1899 British Lions tour to Australia
Encyclopedia
The 1899 British Isles tour to Australia was the fourth rugby union
tour by a British Isles
team and the second to Australia
; though the first tour in 1888
was a private venture, making the 1899 tour the first official undertaking of Australia. It is retrospectively classed as one of the British Lions
tours, as the Lions naming convention was not adopted until 1950.
Negotiations had also taken place for the tour to incorporate matches against New Zealand, either through a visit to New Zealand, or a New Zealand team to play in Australia. No agreeable terms could be found.
This tour was the first to truly represent the British Isles, with players from all four Home Nations. Despite this fact, many Australian newspapers, and some British dailies, referred to the tourists as "the English football team".
, players in Britain expressed wishes to make a similar tour to Australia. In August 1897, the New South Wales Rugby Football Union (NSWRFU), received a letter from Reverend Matthew Mullineux
asking whether a tour beginning in June 1898 would be possible and welcomed by the Union. This request was discussed in depth by the NSWRFU at their 30 September meeting, and it was decided to extend an invitation with the following stipulations. The tour was to be under the auspices of the Rugby Football Union
(RFU), with the touring team paying for passage to and from Sydney. The NSWRFU would pay for their internal expenses once in Australia. The British team was to receive a percentage of the profits earned by the attendance at each match, but only up to the cost of their travel. Some debate centered about what level of reimbursement would be allowed, they settled on fifty percent after the initial proposal of twenty percent was deemed too low. They specified that a playing squad be made up of twenty-one players inclusive of the tour manager. They would play two games a week while on tour, in New South Wales, Queensland, and New Zealand. There was also the possibility that the tour would take in Victoria.
The proposal was sanctioned by the RFU, with the strict stipulation that the tour would take place on a purely amateur basis. It was the plan of Mullineux to fill the team with players from the Universities, but the timing of the tour meant that players would need to leave Britain in early May, when vacation had not yet begun. Due to a lack of time to make the necessary arrangements, the tour for 1898 was subsequently canceled.
, Cecil Boyd
, Viv Huzzey
, Zimans, Ernest Fookes
, Lindsay Watson, M Elliott, Herbert Dudgeon, James Gowans, James Franks, J H Kipling, R Forest, Lawrence Bulger
, Timoins, R O Swartz, C B Marston, W Neeks (or Needs), Dr Rowland, J W Gorman, and James Couper. Among these names were several high-profile players that recruitment attempts failed to secure. Byrne
declined due to pressure of business, while Ernest Fookes
was awaiting a serious medical operation. The final member to join the team was Scottish international Alf Bucher
, after failed approaches were made to recruit fellow Scot James Couper and Welsh wing Viv Huzzey
.
, three for Ireland
, and one for Scotland
and Wales
. Commentators thought that the selected team did not fully represent the strength of British rugby, particularly with the absence of James Byrne.
The team played in a kit consisting of a jersey with thick blue bands and thinner red and white bands, representing the colours of the Union Jack; with dark blue shorts and blue stockings finished with red and white tops. The team caps were maroon
in colour and bore the motif of a kangaroo. Formal dress comprised a navy blazer, with a breast badge that read "The Anglo-Australian Rugby Football Team".
In addition to the lack of time, Mullineux had expressed to the NSWRFU that he had been led to believe that a tour of New Zealand would not be profitable. The NSWRFU reinforced his beliefs by indicating that the New Zealand union had been unwilling to pay for the travel to and from England, but only the travel to and from Auckland. There was some sentiment expressed that, because the team was not an English, but a British team, the expense to have the touring team visit was not warranted. The cost of bringing the British team to New Zealand to play in Otago, Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury was estimated at ₤400. In November 1898, it was proposed at a meeting of the NZRU, that the NZRU would pay for the full cost of England's travel to and from New Zealand, and within New Zealand. The sub-unions provided guarantees of a percentage of their gate profits to the NZRU. These terms were subsequently agreed to by the NSWRFU. In April, the lengthening of the tour was refused by the British team.
Some hope has still held out for a New Zealand leg of the tour, provided that the NSWRFU cut short the Australian leg of the tour by a week, reducing the number of test matches to three, and cutting country matches, thereby providing time for a short trip to Auckland and Wellington. The NZRU offered only ₤250 for the two matches, and not the ₤400 plus all expenses that was requested for the two games. William Warbrick in a letter to the Referee highlighted the generosity of the NSWRFU offer, as it stood to lose an estimated ₤1200 from the loss of two major matches in Australia. The British team decided in mid-July to not make the tour of New Zealand.
As an alternative to touring New Zealand, expectations formed that a match would be played against an Australasian team, consisting of Australian and New Zealand players. There was also the proposal that a match against a New Zealand team would be played in Australia if the British decided not to travel on to New Zealand. Subsequently, the NZRU forbade their players from playing in the matches in Australia. The NSWRFU proposed a date for New Zealand to play in Australia, on 5 August, with a combined Australasian match played a week later on 12 August. This plan was declined by the NZRU, citing the resolutions of the local unions to not send players to Australia.
During the British tour, proposals were made by players in New Zealand to make a tour of Britain in 1900. This tour did not eventuate.
on 9 May 1899; coincidentally the day the Australian cricket team began their 1899 tour of England
. There they travelled to France, where they boarded the P&O
liner RMS Oceana at the port of Marseilles. The ocean trip to Australia took five weeks traveling via the Red Sea
of which the traveling party complained of the heat. The team briefly stopped at Albany
, Western Australia
in good health, and were met by delegates of the Perth Rugby Union, and the Mayor. From there they completed their voyage, docking at Adelaide
on 11 June, where they were met by delegates of the South Australian Football Association, principally J. R. Anderson, and D. T. Lawes, as well as W. A. Rand, the secretary of the New South Wales Rugby Union
. Rand acted as host and financier accompanying the British team for the duration of the tour. They travelled overland by the express train to Melbourne on 12 June. From Melbourne they continued their journey to Sydney
.
, while the remainder were against regional and invitational teams. The British Isles lost the first test, but won the last three tests to take the series 3-1. After the first loss to the Australians, team captain Mullineux dropped himself from the team for the rest of the tour, with Frank Stout
taking the captain's role for the remaining tests. The decision by Mullineux to replace his position with Charles Adamson
is seen as the tour's turning point, which saw the British team begin to win matches by more convincing margins and eventually control the test games.
----
British Isles: Esmond Martelli
, Alf Bucher
, Alec Timms
, Charlie Adamson
, Gwyn Nicholls
, Gerry Doran
, Matthew Mullineux
captain, Frank Stout
, Wallace Jarman
, Tom McGown
, H.G.S. Gray
, Frederick Belson
, Alan Ayre-Smith
, George Gibson
, Charles Thompson
----
(captain), Lonnie Spragg
, Bill Shortland, Charlie White
, Iggy O'Donnell
, Peter Ward
, Arch Boyd
, George Wheeler
, Norm Street
, Alex Kelly
, Hyram Marks
, Albert Gardiner
, Walter Davis
, Charlie Ellis
, Bill Webb
British Isles: Esmond Martelli
, Alf Bucher
, Charlie Adamson
, Gwyn Nicholls
, Gerry Doran
, Matthew Mullineux
(captain), George Cookson
, Frank Stout
, Wallace Jarman
, Tom McGown
, John Francomb
, H.G.S. Gray
, Frederick Belson
, Alan Ayre-Smith
, George Gibson
----
, Frank Row
, Syd Miller
, Peter Ward
, Iggy O'Donnell
, Arch Boyd
, James Carson
, Bill Webb
, Charlie Ellis
, Hyram Marks
, Walter Davis
, Alex Kelly
, C Purdue, Quinsey
British Isles: Charles Thompson
, Alf Bucher
, Elliot Nicholson
, Charlie Adamson
, Gwyn Nicholls
, Matthew Mullineux
(captain), George Cookson
, Frank Stout
, William Judkins, Wallace Jarman
, Tom McGown
, John Francomb
, Blair Swannell
, H.G.S. Gray
, George Gibson
----
Australia: Bob McCowan
, Charlie White
, Frank Row
captain, Lonnie Spragg
, William Evans
, Peter Ward
, Austin Gralton
, James Carson
, Dooee Tanner
, Patrick Carew
, Walter Davis
, Charlie Ellis
, Hyram Marks
, Ginger Colton
, Alex Kelly
British Isles: Esmond Martelli, Alf Bucher, Charlie Adamson, Gwyn Nicholls, Gerry Doran, Matthew Mullineux captain, George Cookson, Frank Stout, Wallace Jarman, Tom McGown, John Franscombe, H.G.S. Gray, Frederick Belson, Alan Ayre-Smith, George Gibson
Touch umpires: Blair Swannell
and William Warbrick
The first Test ever played by Australia was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground
under excellent weather conditions. The temperature on the day of the game reached 60 °F (15.6 °C), and there was almost no breeze. There was a great deal of interest in the match, with the Sydney Morning Herald and Brisbane Courier both reporting 30,000 in attendance, and the United Press Association reporting 27,000 in attendance. The attendance was officially recorded as 28,000. Tickets for the game were one shilling for general admission, and two shillings for grand stand seats, while children were admitted at half price. In all the game grossed ₤1200. A full program of events had been scheduled with a preliminary rugby match played by local teams, Wallaroo, and Randwick
at 1:45pm, as well as heats of a one mile bicycle race by the League of Wheelmen. The final of the bicycle race was scheduled during the half-time break. Special trams had been arranged for the event, with the Tramway Service reporting that every available tram had been used for the extra traffic on the day; fully 131 carloads were conveyed to the match.
It had been noted in the lead up to the Test that the British team was out of condition. The writer Player in the Brisbane Courier, believed that the first Test was Australia's only chance to beat the British team, as he felt that with the British team's condition improving during the tour, they would be impossible to beat. The British team had been dealing with some illness and injury, necessitating the fielding of a team in the Test that was not their first choice, but in the end identical to the team that played New South Wales the previous weekend. Elliot Nicholson, Alec Timms, and Charles Thompson were all listed as playing, but last minute changes were made. While at a swimming bath, Nicholson injured his foot on a protruding nail, and was unable to play. Bucher
played in his place. Timms
did not recover from an injury received in the match at Goulburn in time to make the field. Adamson, was moved from the halves to the three-quarters to fill his place, and in turn Cookson filled the opening in the halves left by Adamson. Martelli, who had injured his thumb in the match against Goulburn, and had taken the field against New South Wales, but had to retire due to injury, recovered in time to play in place of Thompson. It had been feared on the evening before the match, that Gwyn Nicholls had caught influenza and would be incapacitated, but instead was a severe cold. Rev. Mullineux also took to the field with a cold. The British played field of four players, at three-quarters, and two half-backs, that contrasted with the Australian field of only one half-back, two at five-eighth, and three at three-quarters.
The Australian team on the other hand had no such changes, although the inclusion of M'Cowan had been in doubt only a week before the game, due to a strain. The team consisted of six Queensland players, with the balance made up by New South Wales representatives. Selectors chose to keep the New South Wales three-quarter combination of Spragg, Row and White intact. The only noted absences from the team were Tom Pauling and A. J. Lewis, who suffered injuries in the inter-colonial match the week before the Test. Training of the team was supervised by William Warbrick. The Australian team wore the blue colours of NSW.
