugby union prop who played club rugby for Swansea and Aberavon and county rugby for Glamorgan. He was capped for Wales national rugby union team on two occasions....
, Mal James, Cliff Davies
Cliff Davies (rugby player)
Clifton 'Cliff' Davies was a Welsh international prop who played club rugby for Cardiff and invitational rugby for the Barbarians...
, John Gwilliam
John Gwilliam
John Albert Gwilliam was a Welsh rugby union 'No 8' who played international rugby for Wales and club rugby for Cambridge University, Edinburgh Wanderers, Gloucester, Newport, London Welsh, Llanelli and Wasps...
, Bill Tamplin
Bill Tamplin
William Ewart 'Bill' Tamplin was a Welsh international rugby union lock who played club rugby for Cardiff. He won seven caps for Wales and captained his country in their victory over the 1947 touring Australian team....
, Ossie Williams, Les Manfield, Gwyn Evans
Australia were beaten squarely in a dull, forwards based game with neither side penetrating to score a try.
The Wallabies enjoyed a feast of possession in the first half with their locks Cooke and Kraefft dominating the line-outs and their forwards ahead in the scrums three to one. The match was played at a furious pace and at the twenty-minute mark suddenly for the first time in four Tests the Australian goal line was threatened when the English centre Bennett put Swarbrick into open space.
Swarbrick licked up the pass like a sprinter head down for the finish. Sheer pace carried him on. Tonkin could not get to him. He swerved out, his flying feet not brushing the chalk from the touch line. Piper's dash to the corner was too late. Swarbrick pounced forward – he was clear ! The 70,000 crowd were on their toes. Wild arms waved to high heaven. The Twickenham Valley, pinched between the canyon grandstands, reverberated with thundering clanging to a crescendo. He was not only clear – he was through ! He was indeed over the line, safely, marvellously home. He had but to fall on his face and England would be a try up. A dead man must have scored us three points. And then, as Swarbrick hurled himself down, a pin-pointed rocket caught him, swept him through mid-air, ball and all, into the no-man's land of touch in goal. It was Trevor Allan
Trevor Allan
Trevor Allan OAM was an Australian dual-code rugby international who captained Australia in rugby union before switching to rugby league with English club Leigh.-Rugby union club career:...
, the forlorn hope, saving his side after all was lost.
The sides were evenly matched thereafter with both sets of backs depriving the other of a scoring opportunity. Then right before half-time a kick by Newman failed to find touch and landed in the Australian pack for Ken Kearney
Ken Kearney
Ken "Killer" Kearney was an Australian rugby footballer – a dual-code international player – and a rugby league coach. He represented the Wallabies in seven Tests and the Kangaroos in thirty-one Test matches and World Cup games. He captained Australia in nine rugby league Test matches in 1956 and...
to bring the ball forward. It went through many hands before Colin Windon
Colin Windon
Colin Windon was an Australian soldier and a state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in six Test matches in 1951...
scored in the corner to give the Wallabies a 3–0 lead at the break.
With the game three-quarters over England's full-back Syd Newman hit the post with a penalty attempt that would have kept them in the match. Then with ten minutes to go, the game opened up in Australia's favour. Alan Walker chip-kicked ahead, regathered in spectacular fashion and scored. Then Col Windon
Colin Windon
Colin Windon was an Australian soldier and a state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in six Test matches in 1951...
's punishing defence on English pivot Tommy Kemp saw Kemp spill the ball and Windon set off like "the Breeze" he was affectionately known as and outpace all to the try-line.
AUSTRALIA: Brian Piper, Arthur Tonkin
Arthur Tonkin
Arthur Edward Joseph Tonkin was an Australian national representative rugby union player who featured in the 1947-48 Wallaby tour of the British Isles.-Early life:...
, Trevor Allan
Trevor Allan
Trevor Allan OAM was an Australian dual-code rugby international who captained Australia in rugby union before switching to rugby league with English club Leigh.-Rugby union club career:...
(c), Alan Walker, John MacBride, Neville Emery, Cyril Burke
Cyril Burke
Cyril Thomas Burke, BEM was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative scrum-half who made twenty-six Test appearances for the Wallabies between 1946 and 1956.-Playing career:...
, Nicholas Shehadie
Nicholas Shehadie
Sir Nicholas Michael Shehadie, AC, OBE KStJ is the former Lord Mayor of Sydney and a former national representative rugby union captain, who made thirty career Test appearances...
