The 1948 New Zealand rugby league tour of Australia was the fourteenth tour by New Zealand's national rugby league team, and the eleventh tour to visit Australia. The eight-match tour included two Test Matches, which were the first played by New Zealand in Australia since 1909. Captained by Pat Smith, the Kiwis returned home having won six and lost two of their games. The team won the first test match of the tour but lost the second.
Squad Player Age Weight Province TestsonTour Games Tries Goals FG Points Doug Anderson 21 11 st. 8 lb. (73 kg) Auckland 0 4 1 0 0 3 Bob Aynsley 26 13 st. 2 lb. (83 kg) West Coast 0 3 0 0 0 0 Des Barchard 25 12 st. 2 lb. (77 kg) Auckland 2 5 2 0 0 6 Vic Belsham 22 10 st. 8 lb. (67 kg) Auckland 0 4 0 0 0 0 Warwick Clarke 28 11 st. 4 lb. (72 kg) Auckland 2 6 0 21 0 42 Rex Cunningham 25 11 st. 5 lb. (72 kg) Auckland 1 5 1 0 0 3 Joe Duke 30 13 st. 6 lb. (85 kg) Canterbury 0 4 1 0 0 3 Jack Forrest 24 12 st. 9 lb. (80 kg) West Coast 2 4 1 0 0 3 Abby Graham 28 11 st. 2 lb. (71 kg) Auckland 2 6 2 0 0 6 Albert Hambleton 23 14 st. 4 lb. (91 kg) South Auckland 2 5 2 0 0 6 Travers Hardwick 26 13 st. 2 lb. (83 kg) Auckland 2 6 0 0 0 0 Sandy Hurndell 21 14 st. 10 lb. (93 kg) Auckland 2 6 1 0 0 3 Joffe Johnson 30 15 st. 0 lb. (95 kg) Auckland 0 4 0 0 0 0 Allen Laird 24 12 st. 8 lb. (80 kg) Auckland 0 3 2 0 0 6 Charlie McBride 23 13 st. 2 lb. (83 kg) West Coast 2 7 2 0 0 6 Bill McKenzie 23 12 st. 7 lb. (79 kg) Canterbury 0 3 0 0 0 0 John Newton 27 14 st. 12 lb. (94 kg) West Coast 2 4 1 0 0 3 Dave Redmond 24 12 st. 4 lb. (78 kg) Auckland 2 6 3 0 0 9 Maurie Rich 23 12 st. 8 lb. (80 kg) Auckland 0 4 0 8 0 16 Maurie Robertson 22 11 st. 10 lb. (74 kg) Auckland 2 6 0 0 0 0 Patrick Smith 32 14 st. 10 lb. (93 kg) Canterbury 2 6 0 0 0 0 Allan Wiles 27 12 st. 4 lb. (78 kg) Auckland 1 3 1 0 0 3
Ken Mountford, who was initially selected in the touring party, withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Allen Laird. The touring squad were the first rugby league team to fly to Australia. The Rugby League News published pen portraits of the tourists: backs, forwards and the co-managers.
Tour
Team list:New South Wales: FB: Noel Pidding (21) ( St George), WG: Norm Jacobson (28) ( Newtown), CE: Len Smith (28) ( Newtown), CE: Eddie Tracey (24) ( Canterbury), WG: Johnny Graves (20) ( South Sydney), FE: Wally O'Connell (25) ( Easts), HB: Keith Froome (26) ( Newtown), LK: Les Cowie (22) ( South Sydney), SR: Fred De Belin (26) ( Balmain), SR: Jack Rayner (26) ( South Sydney), PR: Frank Farrell (30) ( Newtown), HK: Kevin Schubert (20) ( Wollongong), PR: Jack Holland (24) ( St George). New Zealand FB: Warwick Clarke, WG: Jack Forrest, CE: Allan Wiles, CE: Maurie Robertson, WG: Bill McKenzie, FE: Abby Graham, HB: Rex Cunningham, LK: Allen Laird, SR: John Newton, SR: Charlie McBride, PR: Sandy Hurndell, HK: Patrick Smith, PR: Joffe Johnson.