In the week preceding the match, Mullineux had requested that a conference be held to review some differences in the interpretation of the rules of the game from how the game was played in Britain.
While the two teams played an evenly matched game until the British performance, particularly in defense, dropped off towards the later stages. The poor condition of the British team was noticeable, and was attributed as the reason the British lost the game. The writer for the United Press Association was of the opinion that the British performance was somewhat poorer than in the game played against New South Wales the previous weekend. The British did show some deft ball handling skills in the game: The beautiful series of passes which gained the try for the Englishmen was considered as being an excellent object lesson in backing up. Some of the players, without looking where they were throwing the ball, passed simply because they knew their comrades would be in position to receive it. The British were criticised for the slow rate in which they got the ball from the scrum, an area of play, in which Australia excelled. The writer for the Queanbeyan Age, noted that the Australians forwards played too fast for the British. The United Press Association named White and Ward as the outstanding players for Australia.
Play continued with both teams attacking the other strongly. Gralton, Ward and Evans for Australia, made good passing combinations on a number of occasions. Cookson and Stout making notable plays for Britain, with Stout showing in one run: a remarkable feint, having to stop almost dead and then wheel round to hoax his opponent. Britain pressured the Australian line, with play coming to within five yards from the try line. Pressure was applied through passing the ball starting from Mullineux, and on to Cookson, Bucher, Nicholls, and Doran who was tackled well by Spragg. A scrum that was formed close to the Australian try line, was won by Australia, and Gralton cleared the ball to mid-field with a kick. Subsequent play shifted the attack to the British half. Here the Gralton, Ward, Evans combination brought Evans close to the British try line. A subsequent scrum yielded the ball to Gralton who forced his way forward, but he lost the ball. and the British cleared the ball to the western sideline. The relief was short lived, as the attack was once again brought against the British in the center of the field. Evans receiving the ball, made an unsuccessful drop goal attempt sending the ball high and wide of the goal. The ball dropped in front of the British fullback Martelli who overran the ball, having let the ball bounce. Australian players came rushing through and jumped upon the loose ball. The referee awarded the try, against the protests of the British who claimed that Kelly had illegally interfered with Martelli getting to the ball, as well as an off-side by the Australians. The reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald wrote that, From the press table, in the balcony of the members' pavilion, the interference appeared to be simply a jostle but it seemed hard to come to any other conclusion than that Kelly and Colton were off-side. The try scorer is officially recorded as Colton, however Kelly is in other places recorded as the try scorer. The conversion attempt by Spragg was unsuccessful.
The restart of play was the scene of some amusement to the spectators, with the Australians returning the British drop-out, with a kick for touch. The touch umpire raised his flag, to signal touch had been found near the British 25. However, play continued, and the ball was kicked downfield into the Australians half. Some of the British players expecting play to be halted for a lineout, stood near the touch umpire who continued to hold his flag aloft. Play continued, with the Australians eventually returning play back upfield, and eventually finding touch a few yards from where the touch umpire was still standing with flag raised. The umpire alerted the referee to the earlier touch, but he was overruled.
In the following passage of play, the British having been awarded a penalty, kicked for touch, bringing it down into Australians half. Carson who had been performing strongly in the lineouts, won the ball from the British throw-in, allowing Australia to return the ball back to half-way. The British showed some of their strong ball handling skills in the following phases. Ensuing play resulted in a penalty against Australia, which was unsuccessfully kicked for a goal attempt by Martelli. The Australians brought the ball upfield in a strong attack that resulted in the British forcing the ball in goal. The end of the half was called.
Play progressed in neutral territory for a few phases until Mullineux began a series of passes that were praised for the high level of skill shown. The passes went from Mullineux to Cookson, then Francomb, then Doran and on to Nicholls, who was about to cross the touch line only a couple of yards from the try line. In time he blindly passed back, and Adamson, who was in support, received the ball passed on to Nicholls who making it through numerous Australian defenders crossed the line for the try. Martelli missed the conversion attempt.
The British in the next passage of play were successful in bringing the ball back into the Australians 25, and were soon awarded a free kick. The attempt at goal was poor, and the Australians cleared the ball far down field. The British punt attempt to return the ball back to the Australians end was poor and was charged down, and with the Carew and Cookson pressing their attack by kicking the ball along the ground found their way to the British 25, where the ball was put into touch. The Australians lost the ball in one of the following phases, by way of a Bucher
intercept, and had to return to their 25 to defend. A penalty was awarded to the English for off-side play but Martelli's kick for goal was again unsuccessful. Francomb followed the goal kick attempt through, and was narrowly beaten to the ball by Row, who forced it in goal.
In the resumption of play, the ball was returned to the British try line by way of a deep kick by Evans. Martelli carried the ball into touch only a couple of yards from the British try line. Play continued in the British half, with a temporary relief kick being made by Britain. The match was now within the last seven minutes. After a series of scrums, Australia secured possession, and Spragg almost scored in the corner, but it was ruled that he stepped into touch. In the following passage of play, Spragg received the ball by way of a scrum win and quick passes, and made a dodgy run to break through the British line and score a try about halfway between the corner and the goal posts. In turn he kicked for the conversion and was successful.
The Australians received the kick restart, and Carew kicked the ball back into British territory. The Australians forwards coming downfield, overwhelmed Martelli and secured the resulting loose ball. The ball went from Ward, to Evans and on to Spragg, who being blocked by the British Defense, passed the ball back to Evans who crossed the line, running around to score the try under the goal posts. The conversion kick by Spragg, was once again successful. Full time was called, after the kick was made.
----
British Isles: Esmond Martelli
, Alf Bucher
, Charlie Adamson
, Gwyn Nicholls
, Gerry Doran
, George Cookson
, Frank Stout
(captain), William Judkins, Guy Evers
, Wallace Jarman
, Tom McGown
, Blair Swannell
, H.G.S. Gray
, Alan Ayre-Smith
, George Gibson
----
, Graham, Carew
, Austin, Boland
, A J Colton
, Corfe
, T Colton
, Gralton
, Currie
, Kent, Dixon, Evans
, Ward
, McCowan
(captain)
British Isles: Esmond Martelli
, Charles Thompson
, Alf Bucher
, Alec Timms
, Charlie Adamson
, Gwyn Nicholls
, Gerry Doran
, Matthew Mullineux
(captain), Frank Stout
, Wallace Jarman
, Tom McGown
, John Francomb
, Blair Swannell
, H.G.S. Gray
, Frederick Belson
----
British Isles:
Touch umpires:
----
British Isles:
Touch umpires:
----
British Isles:
Touch umpires:
----
British Isles:
Touch umpires:
----
British Isles:
Touch umpires:
----
captain, Thomas Ward
, Albert Henry
, SA Spragg
, WT Evans
, Peter Ward
, Ernest Currie
, WH Tanner
, Charles Graham
, PJ Carew
, Hyram Marks
Charlie Ellis
, Arthur Corfe
, Robert Challoner
, Norm Street
British Isles: Charles Thompson, H.G.S. Gray, Alec Timms, Gwyn Nicholls, Gerry Doran, Charlie Adamson, George Cookson, Frank Stout captain, Wallace Jarman, Tom McGown, Guy Evers, Blair Swanell, William Judkins, Alan Ayre-Smith, George Gibson
Touch umpires: John Francomb
and E J Beard
The second Test was played at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground, in front of 15,000 spectators: a record Queensland crowd for attendance at a rugby match. In addition to the spectators inside the ground, a crowd estimated at approximately 3,000 assembled on the hill overlooking the exhibition grounds on the Fortitude Valley side of Bowen Terrace. Special trains with reduced fairs, and returning in the evening, had been arranged by the Railway Commissioner Gray for the day operating from Maryborough
, and Warwick
. These trains as well as the regular service trains were filled to capacity. People came hundreds of miles to see the game: from Longreach, Charleville, Gladstone, and Rockhampton. In attendance was Governor Lamington
and Lady Lamington, George Le Hunte
the Governor of New Guinea, among other socialites of the day. Tickets to the game were one shilling. Additional entertainment was provided by the Headquarters Band, who were criticised by the writer in the Brisbane Courier for playing their usual playlist, which included La mascotte
and Dorothy
, and not a fresh repertoire of music. The weather was fine, with a strong, north-east breeze blowing across the field. The temperature on the day rose to 66.6 °F (19.2 °C).
The Australian team wore the maroon red of Queensland, with a badge of the Australian Coat of Arms.
British Isles:
Touch umpires:
----
British Isles:
Touch umpires:
----
captain
British Isles:
Touch umpires:
----
captain
British Isles:
Touch umpires:
----
, Syd Miller
, Frank Row
captain, SA Spragg, PM Ward, Iggy O'Donnell
, Arch Boyd
, Bill Webb
, George Bouffler
, PJ Carew, W Davis, CS Ellis, Roger Barton
, AJ Colton, Sine Boland
British Isles: Charles Thompson, Alf Bucher, Alec Timms, Gwyn Nicholls, Elliot Nicholson, Chalrie Adamson, George Cookson, Frank Stout captain, Wallace Jarman, Tom McGown, Guy Evers, Blair Swanell, William Judkins, Alan Ayre-Smith, George Gibson
----
British Isles:
Touch umpires:
----
, Bob McCowan
, Frank Row
captain, Lonnie Spragg
, PM Ward
, Iggy O'Donnell
, Austin Gralton
, W Webb
, Jack O'Donnell
, Patrick Carew
, W Davis
, Charlie Ellis
, Bill Hardcastle
, Jum Sampson
, Sine Boland
British Isles: Charles Thompson, Alf Bucher, Alec Timms, Gwyn Nicholls, Elliot Nicholson, Charles Adamson, George Cookson, Frank Stout captain, Wallace Jarman, Tom McGown, Guy Evers, Blair Swanell, William Judkins, Ayer Ayre-Smith, George Gibson
----
British Isles:
Touch umpires:
----
British Isles:
Touch umpires:
----
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
tour by a British Isles
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
team and the second to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
; though the first tour in 1888
1888 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia
The 1888 British Isles tour to New Zealand and Australia was a series of rugby union games played by an unofficial British team against invitational teams in New Zealand and Australia...
was a private venture, making the 1899 tour the first official undertaking of Australia. It is retrospectively classed as one of the British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
tours, as the Lions naming convention was not adopted until 1950.
Negotiations had also taken place for the tour to incorporate matches against New Zealand, either through a visit to New Zealand, or a New Zealand team to play in Australia. No agreeable terms could be found.
This tour was the first to truly represent the British Isles, with players from all four Home Nations. Despite this fact, many Australian newspapers, and some British dailies, referred to the tourists as "the English football team".
Plan to tour in 1898
After the tour of South Africa in 18961896 British Lions tour to South Africa
1896 British Isles tour to South Africa was a rugby union tour undertaken by the British Isles, one of the first British and Irish Lions tours. The team toured South Africa for the second time in 1896. Between July 11 and September 5, they played 21 games, including four tests against South Africa...
