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1911–12 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain
The Kangaroo squad of 1911–12
Date	23 September 1911 – 3 February 1912
Manager	Charles H. Ford and John Quinlan
Tour captain(s)	Chris McKivat
Summary	P W D L
Total	36 29 02 05
Test match	03 02 01 00
Opponent	P W D L
Great Britain	3 2 1 0
Tour chronology
Previous tour	1908–09
Next tour	1921–22

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

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)

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

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)

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

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)

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.

References

1. Coffey, John; Wood, Bernie (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908–2008. Huia Publishers. p. 56. ISBN 978-1-86969-331-2.
2. "The history of rugby league". centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 February 2008. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
3. Cunneen, Chris (2001). The best ever Australian Sports Writing. Australia: Black. p. 321. ISBN 1-86395-266-7. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
4. Fagan, Sean. "New Zealand 'Kangaroos'". rl1908.com. Archived from the original on 8 October 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
5. Cuneen, Chris (2006). "Messenger, Herbert Henry (Dally) (1883–1959)". Australian dictionary of biography. Australian National University. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
6. Kristine, Corcoran. "Pearce, Sidney Charles (Sandy) (1883–1930)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
7. Ian Heads & David Middleton (2008). A Centenary of Rugby League. Macmillan Publishers. p. 47.
8. "1908-9 KANGAROOS BLAZED R.L. TRAIL". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 33, 843. New South Wales, Australia. 12 June 1946. p. 9. Retrieved 25 June 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
9. ARL. "Australian Kangaroos players register". australianrugbyleague.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
10. QRL. "QRL History". Queensland representatives. qrl.com.au. Archived from the original on 31 January 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
11. "1911 Tour Match: Wigan 7 Australia 2". cherryandwhite.co.uk. RLFANS.COM. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
12. 1st Ashes Test
13. 2nd Ashes Test
14. ^ Alan Whiticker, Captaining the Kangaroos (2004) New Holland p44
15. 3rd Ashes Test

External links

• "Australian tour of Great Britain". hunterlink.net. Archived from the original on 11 May 2006.
• Ashes series 1911 at rugbyleagueproject.org

v t e Rugby league Ashes /
Teams	Original Australia Australasia Great Britain Modern Australia England Women's Australia England †Great Britain
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Men's modern series	2025 2028
Women's series	1996† 2002† 2025

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• Australia national rugby league team tours
• Rugby league tours of Great Britain
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