Team list:NSW Country PR: Ron Mann ( Western Suburbs), HK: Ted Dawson ( Waratah Mayfield), PR: Alf Gibbs ( South Newcastle), SR: Bill Burgess ( Waratah Mayfield), SR: Don Stait ( Portland), LK: Billy Edwards ( Harden), HB: Jim Scoular ( Lakes United), FE: Johnny Hawke ( Canberra), WG: Bobby Dimond ( Dapto), CE: Bill Halvorsen ( Cessnock), CE: Ned Andrews ( South Newcastle), WG: Ron Rowles ( C.B.C.), FB: Fred Chew ( Parkes). New Zealand FB: Maurie Rich, WG: Dave Redmond, CE: Abby Graham, CE: Maurie Robertson, WG: Doug Anderson, FE: Vic Belsham, HB: Des Barchard, LK: Travers Hardwick, SR: Charlie McBride, SR: Albert Hambleton, PR: Joe Duke, HK: Bob Aynsley, PR: Patrick Smith.
1st Test
Team list:Australia FB: Noel Pidding (age 21) ( St George), WG: Pat McMahon (21) (Toowoomba), CE: Len Smith (28) ( Newtown), CE: Len Pegg (25) ( Souths), WG: Johnny Graves (20) ( South Sydney), FE: Wally O'Connell (25) ( Easts), HB: Keith Froome (26) ( Newtown), LK: Ignatius Tyquin (27) ( Souths), SR: Fred De Belin (26) ( Balmain), SR: Jack Rayner (26) ( South Sydney), PR: Frank Farrell (30) ( Newtown), HK: Kevin Schubert (20) ( Wollongong), PR: Eddie Brosnan (27) ( Brothers). New Zealand FB: Warwick Clarke, WG: Jack Forrest, CE: Maurie Robertson, CE: Allan Wiles, WG: Dave Redmond, FE: Abby Graham, HB: Des Barchard, LK: Travers Hardwick, SR: Sandy Hurndell, SR: Charlie McBride, PR: Albert Hambleton, HK: Patrick Smith, PR: John Newton.
Team list:Northern NSW FB: Bruce Flint ( East Tamworth), WG: Cec Fitzsimmons ( North Tamworth), CE: Trevor Eather ( Boggabri), CE: Phillip Starr ( Guyra), WG: Phil Snell ( West Armidale), FE: T. Curr-Parkes (Barraba), HB: William Bischoff ( West Armidale), LK: Jack Stewart ( Uralla), SR: Cliff McHardie (East Armidale), SR: Cecil Bull ( Guyra), PR: A. Smith ( Boggabri), HK: C. Foxe ( Narrabri), PR: Maurice Dawson ( Glen Innes). New Zealand FB: Maurie Rich, WG: Bill McKenzie, CE: Maurie Robertson, CE: Doug Anderson, WG: Dave Redmond, FE: Vic Belsham, HB: Rex Cunningham, LK: Allen Laird, SR: Joe Duke, SR: Sandy Hurndell, PR: Albert Hambleton, HK: Patrick Smith, PR: Joffe Johnson.
Team list:Queensland FB: Dan O'Connor (age 30) ( Norths), WG: Pat McMahon (21) (Toowoomba), CE: Harry Linde (24) ( Tivoli), CE: Len Pegg (25) ( Souths), WG: Jack Horrigan ( Valleys), FE: Harry Griffiths (22) ( Booval Swifts), HB: Billy Thompson (24) (Toowoomba), LK: Ignatius Tyquin (27) ( Souths), SR: Duncan Hall (22) ( Valleys), SR: Ron McLennan (23) ( Easts), PR: Kelly Brennan (28) ( West End), HK: Henry Benton (28) ( Centrals), PR: Eddie Brosnan (27) ( Brothers). New Zealand FB: Warwick Clarke, WG: Jack Forrest, CE: Allan Wiles, CE: Maurie Robertson, WG: Dave Redmond, FE: Abby Graham, HB: Des Barchard, LK: Travers Hardwick, SR: Sandy Hurndell, SR: Charlie McBride, PR: John Newton, HK: Patrick Smith, PR: Albert Hambleton.