, players in Britain expressed wishes to make a similar tour to Australia. In August 1897, the New South Wales Rugby Football Union (NSWRFU), received a letter from Reverend Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux MC was an English rugby union scrum-half who, although not capped for England, was selected for two British Lions tours. He gained one cap during the 1896 tour to South Africa and captained the 1899 tour of Australia...
asking whether a tour beginning in June 1898 would be possible and welcomed by the Union. This request was discussed in depth by the NSWRFU at their 30 September meeting, and it was decided to extend an invitation with the following stipulations. The tour was to be under the auspices of the Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
(RFU), with the touring team paying for passage to and from Sydney. The NSWRFU would pay for their internal expenses once in Australia. The British team was to receive a percentage of the profits earned by the attendance at each match, but only up to the cost of their travel. Some debate centered about what level of reimbursement would be allowed, they settled on fifty percent after the initial proposal of twenty percent was deemed too low. They specified that a playing squad be made up of twenty-one players inclusive of the tour manager. They would play two games a week while on tour, in New South Wales, Queensland, and New Zealand. There was also the possibility that the tour would take in Victoria.
The proposal was sanctioned by the RFU, with the strict stipulation that the tour would take place on a purely amateur basis. It was the plan of Mullineux to fill the team with players from the Universities, but the timing of the tour meant that players would need to leave Britain in early May, when vacation had not yet begun. Due to a lack of time to make the necessary arrangements, the tour for 1898 was subsequently canceled.
Plan to tour in 1899
A new invitation was sent from the NSWRFU, for a tour to take place in 1899. The RFU at about the same time, received an invitation from the South African Rugby Football Union, to send a team to tour South Africa in 1899. The RFU wanted confirmation from Mullineux, that a team to tour Australia was for certain able to be formed if the invitation from South Africa was to be turned down. After numerous meetings between the RFU and Mullineux a decision was made in February 1899, to turn down the tour to South Africa. A cable message was received in February 1899 by the NSWRFU, that was erroneously construed to mean that the Australian tour had been the tour abandoned, with players preferring to make the tour of South Africa. The NSWRFU having completed all the arrangements for the tour to take place and having rearranged club schedules to accommodate the tour, made enquiries as no official confirmation of the cancellation was received. The misunderstanding was cleared up on 22 February by a message that indicated the tour to Australia was going to proceed. Mullineux stated, there was never any suggestion of abandoning the Australian tour.Touring squad selection
The makeup of the touring squad was described in the earliest communication of 1897 from Mullineux, as a team made of University students from his school Cambridge, as well as Oxford University, and also of international representatives. Two problems faced Mullineux, the first was that the timing of the tour meant that players would need to leave Britain in early May, when the university vacations had not yet begun. The second was that a long tour would preclude many of the best players from participating due to other commitments. Consequently, early lists of probable touring players had few players listed that finally made the tour. In the pool of potential players the following were noted: James ByrneJ. F. Byrne
James Frederick Byrne was English sportsman who captained Warwickshire at first-class cricket and was capped in rugby for both England and the British and Irish Lions.-Cricket career:...
, Cecil Boyd
Cecil Boyd
Dr. Cecil Anderson Boyd MC was an Irish rugby union player, and doctor. Boyd played international rugby for Ireland and in 1896 was chosen to represent a British Isles XV in their tour of South Africa...
, Viv Huzzey
Viv Huzzey
Viv Huzzey was a Welsh rugby union wing who played club rugby for Cardiff and won five caps for Wales. Huzzey was also an international baseball player.-Club career:...
, Zimans, Ernest Fookes
Ernest Fookes
Dr. Ernest Faber Fookes was an New Zealand-born rugby union wing who was capped for the England national team on ten occasions between 1896 and 1899.-Personal history:...
, Lindsay Watson, M Elliott, Herbert Dudgeon, James Gowans, James Franks, J H Kipling, R Forest, Lawrence Bulger
Lawrence Bulger
Lawrence 'Larry' Quinlivan Bulger was an Irish rugby union player, athlete and doctor. Bulger played international rugby for Ireland and in 1896 was chosen to represent a British Isles XV in their tour of South Africa...
, Timoins, R O Swartz, C B Marston, W Neeks (or Needs), Dr Rowland, J W Gorman, and James Couper. Among these names were several high-profile players that recruitment attempts failed to secure. Byrne
J. F. Byrne
James Frederick Byrne was English sportsman who captained Warwickshire at first-class cricket and was capped in rugby for both England and the British and Irish Lions.-Cricket career:...
declined due to pressure of business, while Ernest Fookes
Ernest Fookes
Dr. Ernest Faber Fookes was an New Zealand-born rugby union wing who was capped for the England national team on ten occasions between 1896 and 1899.-Personal history:...
was awaiting a serious medical operation. The final member to join the team was Scottish international Alf Bucher
Alf Bucher
Alfred "Alf" Moore Bucher was a Scottish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Edinburgh Academicals. Boucher played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:Bucher was born in Leith, in 1874 to...
, after failed approaches were made to recruit fellow Scot James Couper and Welsh wing Viv Huzzey
Viv Huzzey
Viv Huzzey was a Welsh rugby union wing who played club rugby for Cardiff and won five caps for Wales. Huzzey was also an international baseball player.-Club career:...
.
Touring party
The team consisted of 21 players, nine had international experience, five had played for EnglandEngland national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
, three for Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
, and one for Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
and Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
. Commentators thought that the selected team did not fully represent the strength of British rugby, particularly with the absence of James Byrne.
The team played in a kit consisting of a jersey with thick blue bands and thinner red and white bands, representing the colours of the Union Jack; with dark blue shorts and blue stockings finished with red and white tops. The team caps were maroon
Maroon (color)
Maroon is a dark red color.-Etymology:Maroon is derived from French marron .The first recorded use of maroon as a color name in English was in 1789.-Maroon :...
in colour and bore the motif of a kangaroo. Formal dress comprised a navy blazer, with a breast badge that read "The Anglo-Australian Rugby Football Team".
Full Backs
- Esmond MartelliEsmond MartelliArthur Esmonde Martelli was an Irish international rugby union fullback back who played club rugby for Dublin University. Martelli played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia...
, was years of age when the team departed England. He played for Dublin Wanderers. On tour he played as a fullback, but was able to play at three-quarters also. He was a skilled place, drop and punt kicker. - Charles ThompsonCharles Thompson (rugby player)Charles Edward Thompson was an English international rugby union fullback who played club rugby for Manchester and county rugby for Lancashire...
, was approximately years old, and played for Lancashire. A versatile player who had played at three-quarter, as well as in the forwards. He was a skilled kicker.
Three-Quarters
- Alec Boswell TimmsAlec Boswell TimmsAlec Boswell Timms was an Australian-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Edinburgh Wanderers and Edinburgh University. Timms played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:Timms was...
, was approximately years of age, and had played for Edinburgh UniversityEdinburgh University RFCEdinburgh University Rugby Football Club is a leading rugby union side based in Edinburgh, Scotland which currently plays its fixtures in the top Scottish National League and the British Universities Premiership. It is one of the eight founder members of the Scottish Rugby Union...
, and trial matches for Scotland, making the Scottish national team in one match in 1896. He excelled as a centre or on the wing. Timms was born in Melbourne, Australia but had been sent to England to study medicine. - Elliot NicholsonElliot NicholsonElliot Tenint Nicholson was an English international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Birkenhead Park...
, was years of age, and played for Birkenhead Park, and for Liverpool. His speed was used typically on the wing. - Alf BucherAlf BucherAlfred "Alf" Moore Bucher was a Scottish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Edinburgh Academicals. Boucher played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:Bucher was born in Leith, in 1874 to...
, was years of age, and played for Edinburgh Academicals and ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. - Gwyn NichollsGwyn NichollsErith Gwyn Nicholls was a Welsh rugby union player who gained 24 caps for Wales as a centre. Nicholls was known as the "Prince of Threequarters"....
, was years of age, and played for CardiffCardiff RFCCardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
. He was a Welsh international, highly regarded as the best three-quarter to have played since Arthur Gould. He was the first Welsh player to represent a British team in a test match, and was outstanding at centre in all weather conditions. - Gerry DoranGerry DoranGerald "Gerry" Percy Doran also known as Blucher Doran, was an Irish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Lansdowne. Doran played international rugby for Ireland and in 1899 he was selected for the British Isles team on its tour of Australia...
, was years of age, and played for Lansdowne. He represented Ireland in 1899. He was an excellent tackler.
Half backs
- Matthew MullineuxMatthew MullineuxMatthew Mullineux MC was an English rugby union scrum-half who, although not capped for England, was selected for two British Lions tours. He gained one cap during the 1896 tour to South Africa and captained the 1899 tour of Australia...
, was years of age, and played for Blackheath, and Moseley. and represented Kent. He was the only player who toured South Africa in 1896. He was the instigator, planner, and manager of the British team. He served as captain on a number of the tour matches. - George CooksonGeorge CooksonGeorge Cookson was an English international rugby union half-back who played club rugby for Manchester. Cookson was selected for the British Isles on the 1899 tour of Australia playing in all four Test matches.-Rugby career:...
, was years of age, and played for ManchesterManchester Rugby ClubManchester Rugby Club, formerly known as Manchester Football Club, are one of the oldest rugby union clubs in existence, having been founded in 1860, 11 years before the RFU....
, and Lancashire. In 1898 for the North of England team. - Charlie AdamsonCharlie AdamsonCharles "Charlie" Young Adamson was an English international rugby union utility back who played club rugby for Durham. Adamson played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia...
, was years of age, and played for Durham, and in 1898 for the North of England team. He had also tried out for the English team on several occasions. He was a versatile player, being able to play at half back, three quarter or as centre. He finished the tour as the test top scorer, with 17 points, including a try in both the second and fourth tests.
Forwards
- Frank StoutFrank StoutFrank Moxon Stout MC also referred to as Frank Moxham Stout, was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Gloucester and Richmond. Stout played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles on two tours in 1899 and 1903...
, was years of age, and played for Gloucester. He also represented England. Stout was rated among the very best of England's forward's. - Wallace JarmanWallace JarmanJohn Wallace Jarman was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Bristol. Jarman played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia....
, was years of age, and was the captain of BristolBristol RugbyBristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'...
football club. He also played for Gloucestershire. He had represented England. He consistently put hard work into the scrum, followed kicks down field, and was a difficult player to defend when he dribbled the ball down the field. - H.G.S. GrayH.G.S. GrayH.G.S. Gray was a Scottish player on the 1899 British Isles tour to Australia . He was never capped for , but had appeared in the Scottish Trials....
, played for Cambridge University, and in trial matches for Scotland. He was a past student of Ley's School in Cambridge. - George Ralph GibsonGeorge Ralph GibsonGeorge Ralph Gibson was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Northern. Gibson played international rugby for England and was selected to represent the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia...
, was years of age, and played for NorthernNorthern Football ClubNorthern Football Club are a rugby union club that was founded in 1875, and are based in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne. Their strip is coloured navy Blue, Red and White...
, as well as representing England. - William Judkins, played for CoventryCoventry R.F.C.Coventry Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in the city of Coventry, England. The club enjoyed national success during the 1960s and the 1970s, with many of its players playing for their countries....
. He was a past student of Repton School. - Frederick BelsonFrederick BelsonFrederick Charles Belson was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Clifton and Bath, and county rugby for Somerset. Belson played international rugby for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal life:Belson was born in Ramsgate in Kent in 1874 to...