, Ken Kearney
Ken Kearney
Ken "Killer" Kearney was an Australian rugby footballer – a dual-code international player – and a rugby league coach. He represented the Wallabies in seven Tests and the Kangaroos in thirty-one Test matches and World Cup games. He captained Australia in nine rugby league Test matches in 1956 and...
, Eric Tweedale, Joe Kraefft, Graeme Cooke, Douglas Keller, Arthur Buchan, Colin Windon
Colin Windon
Colin Windon was an Australian soldier and a state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in six Test matches in 1951...
ENGLAND: Syd Newman, Dickie Guest, Billy Bennett, Edward Scott
Edward Scott (sportsman)
Edward Keith Scott was an English sportsman who played first-class cricket and represented the England national rugby union team.-Early life:...
, David Swarbrick, Tommy Kemp (c), Richard Madge, Eric Evans, John Keeling, Harry Walker, Joe Mycock
Joe Mycock
Joseph "Joe" Mycock was a former English rugby union player who once captained the England national team. At club level he represented Sale.-Notes:...
, Samuel Victor Perry
Samuel Victor Perry
Samuel Victor Perry FRS was an English biochemist who was a pioneer in the field of muscle biochemistry. In his earlier years he was a rugby union lock who played club rugby for Cambridge University R.U.F.C. and international rugby for England.After schooling in Southport Perry took a biochemistry...
, Micky Steele-Bodger
Micky Steele-Bodger
Michael Roland "Micky" Steele-Bodger CBE is a former English rugby union footballer who played flanker for Harlequins, and the Barbarians, and is currently the President of the Barbarian Football Club....
, Douglas Vaughan, Jika Travers
Basil Travers
Basil Holmes 'Jika' Travers was an Australian sportsman who represented the England national rugby union team and played first-class cricket with Oxford University....
AUSTRALIA: Brian Piper, Arthur Tonkin
Arthur Tonkin
Arthur Edward Joseph Tonkin was an Australian national representative rugby union player who featured in the 1947-48 Wallaby tour of the British Isles.-Early life:...
, Trevor Allan
Trevor Allan
Trevor Allan OAM was an Australian dual-code rugby international who captained Australia in rugby union before switching to rugby league with English club Leigh.-Rugby union club career:...
, Alan Walker, John MacBride, Neville Emery, Cyril Burke
Cyril Burke
Cyril Thomas Burke, BEM was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative scrum-half who made twenty-six Test appearances for the Wallabies between 1946 and 1956.-Playing career:...
, Nicholas Shehadie
Nicholas Shehadie
Sir Nicholas Michael Shehadie, AC, OBE KStJ is the former Lord Mayor of Sydney and a former national representative rugby union captain, who made thirty career Test appearances...
, Ken Kearney
Ken Kearney
Ken "Killer" Kearney was an Australian rugby footballer – a dual-code international player – and a rugby league coach. He represented the Wallabies in seven Tests and the Kangaroos in thirty-one Test matches and World Cup games. He captained Australia in nine rugby league Test matches in 1956 and...
, Eric Tweedale, Joe Kraefft, Graeme Cooke, Douglas Keller, Arthur Buchan, Colin Windon
Colin Windon
Colin Windon was an Australian soldier and a state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in six Test matches in 1951...
FRANCE: Andre Alvarez, Michel Pomathios, Pierre Dizabo, Maurice Terreau, Roger Lacaussade, Leon Bordenave, Gerard Dufau, Lucien Caron, Lucien Martin, Eugene Buzy, Alban Moga, Robert Soro, Jean Prat, Guy Basquet, Jean Matheu-Cambas
Touring party
- Manager: Arnold TancredArnold TancredArnold Joseph P. Tancred was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative flanker. He was prominent in the meat industry in Australia with significant family business interests in meat wholesaling...
- Tour secretary: Jeff Noseda
- Captain: Bill McLeanMcLean Family (rugby footballers)The McLean family were a remarkable Australian rugby clan who between them played 77 Tests for the Australian national rugby union team and a number of Tests for the Australian national rugby league team.-Doug McLean Snr:...
- Vice-captain: Trevor AllanTrevor AllanTrevor Allan OAM was an Australian dual-code rugby international who captained Australia in rugby union before switching to rugby league with English club Leigh.-Rugby union club career:...
