1971 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand
ManagerR.A. (Dick) Dunn
Ralph Stafford
Coach(es)Harry Bath
Tour captain(s)Graeme Langlands
Top point scorer(s)Keith Campbell 17
Top try scorer(s)Bob Fulton 5
Top test point scorer(s)Keith Campbell 3
Top test try scorer(s)Keith Campbell 1
Summary
P W D L
Total
03 01 00 02
Test match
01 00 00 01
Opponent
P W D L
 New Zealand
1 0 0 1
Tour chronology
Previous tour1969 by to
Next tour1980 by to

The 1971 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand was a mid-season tour of New Zealand by the Australia national rugby league team. The Australians played three matches on tour, including a test against the New Zealand national rugby league team. The tour began on 22 June and finished on 29 June.[1]

Leadership

Harry Bath was the coach of the squad, which he had been since 1968 in this particular tenure. St. George Dragons fullback Graeme Langlands was named captain for the tour ahead of 1969 New Zealand Tour leader John Sattler.

Touring squad

All but three members of the squad played in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership, those players being Wayne Bennett, Brian Fitzsimmons and Jim Murphy. Several tour members represented the Australia national rugby league team but only played in minor matches in New Zealand.[2]

Player Club Position(s) Games Tests Tries Goals F/Goals Points Barry Beath St. George Prop 2 Wayne Bennett All Whites Wing 2 1 3 Ray Branighan Manly Warringah Wing 3 1 1 2 Tony Branson St. George Five-eighth 1 1 Keith Campbell Parramatta Centre, Lock 2 1 1 7 17 Ron Costello Canterbury-Bankstown Second-row 2 1 Brian Fitzsimmons Brothers Brisbane Hooker 3 1 Bob Fulton Manly Warringah Centre 3 1 5 15 Bob Grant South Sydney Halfback 3 1 Graeme Langlands (c) St. George Fullback 1 1 Bob McCarthy South Sydney Second-row 3 1 2 6 Jim Murphy Western Suburbs Second-row 2 Bob O'Reilly Parramatta Prop 2 1 1 3 Tom Raudonikis Western Suburbs Halfback 2 Paul Sait South Sydney Centre 2 1 John Sattler South Sydney Prop 1 1 Geoff Starling Balmain Centre 2 1 3 Lionel Williamson Newtown Wing 3 1 1 2

Tour

The Australians played three matches on the tour, winning one match and losing two, including the test match.

Tuesday 22 June
New Zealand XIII 14 – 35 Australia
Tries: 2
Murray Eade
John Whittacker
Goals: 4
Don Ladner (4) 		[3] [4]
 Tries: 7
Bob Fulton (3)
Bob McCarthy (2)
Wayne Bennett
Geoff Starling
Goals: 7
Keith Campbell (7)
Davies Park, Huntly
Attendance: 3,572

Test

Saturday 26 June
New Zealand  24 – 3  Australia
Tries: 4:
John Whittaker (2)
Mocky Brereton
Robert Orchard

Goals: 6:
Henry Tatana (6/7) 		[5] [6]
 Tries: 1:
Keith Campbell
Goals: nil:
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 13,917
Referee: John Percival New Zealand
New Zealand
Australia
FB 1 Mike McClennan
RW 2 John Whittaker
RC 3 Bernie Lowther
LC 4 Roy Christian (c)
LW 5 Mocky Brereton
FE 6 Gary Woollard
HB 7 Ken Stirling
LK 13 Eddie Heatley
SR 11 Garry Smith
SR 12 Tony Kriletich
PR 8 Henry Tatana
HK 9 Colin O'Neil
PR 10 Robert Orchard
Coach:
New Zealand Lory Blanchard
FB 1 Graeme Langlands (c)
RW 2 Ray Branighan
RC 3 Bob Fulton
LC 8 Paul Sait
LW 5 Lionel Williamson
FE 6 Tony Branson
HB 7 Bob Grant
LF 16 Keith Campbell
SR 9 Bob McCarthy
SR 10 Ron Costello
PR 11 Bob O'Reilly
HK 12 Brian Fitzsimmons
PR 13 John Sattler
Coach:
Australia Harry Bath
Tuesday 29 June
Auckland 15 – 14 Australia
Tries: 3
Murray Eade (2)
Ray Williams
Goals: 3
Henry Tatana (3) 		[7] [8] [9]
 'Tries: 4
Bob Fulton (2)
Lionel Williamson
Bob O'Reilly
Goals: 1
Ray Branighan
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 11,000

References

  1. ^ "Kangaroos Tour 1971 - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  2. ^ New South Wales Rugby Football League. "Australian Team for New Zealand". The Rugby League news. Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League (Vol. 52 No. 22 (June 19, 1971)). Retrieved 31 December 2021 – via Trove.
  3. ^ 1971 New Zealand XIII vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  4. ^ "Australian win in league tour". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 24 Jun 1971. p. 26. Retrieved 31 Dec 2021.
  5. ^ 1971 New Zealand vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  6. ^ New South Wales Rugby Football League. "Editorial - New Zealand's Triumph was complete". The Rugby League news. Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League (Vol. 52 No. 24 (July 3, 1971)). Retrieved 31 December 2021 – via Trove.
  7. ^ 1971 Auckland vs Australia – Rugby League Project
  8. ^ New South Wales Rugby Football League. "Auckland took the Honours". The Rugby League news. Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League (Vol. 52 No. 24 (July 3, 1971)). Retrieved 31 December 2021 – via Trove.
  9. ^ "Kangaroos lose bounce in hard N.Z. match". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 30 Jun 1971. p. 32. Retrieved 31 Dec 2021.
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