, was years of age, and played for BathBath RugbyBath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
, and Somerset. He was a past student of Clifton College. - John FrancombJohn FrancombJohn Stanley Francomb was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Manchester and Sale. Francomb played international rugby for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia.-Rugby career:...
, was approximately years of age, and played for ManchesterManchester Rugby ClubManchester Rugby Club, formerly known as Manchester Football Club, are one of the oldest rugby union clubs in existence, having been founded in 1860, 11 years before the RFU....
, and represented Lancashire. He was a past student of Oxford. He was physically a very tall player. - Blair SwannellBlair SwannellMajor Blair Inskip Swannell was an English-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Northampton...
, was years of age, and played for NorthamptonNorthampton SaintsNorthampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
. He represented the East Midlands team. - Guy EversGuy EversGuy Vincent Evers was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Moseley. Evers played international rugby for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia-Personal history:...
, was years of age, and played for MoseleyMoseley WanderersMoseley Wanderers represented Great Britain at the 1900 Summer Olympics at rugby union. They played one game, losing 27-8 to France, winning the Silver medal.-Rugby Union at the 1900 Olympics:...
. He was a past student of Haileybury. - Tom McGownTom McGownThomas Melville Watson McGown was an Irish international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cambridge University and North of Ireland FC...
, was years of age, and played for North of IrelandNorth of Ireland FCNorth of Ireland Football Club is a former Irish rugby union club that was based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was the first rugby club formed in what is now Northern Ireland and only two other clubs - Dublin University and Wanderers - were formed earlier anywhere else in all Ireland . It was...
. He had relatives living in Dunedin, New Zealand and paid them a visit after the season was done. - Alan Ayre-SmithAlan Ayre-SmithAlan Ayre-Smith was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Guy's Hospital. Ayre-Smith played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:...
, was years of age, and played for Guy's HospitalGuy's, Kings and St. Thomas' Rugby Football ClubGuy's, Kings and St. Thomas' Rugby Football Club is the name given to the modern amalgam of three formerly distinct hospital rugby clubs each with a long history, having all been founded in the nineteenth century. The teams from Guy's Hospital and St Thomas' Hospital were the first to merge...
, and represented Surrey. He was a hard playing forward.
Plan for tour to New Zealand
The plan to include New Zealand in the British tour was made in the initial correspondence from the NSWRFU to Mullineux in 1897. Since the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) was not in direct negotiations with Mullinuex, they had to work with the NSWRFU to try to negotiate the New Zealand leg of the proposed tour. The NZRU requested from the NSWRFU that they be able to have direct dealings with Mullineux, however this did not eventuate. An extension of the tour to New Zealand, threatened attempts at fielding a strong British representative team. Consequently, the New Zealand leg of the tour became less likely as the tour for 1899 was negotiated. The NSWRFU limited the length of the tour to eight weeks from June to August, giving the British an option to add two weeks to their playing schedules if they wished to add New Zealand to their tour program.In addition to the lack of time, Mullineux had expressed to the NSWRFU that he had been led to believe that a tour of New Zealand would not be profitable. The NSWRFU reinforced his beliefs by indicating that the New Zealand union had been unwilling to pay for the travel to and from England, but only the travel to and from Auckland. There was some sentiment expressed that, because the team was not an English, but a British team, the expense to have the touring team visit was not warranted. The cost of bringing the British team to New Zealand to play in Otago, Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury was estimated at ₤400. In November 1898, it was proposed at a meeting of the NZRU, that the NZRU would pay for the full cost of England's travel to and from New Zealand, and within New Zealand. The sub-unions provided guarantees of a percentage of their gate profits to the NZRU. These terms were subsequently agreed to by the NSWRFU. In April, the lengthening of the tour was refused by the British team.
Some hope has still held out for a New Zealand leg of the tour, provided that the NSWRFU cut short the Australian leg of the tour by a week, reducing the number of test matches to three, and cutting country matches, thereby providing time for a short trip to Auckland and Wellington. The NZRU offered only ₤250 for the two matches, and not the ₤400 plus all expenses that was requested for the two games. William Warbrick in a letter to the Referee highlighted the generosity of the NSWRFU offer, as it stood to lose an estimated ₤1200 from the loss of two major matches in Australia. The British team decided in mid-July to not make the tour of New Zealand.
As an alternative to touring New Zealand, expectations formed that a match would be played against an Australasian team, consisting of Australian and New Zealand players. There was also the proposal that a match against a New Zealand team would be played in Australia if the British decided not to travel on to New Zealand. Subsequently, the NZRU forbade their players from playing in the matches in Australia. The NSWRFU proposed a date for New Zealand to play in Australia, on 5 August, with a combined Australasian match played a week later on 12 August. This plan was declined by the NZRU, citing the resolutions of the local unions to not send players to Australia.
During the British tour, proposals were made by players in New Zealand to make a tour of Britain in 1900. This tour did not eventuate.
Voyage and travel
The tour party left Charing Cross StationCharing Cross station
Charing Cross station may refer to:In London, England:*Charing Cross railway station*Charing Cross tube station **Embankment tube station was previously named Charing CrossIn Glasgow, Scotland:...
on 9 May 1899; coincidentally the day the Australian cricket team began their 1899 tour of England
Australian cricket team in England in 1899
The Australian cricket team in England in 1899 played 35 first-class matches including five Tests, the first time that a series in England had consisted of more than three matches...
. There they travelled to France, where they boarded the P&O
P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton, England, and operated by Carnival UK. Originally a constituent of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, P&O Cruises is the oldest cruise line in the world, having operated the world's first...
liner RMS Oceana at the port of Marseilles. The ocean trip to Australia took five weeks traveling via the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
of which the traveling party complained of the heat. The team briefly stopped at Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
in good health, and were met by delegates of the Perth Rugby Union, and the Mayor. From there they completed their voyage, docking at Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
on 11 June, where they were met by delegates of the South Australian Football Association, principally J. R. Anderson, and D. T. Lawes, as well as W. A. Rand, the secretary of the New South Wales Rugby Union
New South Wales Rugby Union
The New South Wales Rugby Union is the organisation responsible for the sport of rugby union in most of the state of New South Wales, Australia...
. Rand acted as host and financier accompanying the British team for the duration of the tour. They travelled overland by the express train to Melbourne on 12 June. From Melbourne they continued their journey to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
The matches
The Australian tour took in 21 matches; four were test matches against the Australian national teamAustralia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
, while the remainder were against regional and invitational teams. The British Isles lost the first test, but won the last three tests to take the series 3-1. After the first loss to the Australians, team captain Mullineux dropped himself from the team for the rest of the tour, with Frank Stout
Frank Stout
Frank Moxon Stout MC also referred to as Frank Moxham Stout, was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Gloucester and Richmond. Stout played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles on two tours in 1899 and 1903...
taking the captain's role for the remaining tests. The decision by Mullineux to replace his position with Charles Adamson
Charlie Adamson
Charles "Charlie" Young Adamson was an English international rugby union utility back who played club rugby for Durham. Adamson played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia...
is seen as the tour's turning point, which saw the British team begin to win matches by more convincing margins and eventually control the test games.
Result summary
| Date | Opponent | Location | Result | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 1 | 14 June | Central Southern | Goulburn Goulburn, New South Wales Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people... |
Won | 11-3 |
| Match 2 | 17 June | New South Wales New South Wales Waratahs The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition... |
Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people... |
Won | 4-3 |
| Match 3 | 20 June | Metropolitan | Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people... |
Won | 8-5 |
| Match 4 | 24 June | Australia Australia national rugby union team The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the... |
Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people... |
Lost | 3-13 |
| Match 5 | 28 June | Toowoomba | Toowoomba Toowoomba, Queensland Toowoomba is a city in Southern Queensland, Australia. It is located west of Queensland's capital city, Brisbane. With an estimated district population of 128,600, Toowoomba is Australia's second largest inland city and its largest non-capital inland city... |
Won | 19-5 |
| Match 6 | 1 July | Queensland Queensland Reds The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland... |
Brisbane Brisbane Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of... |
Lost | 3-11 |
| Match 7 | 5 July | Bundaberg | Bundaberg Bundaberg, Queensland Bundaberg is a city in Queensland, Australia. It is part of the Local Government Area of the Bundaberg Region and is a major centre within Queensland's broader Wide Bay-Burnett geographical region... |
Won | 36-3 |
| Match 8 | 8 July | Rockhampton | Rockhampton Rockhampton, Queensland Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane.... |
Won | 16-3 |
| Match 9 | 11 July | Mount Morgan | Mount Morgan Mount Morgan, Queensland Mount Morgan is a town located in central Queensland, Australia. It is situated on the Dee River, 38 kilometres south of the city of Rockhampton, and is 680 kilometres north of the state capital, Brisbane. The Burnett Highway passes through the town... |
Won | 29-3 |
| Match 10 | 15 July | Central Queensland | Rockhampton Rockhampton, Queensland Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane.... |
Won | 22-3 |
| Match 11 | 19 July | Maryborough | Maryborough Maryborough, Queensland Maryborough is a city located on the Mary River in South East Queensland, Australia, approximately north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city is serviced by the Bruce Highway, and has a population of approximately 22,000 . It is closely tied to its neighbour city Hervey Bay which is... |
Won | 27-8 |
| Match 12 | 22 July | Australia Australia national rugby union team The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the... |
Brisbane Brisbane Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of... |
Won | 11-0 |
| Match 13 | 25 July | New England | Armidale Armidale, New South Wales Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale Dumaresq Shire had a population of 19,485 people according to the 2006 census. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region... |
Won | 6-4 |
| Match 14 | 27 July | Northern | Newcastle Newcastle, New South Wales The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas... |
Won | 28-0 |
| Match 15 | 29 July | New South Wales New South Wales Waratahs The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition... |
Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people... |
Won | 11-5 |
| Match 16 | 1 August | Metropolitan | Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people... |
Lost | 5-8 |
| Match 17 | 5 August | Australia Australia national rugby union team The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the... |
Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people... |
Won | 11-10 |
| Match 18 | 9 August | Western Districts | Bathurst Bathurst, New South Wales -CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments... |
Won | 19-0 |
| Match 19 | 12 August | Australia Australia national rugby union team The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the... |
Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people... |
Won | 13-0 |
| Match 20 | 15 August | GP School | Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people... |
Won | 21-3 |
| Match 21 | 19 August | Victoria | Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... |
Won | 30-0 |
----
Central Southern
Central Southern: W Rogan, Chard, McGee (captain), W Hayes, Seaborn, Gillespie, D Ryan, James Pryke, John Pryke, Hampel, Hughes, Rawcliffe, Williams, Muirhead, Kimpton- Replacement: E Mills
British Isles: Esmond Martelli
Esmond Martelli
Arthur Esmonde Martelli was an Irish international rugby union fullback back who played club rugby for Dublin University. Martelli played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia...
, Alf Bucher
Alf Bucher
Alfred "Alf" Moore Bucher was a Scottish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Edinburgh Academicals. Boucher played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:Bucher was born in Leith, in 1874 to...
, Alec Timms
Alec Boswell Timms
Alec Boswell Timms was an Australian-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Edinburgh Wanderers and Edinburgh University. Timms played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:Timms was...