Squad
| Name | Tests | Club | Career caps | Tour Apps | Position | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 New South Wales Brian Piper |
5 | Randwick Randwick DRUFC Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club, also known as the Galloping Greens, is an Australian rugby union club which competes in the Sydney grade competition. The club was formed in 1882 and since then has won 31 first grade premierships and seven Australian club championships... |
12 | Full Back | ||
| New South Wales Arthur Tonkin Arthur Tonkin Arthur Edward Joseph Tonkin was an Australian national representative rugby union player who featured in the 1947-48 Wallaby tour of the British Isles.-Early life:... |
5 | Gordon Gordon RFC Gordon Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club based on the North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales. The club, known as the Highlanders, play out of Chatswood Oval and compete in the New South Wales Rugby Union grade competition.-Club information:... |
6 | Three-Quarter | ||
| New South Wales Trevor Allan Trevor Allan Trevor Allan OAM was an Australian dual-code rugby international who captained Australia in rugby union before switching to rugby league with English club Leigh.-Rugby union club career:... |
5 | Gordon Gordon RFC Gordon Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club based on the North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales. The club, known as the Highlanders, play out of Chatswood Oval and compete in the New South Wales Rugby Union grade competition.-Club information:... |
14 | Three-Quarter | ||
| New South Wales Max Howell |
3 | Randwick Randwick DRUFC Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club, also known as the Galloping Greens, is an Australian rugby union club which competes in the Sydney grade competition. The club was formed in 1882 and since then has won 31 first grade premierships and seven Australian club championships... |
5 | Three-Quarter | ||
| New South Wales Alan Walker |
2 | Manly Manly RUFC Manly Rugby Union Football Club are a rugby union club based in Manly, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. The club was formed in 1906 and competes in the New South Wales Rugby Union competitions, the Shute Shield and Tooheys New Cup. Manly, known as the Marlins, play their home games at Manly... |
5 | Three-Quarter | ||
| New South Wales John MacBride |
5 | Eastern Suburbs Eastern Suburbs RUFC The Eastern Suburbs Rugby Union Football Club is a team in the Shute Shield and the Tooheys New cup, the premier club rugby union football competition in New South Wales.... |
10 | Three-Quarter | ||
| New South Wales Charlie Eastes |
0 | Manly Manly RUFC Manly Rugby Union Football Club are a rugby union club based in Manly, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. The club was formed in 1906 and competes in the New South Wales Rugby Union competitions, the Shute Shield and Tooheys New Cup. Manly, known as the Marlins, play their home games at Manly... |
6 | Three-Quarter | ||
| New South Wales Neville Emery |
5 | Sydney University | 10 | Five-eight | ||
| New South Wales Cyril Burke Cyril Burke Cyril Thomas Burke, BEM was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative scrum-half who made twenty-six Test appearances for the Wallabies between 1946 and 1956.-Playing career:... |
5 | Newcastle | 26 | Half-Back | ||
| New South Wales Roy Cawsey |
0 | Randwick Randwick DRUFC Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club, also known as the Galloping Greens, is an Australian rugby union club which competes in the Sydney grade competition. The club was formed in 1882 and since then has won 31 first grade premierships and seven Australian club championships... |
2 | Half-Back | ||
| Keith Winning | 0 | GPS Brisbane GPS Rugby GPS Rugby Club is one of the oldest in Australia, tracing its roots to 1887 -even before the Australian Rugby Union was born.Based at Ashgrove in Brisbane, Queensland, Jeeps has produced 29 Wallabies including Ben Tune, Daniel Herbert, Matt Cockbain, and Daniel Heenan, along with a host of other... |
1 | 8 | Forward | |
| New South Wales Douglas Keller |
5 | Drummoyne Rugby Club Drummoyne DRFC The Drummoyne District Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Drummoyne, New South Wales, in Sydney, Australia. It's predecessor Glebe and Balmain Rugby Clubs are among the oldest in Australia and today it competes prominently in the First Division of the New South Wales Suburban Rugby... |
13 6 Aus 7 Scot | Forward | ||
| New South Wales Phil Hardcastle |
0 | Eastern Suburbs Eastern Suburbs RUFC The Eastern Suburbs Rugby Union Football Club is a team in the Shute Shield and the Tooheys New cup, the premier club rugby union football competition in New South Wales.... |
Forward | |||
| New South Wales Clem Windsor |
0 | University of Queensland University of Queensland Rugby Club The University of Queensland Rugby Club is an Australian rugby union club, based at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Queensland. They currently compete in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition... |
1 | Forward | ||
