1911–12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain
# 1911–12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain

The 1911–12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain was the second ever Kangaroo tour and was actually a tour by an "Australasian" squad that included four New Zealand players in addition to 24 Australian representatives. It took place over the British winter of 1911–12 and this time, to help promote the game of Rugby league in New Zealand, the Northern Rugby Football Union invited a combined Australian and New Zealand team. They became the first tourists to win the Ashes. and the last to do so on British soil for over half a century. The tour was a success in performance and organisation. Matches were well attended, the squad's touring payments were maintained throughout and the players all shared in a bonus at the tour's end.

## Touring squad

Prior to the tour a three-way series of matches between New South Wales, Queensland and New Zealand was organised as a basis of selection for the tour. The New South Welshmen dominated the touring side, with four New Zealanders and only one Queenslander selected. However counted amongst the New South Welshmen was Con Sullivan, who had moved to Australia from New Zealand a few years before. Due to family and business commitments, rugby league great Dally Messenger declined to tour with the 1911–12 Kangaroos. His friend and teammate Sandy Pearce also chose not to go. Chris McKivat who had captained the 1908 Wallabies to Olympic Gold was at age 32 a natural selection as tour captain. The Heads/Middleton reference describes McKivat as being revered on that tour – a magnificent general, tough, durable and an inspiration to the men around him. It quotes Johnny Quinlan the tour co-manager "He always set a splendid example in conduct and training – a natural leader" Tour vice-captain was Paddy McCue. Tour managers were Charles H Ford and John Quinlan. The team sailed to England on the RMS Orvieto. The tourists were paid £4/5/ per week and received a bonus of £178 each.

### New South Wales

All eight teams of the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership were represented in the touring squad.

### New Zealand

The New Zealand players that accompanied the Australians on tour have been listed in the Australian Rugby League's Kangaroos players register.

### Queensland

Robert "Harold" Nicholson of Queensland was also selected for the tour but withdrew.

## Tour schedule

Played: 35 Won: 28 Drew: 2 Lost: 5 Ashes: Australia 2–0

| | Date | Opponent | Location | Result | Score | Attendance |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Match 1 | 23 September 1911 | Midlands/Southern England | The Butts Ground, Coventry | Won | 20–11 | 3,000 |
| Match 2 | 25 September 1911 | Yorkshire | Bramall Lane, Sheffield | Won | 33–13 | 4,000 |
| Match 3 | 30 September 1911 | Broughton Rangers | Wheater's Field, Broughton, Salford | Won | 18–8 | 12,000 |
| Match 4 | 2 October 1911 | Lancashire | Ewood Park, Blackburn | Won | 25–12 | 5,000 |
| Match 5 | 7 October 1911 | Wales | Bridgend Field, Ebbw Vale, Wales | Won | 28–20 | 7,000 |
| Match 6 | 11 October 1911 | Widnes | Lowerhouse Lane, Widnes | Won | 23–0 | 5,000 |
| Match 7 | 14 October 1911 | St. Helens | Knowsley Road, St. Helens | Won | 16–5 | 12,000 |
| Match 8 | 18 October 1911 | England XIII | Craven Cottage, London | Won | 11–6 | 6,000 |
| Match 9 | 22 October 1911 | Hunslet | Parkside, Hunslet | Draw | 3–3 | 4,000 |
| Match 10 | 25 October 1911 | Northern League XIII | Goodison Park, Liverpool | Won | 16–3 | 6,000 |
| Match 11 | 28 October 1911 | Wigan | Central Park, Wigan | Lost | 2–7 | 25,000 |
| Match 12 | 1 November 1911 | Swinton | Chorley Road, Swinton | Won | 28–9 | 4,000 |
| Match 13 | 4 November 1911 | Hull F.C. | The Boulevard, Hull | Won | 26–7 | 6,000 |
| Match 14 | 8 November 1911 | Great Britain | St James' Park, Newcastle | Won | 19–10 | 5,317 |
| Match 15 | 11 November 1911 | Oldham | Watersheddings, Oldham | Lost | 8–14 | 10,000 |
| Match 16 | 15 November 1911 | Leigh | Mather Lane, Leigh | Won | 13–12 | 6,000 |
| Match 17 | 18 November 1911 | Wakefield Trinity | Belle Vue, Wakefield | Won | 24–10 | 5,000 |
| Match 18 | 22 November 1911 | Cumberland | Athletic Ground, Maryport | Won | 5–2 | 6,000 |
| Match 19 | 25 November 1911 | Barrow | Cavendish Park, Barrow | Won | 44–8 | 6,500 |
| Match 20 | 29 November 1911 | Runcorn | Canal Street, Runcorn | Won | 23–7 | 2,000 |
| Match 21 | 2 December 1911 | Huddersfield | Fartown, Huddersfield | Lost | 7–21 | 17,000 |
| Match 22 | 6 December 1911 | England XIII | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | Lost | 3–5 | 3,000 |
| Match 23 | 9 December 1911 | Salford | The Willows, Salford | Won | 6–3 | 4,000 |
| Match 24 | 13 December 1911 | York | Clarence Street, York | Won | 16–8 | 1,500 |
| Match 25 | 16 December 1911 | Great Britain | Tynecastle Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland | Draw | 11–11 | 8,000 |
| Match 26 | 20 December 1911 | / Wales/West England | Ashton Gate, Bristol | Won | 23–3 | 1,000 |
| Match 27 | 23 December 1911 | Rochdale Hornets | Athletic Grounds, Rochdale | Won | 18–6 | 4,500 |
| Match 28 | 26 December 1911 | Halifax | Thrum Hall, Halifax | Won | 23–5 | 10,000 |
| Match 29 | 30 December 1911 | Warrington | Wilderspool, Warrington | Won | 34–6 | 8,500 |
| Match 30 | 1 January 1912 | Great Britain | Villa Park, Birmingham | Won | 33–8 | 4,000 |
| Match 31 | 6 January 1912 | Leeds | Headingley, Leeds | Won | 8–6 | 1,000 |
| Match 32 | 13 January 1912 | Hull Kingston Rovers | Craven Street, Hull | Won | 5–2 | 7,000 |
| Match 33 | 20 January 1912 | Barrow | Cavendish Park, Barrow | Won | 22–5 | 1,500 |
| Match 34 | 27 January 1912 | Batley | Mount Pleasant, Batley | Lost | 5–13 | 2,000 |
| Match 35 | 31 January 1912 | Northern League XIII | Central Park, Wigan | Won | 20–12 | 2,000 |
| Match 36 | 3 February 1912 | Runcorn | Canal Street, Runcorn | Won | 54–6 | 1,500 |

