The 2015 New Zealand rugby league tour of England was a tour by the New Zealand national rugby league team. The New Zealand national rugby league team played a match against the Leeds Rhinos and competed in a three match test series against England for the Baskerville Shield, losing 2-1.
Background Official Rankings as of May 2015RLIF Rankings.RankChangeTeamPoints1 949.003 485.00
New Zealand had originally intended to host a tour against France, while Australia was speculated to host a Great Britain Lions tour. However the Australian Rugby League Commission declined to host a tour and as an alternative the Rugby Football League invited the New Zealand Rugby League to tour Great Britain for a three match series.Kiwis to tour England in 2015 nzherald.co.nz, 4 September 2014
On 25 February 2015, the three test match venues were confirmed with Hull's KC Stadium hosting game one on 1 November, the London Olympic Stadium hosting the second test on 7 November and the final test match being held at Wigan's DW Stadium on 14 November.
The match against Leeds was the first time a Super League side had played a touring side since 2002, when the Kiwis played matches against Hull F.C. and St. Helens. It was the first time that Leeds played New Zealand since 1992. The match celebrated the 125th anniversary of Headingley. Leeds has defeated New Zealand once in eleven matches between the two teams.
Squad
Training squad An initial training squad was named on 8 September 2015 and added to as teams were eliminated from the NRL finals. Kieran Foran was among those initially named but he later withdrew due to injury, joining Shaun Johnson, Thomas Leuluai, Manu Vatuvei, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Jared Warea-Hargreaves as being unavailable for the tour. Skipper Simon Mannering was also later made unavailable for the test series due to injury. Club Team Players Manly Sea EaglesKieran Foran, Peta HikuNew Zealand WarriorsSolomone Kata, Tui Lolohea, Simon Mannering (c), Ben Matulino, Bodene Thompson Parramatta EelsManu Mau Penrith Panthers Lewis Brown, Sam McKendry, Elijah Taylor, Dean Whare Wests Tigers Manaia Cherrington, Tim Simona, Martin TaupauSouth Sydney RabbitohsBryson Goodwin, Issac LukeSt George Illawarra DragonsJason NightingaleCanterbury BulldogsCurtis Rona, Greg EastwoodCronulla SharksGerard Beale, Sosaia FekiWests TigersTe Maire MartinMelbourne StormJesse Bromwich, Tohu Harris, Kevin ProctorSydney RoostersMatt McIlwrick, Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Isaac Liu, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Sam Moa
Final squad The final touring squad of 23 players was named on 8 October.
On 10 October, Jason Taumalolo withdrew from the touring 23-man squad due to a knee injury. He was replaced by Manaia Cherrington. Curtis Rona left the tour after the second test match, returning to Australia to be present for the birth of his daughter.
NameClubPosition(s)GamesTriesGoalsFGsPoints Gerard Beale Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 00000 Adam Blair (c) Brisbane Broncos 40000 Jesse Bromwich Melbourne Storm 41004 Lewis Brown Penrith Panthers 30000 Manaia Cherrington Wests Tigers 00000 Alex Glenn Brisbane Broncos 30000 Tohu Harris Melbourne Storm 41004 Peta Hiku Manly Sea Eagles 40000 Jordan Kahu Brisbane Broncos 421111 Shaun Kenny-Dowall Sydney Roosters 41004 Isaac Liu Sydney Roosters 00000 Tuimoala Lolohea New Zealand Warriors 20204 Issac Luke (c) South Sydney Rabbitohs 40408 Ben Matulino New Zealand Warriors 40000 Sam Moa Sydney Roosters 41004 Jason Nightingale St. George Illawarra Dragons 42008 Kodi Nikorima Brisbane Broncos 41004 Kevin Proctor Melbourne Storm 40000 Curtis Rona Canterbury Bulldogs 00000 Sio Siua Taukeiaho Sydney Roosters 20000 Martin Taupau Wests Tigers 40000 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck Sydney Roosters 430012 Dean Whare Penrith Panthers 41004
Tour summary New Zealand played four matches on tour, including three test matches against England.England and New Zealand to make history at London's Olympic Stadium aprlc.com, 26 February 2015 Date Opponent Venue Result Score Attendance Report23 OctoberLeeds RhinosHeadingley, Leeds Won 34–16 20,158 1 NovemberEnglandKC Stadium, Kingston upon Hull Lost 12–26 23,526 7 NovemberEnglandOlympic Stadium, London Won 9–2 44,393 14 NovemberEnglandDW Stadium, Wigan Lost 14–20 24,741
Kiwis vs Rhinos: Headingley 125th anniversary match
Gerard Beale was originally named to play but was replaced by Lewis Brown.