| New South Wales Eddie Broad Eddie Broad Edmund George "Eddie" Broad was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Broad, a fly-half, was born in Brisbane, Queensland and claimed 1 international rugby cap for Australia. He was selected in the 1947–48 Australia rugby union tour of the British Isles, Ireland, France and North America... |
0 | GPS Brisbane | 1 | Five-eight | ||
| New South Wales Colin Windon Colin Windon Colin Windon was an Australian soldier and a state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in six Test matches in 1951... |
5 | Randwick Randwick DRUFC Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club, also known as the Galloping Greens, is an Australian rugby union club which competes in the Sydney grade competition. The club was formed in 1882 and since then has won 31 first grade premierships and seven Australian club championships... |
20 | Forward | ||
| New South Wales Eric Davis |
2 | Footscray, Victoria | 4 | Forward | ||
| New South Wales Ken Kearney Ken Kearney Ken "Killer" Kearney was an Australian rugby footballer – a dual-code international player – and a rugby league coach. He represented the Wallabies in seven Tests and the Kangaroos in thirty-one Test matches and World Cup games. He captained Australia in nine rugby league Test matches in 1956 and... |
5 | Parramatta Parramatta Two Blues Parramatta Two Blues Rugby are a rugby union club based in the second CBD of Sydney, Parramatta.-History:The club was originally formed in 1879 as Cumberland but changed their name to Parramatta when the District competition was implemented in 1900.... |
7 | Forward | ||
| New South Wales Eric Tweedale |
4 | Parramatta Parramatta Two Blues Parramatta Two Blues Rugby are a rugby union club based in the second CBD of Sydney, Parramatta.-History:The club was originally formed in 1879 as Cumberland but changed their name to Parramatta when the District competition was implemented in 1900.... |
10 | Forward | ||
| New South Wales Joe Kraefft |
5 | Sydney University Sydney University Football Club Sydney University Football Club, founded in 1863 , is the oldest club now playing rugby union in Australia, and as such is nicknamed "The Birthplace of Australian Rugby" or simply "The Birthplace".The club are the current NSWRU Premiers.The club was a member of the inaugural Sydney club competition... |
6 | Forward | ||
| New South Wales Graeme Cooke |
5 | YMCA Brisbane | 13 | Forward | ||
| New South Wales Arthur Buchan |
5 | Randwick Randwick DRUFC Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club, also known as the Galloping Greens, is an Australian rugby union club which competes in the Sydney grade competition. The club was formed in 1882 and since then has won 31 first grade premierships and seven Australian club championships... |
10 | Forward | ||
| New South Wales Bob McMaster |
1 | Brisbane Brothers Brothers Old Boys The Brothers Old Boys are an Australian rugby union club, based in Brisbane,Queensland. The team currently competes in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition against nine of the states best Rugby Union clubs. The club was established in 1905 and has won 27 premierships since... |
7 | Forward | ||
| New South Wales Nicholas Shehadie Nicholas Shehadie Sir Nicholas Michael Shehadie, AC, OBE KStJ is the former Lord Mayor of Sydney and a former national representative rugby union captain, who made thirty career Test appearances... |
2 | Randwick Randwick DRUFC Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club, also known as the Galloping Greens, is an Australian rugby union club which competes in the Sydney grade competition. The club was formed in 1882 and since then has won 31 first grade premierships and seven Australian club championships... |
30 | 24 | Forward | |
| New South Wales Bill McLean Bill McLean William Malcolm McLean was an Australian soldier and a state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in five Test matches immediately after World War II.-Pre-war rugby:... |
0 | GPS Brisbane GPS Rugby GPS Rugby Club is one of the oldest in Australia, tracing its roots to 1887 -even before the Australian Rugby Union was born.Based at Ashgrove in Brisbane, Queensland, Jeeps has produced 29 Wallabies including Ben Tune, Daniel Herbert, Matt Cockbain, and Daniel Heenan, along with a host of other... |
5 | Forward | ||
| New South Wales Jimmy Stenmark |
0 | Sydney Uni Sydney University Football Club Sydney University Football Club, founded in 1863 , is the oldest club now playing rugby union in Australia, and as such is nicknamed "The Birthplace of Australian Rugby" or simply "The Birthplace".The club are the current NSWRU Premiers.The club was a member of the inaugural Sydney club competition... |
22 | Forward | ||
| New South Wales Wal Dawson |
0 | Manly Manly RUFC Manly Rugby Union Football Club are a rugby union club based in Manly, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. The club was formed in 1906 and competes in the New South Wales Rugby Union competitions, the Shute Shield and Tooheys New Cup. Manly, known as the Marlins, play their home games at Manly... |
2 | Forward | ||
 Queensland Kevin Bourke |
