History - Rorkes Drift

On Saturday 4 July 1914 the historic Third Test was played at SCG, though only 34,420 were there to see it. Harold Wagstaff, for one, would never forget any minute of that day loaded as it was from start to finish with resentment, patriotism, determination and straightforward courage, probably in more or less equal parts. He remembered first 'the fighting speech of our manager, Mr. J. Clifford, who was so upset about the way in which the arrangements for the match had been rushed through behind his back. He called the men who were playing that afternoon into a room at the hotel and outlined the whole story of the revision of the fixture. Then he said that he expected every one of us to play as we had never played before. "You are playing in a game of football this afternoon," he said, "but more than that, you are playing for England and more, even, you are playing for Right versus Wrong. You will win because you have to win. Don't forget that message from home: England expects every man to do his duty." The men in my team were moved. I was impressed and thrilled as never before by a speech. You could see our fellows clenching their fists as Mr. Clifford spoke.'
The teams that afternoon were: 

When Wagstaff led his men into the arena, the band played them on to 'Boys of the Bulldog Breed'; and the home side followed, accompanied by Australia will be there'. On a soft and heavy ground, the visitors were in trouble before the first scrum had formed, only minutes into the match, when Frank Williams twisted a leg so badly that he could only hobble along the wing. From the outset, therefore, they were a man short in the pack, as Chick Johnson was pulled out to give proper cover on the right. Even so, the tourists went into an early lead, when Alf Wood kicked a penalty but Australia hammered at the British line for minutes on end, until Dave Holland dribbled the ball downfield. Back came the Aussies, and Courtney got over, but the try was disallowed for a Frawley knock-on. Burge looked to be in, but was ruled offside; then Tidyman made a great run to put Messenger clear, but the left-winger was grassed as he went for the corner. The British got their breath back, and a move involving Wagstaff and three others swiftly unravelled down the left, until Avon Davies kicked infield past the full-back and raced Tidyman towards the ball bobbling in goal; and touched it down properly, when the Easts centre did not. Wood converted, then kicked another penalty; and the British were 9-0 ahead at the interval. But the lead had cost them another injury, when Douglas Clark broke his thumb. He played on with it strapped, but soon after the second half began, he fell when using it to hand-off Pony Halloway, crashed heavily on to his shoulder and broke his collarbone. He had that strapped, too, and twice tried to continue, but had to give up with much of the game still left to play Then Williams damaged his bad leg again, and this time the injury put him, too, out of the match. Disaster struck a third time, when Billy Hall was carried off with concussion. Let Harold Wagstaff tell the remainder of the epic tale;

That was the recollection of a very proud man more than twenty years after the event, and it is slightly at variance with reports written on the day this astonishing victory was won. According to these, Billy Hall did not leave the game until ten minutes from the end, after which his team were briefly down to nine men when Stuart Prosser was receiving attention on the sidelines; and the British were in front 9-0 before Australia registered their first score, a try by Wally Messenger. But the second half must have seemed bewilderingly endless to those defenders, as indeed it almost was, lasting nine minutes longer than it should have done because of the time taken out for injuries.

A Sydney journalist with a sense of history at once likened the heroic performance of Wagstaff's men to the defence of Rorke's Drift, by British troops against overwhelming odds, in the Zulu War of 1879. The image was inspired and it has been acknowledged as such by followers of the game ever since; not least by Australians, who were generous in their applause of what the English and Welsh footballers did to their own national side that day.

When they reached England, Joe Houghton declared that: 'By bringing home the mythical Ashes, we are the champions of the greatest of all winter sports.'