, Charlie Adamson
Charlie Adamson
Charles "Charlie" Young Adamson was an English international rugby union utility back who played club rugby for Durham. Adamson played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia...
, Gwyn Nicholls
Gwyn Nicholls
Erith Gwyn Nicholls was a Welsh rugby union player who gained 24 caps for Wales as a centre. Nicholls was known as the "Prince of Threequarters"....
, Gerry Doran
Gerry Doran
Gerald "Gerry" Percy Doran also known as Blucher Doran, was an Irish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Lansdowne. Doran played international rugby for Ireland and in 1899 he was selected for the British Isles team on its tour of Australia...
, Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux MC was an English rugby union scrum-half who, although not capped for England, was selected for two British Lions tours. He gained one cap during the 1896 tour to South Africa and captained the 1899 tour of Australia...
captain, Frank Stout
Frank Stout
Frank Moxon Stout MC also referred to as Frank Moxham Stout, was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Gloucester and Richmond. Stout played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles on two tours in 1899 and 1903...
, Wallace Jarman
Wallace Jarman
John Wallace Jarman was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Bristol. Jarman played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia....
, Tom McGown
Tom McGown
Thomas Melville Watson McGown was an Irish international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cambridge University and North of Ireland FC...
, H.G.S. Gray
H.G.S. Gray
H.G.S. Gray was a Scottish player on the 1899 British Isles tour to Australia . He was never capped for , but had appeared in the Scottish Trials....
, Frederick Belson
Frederick Belson
Frederick Charles Belson was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Clifton and Bath, and county rugby for Somerset. Belson played international rugby for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal life:Belson was born in Ramsgate in Kent in 1874 to...
, Alan Ayre-Smith
Alan Ayre-Smith
Alan Ayre-Smith was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Guy's Hospital. Ayre-Smith played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:...
, George Gibson
George Gibson
George C. Gibson , nicknamed Mooney, was a Canadian baseball player who caught for two different Major League teams, starting in 1905 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and ending his playing career with the New York Giants in 1918. In the 1920s and 1930s he served as manager for Pittsburgh and for the...
, Charles Thompson
Charles Thompson
Charles Thompson is the name of:* Sir Charles Thompson, 1st Baronet , British admiral* Charles Thompson , Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation* Charles Thompson , former quarterback of the Oklahoma Sooners...
----
New South Wales, 1st Match
New South Wales: Frank RowFrank Row
Frank Leonard Row was a pioneer Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative centre who was his country's first Test captain in 1899, leading the national side on three occasions....
(captain), Lonnie Spragg
Lonnie Spragg
Alonzo Stephen "Lonnie" Spragg was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Spragg, a centre, was born in Redfern, New South Wales and claimed four international rugby caps for Australia...
, Bill Shortland, Charlie White
Charlie White (rugby)
Charles J. B. "Charlie" White was a rugby union player who represented Australia.White, a wing, was born in Maitland, NSW and claimed three international rugby caps for Australia...
, Iggy O'Donnell
Iggy O'Donnell
Ignatius Charles "Iggy" O'Donnell was a rugby union player who represented Australia.O'Donnell, a fly-half, was born in Hillston, New South Wales and claimed a total of 2 international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, Peter Ward
Peter Ward (rugby)
Peter M. Ward was a rugby union player who represented Australia.A fly-half, he was born in Invercargill and claimed a total of four international rugby caps for Australia. His Test debut was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 24 June 1899, the inaugural rugby Test match played by an Australian...
, Arch Boyd
Arch Boyd
Archibald "Arch" Boyd was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Boyd, a scrum-half, was born in Sydney, New South Wales and claimed 1 international rugby cap for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, George Wheeler
George Wheeler
Captain George Montague Wheeler was a pioneering explorer and cartographer, leader of the Wheeler Survey, one of the major surveys of the western United States in the late nineteenth century...
, Norm Street
Norm Street
Norman Ogilvie "Norm" Street was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Street, a flanker, was born in Bathurst, NSW and claimed one international rugby cap for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Brisbane, on 22 July 1899.-References:...
, Alex Kelly
Alex Kelly (rugby)
Alexander J. "Alex" Kelly was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Kelly, a flanker, was born in Sydney, New South Wales and claimed one international rugby cap for Australia...
, Hyram Marks
Hyram Marks
Hyram A. Marks was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Marks, a lock, was born in Sydney, NSW and attended Sydney Grammar School and Sydney University. He claimed two international rugby caps for Australia and was the University rugby club's first Wallaby representative...
, Albert Gardiner
Albert Gardiner
Albert Gardiner was an Australian Labor Party politician. He held the distinction of being the party's sole Senator between 1920 and 1922....
, Walter Davis
Walter Davis (rugby)
Walter Davis was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Davis, a prop and lock, claimed a three international rugby caps for Australia...
, Charlie Ellis
Charlie Ellis
Charles L. Seymour "Charlie" Ellis was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Ellis, a lock and flanker, was born in Newcastle, New South Wales and claimed a total of four international rugby caps for Australia...
, Bill Webb
Bill Webb (rugby)
William Phillips "Bill" Webb was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Webb, a prop, was born in Dunedin and claimed a total of 2 international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
British Isles: Esmond Martelli
Esmond Martelli
Arthur Esmonde Martelli was an Irish international rugby union fullback back who played club rugby for Dublin University. Martelli played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia...
, Alf Bucher
Alf Bucher
Alfred "Alf" Moore Bucher was a Scottish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Edinburgh Academicals. Boucher played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:Bucher was born in Leith, in 1874 to...
, Charlie Adamson
Charlie Adamson
Charles "Charlie" Young Adamson was an English international rugby union utility back who played club rugby for Durham. Adamson played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia...
, Gwyn Nicholls
Gwyn Nicholls
Erith Gwyn Nicholls was a Welsh rugby union player who gained 24 caps for Wales as a centre. Nicholls was known as the "Prince of Threequarters"....
, Gerry Doran
Gerry Doran
Gerald "Gerry" Percy Doran also known as Blucher Doran, was an Irish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Lansdowne. Doran played international rugby for Ireland and in 1899 he was selected for the British Isles team on its tour of Australia...
, Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux MC was an English rugby union scrum-half who, although not capped for England, was selected for two British Lions tours. He gained one cap during the 1896 tour to South Africa and captained the 1899 tour of Australia...
(captain), George Cookson
George Cookson
George Cookson was an English international rugby union half-back who played club rugby for Manchester. Cookson was selected for the British Isles on the 1899 tour of Australia playing in all four Test matches.-Rugby career:...
, Frank Stout
Frank Stout
Frank Moxon Stout MC also referred to as Frank Moxham Stout, was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Gloucester and Richmond. Stout played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles on two tours in 1899 and 1903...
, Wallace Jarman
Wallace Jarman
John Wallace Jarman was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Bristol. Jarman played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia....
, Tom McGown
Tom McGown
Thomas Melville Watson McGown was an Irish international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cambridge University and North of Ireland FC...
, John Francomb
John Francomb
John Stanley Francomb was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Manchester and Sale. Francomb played international rugby for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia.-Rugby career:...
, H.G.S. Gray
H.G.S. Gray
H.G.S. Gray was a Scottish player on the 1899 British Isles tour to Australia . He was never capped for , but had appeared in the Scottish Trials....
, Frederick Belson
Frederick Belson
Frederick Charles Belson was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Clifton and Bath, and county rugby for Somerset. Belson played international rugby for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal life:Belson was born in Ramsgate in Kent in 1874 to...
, Alan Ayre-Smith
Alan Ayre-Smith
Alan Ayre-Smith was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Guy's Hospital. Ayre-Smith played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:...
, George Gibson
George Ralph Gibson
George Ralph Gibson was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Northern. Gibson played international rugby for England and was selected to represent the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia...
----
Metropolitan, 1st Match
Metropolitan: James McMahon, Charlie WhiteCharlie White (rugby)
Charles J. B. "Charlie" White was a rugby union player who represented Australia.White, a wing, was born in Maitland, NSW and claimed three international rugby caps for Australia...
, Frank Row
Frank Row
Frank Leonard Row was a pioneer Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative centre who was his country's first Test captain in 1899, leading the national side on three occasions....
, Syd Miller
Syd Miller
Syd William James Miller was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Miller, a wing, was born in Sydney, New South Wales and claimed 1 international rugby cap for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, Peter Ward
Peter Ward (rugby)
Peter M. Ward was a rugby union player who represented Australia.A fly-half, he was born in Invercargill and claimed a total of four international rugby caps for Australia. His Test debut was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 24 June 1899, the inaugural rugby Test match played by an Australian...
, Iggy O'Donnell
Iggy O'Donnell
Ignatius Charles "Iggy" O'Donnell was a rugby union player who represented Australia.O'Donnell, a fly-half, was born in Hillston, New South Wales and claimed a total of 2 international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, Arch Boyd
Arch Boyd
Archibald "Arch" Boyd was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Boyd, a scrum-half, was born in Sydney, New South Wales and claimed 1 international rugby cap for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, James Carson
James Carson (rugby)
John James Carson was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Carson, a prop, was born in Grahamstown and claimed one international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 24 June 1899 , the inaugural rugby Test match played by an Australian...
, Bill Webb
Bill Webb (rugby)
William Phillips "Bill" Webb was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Webb, a prop, was born in Dunedin and claimed a total of 2 international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, Charlie Ellis
Charlie Ellis
Charles L. Seymour "Charlie" Ellis was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Ellis, a lock and flanker, was born in Newcastle, New South Wales and claimed a total of four international rugby caps for Australia...
, Hyram Marks
Hyram Marks
Hyram A. Marks was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Marks, a lock, was born in Sydney, NSW and attended Sydney Grammar School and Sydney University. He claimed two international rugby caps for Australia and was the University rugby club's first Wallaby representative...
, Walter Davis
Walter Davis (rugby)
Walter Davis was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Davis, a prop and lock, claimed a three international rugby caps for Australia...
, Alex Kelly
Alex Kelly (rugby)
Alexander J. "Alex" Kelly was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Kelly, a flanker, was born in Sydney, New South Wales and claimed one international rugby cap for Australia...
, C Purdue, Quinsey
British Isles: Charles Thompson
Charles Thompson (rugby player)
Charles Edward Thompson was an English international rugby union fullback who played club rugby for Manchester and county rugby for Lancashire...
, Alf Bucher
Alf Bucher
Alfred "Alf" Moore Bucher was a Scottish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Edinburgh Academicals. Boucher played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:Bucher was born in Leith, in 1874 to...
, Elliot Nicholson
Elliot Nicholson
Elliot Tenint Nicholson was an English international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Birkenhead Park...
, Charlie Adamson
Charlie Adamson
Charles "Charlie" Young Adamson was an English international rugby union utility back who played club rugby for Durham. Adamson played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia...
, Gwyn Nicholls
Gwyn Nicholls
Erith Gwyn Nicholls was a Welsh rugby union player who gained 24 caps for Wales as a centre. Nicholls was known as the "Prince of Threequarters"....
, Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux MC was an English rugby union scrum-half who, although not capped for England, was selected for two British Lions tours. He gained one cap during the 1896 tour to South Africa and captained the 1899 tour of Australia...
