# 1953 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand

The 1953 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand was a mid-season tour of New Zealand by the Australia national rugby league team. The Australians played nine matches on tour, including three tests against the New Zealand national rugby league team. The tour began on 24 June and finished on 18 July.

## Leadership

Clive Churchill was both the captain and the coach of the touring side. He appeared in eight of the nine matches. In the one game in which Churchill was absent, against Northland, Ken McCaffery captained the Australian team. The team was managed by Dudley Locke of Wollongong and George McLeod of Maryborough.

## Touring squad

The Rugby League News published the touring team including the players' ages and weights. Match details - listing surnames of both teams and the point scorers - were included in E.E. Christensen's Official Rugby League Yearbook, as was a summary of the players' point-scoring.
Crocker, Davies, Drew, Hornery, Banks, McCaffery, McGovern and Watson were selected from Queensland clubs. Carlson, Gill and Paul were selected from clubs in New South Wales Country areas. The balance of the squad had played for Sydney based clubs during the 1953 season.

## Tour

The Australians played nine matches on the tour, winning seven matches and losing two, both being tests against the Kiwis.
* Wednesday 24 June
| West Coast | 11 – 17 | Australia |
| | Report | |
* Wingham Park, Greymouth Attendance: 2,003 Referee: Wally Wilkinson

### First test

* Saturday 27 June
| New Zealand | 25 – 5 | Australia |
| Tries: Ron McKay (2) George Davidson Jimmy Edwards Des White Goals: Des White (4/4) John Bond (1/1) | | Tries: Ferris Ashton Goals: Noel Pidding (1/1) |
* Addington Showgrounds, Christchurch Attendance: 5,509 Referee: Wally Wilkinson
| New Zealand | Position | Australia |
| Des White | FB | Clive Churchill (c) |
| Jimmy Edwards | WG | Brian Carlson |
| Ron McKay | CE | Harry Wells |
| Tommy Baxter | CE | Ken McCaffery |
| Bevin Hough | WG | Noel Pidding |
| Bill Sorensen | FE | Bob Banks |
| Jimmy Haig (c) | HB | Keith Holman |
| John Bond | PR | Roy Bull |
| George Davidson | HK | Ken Kearney |
| Bill McLennan | PR | Charlie Gill |
| Bob Neilson | SR | Brian Davies |
| Frank Mulcare | SR | Ferris Ashton |
| Alister Atkinson | LF | Harold Crocker |
| Jim Amos | Coach | Clive Churchill |
* Tuesday 30 June
| South Island | 9 – 66 | Australia |
| | Report | |
* University Oval, Dunedin Attendance: 2,956

### Second test

* Saturday 4 July
| New Zealand | 12 – 11 | Australia |
| Tries: Ron McKay Bob Neilson Goals: Des White (3/3) | | Tries: Ken McCaffery Brian Carlson Goals: Noel Pidding (1/2) |
* Basin Reserve, Wellington Attendance: 5,394 Referee: Wally Wilkinson
| New Zealand | Position | Australia |
| Des White | FB | Clive Churchill (c) |
| Cyril Paskell | WG | Brian Carlson |
| Ron McKay | CE | Harry Wells |
| Tommy Baxter | CE | Ken McCaffery |
| Jimmy Edwards | WG | Noel Pidding |
| Bill Sorensen | FE | Bob Banks |
| Jimmy Haig (c) | HB | Greg Hawick |
| Bill McLennan | PR | Roy Bull |
| George Davidson | HK | Ken Kearney |
| John Bond | PR | Charlie Gill |
| Bob Neilson | SR | Brian Davies |
| Frank Mulcare | SR | Harold Crocker |
| Alister Atkinson | LF | Les Cowie |
| Jim Amos | Coach | Clive Churchill |
* Monday 6 July
| Taranaki | 3 – 62 | Australia |
| | Report | |
* Pukekura Park, New Plymouth Attendance: 1,950
* Wednesday 8 July
| South Auckland | 11 – 63 | Australia |
| | Report | |
* Davies Park, Huntly Attendance: 1,044
* Saturday 11 July
| Auckland | 4 – 26 | Australia |
| | Report | |
* Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 8,556
* Wednesday 15 July
| Northland | 7 – 98 | Australia |
| | Report | |
* Okara Park, Whangārei Attendance: 1,051

### Third test

* Saturday 18 July
| New Zealand | 16 – 18 | Australia |
| Tries: Jimmy Edwards Frank Mulcare Bob Neilson Des White Goals: Des White (2/4) | | Tries: Harry Wells (2) Bob Banks Noel Pidding Goals: Noel Pidding (3/4) |
* Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 16,033 Referee: Roland Avery
| New Zealand | Position | Australia |
| Des White | FB | Clive Churchill (c) |
| Jimmy Edwards | WG | Des McGovern |
| Ron McKay | CE | Harry Wells |
| Tommy Baxter | CE | Ken McCaffery |
| Vern Bakalich | WG | Noel Pidding |
| Cyril Eastlake | FE | Bob Banks |
| Jimmy Haig (c) | HB | Greg Hawick |
| John Bond | PR | Roy Bull |
| George Davidson | HK | Ken Kearney |
| Bill McLennan | PR | Charlie Gill |
| Bob Neilson | SR | Brian Davies |
| Frank Mulcare | SR | Bernie Drew |
| Alister Atkinson | LF | Harold Crocker |
| Jim Amos | Coach | Clive Churchill |