2003 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France

Last updated

The 2003 Kangaroo Tour was a six-match tour by the Australia national rugby league team of France, Wales and England, and to date has been the last Kangaroo Tour. The last three matches were all Tests against Great Britain for the Ashes. Coached by Chris Anderson and captained by Darren Lockyer, Australia continued its dominance, winning all of the three tests against Great Britain and retaining The Ashes that they have held since 1973 but the 3-0 scoreline didn't show how close the series really was as Australia had to come from behind to win every test, and won each match by a margin of no more than one converted try.

Contents

Touring squad

The Australian team was again coached by Chris Anderson who was making his 4th Kangaroo tour. As Gorden Tallis had retired from representative football a month before, the team was captained by the newly appointed Darren Lockyer. [1]

PlayerClubGamesTriesGoalsF/GoalsPoints
Phil Bailey Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 11004
Danny Buderus Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights 30000
Petero Civoniceva Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 30000
Joel Clinton Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2017 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 00000
Michael Crocker Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters 30000
Michael De Vere Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 21000
Craig Fitzgibbon Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters 3111026
Ryan Girdler Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2017 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 00000
Craig Gower Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2017 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 21004
Shannon Hegarty Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters 10000
Robbie Kearns Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm 30000
Brett Kimmorley Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 31015
Luke Lewis Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2017 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 00000
Darren Lockyer (c) Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 32008
Willie Mason Canterbury colours.svg Bulldogs 30000
Anthony Minichiello Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters 30000
Luke Ricketson Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters 32008
Steve Simpson Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights 30000
Matt Sing North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys 20000
Darren Smith* Saintscolours.svg St. Helens 10000
Richard Villasanti Auckland colours.svg New Zealand Warriors 00000
Trent Waterhouse Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2017 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 31004
Shane Webcke Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 30000
Craig Wing Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters 30000

Pre-Ashes matches

Saturday, 25 October
France XIII France colours.svg 10 – 34 Australian colours.svg Australia
Tries:
Julien Rinaldi
Goals:
Julien Rinaldi (3)		 [2]
Tries:
Michael Crocker (2), Matt Sing (2), Anthony Minichiello, Trent Waterhouse
Goals:
Michael De Vere (5)
Stade d'Albert Domec, Carcassonne
Attendance: 7,813
Referee: Richard Frileux

France XIII: Julien Gerin, Dimitri Pilo, Sylvain Houles, Teddy Sadaoui, Frédéric Zitter, Frédéric Banquet, Julien Rinaldi, Olivier Pramil, Cederic Gay, Jérôme Guisset (c), Daniel Dumas, Jamal Fakir, John Vaigata. Res - Artie Shead, Pierre Sabatie, Abderazak El Khalouki, Marc Faumuina. Coach - Gilles Dumas

Australia: Anthony Minichiello, Luke Lewis, Shannon Hegarty, Michael De Vere, Matt Sing, Craig Wing, Craig Gower, Petero Civoniceva, Michael Crocker, Robbie Kearns (c), Willie Mason, Trent Waterhouse, Phil Bailey. Res - Joel Clinton, Shane Webcke, Richard Villasanti, Brett Kimmorley

Tuesday, 28 October
England A England colours.svg 22 – 26 Australian colours.svg Australia
Tries:
Martin Aspinwall, Ade Gardner, Martin Gleeson, Andy Lynch
Goals:
Chris Thorman (3)		 [3]
Tries:
Danny Buderus, Michael Crocker, Robbie Kearns, Matt Sing
Goals:
Craig Fitzgibbon (5)
Griffin Park, London
Attendance: 6,817
Referee: Glen Black

England A: Shaun Briscoe, Mark Calderwood, Martin Gleeson, Martin Aspinwall, Ade Gardner, Chris Thorman, Rob Burrow, Andy Lynch, Matt Diskin, Rob Parker, Danny Tickle, Lee Radford, Sean O'Loughlin (c). Res - Danny McGuire, Mick Higham, Danny Sculthorpe, Gareth Hock. Coach - John Kear

Australia: Darren Lockyer (c), Matt Sing, Shannon Hegarty, Michael De Vere, Luke Lewis, Craig Gower, Brett Kimmorley, Joel Clinton, Danny Buderus, Petero Civoniceva, Craig Fitzgibbon, Steve Simpson, Luke Ricketson. Res - Michael Crocker, Trent Waterhouse, Willie Mason, Robbie Kearns

Australia played a non-test international against Wales in Bridgend. The Kangaroos won 76-4, crossing for 11 tries.