(captain), George Cookson
George Cookson
George Cookson was an English international rugby union half-back who played club rugby for Manchester. Cookson was selected for the British Isles on the 1899 tour of Australia playing in all four Test matches.-Rugby career:...
, Frank Stout
Frank Stout
Frank Moxon Stout MC also referred to as Frank Moxham Stout, was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Gloucester and Richmond. Stout played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles on two tours in 1899 and 1903...
, William Judkins, Wallace Jarman
Wallace Jarman
John Wallace Jarman was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Bristol. Jarman played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia....
, Tom McGown
Tom McGown
Thomas Melville Watson McGown was an Irish international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cambridge University and North of Ireland FC...
, John Francomb
John Francomb
John Stanley Francomb was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Manchester and Sale. Francomb played international rugby for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia.-Rugby career:...
, Blair Swannell
Blair Swannell
Major Blair Inskip Swannell was an English-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Northampton...
, H.G.S. Gray
H.G.S. Gray
H.G.S. Gray was a Scottish player on the 1899 British Isles tour to Australia . He was never capped for , but had appeared in the Scottish Trials....
, George Gibson
George Ralph Gibson
George Ralph Gibson was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Northern. Gibson played international rugby for England and was selected to represent the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia...
----
First Test
1 The try recorded as scored by Colton is often credited to Kelly, as both players, along with Evans jumped on a loose ball over the try line; there is no definitive record if Colton or Kelly were awarded the try.Australia: Bob McCowan
Bob McCowan
Robert Herman "Bob" McCowan was a pioneer Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative fullback who played in his country's first Test series of 1899, captaining the national side on one occasion....
, Charlie White
Charlie White (rugby)
Charles J. B. "Charlie" White was a rugby union player who represented Australia.White, a wing, was born in Maitland, NSW and claimed three international rugby caps for Australia...
, Frank Row
Frank Row
Frank Leonard Row was a pioneer Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative centre who was his country's first Test captain in 1899, leading the national side on three occasions....
captain, Lonnie Spragg
Lonnie Spragg
Alonzo Stephen "Lonnie" Spragg was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Spragg, a centre, was born in Redfern, New South Wales and claimed four international rugby caps for Australia...
, William Evans
William Evans (Australian sportsman)
William Thomas 'Poley' Evans was an Australian sportsman. He captained Queensland at first-class cricket and represented Australia in rugby union. He was born in Indooroopilly, Queensland and died at Buranda, Queensland....
, Peter Ward
Peter Ward (rugby)
Peter M. Ward was a rugby union player who represented Australia.A fly-half, he was born in Invercargill and claimed a total of four international rugby caps for Australia. His Test debut was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 24 June 1899, the inaugural rugby Test match played by an Australian...
, Austin Gralton
Austin Gralton
Austin Sarsfield Ireland "Grally" Gralton was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Gralton, a scrum-half, was born in Kempsey, New South Wales and claimed three international rugby caps for Australia...
, James Carson
James Carson (rugby)
John James Carson was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Carson, a prop, was born in Grahamstown and claimed one international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 24 June 1899 , the inaugural rugby Test match played by an Australian...
, Dooee Tanner
Dooee Tanner
William Henry "Dooee" Tanner was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Tanner, a prop and hooker, was born in Brisbane, Queensland and claimed two international rugby caps for Australia...
, Patrick Carew
Patrick Carew
Patrick James S. "Paddy" Carew was an Australian rugby union national and state representative and a first-class cricketer....
, Walter Davis
Walter Davis (rugby)
Walter Davis was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Davis, a prop and lock, claimed a three international rugby caps for Australia...
, Charlie Ellis
Charlie Ellis
Charles L. Seymour "Charlie" Ellis was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Ellis, a lock and flanker, was born in Newcastle, New South Wales and claimed a total of four international rugby caps for Australia...
, Hyram Marks
Hyram Marks
Hyram A. Marks was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Marks, a lock, was born in Sydney, NSW and attended Sydney Grammar School and Sydney University. He claimed two international rugby caps for Australia and was the University rugby club's first Wallaby representative...
, Ginger Colton
Ginger Colton
Alfred John 'Ginger' Colton was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Colton, a number 8, was born in Brisbane Queensland and claimed two international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain at Sydney on 24 June 1899, the inaugural rugby Test match played by an...
, Alex Kelly
Alex Kelly (rugby)
Alexander J. "Alex" Kelly was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Kelly, a flanker, was born in Sydney, New South Wales and claimed one international rugby cap for Australia...
British Isles: Esmond Martelli, Alf Bucher, Charlie Adamson, Gwyn Nicholls, Gerry Doran, Matthew Mullineux captain, George Cookson, Frank Stout, Wallace Jarman, Tom McGown, John Franscombe, H.G.S. Gray, Frederick Belson, Alan Ayre-Smith, George Gibson
Touch umpires: Blair Swannell
Blair Swannell
Major Blair Inskip Swannell was an English-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Northampton...
and William Warbrick
The first Test ever played by Australia was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
under excellent weather conditions. The temperature on the day of the game reached 60 °F (15.6 °C), and there was almost no breeze. There was a great deal of interest in the match, with the Sydney Morning Herald and Brisbane Courier both reporting 30,000 in attendance, and the United Press Association reporting 27,000 in attendance. The attendance was officially recorded as 28,000. Tickets for the game were one shilling for general admission, and two shillings for grand stand seats, while children were admitted at half price. In all the game grossed ₤1200. A full program of events had been scheduled with a preliminary rugby match played by local teams, Wallaroo, and Randwick
Randwick DRUFC
Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club, also known as the Galloping Greens, is an Australian rugby union club which competes in the Sydney grade competition. The club was formed in 1882 and since then has won 31 first grade premierships and seven Australian club championships...
at 1:45pm, as well as heats of a one mile bicycle race by the League of Wheelmen. The final of the bicycle race was scheduled during the half-time break. Special trams had been arranged for the event, with the Tramway Service reporting that every available tram had been used for the extra traffic on the day; fully 131 carloads were conveyed to the match.
It had been noted in the lead up to the Test that the British team was out of condition. The writer Player in the Brisbane Courier, believed that the first Test was Australia's only chance to beat the British team, as he felt that with the British team's condition improving during the tour, they would be impossible to beat. The British team had been dealing with some illness and injury, necessitating the fielding of a team in the Test that was not their first choice, but in the end identical to the team that played New South Wales the previous weekend. Elliot Nicholson, Alec Timms, and Charles Thompson were all listed as playing, but last minute changes were made. While at a swimming bath, Nicholson injured his foot on a protruding nail, and was unable to play. Bucher
Alf Bucher
Alfred "Alf" Moore Bucher was a Scottish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Edinburgh Academicals. Boucher played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:Bucher was born in Leith, in 1874 to...
played in his place. Timms
Alec Boswell Timms
Alec Boswell Timms was an Australian-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Edinburgh Wanderers and Edinburgh University. Timms played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:Timms was...
did not recover from an injury received in the match at Goulburn in time to make the field. Adamson, was moved from the halves to the three-quarters to fill his place, and in turn Cookson filled the opening in the halves left by Adamson. Martelli, who had injured his thumb in the match against Goulburn, and had taken the field against New South Wales, but had to retire due to injury, recovered in time to play in place of Thompson. It had been feared on the evening before the match, that Gwyn Nicholls had caught influenza and would be incapacitated, but instead was a severe cold. Rev. Mullineux also took to the field with a cold. The British played field of four players, at three-quarters, and two half-backs, that contrasted with the Australian field of only one half-back, two at five-eighth, and three at three-quarters.
The Australian team on the other hand had no such changes, although the inclusion of M'Cowan had been in doubt only a week before the game, due to a strain. The team consisted of six Queensland players, with the balance made up by New South Wales representatives. Selectors chose to keep the New South Wales three-quarter combination of Spragg, Row and White intact. The only noted absences from the team were Tom Pauling and A. J. Lewis, who suffered injuries in the inter-colonial match the week before the Test. Training of the team was supervised by William Warbrick. The Australian team wore the blue colours of NSW.
In the week preceding the match, Mullineux had requested that a conference be held to review some differences in the interpretation of the rules of the game from how the game was played in Britain.
While the two teams played an evenly matched game until the British performance, particularly in defense, dropped off towards the later stages. The poor condition of the British team was noticeable, and was attributed as the reason the British lost the game. The writer for the United Press Association was of the opinion that the British performance was somewhat poorer than in the game played against New South Wales the previous weekend. The British did show some deft ball handling skills in the game: The beautiful series of passes which gained the try for the Englishmen was considered as being an excellent object lesson in backing up. Some of the players, without looking where they were throwing the ball, passed simply because they knew their comrades would be in position to receive it. The British were criticised for the slow rate in which they got the ball from the scrum, an area of play, in which Australia excelled. The writer for the Queanbeyan Age, noted that the Australians forwards played too fast for the British. The United Press Association named White and Ward as the outstanding players for Australia.
First half
Mullineux having won the coin toss elected to defend the northern end of the field. Gralton opened play with the kick off. Mullineux made a mark in the first minutes of the game, but he kicked poorly. Soon after, a free kick was awarded to the British. The Nicholls kick for touch remained within the field of play and came within five yards of the Australian try line. Doran received and carried the ball in to touch. Another free kick to the British resulted from the lineout. The goal attempt by Martelli was unsuccessful.Play continued with both teams attacking the other strongly. Gralton, Ward and Evans for Australia, made good passing combinations on a number of occasions. Cookson and Stout making notable plays for Britain, with Stout showing in one run: a remarkable feint, having to stop almost dead and then wheel round to hoax his opponent. Britain pressured the Australian line, with play coming to within five yards from the try line. Pressure was applied through passing the ball starting from Mullineux, and on to Cookson, Bucher, Nicholls, and Doran who was tackled well by Spragg. A scrum that was formed close to the Australian try line, was won by Australia, and Gralton cleared the ball to mid-field with a kick. Subsequent play shifted the attack to the British half. Here the Gralton, Ward, Evans combination brought Evans close to the British try line. A subsequent scrum yielded the ball to Gralton who forced his way forward, but he lost the ball. and the British cleared the ball to the western sideline. The relief was short lived, as the attack was once again brought against the British in the center of the field. Evans receiving the ball, made an unsuccessful drop goal attempt sending the ball high and wide of the goal. The ball dropped in front of the British fullback Martelli who overran the ball, having let the ball bounce. Australian players came rushing through and jumped upon the loose ball. The referee awarded the try, against the protests of the British who claimed that Kelly had illegally interfered with Martelli getting to the ball, as well as an off-side by the Australians. The reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald wrote that, From the press table, in the balcony of the members' pavilion, the interference appeared to be simply a jostle but it seemed hard to come to any other conclusion than that Kelly and Colton were off-side. The try scorer is officially recorded as Colton, however Kelly is in other places recorded as the try scorer. The conversion attempt by Spragg was unsuccessful.
The restart of play was the scene of some amusement to the spectators, with the Australians returning the British drop-out, with a kick for touch. The touch umpire raised his flag, to signal touch had been found near the British 25. However, play continued, and the ball was kicked downfield into the Australians half. Some of the British players expecting play to be halted for a lineout, stood near the touch umpire who continued to hold his flag aloft. Play continued, with the Australians eventually returning play back upfield, and eventually finding touch a few yards from where the touch umpire was still standing with flag raised. The umpire alerted the referee to the earlier touch, but he was overruled.
