# 1933 Australia rugby union tour of South Africa

The 1933 Australia rugby union tour of South Africa and Rhodesia was a series of 23 rugby union matches played by the Australia national team in 1933.
Australia played a total of 23 matches, with a 5-Test series v South Africa, who won three of the five games.

## Touring party

The tour manager was Dr. W. F. ('Wally') Matthews, who had previously been the team manager for the AIF rugby team which played in The King's Cup in 1919. A squad of 29 players was selected for the tour – 15 from New South Wales, 11 from Queensland, and 3 from Victoria.
With exception of two of the Victorians, the team departed Sydney aboard the "Ulysses" on Anzac Day, 25 April 1933. The remaining two players, O. J. Bridle and D. Cowper joined the vessel at Melbourne after the Wallabies had played a match against a Victorian team.
The Wallabies touring party consisted of:
* Manager: Dr. W. F. Matthews (NSW)
Playing squad:
* Captain: Dr. A. W. Ross (NSW)
* Vice-captain: S. J. Malcolm (NSW)
* F. McPhillips (NSW)
* B. A. Grace (NSW)
* J. Kelaher (NSW)
* J. Young (NSW)
* R. Biilmann (NSW)
* C. Campbell (NSW)
* R. B. Louden (NSW)
* W. Mackney (NSW)
* A. Hodgson (NSW)
* G. V. Bland (NSW)
* W. H. Cerutti (NSW)
* E. W. Love (NSW)
* M. F. Morton (NSW)
* D. McLean Jr. (QLD)
* W. Warlow (QLD)
* J. Steggall (QLD)
* G Bennett (QLD)
* J. Clark (QLD)
* M. White (QLD)
* W. G. White (QLD)
* G. Cooke (QLD)
* J. Ritter (QLD)
* B. Doneley (QLD)
* E. Bonis (QLD)
* G. S. Sturtridge (VIC)
* D. Cowper (VIC)
* O. J. Bridle (VIC)

## Match summary

Scores and results list Australia's points tally first.
| Opposing Team | For | Against | Date | Venue | Status |
| Natal | 14 | 3 | 3 June 1933 | Durban | Tour match |
| Western Transvaal | 20 | 3 | 7 June 1933 | Potchefstroom | Tour match |
| Witwatersrand | 6 | 13 | 10 June 1933 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | Tour match |
| Combined Pretoria XV | 8 | 13 | 14 June 1933 | Pretoria | Tour match |
| Griqualand West | 9 | 14 | 17 June 1933 | Kimberley | Tour match |
| Rhodesia | 24 | 5 | 20 June 1933 | Salisbury | Tour match |
| Rhodesia | 31 | 0 | 24 June 1933 | Bulawayo | Tour match |
| Northern District | 8 | 16 | 28 June 1933 | Kimberley | Tour match |
| Western Province | 9 | 13 | 1 July 1933 | Cape Town | Tour match |
| South Africa | 3 | 17 | 8 July 1933 | Cape Town | Test Match |
| North East District | 31 | 11 | 12 July 1933 | Aliwal North | Tour match |
| Orange Free State | 8 | 9 | 15 July 1933 | Bloemfontein | Tour match |
| South Africa | 21 | 6 | 22 July 1933 | Durban | Test Match |
| Border | 24 | 5 | 29 July 1933 | East London | Tour match |
| Border | 13 | 6 | 2 August 1933 | Queenstown | Tour match |
| Transvaal | 9 | 11 | 7 August 1933 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | Tour match |
| South Africa | 3 | 12 | 12 August 1933 | Ellis Park, Johannesburg | Test Match |
| Western Districts | 21 | 14 | 16 August 1933 | Oudtshoorn | Tour match |
| Eastern Province | 18 | 3 | 19 August 1933 | Port Elizabeth | Tour match |
| South Africa | 0 | 11 | 26 August 1933 | Port Elizabeth | Test Match |
| South Africa | 15 | 4 | 2 September 1933 | Bloemfontein | Test Match |
| Combined University | 3 | 3 | 6 September 1933 | Cape Town | Tour match |
| Western Province | 0 | 4 | 9 September 1933 | Cape Town | Tour match |

