# 1949 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand

The 1949 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand was the fourth full tour of New Zealand by the Australia national rugby league team and the first following the end of World War II. The Australians played ten matches on a one-month tour, including Two tests against the New Zealand national rugby league team.
The tour began on 12 September and finished on 10 October.

## Leadership

The tour's Captain-Coach was Newtown halfback and 1948 Kangaroo Tourist Keith Froome. In games not played by Froome, the Kangaroos were captained either by former Eastern Suburbs 5/8 Wally O'Connell or by former South Sydney half Billy Thompson who by this time was playing for Toowoomba Valleys in Queensland.

## Touring squad

Of the 22 man squad, 14 had been members of the 1948–49 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France. Manly-Warringah front rower Roy Bull, and Parramatta centre Ian Johnston became the first players respectively to gain Kangaroos and Test selection from their clubs who had only been admitted into the Sydney Premiership in 1947. Bull's selection also made him the first local junior from Manly to play test football while Johnston scored 4 tries on debut in the tour opener against South Auckland and also made his Test debut in the 1st Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.
* Tests and (as sub) included in games total.
| Player | Club | Position(s) | Games (as sub) | Tests (as sub) | Tries | Goals | F/Goals | Points |
| Vic Bulgin | Eastern Suburbs | Fullback, Centre | 8 | – | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Roy Bull | Manly-Warringah | Prop | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Clive Churchill | South Sydney | Fullback | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Les Cowie | South Sydney | Lock | 8 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Fred de Belin | Balmain | Second-row | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Keith Froome (c) | Newtown | Halfback | 5 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 28 |
| Johnny Graves | South Sydney | Wing | 7 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 52 |
| Ron Griffiths | Ipswich (Qld) | Hooker | 3 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kevin Hansen | Western Suburbs | Second-row | 6 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Johnny Hawke | St George | Centre | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Jack Holland | St George | Prop | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ian Johnston | Parramatta | Centre | 5 | 1 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 45 |
| Matt McCoy | St George | Centre | 7 | 2 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 55 |
| Pat McMahon | Toowoomba Souths (Qld) | Wing | 8 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Noel Mulligan | Bowral Blues | Lock, Prop, Second-row | 7 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Wally O'Connell | Christian Brothers Wollongong | Five-eighth | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Jack Rayner | South Sydney | Second-row | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Ron Roberts | St George | Wing | 6 (1) | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| Kevin Schubert | Wollongong | Hooker | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frank Stanmore | Western Suburbs | Five-eighth | 5 | – | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Alan Thompson | Brisbane Souths (Qld) | Prop | 4 (1) | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Billy Thompson | Toowoomba Valleys (Qld) | Halfback | 5 | – | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |

## Test Venues

| Wellington | Auckland |
| Basin Reserve | Carlaw Park |
| Capacity: 11,000 | Capacity: 20,000 |

## Tour

* 12 September 1949
| South Auckland | 7 – 33 | Australia |
| Tries: Turner Goals: R. Martin (2) | Report | Tries: Ian Johnston (4), Johnny Graves (2), Matt McCoy (2), Ron Roberts Goals: Johnny Graves (2) Matt McCoy (1) |
* Davies Park, Huntly Attendance: 1,823 Referee: Rolly Avery
South Auckland: R. Martin, Turner, O'Carroll, O'Callaghan, A. Rodgers, Phillips, A. Aoaki, Albert Hambleton (c), J. Tupaea, Norman, Tonga, F. Hilton, Moyes. Reserves – . Coach –
Australia: Vic Bulgin, Pat McMahon, Ian Johnston, Matt McCoy, Johnny Graves, Frank Stanmore, Keith Froome (c), Alan Thompson, Kevin Schubert, Jack Holland, Kevin Hansen, Jack Rayner, Noel Mulligan. Reserves – Ron Roberts