The match was shown on Premier Sports and Sky Sport 2KIWIS Tour of Great Britain - LIVE SKY SPORT 2 skysport.co.nz, 22 October 2015
FB 1Ashton GoldingRW 2Tom BriscoeRC 3Jimmy KeinhorstLC 4Joel Moon LW 5Ash HandleySO 6Danny McGuire SH 7Jordan LilleyPR 8Kylie LeuluaiHK 9Robbie WardPR 10Mitch GarbuttSR 11Adrian MorleySR 12Josh WaltersLF 13Adam CuthbertsonSubstitutions:BE 14Ali LauitiitiBE 15Anthony MullallyBE 16Mitch AchurchBE 17Jordan BaldwinsonBE 18Rob MulhernBE 19Brad SingletonCoach:Brian McDermott FB 1Roger Tuivasa-SheckRW 2Jason NightingaleRC 3Jordan KahuLC 4Dean WhareLW 5Shaun Kenny-DowallFE 6Peta HikuHB 7Tuimoala LoloheaPR 8Jesse BromwichHK 9Issac Luke (Captain)PR 10Ben MatulinoSR 11Kevin ProctorSR 12Tohu HarrisLK 13Martin TaupauSubstitutions:BE 14Kodi NikorimaBE 15Adam Blair (Captain)BE 16Sam MoaBE 17Sio Siua TaukeiahoBE 18Alex GlennBE 20Lewis BrownCoach: Stephen Kearney
Baskerville Shield Ahead of New Zealand's Baskerville Shield series against England, their opponents had played a warm-up test match against France on 24 October.
All futures were shown on BBC Sport in the UK, and Sky Sport 2 in New Zealand.
Venues
Hull London Wigan KC Stadium Olympic Park DW Stadium Capacity: 25,400 Capacity: 66,000 Capacity: 25,138
Test 1
FB 1Zak HardakerRW 2Joe BurgessRC 3Kallum WatkinsLC 4John BatemanLW 5Ryan HallSO 6Gareth WiddopSH 7George WilliamsPR 8James GrahamHK 9Josh HodgsonPR 10Chris HillSR 11Elliott Whitehead SR 12Liam FarrellLF 13Sean O'Loughlin (Captain)Substitutions:BE 14James RobyBE 15Tom BurgessBE 16Michael CooperBE 17Brett FerresCoach:Steve McNamara FB 1Roger Tuivasa-SheckRW 2Jason NightingaleRC 3Jordan KahuLC 4Dean WhareLW 5Shaun Kenny-DowallFE 6Peta HikuHB 7Tuimoala LoloheaPR 8Jesse BromwichHK 9Issac Luke (Captain)PR 10Sam MoaSR 11Kevin ProctorSR 12Tohu HarrisLK 13Adam Blair (Captain)Substitutions:BE 14Kodi NikorimaBE 15Martin TaupauBE 16Ben Matulino BE 17Sio Siua TaukeiahoCoach: Stephen Kearney
Alex Glenn and Lewis Brown were named as 18th and 19th man respectively for the Kiwis.
Test 2
FB 1Zak HardakerRW 2Joe BurgessRC 3Kallum WatkinsLC 4John BatemanLW 5Ryan HallSO 6Gareth WiddopSH 7George WilliamsPR 8James GrahamHK 9Josh HodgsonPR 10Chris HillSR 11Elliott Whitehead SR 12Liam FarrellLF 13Sean O'Loughlin (Captain)Substitutions:BE 14James RobyBE 15Tom BurgessBE 16Michael CooperBE 17Brett FerresCoach:Steve McNamara FB 1Roger Tuivasa-SheckRW 2Jason NightingaleRC 3Jordan KahuLC 4Dean WhareLW 5Shaun Kenny-DowallFE 6Peta HikuHB 19Kodi NikorimaPR 8Jesse BromwichHK 9Issac Luke (Captain)PR 10Sam MoaSR 11Kevin ProctorSR 12Tohu HarrisLK 13Adam Blair (Captain)Substitutions:BE 14Lewis BrownBE 15Martin TaupauBE 16Ben Matulino BE 17Alex GlennCoach: Stephen Kearney
Stephen Kearney originally named Tuimoala Lolohea at halfback before selecting Kodi Nikorima to start the match.
Test 3
FB 1Zak HardakerRW 2Jermaine McGillvaryRC 3Kallum WatkinsLC 4John BatemanLW 5Ryan HallSO 6Gareth WiddopSH 7Matty SmithPR 8James GrahamHK 9Josh HodgsonPR 10Chris HillSR 11Elliott Whitehead SR 12Liam FarrellLF 13Sean O'Loughlin (Captain)Substitutions:BE 14James RobyBE 15Tom BurgessBE 16Michael CooperBE 17Brett FerresCoach:Steve McNamara FB 1Roger Tuivasa-SheckRW 2Jason NightingaleRC 3Jordan KahuLC 4Dean WhareLW 5Shaun Kenny-DowallFE 6Peta HikuHB 7Kodi NikorimaPR 8Jesse BromwichHK 9Issac Luke (Captain)PR 10Sam MoaSR 11Kevin ProctorSR 12Tohu HarrisLK 13Adam Blair (Captain)Substitutions:BE 14Lewis BrownBE 15Martin TaupauBE 16Ben Matulino BE 17Alex GlennCoach: Stephen Kearney
With the win, England retained the Baskerville Shield. Isaac Liu and Gerard Beale were 18th and 19th man respectively for New Zealand.
Aftermath England's captain, Sean O'Loughlin was awarded the George Smith Medal as player of the series.
England's retained the Baskerville Shield, 8 years after it was last contested during the 2007 All Golds Tour.
References