League Test Today

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28920, 13 June 1959, Page 5

League Test Today

• ZEALAND today will have » the opportunity of breaking a • string of Australian victories when the Kiwis play Australia in the first Rugby League test at Sydney. After the war, New Zealand’s record against Australia was very good until 1953. but since then Australia has won six times in succession. New Zealand’s last victory was in Wellington in 1953, the year that the Dominion retained the Trans-Tasman Cup, a trophy „ which the Kiwis had held since before the war.

New Zealand retained the cup when the first post-war tour of Australia was made in 1948, both sides winning a test each. In 1949 Australia toured this country very late in the season, and again each side won a test in a twomatch series.

New Zealand made its second tour of Australia in 1952 and this proved to be a most successful one, probably the most successful Kiwi side to cross the Tasman. After losing the first test in Sydney by a margin of 12 points the visitors gained their best victory ever when they beat the home side at Brisbane by 49 points to 25. The deciding match was played as a mid-week fixture in Sydney and the Kiwis again won, thus retaining the Trans-Tasman Cup. Fine Display In the next year, Australia , returned the visit and toured New Zealand in June and July. Christchurch enthusiasts were treated to- a great display by the New Zealanders when they beat the Australians by 25 points to 5 at the Show Grounds. However, at Wellington the next Saturday, New Zealand’s margin was only one point but that was sufficient to retain the series, although Australia won the third game, at Auckland, by two points. That was the beginning of Australia’s succession of victories and the present Kiwi side has the chance of breaking that at Sydney. Since that game at Carlaw Park, in 1953, Australia has beaten New Zealand twice in World Cup matches, in France and Australia, and also won all three matches in the 1956 tour of Australia.

Of the players who made the tour in 1953, three are making this tour, C. Eastlake, G. Menzies, and J. Ratima. The captain of that side was T. Hardwick, who is with this team in the capacity of manager His experience on that most successful tour should be of great value to the Kiwis in their test matches this year. Retained Of the team which toured three years ago, in 1956, 10 remain. There are six backs—Menzies, Eastlake, R. Griffiths, R. Ackland,

T. Hadfield and K. Roberts. The four forwards are R. Percy, H. Maxwell, C. Johnson, and J. Butterfield. Of the team that last went to Australia, for the World Cup series, two years ago, there are seven survivors.

With a win over New South Wales to its credit the side should go into the first test with confidence, as the State game is often regarded as a good form guide to the tests. New Zealand’s last test match on the famous Sydney Cricket Ground proved to be a most successful one. Great Britain was beatep in the last match of the 1957 World Cup series in what was regarded as the best game of the whole tournament. The following is New Zealand’s record against Australia in the test matches played since the last war:—

1948 1948 Sydney Brisbane .... won lost 21-19 4-13 1949 Wellington .... won 26-21 1949 Auckland .... lost 10-13 1952 Sydney lost 13-25 1952 Brisbane 49-25 1952 Sydney won 19-9 1953 Christchurch .. won 25-5 1953 Wellington .... won 12-11 1953 Auckland .... 1 nst 16-18 1954 Marseilles .... Insf 15-34 1958 Sydney lost 9-12 1956 Brisbane .... lost 2-8 1956 Sydney lost 14-26 1957 Brisbane .... lost 5-25