Ashes series

Australia were to contest Great Britain for the Ashes for the last time in 2003 in what was styled the Think! Road Safety Test series. The Australian Rugby League and Rugby Football League agreed beforehand that the best-of-three series would be officiated by British referees Steve Ganson and Russell Smith for the 1st and 3rd tests, and by Australian referee Tim Mander for the 2nd test. [5] The series was broadcast on television by Sky Sports with commentary by Eddie Hemmings, Mike Stephenson, Shaun McRae, Bill Arthur and Chris Warren. Australian McRae had actually toured with the 1990 Kangaroos as a team trainer.

1st Test

18:30 GMT
Saturday, 8 November
Great Britain  Flag of the United Kingdom.svg18 – 22Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Tries
Brian Carney (2)
Keith Senior


Goals
Sean Long (2/4)
Paul Deacon (1/1)
Tries
Phil Bailey
Craig Gower
Darren Lockyer
Trent Waterhouse
Goals
Craig Fitzgibbon (3/3)
Craig Gower (0/2)
JJB Stadium, Wigan
Attendance: 24,614 [6]
Referee: Steve Ganson Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
Player of the Match: Craig Wing Australian colours.svg
Great Britain Posit. Australia
Kris Radlinski FB Darren Lockyer (c)
Brian Carney WG Anthony Minichiello
Gary Connolly CE Craig Wing
Keith Senior CE Phil Bailey
Richard Horne WG Shannon Hegarty
Paul Sculthorpe SO Craig Gower
Sean Long SH Brett Kimmorley
Stuart Fielden PR Shane Webcke
Terry Newton HK Danny Buderus
Adrian Morley PR Robbie Kearns
Jamie Peacock SR Steve Simpson
Andy Farrell (c) SR Craig Fitzgibbon
Mike Forshaw LF Luke Ricketson
Paul Anderson Int. Petero Civoniceva
Barrie McDermott Int. Willie Mason
Paul Deacon Int. Trent Waterhouse
Lee Gilmour Int. Michael Crocker
David Waite Coach Chris Anderson

Great Britain kicked off and Australian front rower Robbie Kearns, taking the very first hit-up of the match was struck high by his opposite number Adrian Morley, who was promptly sent off, [7] leaving his team to play the entire match with only twelve men. [8] It was a record for the fastest ever sending off in rugby league history. In the eleventh minute Australia had reached the opposition's end of the field and after playing the ball right in front of the try line, Gower and Lockyer strung long passes together to get it out to the right wing where Phil Bailey dived over in the corner. The video referee David Campbell ruled that Bailey had grounded the ball before his feet were pulled into touch and he was awarded his first international try. With first choice goal-kicker Fitzgibbon taken from the field suffering concussion in the lead-up to the try, the conversion attempt was made by Gower who missed, so the Kangaroos led 0-4. Great Britain later got the ball down to Australia's end and equalised with a similar try, with international debutant Carney diving over in the right-hand corner just before the eighteen-minute mark. Sean Long's conversion attempt was also missed so the scores were level at 4-4. [9] In the thirty-first minute, the Australians had almost reached Great Britain's try line where on the fifth tackle Lockyer at first receiver put a short kick in behind the defense for Waterhouse to grab onto and fall over the line. The video referee was called upon to check for off-side but the try was awarded. Gower's second conversion attempt was also missed so Australia led 4-8 and this remained the score until half-time. [10]

Nearly five minutes into the second half a brawl erupted between Brian Carney and Michael Crocker and in the aftermath Crocker was sent to the sin bin. A few minutes later, following a handling error by Lockyer close to the centre of his own try-line, Great Britain were awarded a scrum feed. From the scrum win the ball was moved out to left centre Keith Senior who dived over in the fiftieth minute to equalise the scores again. Long kicked the conversion successfully so the home side lead 10-8. This lead was extended with a penalty kick by Long making it 12-8. [11] Australia later made their way down to Great Britain's end of the field and on the last tackle Brett Kimmorley from dummy-half ran up to the defensive line then threw a long cut out pass left to his halves partner Craig Gower to run through a gap and dive over the try-line untouched, equalising the score once again. With Fitzgibbon back on the field the conversion was successful so Australia were leading 12-14 with thirty minutes remaining. From the ensuing kick-off Gower knocked on and from the resulting possession right in front of Australia's try-line, Great Britain, after keeping the ball alive got it out to right winger Carney who dove over in the corner again. [12] The video referee checked that the ball was put down properly before Carney's legs were pulled into touch and he was awarded the try, re-gaining the lead for Great Britain. Paul Deacon with his first conversion attempt for Great Britain kicked the goal from the sideline successfully, so the home side were leading 18-14 with less than ten minutes of the match remaining. Then in the seventy-fifth minute the Kangaroos were a few metres into Great Britain's half of the field and on the last tackle. They swung the ball out to the left where Craig Wing made a break and passed it back inside for Darren Lockyer coming up in support to run the remaining fifteen metres and score untouched under the posts. Fitzgibbon's conversion was successful so Australia were leading 18-20. When taking a goal-line drop out, Andy Farrell kicked it out on the full resulting in a penalty to Australia right in front of the uprights. Fitzgibbon kicked the goal in the final minute so the full-time score was 18-22. [13]