0 | Brisbane Brothers Brothers Old Boys The Brothers Old Boys are an Australian rugby union club, based in Brisbane,Queensland. The team currently competes in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition against nine of the states best Rugby Union clubs. The club was established in 1905 and has won 27 premierships since... |
1 | Three-Quarter | ||
| New South Wales John Fuller |
0 | Sydney University | 9 | 11 | Forward |
Matches of the tour
The "Exhibition Matches" are not classed as important as the "Tour Matches", they are listed on the tour although the starting line-ups are not counted in the players stats.| N° | Opposing Team | F | A | Date | Venue | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Kingdom of England Devon and Cornwall |
17 | 7 | 13 September 1947 | Recreation Ground, Camborne Camborne Camborne is a town and civil parish in west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is at the western edge of a conurbation comprising Camborne, Pool and Redruth.... |
Tour Match |
| 2 | Kingdom of England Midland Counties |
22 | 14 | Tour Match | ||
| 3 | Kingdom of England Gloucestershire Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union The Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union is the union responsible for rugby union in the county of Gloucestershire, England and is one of the constituent bodies of the national Rugby Football Union. Formed in 1878, it has won the county championship on numerous occasions.-History:The Union was... & Somerset |
30 | 8 | 20 September 1947 | Tour Match | |
| 4 |  Wales AbertilleryAbertillery RFC Abertillery Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based in Abertillery. According to their web site, they were founded in 1883, though other sources state 1884. Their team colours are green and white and their home ground is Abertillery Park in Abertillery. The club is a member of the... and Cross Keys Cross Keys RFC Cross Keys RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh village of Crosskeys. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons.- History :... |
6 | 3 | 24 September 1947 | Abertillery Abertillery Abertillery is a town in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent in South Wales, north-west of Newport, originally on the Great Western Railway. Its population rose steeply during the period of mining development in South Wales, being 10,846 in the 1891 census and 21,945 ten years later... |
Tour Match |
| 5 | Wales Cardiff Cardiff RFC Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since... |
3 | 11 | 27 September 1947 | Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World... |
Tour Match |
| 6 | Kingdom of England Combined Services |
19 | 8 | 1st October 1947 | Twickenham Twickenham Stadium Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000... , London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
Tour Match |
| 7 | Kingdom of England Northumberland and Durham |
49 | 0 | Gosforth Greyhound Stadium | Tour Match | |
| 8 |  Kingdom of Scotland North of Scotland |
14 | 0 | Tour Match | ||
| 9 | Kingdom of Scotland South of Scotland |
15 | 6 | Tour Match | ||
| 10 | Kingdom of Scotland Glasgow and Edinburgh |
23 | 9 | Tour Match | ||
| 11 | Kingdom of England Cumberland and Yorkshire |
25 | 0 | Tour Match | ||
| 12 | Wales Newport |
8 | 4 | 23 October 1947 | Rodney Parade Rodney Parade Rodney Parade is a stadium in the city of Newport, south Wales. Located on the east bank of the River Usk in Newport city centre it is primarily used for rugby matches and is the home ground of Newport RFC and the Newport Gwent Dragons regional team.-History:... , Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
Tour Match |
| 13 | Wales Aberavon Aberavon RFC Aberavon RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh town of Port Talbot, although the club's name refers to the older settlement of Aberavon which lies on the western side of the town... and Neath Neath RFC Neath Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. The club's home ground is The Gnoll, Neath. The first team is known as the Welsh All Blacks because of the team colours: black with only a white cross pattée as an emblem... |
19 | 9 | 25 October 1947 | The Gnoll The Gnoll The Gnoll in Neath, Wales is a sports ground, with a capacity of 5,000.In July 2009, Neath RFC presented plans for the redevelopment of the Gnoll, including building a community centre on the site, which were criticised as "too woolly".-Rugby union:... , Neath Neath Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001... |
Tour Match |
| 14 | Wales Llanelli Llanelli RFC Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent... |
6 | 4 | 28 October 1947 | Stradey Park Stradey Park Stradey Park was a rugby union stadium located near the centre of the town of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It was the home of the Scarlets region and Llanelli RFC rugby teams. The stadium was a combination of seating and standing with a total capacity of 10,800... , Llanelli Llanelli Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby... |
Tour Match |
| 15 | Kingdom of England London Counties |