In the following passage of play, the British having been awarded a penalty, kicked for touch, bringing it down into Australians half. Carson who had been performing strongly in the lineouts, won the ball from the British throw-in, allowing Australia to return the ball back to half-way. The British showed some of their strong ball handling skills in the following phases. Ensuing play resulted in a penalty against Australia, which was unsuccessfully kicked for a goal attempt by Martelli. The Australians brought the ball upfield in a strong attack that resulted in the British forcing the ball in goal. The end of the half was called.
Second half
Stout kicked off for England in the second half and the ball was subsequently returned into touch, near the half way. The first fifteen minutes of the half were characterised as evenly matched, White had a one run, where he successfully fended a couple of tackle attempts and followed on with a kick for touch to bring the ball into the British half. After a number of phases Evans secured the ball, and kicked downfield to Martelli. However, a penalty against Australia allowed the British to relieve.Play progressed in neutral territory for a few phases until Mullineux began a series of passes that were praised for the high level of skill shown. The passes went from Mullineux to Cookson, then Francomb, then Doran and on to Nicholls, who was about to cross the touch line only a couple of yards from the try line. In time he blindly passed back, and Adamson, who was in support, received the ball passed on to Nicholls who making it through numerous Australian defenders crossed the line for the try. Martelli missed the conversion attempt.
The British in the next passage of play were successful in bringing the ball back into the Australians 25, and were soon awarded a free kick. The attempt at goal was poor, and the Australians cleared the ball far down field. The British punt attempt to return the ball back to the Australians end was poor and was charged down, and with the Carew and Cookson pressing their attack by kicking the ball along the ground found their way to the British 25, where the ball was put into touch. The Australians lost the ball in one of the following phases, by way of a Bucher
Alf Bucher
Alfred "Alf" Moore Bucher was a Scottish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Edinburgh Academicals. Boucher played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:Bucher was born in Leith, in 1874 to...
intercept, and had to return to their 25 to defend. A penalty was awarded to the English for off-side play but Martelli's kick for goal was again unsuccessful. Francomb followed the goal kick attempt through, and was narrowly beaten to the ball by Row, who forced it in goal.
In the resumption of play, the ball was returned to the British try line by way of a deep kick by Evans. Martelli carried the ball into touch only a couple of yards from the British try line. Play continued in the British half, with a temporary relief kick being made by Britain. The match was now within the last seven minutes. After a series of scrums, Australia secured possession, and Spragg almost scored in the corner, but it was ruled that he stepped into touch. In the following passage of play, Spragg received the ball by way of a scrum win and quick passes, and made a dodgy run to break through the British line and score a try about halfway between the corner and the goal posts. In turn he kicked for the conversion and was successful.
The Australians received the kick restart, and Carew kicked the ball back into British territory. The Australians forwards coming downfield, overwhelmed Martelli and secured the resulting loose ball. The ball went from Ward, to Evans and on to Spragg, who being blocked by the British Defense, passed the ball back to Evans who crossed the line, running around to score the try under the goal posts. The conversion kick by Spragg, was once again successful. Full time was called, after the kick was made.
----
Toowoomba
Toowoomba: Filshie (captain), Phil Thomas, Doyle, Jarro, Redwood, Broadfoot, Allman, Young, Tolmie. Other names not listed.British Isles: Esmond Martelli
Esmond Martelli
Arthur Esmonde Martelli was an Irish international rugby union fullback back who played club rugby for Dublin University. Martelli played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia...
, Alf Bucher
Alf Bucher
Alfred "Alf" Moore Bucher was a Scottish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Edinburgh Academicals. Boucher played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:Bucher was born in Leith, in 1874 to...
, Charlie Adamson
Charlie Adamson
Charles "Charlie" Young Adamson was an English international rugby union utility back who played club rugby for Durham. Adamson played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia...
, Gwyn Nicholls
Gwyn Nicholls
Erith Gwyn Nicholls was a Welsh rugby union player who gained 24 caps for Wales as a centre. Nicholls was known as the "Prince of Threequarters"....
, Gerry Doran
Gerry Doran
Gerald "Gerry" Percy Doran also known as Blucher Doran, was an Irish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Lansdowne. Doran played international rugby for Ireland and in 1899 he was selected for the British Isles team on its tour of Australia...
, George Cookson
George Cookson
George Cookson was an English international rugby union half-back who played club rugby for Manchester. Cookson was selected for the British Isles on the 1899 tour of Australia playing in all four Test matches.-Rugby career:...
, Frank Stout
Frank Stout
Frank Moxon Stout MC also referred to as Frank Moxham Stout, was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Gloucester and Richmond. Stout played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles on two tours in 1899 and 1903...
(captain), William Judkins, Guy Evers
Guy Evers
Guy Vincent Evers was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Moseley. Evers played international rugby for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia-Personal history:...
, Wallace Jarman
Wallace Jarman
John Wallace Jarman was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Bristol. Jarman played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia....
, Tom McGown
Tom McGown
Thomas Melville Watson McGown was an Irish international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cambridge University and North of Ireland FC...
, Blair Swannell
Blair Swannell
Major Blair Inskip Swannell was an English-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Northampton...
, H.G.S. Gray
H.G.S. Gray
H.G.S. Gray was a Scottish player on the 1899 British Isles tour to Australia . He was never capped for , but had appeared in the Scottish Trials....
, Alan Ayre-Smith
Alan Ayre-Smith
Alan Ayre-Smith was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Guy's Hospital. Ayre-Smith played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:...
, George Gibson
George Ralph Gibson
George Ralph Gibson was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Northern. Gibson played international rugby for England and was selected to represent the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia...
----
Queensland
Queensland: TannerDooee Tanner
William Henry "Dooee" Tanner was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Tanner, a prop and hooker, was born in Brisbane, Queensland and claimed two international rugby caps for Australia...
, Graham, Carew
Patrick Carew
Patrick James S. "Paddy" Carew was an Australian rugby union national and state representative and a first-class cricketer....
, Austin, Boland
Sine Boland
Simon Bernard "Sine" Boland was an Australian rugby union player a state and national representative flanker who appeared in the inaugural series of Tests matches played by Australia in 1899....
, A J Colton
Ginger Colton
Alfred John 'Ginger' Colton was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Colton, a number 8, was born in Brisbane Queensland and claimed two international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain at Sydney on 24 June 1899, the inaugural rugby Test match played by an...
, Corfe
Arthur Corfe
Arthur Cecil Corfe was a New Zealander who made state and international representative rugby union appearances for Australia in 1899....
, T Colton
Puddin Colton
Thomas Joseph "Puddin" Colton was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Colton, a flanker, was born in Brisbane, Queensland and claimed a total of 2 international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 2 July 1904...
, Gralton
Austin Gralton
Austin Sarsfield Ireland "Grally" Gralton was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Gralton, a scrum-half, was born in Kempsey, New South Wales and claimed three international rugby caps for Australia...
, Currie
Ernest Currie
Ernest William Currie was an Australian rugby union international and first-class cricketer.-Cricket career:...
, Kent, Dixon, Evans
William Evans (Australian sportsman)
William Thomas 'Poley' Evans was an Australian sportsman. He captained Queensland at first-class cricket and represented Australia in rugby union. He was born in Indooroopilly, Queensland and died at Buranda, Queensland....
, Ward
Thomas Ward (rugby)
Thomas Ward was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Ward, a wing, was born in Brisbane, Queensland and claimed 1 international rugby cap for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Brisbane, on 22 July 1899....
, McCowan
Bob McCowan
Robert Herman "Bob" McCowan was a pioneer Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative fullback who played in his country's first Test series of 1899, captaining the national side on one occasion....
(captain)
British Isles: Esmond Martelli
Esmond Martelli
Arthur Esmonde Martelli was an Irish international rugby union fullback back who played club rugby for Dublin University. Martelli played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia...
, Charles Thompson
Charles Thompson (rugby player)
Charles Edward Thompson was an English international rugby union fullback who played club rugby for Manchester and county rugby for Lancashire...
, Alf Bucher
Alf Bucher
Alfred "Alf" Moore Bucher was a Scottish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Edinburgh Academicals. Boucher played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:Bucher was born in Leith, in 1874 to...
, Alec Timms
Alec Boswell Timms
Alec Boswell Timms was an Australian-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Edinburgh Wanderers and Edinburgh University. Timms played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal history:Timms was...
, Charlie Adamson
Charlie Adamson
Charles "Charlie" Young Adamson was an English international rugby union utility back who played club rugby for Durham. Adamson played international rugby for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia...
, Gwyn Nicholls
Gwyn Nicholls
Erith Gwyn Nicholls was a Welsh rugby union player who gained 24 caps for Wales as a centre. Nicholls was known as the "Prince of Threequarters"....
, Gerry Doran
Gerry Doran
Gerald "Gerry" Percy Doran also known as Blucher Doran, was an Irish international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Lansdowne. Doran played international rugby for Ireland and in 1899 he was selected for the British Isles team on its tour of Australia...
, Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux MC was an English rugby union scrum-half who, although not capped for England, was selected for two British Lions tours. He gained one cap during the 1896 tour to South Africa and captained the 1899 tour of Australia...
(captain), Frank Stout
Frank Stout
Frank Moxon Stout MC also referred to as Frank Moxham Stout, was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Gloucester and Richmond. Stout played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles on two tours in 1899 and 1903...
, Wallace Jarman
Wallace Jarman
John Wallace Jarman was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Bristol. Jarman played international rugby for England and was selected for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia....
, Tom McGown
Tom McGown
Thomas Melville Watson McGown was an Irish international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cambridge University and North of Ireland FC...
, John Francomb
John Francomb
John Stanley Francomb was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Manchester and Sale. Francomb played international rugby for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia.-Rugby career:...
, Blair Swannell
Blair Swannell
Major Blair Inskip Swannell was an English-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Northampton...
, H.G.S. Gray
H.G.S. Gray
H.G.S. Gray was a Scottish player on the 1899 British Isles tour to Australia . He was never capped for , but had appeared in the Scottish Trials....
, Frederick Belson
Frederick Belson
Frederick Charles Belson was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Clifton and Bath, and county rugby for Somerset. Belson played international rugby for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia.-Personal life:Belson was born in Ramsgate in Kent in 1874 to...
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Bundaberg
Bundaberg:British Isles:
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Rockhampton
Rockhampton:British Isles:
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Mount Morgan
Mount Morgan:British Isles:
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Central Queensland
Central Queensland:British Isles:
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Maryborough
Maryborough:British Isles:
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Second Test
Australia: Bob McCowanBob McCowan
Robert Herman "Bob" McCowan was a pioneer Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative fullback who played in his country's first Test series of 1899, captaining the national side on one occasion....
captain, Thomas Ward
Thomas Ward (rugby)
Thomas Ward was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Ward, a wing, was born in Brisbane, Queensland and claimed 1 international rugby cap for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Brisbane, on 22 July 1899....
, Albert Henry
Albert Henry (rugby)
Albert Henry was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Henry, a centre, claimed one international rugby cap for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Brisbane, on 22 July 1899.-References:...