2nd Test

3rd Test

Statistics

Leading Try Scorer

Leading Point Scorer

Largest Attendance

Largest non-test Attendance

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia national rugby league team</span> Senior mens sports team

The Australian national rugby league team, the Kangaroos, have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the 'Northern Union game' in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League Commission, the Kangaroos are ranked first in the RLIF World Rankings. The team is the most successful in Rugby League World Cup history, having contested all 16 and won 12 of them, failing to reach the final only once, in the inaugural tournament in 1954. Only five nations have beaten Australia in test matches, and Australia has an overall win percentage of 70%.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 Rugby League Tri-Nations</span>

The second Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament was contested between 16 October and 27 November of 2004. The format of the competition differed from the previous event in that the teams played each other twice, rather than once, prior to the final.

The 2005 Rugby League Tri-Nations was played in Great Britain and Australasia. The final was played between Australia and New Zealand at Elland Road on Saturday 26 November. New Zealand won the match 24-0 and were crowned 2005 Tri-Nations champions, breaking Australia's 27-year undefeated international tournament record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darren Lockyer</span> Australian TV commentator and former professional rugby league footballer

Darren James Lockyer is an Australian television commentator and former professional rugby league footballer. Lockyer was an Australian international and Queensland State representative captain, who played his entire professional career with the Brisbane Broncos.

The 2006 Rugby League Tri-Nations was the second Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The tournament followed the same format as in 2004 and 2005, with each team meeting the other two teams twice, and the top two teams at the end of the group stages proceeding to the final. Australia was to run out winners in a tight final, winning in golden point extra time with Kangaroos captain Darren Lockyer scoring a try in the 87th minute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett Kimmorley</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Brett "Noddy" Kimmorley is an Australian rugby league coach and former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s and is the current interim coach of the Wests Tigers. A New South Wales interstate and Australian international representative halfback, he last played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs of the NRL. He previously played for five other clubs: Newcastle Knights, Hunter Mariners, Melbourne Storm, Northern Eagles and the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. Kimmorley also represented Country NSW four times and New South Wales ten times as well as playing 15 times for his country including the 2000 World Cup. He also played two Super League Tests. He retired at the end of the 2010 NRL season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Rugby League Four Nations</span>

The 2009 Rugby League Four Nations tournament was the first Rugby League Four Nations since its expansion from the Tri-Nations tournament. Played in England and France over three weeks from Friday, 23 October until Saturday, 14 November, France and England competed for the first time, with Great Britain's permanent split into the home nations' national teams following the 2007 New Zealand All Golds Tour. The tournament culminated in a final between world number 1 side Australia and hosts England. After 60 minutes of highly competitive football, Australia ran away with the match, scoring a barrage of late tries to win 46–16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craig Fitzgibbon</span> Australian rugby league footballer and coach

Craig Fitzgibbon is an Australian professional rugby league coach and a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s and is the current head coach of Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.

Kenneth John Irvine, also nicknamed "Mongo", was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. He holds the standing Australian record for the most tries in a first-grade career – 212. No other player has yet managed 200 tries in their Australian club career, with the closest to Irvine's tally being Melbourne Storm player Billy Slater, who scored 190. He is also the 2nd all-time top try-scorer for the Australian national team with 33, two behind Darren Lockyer's 35. Irvine's great speed is legendary and he is regarded as Australia's greatest ever winger, being named in 2008 in the list of Australian rugby league's 100 greatest players, as well as being an automatic selection for the Australian Rugby League's "Team of the Century".

The 1994 Kangaroo Tour was the 18th and last Kangaroo Tour played in the conventional format, where the Australia national rugby league team played a number of matches against British and French clubs or provincial outfits, in additions to the Test matches. The outbreak of the Super League war in early 1995 meant that the next Kangaroo tour, set for 1998, never eventuated; although shortened, test only tours were staged in 2001 and 2003.

The 1990 Kangaroo Tour was the seventeenth Kangaroo Tour, where the Australian national rugby league team travelled to Europe and played eighteen matches against British and French club and representative rugby league teams, in addition to three Test matches against Great Britain and two Tests against the French. It followed the tour of 1986 and the next was staged in 1994.

The 1986 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France was the sixteenth Kangaroo tour in which the Australian national rugby league team plays a number of tour matches against British and French teams, in addition to the Test matches. The next Kangaroo tour was staged in 1990.