20 | 8 | 1 November 1947 | Twickenham Twickenham Stadium Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000... , London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
Tour Match |
| 16 | Kingdom of England Hampshire and Sussex Sussex Rugby Football Union The Sussex Rugby Football Union is the society responsible for rugby union in the county of Sussex, England and is one of the constituent bodies of the national Rugby Football Union.-Membership:... |
14 | 5 | 8 November 1947 | The Dell, Southampton Southampton Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest... |
Tour Match |
| 17 | Kingdom of England Cambridge University Cambridge University R.U.F.C. The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest... |
12 | 9 | Tour Match | ||
| 18 | Kingdom of England Oxford University RFC Oxford University RFC The Oxford University Rugby Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University at Twickenham.-History:... |
5 | 3 | 13 November 1947 | Oxford University, Oxford Oxford The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through... |
Tour Match |
| 19 | Kingdom of England Leicestershire & East Midlands |
17 | 11 | 15 November 1947 | Welford Road Welford Road Stadium Welford Road is a rugby union stadium in Leicester, England and is the home ground for Leicester Tigers. It is located between Aylestone Road and Welford Road on the edge of the city centre... , Leicester Leicester Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest... |
Tour Match |
| 20 | Kingdom of Scotland SCOTLAND Scotland national rugby union team The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011... |
16 | 7 | 22 November 1947 | Murrayfield Murrayfield Stadium Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one... , Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area... |
Test Match |
| 21 | Kingdom of England Lancashire & Chesire |
8 | 9 | 26 November 1947 | Belle Vue Stadium Belle Vue Stadium Belle Vue Stadium is a greyhound racing track in Belle Vue, Manchester where the very first race around an oval track in Britain was held on 24 July 1926. It is also used for speedway as the home ground of Elite League team Belle Vue Aces since 1988 and since 1999 has British Stock Car Association... , Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater... |
Tour Match |
| Republic of Ireland IRELANDIreland national rugby union team The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union... |
16 | 3 | 6 December 1947 | Lansdowne Road Lansdowne Road Lansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts... , Dublin |
Test Match | |
| | Wales Swansea RFC Swansea RFC Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip... |
11 | 8 | 13 December 1947 | St Helen's Ground Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
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| | Wales WALES Wales national rugby union team The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with... |
0 | 6 | 20 December 1947 | Cardiff Arms Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World... , Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
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| | Wales Pontypool, Talywain & Blaenavon |
9 | 7 | 23 December 1947 | Pontypool Park Pontypool Park Pontypool Park is a park containing predominantly mature trees with some open meadowland located in Pontypool, south Wales. The park was formerly the grounds of Pontypool House and was laid out in the closing years of the 17th century for Major John Hanbury, the local ironmaster, who is closely... , Pontypool Pontypool Pontypool is a town of approximately 36,000 people in the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales.... |
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| | Kingdom of England ENGLAND England national rugby union team The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in... |
11 | 0 | 3 January 1948 | Twickenham Twickenham Stadium Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000... , London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
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| Early Modern France FRANCEFrance national rugby union team The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams... |
3 | 6 | 11 January 1948 | Stade Columbes Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir The Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir - stadium in Colombes, near Paris, France . Named in memory of French rugby player Yves du Manoir in 1928. Was the main stadium for the 1924 Summer Olympics and had a capacity of 45,000 at the time... , Paris Paris Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region... |
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| |Barbarians Barbarian F.C. The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain... |
6 | 9 | 31 January 1948 | Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World... |
Tour Match | |
| California University of CaliforniaUniversity of California The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University... |
??/03/1948 | Los Angeles Los Ángeles Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants... |
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