England in Australia and New Zealand 1928

Virtual Rugby League Hall of Fame

Test Matches - Australia - New Zealand - Australia and New Zealand 1928

Details from The Vault and Roland Davis "Great Britain Rugby League Tours"

Jonty Parkin was tour captain for the second time and became the first player to make three tours. Leeds' Frank Gallagher was also selected for his third tour but withdrew to be replaced by Leeds tem mate Joe Thompson. The Test series against both Australia and New Zealand were won 2-1.

The Australians wore the now famous green and gold for the first time, having previously played in the combined maroon and sky blue of Queensland and New South Wales.

Swinton players Bryn and Jack Evans became the first brothers to tour, and fellow Swinton player "Billo" Rees made most appearances, missing only 5 of the 24 games.

Jim Sullivan of Wigan once again led the goal scoring list with 52 and St. Helens' Alf Ellaby top scored with 20 tries. The main strength of the side was the forwards, with only 8 used in the 6 Tests.

In New Zealand the Lions narrowly lost the first Test in Auckland but won the last two, and also gained an all-time record score against Buller by 72-3.

The tourists sailed home via Fiji, Honolulu and Canada, where they played two exhibition games. England defeated the Welsh 30-17 in Vancouver and 21-18 in Montréal.

Australian Leg: Won Test series 2-1

South West District	D 14-14	8,000	Cootamundra
New South Wales	L 15-20	55,000	Sydney
New South Wales	W 22-9	48,000	Sydney
New South Wales	L 7-22	38,000	Sydney
Far Northern Coast	W 20-9	6,500	Lismore
Queensland	L 7-21	25,000	Brisbane
Ipswich	W 23-13	2,000	Ipswich
AUSTRALIA	W 15-12	39,200	Brisbane
Central Queensland	W 27-11	10,000	Rockhampton
Northern Queensland	W 30-16	11,000	Townsville
Wide Bay	W 61-13	4,000	Bundaberg
Toowoomba	W 17-12	12,000	Toowoomba
Newcastle	W 19-17	7,000	Newcastle
AUSTRALIA	W 8-0	44,548	Sydney
Western NSW	W 23-9	9,000	Parkes
AUSTRALIA	L 14-21	37,000	Brisbane

Played 16; Won 11; Lost 4; Drew 1

For Tries 67; Goals 60; Points 321

Against Tries 43; Goals 45; Points 219

New Zealand Leg: Won Test series 2-1

South Auckland	W 31-5		Hamilton
NEW ZEALAND	L 13-17	28,000	Auckland
Auckland	W 14-9	15,000	Auckland
Auckland City	W 26-15	25,000	Auckland
Buller	W 72-3		Wesport
West Coast	W 62-13		Greymouth
NEW ZEALAND	W 13-5	12,000	Dunedin
NEW ZEALAND	W 6-5	21,000	Christchurch

Played 8; Won 7; Lost 1

For Tries 55; Goals 36; Points 237

Against Tries 16; Goals 12; Points 72

Tour Total: Played 24; Won 18; Lost 5; Drew 1

For Tries 122; Goals 96; Points 556

Against Tries 59; Goals 57; Points 291

	App	Tries	Gls	Pts
T Askin (Featherstone Rovers)	15	9	0	27
N Bentham (Wigan Highfield)	14	1	0	3
F Bowen (St Helens Rec.)	16	2	0	6
H Bowman (Hull)	14	2	0	6
J Brough (Leeds)	15	6	0	18
W Burgess (Barrow)	12	1	1	5
O Dolan (St Helens Rec.)	7	0	1	2
A Ellaby (St Helens)	14	20	2	64
B Evans (Swinton)	12	1	0	3
J Evans (Swinton)	3	1	0	3
L Fairclough (St Helens)	12	11	0	33
A Fildes (St Helens Rec.)	13	3	0	9
A Frodsham (St Helens)	17	15	0	45
W Gowers (Rochdale Hornets)	9	0	25	50
TE Gwynne (Hull)	11	7	0	21
B Halfpenny (St Helens)	10	8	0	24
W Horton (Wakefield Trinity)	15	5	0	15
J Oliver (Batley)	9	4	0	12
J Parkin (Wakefield Trinity)	4	2	0	6
W Rees (Swinton)	19	4	0	12
M Rosser (Leeds)	9	3	0	9
R Sloman (Oldham)	12	4	0	12
J Sullivan (Wigan)	15	3	52	113
J Thompson (Leeds)	14	4	14	40
W Williams (Salford)	12	0	1	2
H Young (Bradford Northern)	9	6	0	18

First Test, Saturday 23rd June 1928. Back to top

Australia 12 England 15

Australia: Craig; Aynsley (t,g), Gorman, Handy, Freestone (g); Laws, Edwards; Steinohrt, Justice, York, Dempsey, Treweeke, Armbruster (t)

England: J Sullivan (3g); T Askin, J Oliver, J Brough, A Ellaby (t); L Fairclough (t), W Rees; W Burgess, N Bentham, H Bowman, A Fildes, R Sloman, W Horton (t)

Second Test, Saturday 14thJuly 1928. Back to top

Australia 0 England 8

Australia: Hardy; Byrne, Gorman, Craig, Maher; Weissel, Busch; Steinohrt, Justice, York, Dempsey, Treweeke, Armbruster (t)

England: J Sullivan (g); T Askin, J Oliver, J Brough, A Ellaby (t); W Rees, J Parkin (t); W Burgess, N Bentham, J Thompson, A Fildes, R Sloman, W Horton

Third Test, Saturday 21stJuly 1928. Back to top

Australia 21 England 14

Australia: Hardy; Wearing (2t, 4g), Gorman, Craig (2g), Pearce (t); Weissel, Busch; Steinohrt, Justice, Kingston, Dempsey, Treweeke, Armbruster

England: J Sullivan (4g); E Gwynne, J Oliver, T Askin, A Ellaby; L Fairclough (t), W Rees; W Burgess, N Bentham, H Bowman, A Fildes, R Sloman, W Horton

First New Zealand Test. Back to top

New Zealand 17 England 13

New Zealand: Dufty (g); Scott (2t), List (t), Prentice, Hardgrave; Wetherill, Delgrosso (3g); Somers, Timms, M O'Brien, J O'Brien, Goodall, Hutt

England: J Sullivan (2g); T Askin, J Oliver (t), J Brough, A Ellaby (t); L Fairclough (t), W Rees; W Burgess, N Bentham, F Bowen, A Fildes, R Sloman, W Horton

Second New Zealand Test. Back to top

New Zealand 5 England 13

New Zealand: Dufty (g); Scott (t), Brisbane, Prentice, Hardgrave; Wetherill, Delgrosso / Peckham; Somers, M O'Brien, Timms, J O'Brien, Goodall, Hutt

England: J Sullivan (2g); A Frodsham, T Askin, J Brough, A Ellaby (t); W Rees (t), B Evans; W Burgess, N Bentham, F Bowen (t), A Fildes, R Sloman, W Horton

Third New Zealand Test. Back to top

New Zealand 5 England 6

New Zealand: Dufty (g); Scott, Brisbane, Prentice, Hardgrave; Wetherill, Peckham; Hall, Townsend, Eckhoff, M O'Brien (t), Goodall, Hutt

England: J Sullivan; E Gwynne, L Fairclough (t), T Askin (t), A Frodsham; W Rees, J Parkin; J Thompson, N Bentham, H Bowman, A Fildes, F Bowen, W Horton

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Last modified: 15 July 2008