## Test matches

### First Ashes Test

Test No. 12

* 8 November 1911

| Great Britain | 10–19 | Australasia |
| - | - | - |
| Tries: Will Davies (2) Goals: Johnny Thomas (2) | | Tries: Viv Farnsworth (2) Howard Hallett Billy Cann Arthur Francis Goals: Billy Cann (1) Arthur Francis (1) |

* St James' Park, Newcastle Attendance: 5,317 Referee: B. Ennion

| Great Britain | Position | Australasia |
| - | - | - |
| Jim Sharrock | FB | Charles Fraser |
| Will Davies | WG | Albert Broomham |
| Bert Jenkins | CE | Howard Hallett |
| Harold Wagstaff | CE | Herb Gilbert |
| Joe Miller | WG | Charles Russell |
| Johnny Thomas (c) | SO | Viv Farnsworth |
| Fred Smith | SH | Chris McKivat (c) |
| James Clampitt | PR | Arthur Francis |
| Oliver Burgham | HK | Paddy McCue |
| Fred Harrison | PR | Billy Cann |
| Ben Gronow | SR | Tedda Courtney |
| Billy Winstanley | SR | Bob Williams |
| Albert Avery | LF | Bob Craig |
| | Coach | |

In this match, Australia's Charles Fraser became Australia's youngest Test player at 18 years and 301 days, a record which would stand until 2007.

### Second Ashes Test

Test No. 13

* 16 December 1911

| Great Britain | 11–11 | Australasia |
| - | - | - |
| Tries: Harold Wagstaff (2) Jim Lomas Goals: Alf Wood | | Tries: Dan Frawley Chris McKivat Charlie Russell Goals: Arthur Francis (1) |

* Tynecastle Stadium, Edinburgh Attendance: 8,000 Referee: H. Renton

| Great Britain | Position | Australasia |
| - | - | - |
| Alf Wood | FB | Howard Hallett |
| Albert Jenkinson | WG | Charles Russell |
| Jim Lomas (c) | CE | Viv Farnsworth |
| Harold Wagstaff | CE | Herb Gilbert |
| Billy Batten | WG | Dan Frawley |
| Jim Davies | SO | Bill Farnsworth |
| Fred Smith | SH | Chris McKivat (c) |
| Fred Harrison | PR | Arthur Francis |
| Tommy Woods | HK | Paddy McCue |
| Billy Winstanley | PR | Billy Cann |
| Dick Ramsdale | SR | Bill Noble |
| Doug Clark | SR | Tedda Courtney |
| Ben Gronow | LF | Bob Craig |
| | Coach | |

McKivat lead the way for Australia dominating the rucks and scoring a vital try. Renowned Australian journalist Claude Corbett was acting as one of the touch judges and referee Renton, over-ruled his goal decision on one of the Australian conversion attempts.

### Third Ashes Test

Test No. 14

* 1 January 1912

| Great Britain | 8–33 | Australasia |
| - | - | - |
| Tries: Doug Clark Jim Lomas Goals: Alf Wood (1) | | Tries: Tom Berecry (2) Dan Frawley (2) Paddy McCue (2) Chris McKivat (2) Viv Farnsworth Goals: Dan Frawley (2) Herb Gilbert (1) |

* Villa Park, Birmingham Attendance: 4,000 Referee: R. Robinson

| Great Britain | Position | Australasia |
| - | - | - |
| Alf Wood | FB | Howard Hallett |
| Billy Batten | WG | Dan Frawley |
| Jim Lomas (c) | CE | Viv Farnsworth |
| Bert Jenkins | CE | Herb Gilbert |
| Albert Jenkinson | WG | Tom Berecry |
| Fred Smith | SO | Bill Farnsworth |
| Jim Davies | SH | Chris McKivat (c) |
| Dick Ramsdale | PR | Con Sullivan |
| Billy Winstanley | HK | Paddy McCue |
| Doug Clark | PR | Billy Cann |
| Tommy Woods | SR | Bob Williams |
| Fred Harrison | SR | Bill Noble |
| Albert Avery | LF | Bob Craig |
| | Coach | |

Great Britain only needed to win the third Test to tie the series and keep the Ashes but were reduced to 12 men early in the encounter after an injury to Dick Ramsdale. Great Britain led 8–0 early but had no answer to the Australian attack as they ran in nine tries.

This would be the first (and final) time the Kangaroos would win The Ashes on British soil until the 1963–64 Kangaroo tour.