### First test

* 17 September 1949
| New Zealand | 26 – 21 | Australia |
| Tries: Abby Graham (2) Charlie McBride (2) Tommy Baxter Warwick Clarke Goals: Warwick Clarke (4) | | Tries: Johnny Graves (2) Matt McCoy Pat McMahon Wally O'Connell Goals: Ian Johnston (3) |
* Basin Reserve, Wellington Attendance: 7,737 Referee: Rolly Avery
| New Zealand | Position | Australia |
| Warwick Clarke | FB | Clive Churchill |
| Dave Redmond | WG | Johnny Graves |
| Maurie Robertson | CE | Matt McCoy |
| Tommy Baxter | CE | Ian Johnston |
| Bill McKenzie | WG | Pat McMahon |
| Abby Graham | FE | Wally O'Connell |
| Jack Russell-Green | HB | Keith Froome (c) |
| Pat Smith (c) | PR | Jack Holland |
| Bob Aynsley | HK | Kevin Schubert |
| Jack Newton | PR | Noel Mulligan |
| Sandy Hurndell | SR | Jack Rayner |
| Charlie McBride | SR | Fred de Belin |
| Travers Hardwick | LF | Les Cowie |
| Scotty McClymont | Coach | Keith Froome |
* 21 September 1949
| West Coast NZ Firsts | 14 – 39 | Australia |
| Tries: Bob Aynsley, R. Baxendale Goals: J. Soster (4) | Report | Tries: Ron Roberts (3), Les Cowie (2), Matt McCoy (2), Pat McMahon (2) Goals: Vic Bulgin (3) Matt McCoy (3) |
* Victoria Park, Greymouth Attendance: 3,676 Referee: Jim Griffin
West Coast NZ Firsts: J. Soster, J. Curragh, V. Meates, J. Pascoe, M. Thomas (c), George Menzies, M. Ord, Frank Mulcare, Bob Aynsley, Jack Newton, W. Lennon, Charlie McBride, R. Baxendale. Reserves – . Coach –
Australia: Vic Bulgin, Pat McMahon, Johnny Hawke, Matt McCoy, Ron Roberts, Wally O'Connell (c), Billy Thompson, Roy Bull, Ron Griffiths, Jack Holland, Noel Mulligan, Jack Rayner, Les Cowie. Reserves –
* 24 September 1949
| South Island | 8 – 38 | Australia |
| Tries: P. Callinan, Bill McKenzie Goals: J. Soster (1) | Report | Tries: Les Cowie (2), Pat McMahon (2), Johnny Graves, Johnny Hawke, Noel Mulligan, Matt McCoy Goals: Keith Froome (7) |
* Addington Showgrounds, Christchurch Attendance: 2,900 Referee: G. Symes
South Island: J. Soster, Bill McKenzie, P. Callinan, L. Brown, K. Henry, George Menzies, Jimmy Haig, Jack Newton, Bob Aynsley, Pat Smith (c), F. Blanchard, Charlie McBride, Alister Atkinson. Reserves – M. Ord. Coach –
Australia: Vic Bulgin, Pat McMahon, Johnny Hawke, Matt McCoy, Johnny Graves, Wally O'Connell, Keith Froome (c), Noel Mulligan, Kevin Schubert, Jack Holland, Kevin Hansen, Jack Rayner, Les Cowie. Reserves –
* 26 September 1949
| Southern Provinces | 15 – 17 | Australia |
| Tries: E. Chatham, A. Haysarm, J. Kraeyl Goals: B. Sillwell (3) | Report | Tries: Fred de Belin, Johnny Graves, Ron Roberts Goals: Johnny Graves (3) Ian Johnston (1) |
* Cooks Gardens, Whanganui Attendance: 1,500 Referee: G. Kelly
Southern Provinces: B. Sillwell, J. Parata, A. Haysarm, N. Evans, E. Chatham, T. Dodd, J. Sutton, R. Westerley, G. Davidson, Ken English (c), K. O'Brien, L. Morgan, J. Kraeyl. Reserves – . Coach –
Australia: Vic Bulgin, Johnny Graves, Johnny Hawke, Ian Johnston, Ron Roberts, Frank Stanmore, Billy Thompson (c), Roy Bull, Ron Griffiths, Alan Thompson, Kevin Hansen, Fred de Belin, Noel Mulligan. Reserves –
* 28 September 1949
| Māori | 0 – 33 | Australia |
| Tries: Goals: | Report | Tries: Johnny Graves (4), Matt McCoy, Pat McMahon, Jack Rayner Goals: Matt McCoy (6) |
* Pukekura Park, New Plymouth Attendance: 1,827 Referee: K. McIvor
New Zealand Māori: R. Martin (c), Andrew Berryman, Rex Hohaia, C. Masters, R. Hohua, S. Toka, A. Aoaki, R. Ewe, R. Bolton, Gordon Hohaia, F. Williams, N. Paratine, L. Wright. Reserves – . Coach –
Australia: Vic Bulgin, Pat McMahon, Johnny Hawke, Matt McCoy, Johnny Graves, Wally O'Connell (c), Billy Thompson, Roy Bull, Kevin Schubert, Jack Holland, Fred de Belin, Jack Rayner, Les Cowie. Reserves –
* 1 October 1949
| Auckland | 18 – 36 | Australia |
| Tries: D. Anderson, W. Spence Goals: Warwick Clarke (6) | Report | Tries: Ron Roberts (3), Frank Stanmore (2), Roy Bull, Keith Froome, Matt McCoy Goals: Keith Froome (3) Matt McCoy (3) |
* Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 12,831 Referee: G. Kelly
Auckland: Warwick Clarke (c), D. Anderson, Tommy Baxter, Maurie Robertson, Dave Redmond, Abby Graham, Jack Russell-Green, W. Spence, G. Davidson, Sandy Hurndell, Graham Burgoyne, Allan Laird, R. Rogers. Reserves – . Coach –
Australia: Clive Churchill, Pat McMahon, Vic Bulgin, Matt McCoy, Ron Roberts, Frank Stanmore, Keith Froome (c), Roy Bull, Kevin Schubert, Jack Holland, Kevin Hansen, Fred de Belin, Les Cowie. Reserves –
* 4 October 1949
| Northern Provinces | 9 – 39 | Australia |
| Tries: G. Kay Goals: B. Latham (3) | Report | Tries: Vic Bulgin (2), Ian Johnston (2), Les Cowie, Johnny Graves, Noel Mulligan, Frank Stanmore, Billy Thompson Goals: Johnny Graves (3) Ian Johnston (2) Vic Bulgin (1) |
* Jubilee Park, Whangārei Attendance: 1,164 Referee: J. O'Shannessey
Northern Provinces: B. Latham, J. Rogers, J. Gibson, G. Kay, J. Stringfellow, R. Tweedie, W. Toker, P. Dormer, Cliff Johnson, S. Roff, A. Hambleton, R. Packham, Allan Laird (c). Reserves – . Coach –
Australia: Clive Churchill, Johnny Graves, Vic Bulgin, Ian Johnston, Ron Roberts, Frank Stanmore, Billy Thompson (c), Alan Thompson, Kevin Schubert, Noel Mulligan, Kevin Hansen, Fred de Belin, Les Cowie. Reserves –