## Match details
### First Test

* 8 July
| South Africa | 17–3 | Australia |
| Try: Bergh (2), Craven, Osler Con: Brand Pen: Brand | Report | Pen: Biilmann |
* Newlands Stadium, Cape Town Attendance: 20,000 Referee: V.H. Neser
Team details :
| South Africa | Australia |

### Second Test

* 22 July
| South Africa | 6–21 | Australia |
| Try: Waring Pen: Brand | Report | Try: Bennett, Cerutti, Loudon, Sturtridge Con: Biilmann (3) Pen: Biilman |
* Kingsmead Cricket Ground, Durban Attendance: 17,500 Referee: V.H. Neser
* Team details
* South Africa: Gerry Brand; Jack Gage, Franky Waring, Jimmy White, Freddy Turner; Bennie Osler, Danie Craven; Boy Louw, Bert Kipling, Fanie Louw;
* Flip Nel (c), Manie Geere; Fronie Froneman, George d'Alton, Ferdie Bergh
* Australia: Jack Steggall; Doug McLean, Gordon Sturtridge, Dave Cowper (c), Jack Kelaher; Ron Biilmann, Walter Bennett; Bill Cerutti, Eddie Bonis,
* Max White; Bill White, Graham Cooke; Jim Clark, Geoff Bland, Wal Mackney

### Third Test

* 12 August
| South Africa | 12–3 | Australia |
| Try: MM Louw, Turner Con: Brand Drop: Osler | Report | Try: Cowper |
* Ellis Park, Johannesburg Attendance: 40,000 Referee: V.H. Neser
* Team details
* South Africa: Gerry Brand; Floors Venter, Franky Waring, Jimmy White, Freddy Turner; Bennie Osler, Danie Craven; Boy Louw, Bert Kipling, Fanie Louw;
* Flip Nel (c), Ferdie Bergh; Manie Geere, Ginger Clark, Fred Smollan
* Australia: Jack Steggall; Doug McLean, Gordon Sturtridge, Dave Cowper (c), Jack Kelaher; Ron Biilmann, Walter Bennett; Bill Cerutti, Eddie Bonis,
* Max White; Bill White, Graham Cooke; Bob Loudon, Owen Bridle, Aub Hodgson

### Fourth Test

* 26 August
| South Africa | 11–0 | Australia |
| Try: SC Louw, White Con: Osler Pen: Brand | Report | |
* Crusader's Ground, Port Elizabeth Attendance: 20,000 Referee: A.W. van der Horst
* Team details
* South Africa: Bunny Reid; Jimmy White, Franky Waring, Danie Craven, Gerry Brand; Bennie Osler, Pierie de Villiers; Manie Geere, Bert Kipling, Fanie Louw; Flip Nel (c), Ferdie Bergh; Boy Louw, Fred Smollan, John Apsey
* Australia: Jack Steggall; Doug McLean, Gordon Sturtridge, Dave Cowper, Jack Kelaher; Ron Biilmann, Syd Malcom (c); Bill Cerutti, Eddie Bonis, Max White; Bill White, Geoff Bland; Bob Loudon, Owen Bridle, Aub Hodgson

### Fifth Test

* 2 September
| South Africa | 4–15 | Australia |
| Drop: Brand | Report | Try: Bridle, Kelaher, Steggall Con: Ross Drop: Cowper |
* Springbok Park, Bloemfontein Attendance: 12,000 Referee: V.H. Neser
* Team details
* South Africa: Jimmy White; Pat Lyster, Franky Waring, Geoff Gray, Gerry Brand; Bennie Osler, Danie Craven; Manie Geere, Bert Kipling, Fanie Louw; Flip Nel (c), Ferdie Bergh; Boy Louw, Fred Smollan, John Apsey
* Australia: Alec Ross (c); Doug McLean, Jack Steggall, Dave Cowper, Jack Kelaher; Gordon Sturtridge, Syd Malcom; Bill Cerutti, Eddie Bonis, Max White; Bill White, Graham Cooke; Bob Loudon, Owen Bridle, Wal Mackney