, SA Spragg
Lonnie Spragg
Alonzo Stephen "Lonnie" Spragg was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Spragg, a centre, was born in Redfern, New South Wales and claimed four international rugby caps for Australia...
, WT Evans
William Evans (Australian sportsman)
William Thomas 'Poley' Evans was an Australian sportsman. He captained Queensland at first-class cricket and represented Australia in rugby union. He was born in Indooroopilly, Queensland and died at Buranda, Queensland....
, Peter Ward
Peter Ward (rugby)
Peter M. Ward was a rugby union player who represented Australia.A fly-half, he was born in Invercargill and claimed a total of four international rugby caps for Australia. His Test debut was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 24 June 1899, the inaugural rugby Test match played by an Australian...
, Ernest Currie
Ernest Currie
Ernest William Currie was an Australian rugby union international and first-class cricketer.-Cricket career:...
, WH Tanner
Dooee Tanner
William Henry "Dooee" Tanner was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Tanner, a prop and hooker, was born in Brisbane, Queensland and claimed two international rugby caps for Australia...
, Charles Graham
Charles Graham (rugby)
Charles Stewart Graham was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Graham, a hooker, was born in Castlereagh New South Wales and claimed one international rugby cap for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Brisbane, on 22 July 1899.-References:...
, PJ Carew
Patrick Carew
Patrick James S. "Paddy" Carew was an Australian rugby union national and state representative and a first-class cricketer....
, Hyram Marks
Hyram Marks
Hyram A. Marks was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Marks, a lock, was born in Sydney, NSW and attended Sydney Grammar School and Sydney University. He claimed two international rugby caps for Australia and was the University rugby club's first Wallaby representative...
Charlie Ellis
Charlie Ellis
Charles L. Seymour "Charlie" Ellis was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Ellis, a lock and flanker, was born in Newcastle, New South Wales and claimed a total of four international rugby caps for Australia...
, Arthur Corfe
Arthur Corfe
Arthur Cecil Corfe was a New Zealander who made state and international representative rugby union appearances for Australia in 1899....
, Robert Challoner
Robert Challoner
Robert Louis Challoner was a rugby union player who represented for Australia.Challoner, a number 8, was born in Stratford-upon-Avon and claimed a total of 1 international rugby caps for Australia...
, Norm Street
Norm Street
Norman Ogilvie "Norm" Street was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Street, a flanker, was born in Bathurst, NSW and claimed one international rugby cap for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Brisbane, on 22 July 1899.-References:...
British Isles: Charles Thompson, H.G.S. Gray, Alec Timms, Gwyn Nicholls, Gerry Doran, Charlie Adamson, George Cookson, Frank Stout captain, Wallace Jarman, Tom McGown, Guy Evers, Blair Swanell, William Judkins, Alan Ayre-Smith, George Gibson
Touch umpires: John Francomb
John Francomb
John Stanley Francomb was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Manchester and Sale. Francomb played international rugby for the British Isles on their 1899 tour of Australia.-Rugby career:...
and E J Beard
The second Test was played at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground, in front of 15,000 spectators: a record Queensland crowd for attendance at a rugby match. In addition to the spectators inside the ground, a crowd estimated at approximately 3,000 assembled on the hill overlooking the exhibition grounds on the Fortitude Valley side of Bowen Terrace. Special trains with reduced fairs, and returning in the evening, had been arranged by the Railway Commissioner Gray for the day operating from Maryborough
Maryborough, Queensland
Maryborough is a city located on the Mary River in South East Queensland, Australia, approximately north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city is serviced by the Bruce Highway, and has a population of approximately 22,000 . It is closely tied to its neighbour city Hervey Bay which is...
, and Warwick
Warwick, Queensland
Warwick is a town in Queensland, Australia, lying south-west of Brisbane. It is the administrative centre of the Southern Downs Local Government Area. In 2006 the town of Warwick had a population of 12,562....
. These trains as well as the regular service trains were filled to capacity. People came hundreds of miles to see the game: from Longreach, Charleville, Gladstone, and Rockhampton. In attendance was Governor Lamington
Charles Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington
Charles Wallace Alexander Napier Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington, GCMG, GCIE was a British politician and colonial administrator who was Governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901, and Governor of Bombay from 1903 to 1907....
and Lady Lamington, George Le Hunte
George Le Hunte
Sir George Ruthven Le Hunte KCMG was Governor of South Australia from 1 July 1903 until 18 February 1909, soon after federation of Australia....
the Governor of New Guinea, among other socialites of the day. Tickets to the game were one shilling. Additional entertainment was provided by the Headquarters Band, who were criticised by the writer in the Brisbane Courier for playing their usual playlist, which included La mascotte
La mascotte
La mascotte is an opéra comique by Edmond Audran. The French libretto was by Alfred Duru and Henri Charles Chivot. The story concerns a farm girl who is believed to bring good luck to whoever possesses her, so long as she remains a virgin...
and Dorothy
Dorothy (opera)
Dorothy is a comic opera in three acts with music by Alfred Cellier and a libretto by B. C. Stephenson. The story involves a rake who falls in love with his disguised fiancée.It was first produced at the Gaiety Theatre in London on in 1886...
, and not a fresh repertoire of music. The weather was fine, with a strong, north-east breeze blowing across the field. The temperature on the day rose to 66.6 °F (19.2 °C).
The Australian team wore the maroon red of Queensland, with a badge of the Australian Coat of Arms.
New England
New England:British Isles:
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Northern
Northern:British Isles:
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New South Wales, 2nd Match
New South Wales: Frank RowFrank Row
Frank Leonard Row was a pioneer Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative centre who was his country's first Test captain in 1899, leading the national side on three occasions....
captain
British Isles:
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Metropolitan, 2nd Match
Metropolitan: Frank RowFrank Row
Frank Leonard Row was a pioneer Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative centre who was his country's first Test captain in 1899, leading the national side on three occasions....
captain
British Isles:
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Third Test
Australia: Wally CobbWally Cobb
Walter George "Wally" Cobb was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Cobb, a fullback, was born in Newcastle, NSW and claimed a total of 2 international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, Syd Miller
Syd Miller
Syd William James Miller was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Miller, a wing, was born in Sydney, New South Wales and claimed 1 international rugby cap for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, Frank Row
Frank Row
Frank Leonard Row was a pioneer Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative centre who was his country's first Test captain in 1899, leading the national side on three occasions....
captain, SA Spragg, PM Ward, Iggy O'Donnell
Iggy O'Donnell
Ignatius Charles "Iggy" O'Donnell was a rugby union player who represented Australia.O'Donnell, a fly-half, was born in Hillston, New South Wales and claimed a total of 2 international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, Arch Boyd
Arch Boyd
Archibald "Arch" Boyd was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Boyd, a scrum-half, was born in Sydney, New South Wales and claimed 1 international rugby cap for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, Bill Webb
Bill Webb (rugby)
William Phillips "Bill" Webb was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Webb, a prop, was born in Dunedin and claimed a total of 2 international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, George Bouffler
George Bouffler
Robert George Bouffler was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Bouffler, a hooker, claimed one international rugby cap for Australia, playing against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, PJ Carew, W Davis, CS Ellis, Roger Barton
Roger Barton (rugby)
Roger Fernival Darvall Barton was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Barton, a flanker, was born in Bathurst, NSW and claimed international rugby cap for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, AJ Colton, Sine Boland
Sine Boland
Simon Bernard "Sine" Boland was an Australian rugby union player a state and national representative flanker who appeared in the inaugural series of Tests matches played by Australia in 1899....
British Isles: Charles Thompson, Alf Bucher, Alec Timms, Gwyn Nicholls, Elliot Nicholson, Chalrie Adamson, George Cookson, Frank Stout captain, Wallace Jarman, Tom McGown, Guy Evers, Blair Swanell, William Judkins, Alan Ayre-Smith, George Gibson
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Western Districts
Western Districts:British Isles:
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Fourth Test
Australia: Wally CobbWally Cobb
Walter George "Wally" Cobb was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Cobb, a fullback, was born in Newcastle, NSW and claimed a total of 2 international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, Bob McCowan
Bob McCowan
Robert Herman "Bob" McCowan was a pioneer Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative fullback who played in his country's first Test series of 1899, captaining the national side on one occasion....
, Frank Row
Frank Row
Frank Leonard Row was a pioneer Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative centre who was his country's first Test captain in 1899, leading the national side on three occasions....
captain, Lonnie Spragg
Lonnie Spragg
Alonzo Stephen "Lonnie" Spragg was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Spragg, a centre, was born in Redfern, New South Wales and claimed four international rugby caps for Australia...
, PM Ward
Peter Ward (rugby)
Peter M. Ward was a rugby union player who represented Australia.A fly-half, he was born in Invercargill and claimed a total of four international rugby caps for Australia. His Test debut was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 24 June 1899, the inaugural rugby Test match played by an Australian...
, Iggy O'Donnell
Iggy O'Donnell
Ignatius Charles "Iggy" O'Donnell was a rugby union player who represented Australia.O'Donnell, a fly-half, was born in Hillston, New South Wales and claimed a total of 2 international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, Austin Gralton
Austin Gralton
Austin Sarsfield Ireland "Grally" Gralton was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Gralton, a scrum-half, was born in Kempsey, New South Wales and claimed three international rugby caps for Australia...
, W Webb
Bill Webb (rugby)
William Phillips "Bill" Webb was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Webb, a prop, was born in Dunedin and claimed a total of 2 international rugby caps for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 5 August 1899.-References:...
, Jack O'Donnell
Jack O'Donnell (rugby)
John "Jack" O'Donnell was a rugby union player who represented Australia.O'Donnell, a hooker, claimed 1 international rugby cap for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 12 August 1899.-References:...
, Patrick Carew
Patrick Carew
Patrick James S. "Paddy" Carew was an Australian rugby union national and state representative and a first-class cricketer....
, W Davis
Walter Davis (rugby)
Walter Davis was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Davis, a prop and lock, claimed a three international rugby caps for Australia...
, Charlie Ellis
Charlie Ellis
Charles L. Seymour "Charlie" Ellis was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Ellis, a lock and flanker, was born in Newcastle, New South Wales and claimed a total of four international rugby caps for Australia...
, Bill Hardcastle
Bill Hardcastle
William Robert "Bill" Hardcastle born in Wellington, New Zealand was a pioneer New Zealand and Australian rugby union player and an Australian rugby league player. He represented both countries in union and Australia in league...
, Jum Sampson
Jum Sampson
James H. "Jum" Sampson was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Sampson, a number 8, claimed 1 international rugby cap for Australia. His debut game was against Great Britain, at Sydney, on 12 August 1899.-References:...
, Sine Boland
Sine Boland
Simon Bernard "Sine" Boland was an Australian rugby union player a state and national representative flanker who appeared in the inaugural series of Tests matches played by Australia in 1899....
British Isles: Charles Thompson, Alf Bucher, Alec Timms, Gwyn Nicholls, Elliot Nicholson, Charles Adamson, George Cookson, Frank Stout captain, Wallace Jarman, Tom McGown, Guy Evers, Blair Swanell, William Judkins, Ayer Ayre-Smith, George Gibson
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Greater Public School
Greater Public School:British Isles:
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Victoria
Victoria:British Isles:
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