### Second test

* 8 October 1949
| New Zealand | 10 – 13 | Australia |
| Tries: Tommy Baxter Bill McKenzie Goals: Warwick Clarke (2) | | Tries: Keith Froome Noel Mulligan Matt McCoy Goals: Keith Froome (1) Matt McCoy (1) |
* Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 12,361 Referee: Rolly Avery
| New Zealand | Position | Australia |
| Warwick Clarke | FB | Clive Churchill |
| Bill McKenzie | WG | Ron Roberts |
| Tommy Baxter | CE | Johnny Hawke |
| Maurie Robertson | CE | Matt McCoy |
| Dave Redmond | WG | Pat McMahon |
| Len Jordan | FE | Wally O'Connell |
| Jack Russell-Green | HB | Keith Froome (c) |
| Ron Westerby | PR | Roy Bull |
| Bob Aynsley | HK | Kevin Schubert |
| Pat Smith (c) | PR | Jack Holland |
| Jack Newton | SR | Noel Mulligan |
| Charlie McBride | SR | Jack Rayner |
| Travers Hardwick | LF | Les Cowie |
| Scotty McClymont | Coach | Keith Froome |
* 10 October 1949
| Auckland Colts | 16 – 30 | Australia |
| Tries: V. Barchard, S. Rogers Goals: Des White (5) | Report | Tries: Vic Bulgin, Clive Churchill, Johnny Graves, Ian Johnston, Pat McMahon, Billy Thompson Goals: Ian Johnston (6) |
* Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 1,953 Referee: G. Kelly
Auckland Colts: Des White, N. Moore, J. Fisher, W. Brooking, N. Clarkin, J. Lepper (c), W. Tocker, V. Barchard, S. Rogers, Raymond Cranch, G. McNichol, J. Herring, Joe Wright. Reserves – . Coach –
Australia: Clive Churchill, Pat McMahon, Vic Bulgin, Ian Johnston, Johnny Graves, Frank Stanmore, Billy Thompson (c), Roy Bull, Ron Griffiths, Jack Holland, Kevin Hansen, Jack Rayner, Les Cowie. Reserves – Alan Thompson

## Statistics

Leading Try Scorer
* 12 by Johnny Graves
Leading Point Scorer
* 55 by Matt McCoy (9 tries, 14 goals)
Largest Test Attendance
* 12,361 - Second Test vs New Zealand at Carlaw Park, Auckland
Largest non-test Attendance
* 12,831 - Auckland vs Australia at Carlaw Park, Auckland