The 2001 Kangaroo Tour was the Australia national rugby league team's nineteenth Kangaroo tour of Great Britain. The truncated tour featured only the three Ashes series Test matches against Great Britain. The 2001 tour was almost abandoned due to military action in the wake of the September 11 attacks. Australia continued its dominance, winning two of the three tests against Great Britain and retaining The Ashes that they have held since 1973.

The 1982 Kangaroo tour was the fifteenth Kangaroo tour where the Australian national rugby league team played a number of matches against British and French rugby league teams, in addition to the Test matches. The Australia national rugby league team have generally since 1908 barring wartime, toured Great Britain every four years often capping the tour with matches and Tests in France. This regular touring side are known as the Kangaroos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Rugby League World Cup final</span>

The 2008 Rugby League World Cup final was the championship-deciding game of the 2008 Rugby League World Cup tournament. Played between New Zealand and Australia on 22 November 2008 at Brisbane's Lang Park, the match was a re-play of the 2000 Rugby League World Cup final and its outcome determined who became World Cup-holders for the following five years. Considered one of the biggest upsets in rugby league, New Zealand defeated Australia 34–20 to claim their first ever World Cup title.

The 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australasia was a tour by the Great Britain national rugby league team, nicknamed the 'Lions', of Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand which took place between May and July 1992. The tour was the last of such length undertaken by the Great Britain team, and included a test match against Papua New Guinea, a three-test series against Australia for The Ashes, and a two-test series against New Zealand for the Baskerville Shield, all interspersed with matches against local club and representative teams.

The 1978 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France comprised the Australia national rugby league team's fourteenth tour of Great Britain and ninth tour of France, and took place from September to December 1978. Coached by Frank Stanton and captained by Bob Fulton, the Australian team, also known as the Kangaroos, played a match against Wales before contesting the Ashes series against Great Britain, winning the third and deciding Test match. The tourists then moved on to France where they were narrowly beaten in both Tests, the last series the Kangaroos would lose until 2005. In addition to these six internationals, the Australians played sixteen other matches against local club and representative sides in both countries. The 1978 Kangaroo tour followed the tour of 1973 while the next tour would be staged in 1982.

The 1988 Great Britain Lions tour was the Great Britain national rugby league team's 18th tour of Australasia and took place from May to July 1988. It started with a Test match against Papua New Guinea before the best-of-three series against Australia for the Ashes title, and finally a Test against New Zealand. Some of these matches counted toward the ongoing 1985–1988 World Cup tournament. An additional 13 matches were played against local club and representative sides from each host nation.

The 2000 Rugby League World Cup final was the conclusive game of the 2000 Rugby League World Cup tournament and was played between Australia and New Zealand on November 25, 2000 at Old Trafford, Trafford, Greater Manchester, England.

The 2000 New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain was a tour by the New Zealand national rugby league team to compete at the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. New Zealand dominated Group 1 of the tournament thrashing Lebanon, the Cook Islands and Wales with a combined score of 206–28, before winning their quarter-final against France and their semi-final against England to qualify for the final. In the final, they lost to defending champions Australia 12-40 to finish runners-up in a World Cup tournament for the second time.

References

  1. ↑ "Tallis quits rep football" (2003-09-30) abc.net.au [ permanent dead link ]
  2. ↑ France XIII vs Australia
  3. ↑ "England A vs Australia". Archived from the original on 2016-10-06. Retrieved 2016-02-01.
  4. ↑ Wales vs Australia
  5. ↑ Birchalll, Steven (4 November 2003). "Referees for Think! Ashes Test Series". leagueunlimited.com. Archived from the original on 20 May 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  6. ↑ "Ashes series 2003 - Game 1". rugbyleagueproject.org. Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  7. ↑ news.bbc.co.uk (8 November 2003). "The Ashes - first Test photos". BBC News . Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  8. ↑ Marsh, John (3 September 2009). "Lockyer luke-warm [sic] on 'Ashes'". The Courier-Mail . Brisbane, Australia. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  9. ↑ de la Rivière, Richard. "12th-Second Red Card costs GB". Thirteen. richarddelariviere.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  10. ↑ "Australia win thriller". BBC Sport. 8 November 2003. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  11. ↑ "Australia sink brave Lions". BBC News. 8 November 2003. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  12. ↑ news.bbc.co.uk (9 November 2003). "Australia beat GB". CBBC Newsround. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  13. ↑ "Kangaroos escape with last-gasp win". The Age . 9 November 2003. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  14. ↑ AAP (11 November 2003). "Fury after Morley dodges ban". The Age . Retrieved 7 September 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.