Team list:Rockhampton FB: R. Graff ( Leichhardts), WG: Ken Brighton ( North Rockhampton), CE: William Cuddy ( Brothers), CE: Des Crow (age 18) ( Brothers), WG: Leo Jeffcoat ( Brothers), FE: P. Carroll ( Leichhardts), HB: Cyril. Connell Jr (age 20) ( Brothers), LK: Norm Dingwall ( Leichhardts), SR: C. Dingwall ( Leichhardts), SR: C. Hunt ( Brothers), PR: Jack Kelly ( Leichhardts), HK: H. Ferricks ( Fitzroys), PR: W. Brighton ( Brothers), Coach: J. Crow. New Zealand FB: Warwick Clarke, WG: Bill McKenzie, CE: Maurie Rich, CE: Abby Graham, WG: Doug Anderson, FE: Vic Belsham, HB: Rex Cunningham, LK: Allen Laird, SR: Travers Hardwick, SR: Charlie McBride, PR: Joffe Johnson, HK: Bob Aynsley, PR: Joe Duke.
2nd Test
Team list:Australia FB: Clive Churchill (age 21) ( South Sydney), WG: Pat McMahon (20) (Toowoomba), CE: Len Smith (31) ( Newtown), CE: Len Pegg (26) ( Souths) captain-coach, WG: Johnny Graves (20) ( South Sydney), FE: Wally O'Connell (25) ( Easts), HB: Keith Froome (26) ( Newtown), LK: Ignatius Tyquin (29) ( Souths), SR: Fred De Belin (27) ( Balmain), SR: Duncan Hall (22) ( Valleys), PR: Jack Holland (25) ( St George), HK: Kevin Schubert (20) ( Wollongong), PR: Nevyl Hand ( North Sydney). New Zealand FB: Warwick Clarke, WG: Jack Forrest, CE: Abby Graham, CE: Maurie Robertson, WG: Dave Redmond, FE: Rex Cunningham, HB: Des Barchard, LK: Travers Hardwick, SR: Charlie McBride, SR: Sandy Hurndell, PR: Albert Hambleton, HK: Patrick Smith, PR: John Newton.
Team list:Newcastle FB: Les Gilbert ( Northern Suburbs), WG: Terry Sullivan ( Western Suburbs), CE: Ron Golden ( Lakes United), CE: Ned Andrews ( South Newcastle), WG: Ron Crossley ( Northern Suburbs), FE: Horry Banks ( Western Suburbs), HB: Len Walton ( South Newcastle), LK: Jack Hutchinson ( Northern Suburbs), SR: Ivor Rees ( Kurri Kurri), SR: William Wylie ( Waratah Mayfield), PR: Alf Gibbs ( South Newcastle), HK: Ted Dawson ( Waratah Mayfield), PR: Gus Briggs ( Central Newcastle). New Zealand FB: Warwick Clarke, WG: Dave Redmond, CE: Vic Belsham, CE: Doug Anderson, WG: Maurie Rich, FE: Des Barchard, HB: Rex Cunningham, LK: Travers Hardwick, SR: Charlie McBride, SR: Sandy Hurndell, PR: Joffe Johnson, HK: Bob Aynsley, PR: Joe Duke.
Sources Acronym Item Years Database App Notes Direct Online Access RLN Rugby League News 1920-1973 Trove Match Program in Sydney, Team Lists, Team Photos, Articles RLP Rugby League Project 1907–present Website Test Match teams & scorers. Sun The Sun (Sydney) 1910-1954 Trove Match Reports, Articles. DT The Daily Telegraph (Sydney) 1931-1954 Trove Match Reports, Articles. CM The Courier-Mail 1933-1954 Trove Match Reports, Articles. - Various Regional Newspapers 1891-1954 Trove Match Reports, Given Names of Players Offline Resources EECYB E.E. Christensen's Official Rugby League Year Book 1946-1978 Copies at State Library of NSW Teams, Point Scorers, Report. 1949 Yearbook covers the 1948 tour.
References