1989 New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain and France
| 1989 Kiwis tour | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 1 October 1989 – 3 December 1989 | ||||
| Manager | Ian Jenkins Tom McKeown | ||||
| Coach | Tony Gordon | ||||
| Tour captain | Hugh McGahan | ||||
| Top point scorer | Phil Bancroft (100) | ||||
| Top try scorer | Dave Watson (17) | ||||
| Summary |
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| Total |
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| Test match |
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| Opponent |
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 Great Britain |
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 France |
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| Tour chronology | |||||
The 1989 New Zealand rugby league tour was a series of matches played between October and December by the New Zealand national rugby league team in England and France. The team lost a series 1–2 against Great Britain but defeated France 2–0.
Background
[edit]New Zealand last toured Great Britain in 1985.
Earlier in 1989, New Zealand lost all three Tests at home to Australia on the 1989 Kangaroo tour.
Touring party
[edit]A 26-man touring squad was selected in September 1989, with Hugh McGahan named as captain, and Gary Freeman as vice-captain.[1] Tony Gordon was the coach, while Ian Jenkins and Tom McKeown were appointed as tour managers.[2]
Dean Bell (Wigan) and Kurt Sorensen (Widnes) were not included in the touring squad, but could still be selected for the Tests against Great Britain and France.[1]
James Goulding and Tea Ropati were injured during the tour, and were replaced by George Mann and David Ewe.[3] Ewe was later sent home early from the tour due to misconduct.[4]
Schedule and results
[edit]| Date | Opponents | Score (NZ first) | Venue | Attendance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 October | St Helens | 26–27 | St Helens | 6,940 | |
| 3 October | Castleford | 22–20 | Castleford | 5,963 | |
| 8 October | Wigan | 14–24 | Wigan | 15,083 | |
| 11 October | Bradford Northern | 26–8 | Bradford | 3,598 | |
| 15 October | Leeds | 34–4 | Leeds | 9,218 | |
| 17 October | Cumbria | 28–2 | Whitehaven | 3,983 | |
| 21 October | Great Britain | 24–16 | Manchester | 18,273 | |
| 28 October | Great Britain | 6–26 | Leeds | 13,000 | |
| 1 November | Hull | 44–8 | Hull | 5,898 | |
| 5 November | Widnes | 26–18 | Widnes | 9,905 | |
| 7 November | Featherstone Rovers | 44–20 | Featherstone | 2,830 | |
| 11 November | Great Britain | 6–10 | Wigan | 20,346 | This match counted towards the 1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup |
| 15 November | Midi-Pyrenees XIII | 36–12 | Toulouse | 1,000 | |
| 19 November | France | 16–14 | Carcassonne | 3,500 | |
| 22 November | Selection de L'Aude | 70–0 | Carcassonne | 500 | |
| 25 November | France B | 62–4 | Albi | 1,500 | |
| 3 December | France | 34–0 | Carcassonne | 4,208 | This match counted towards the 1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup |
Aftermath
[edit]The tourists were the first New Zealand team to lose a series in Great Britain since 1965.[5]
Following the conclusion of the tour, many players in the squad signed contracts with English clubs.[6]
Notes
[edit]- 1 2 "Kiwi trifecta struck by Halswell club". The Press. Christchurch. 4 September 1989. p. 40.
- ↑ "Kiwi manager found". The Press. Christchurch. 4 May 1989. p. 36.
- ↑ "Nikau dismissal rouses tourists". The Guardian. London. 2 November 1989. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Ewe keen to 'prove himself over again'". The Press. Christchurch. 21 November 1989. p. 36.
- ↑ Fletcher & Howes (1990), p. 274.
- ↑ Fletcher & Howes (1990), p. 275.
References
[edit]- "Kiwis Tour 1989". Rugby League Project.
- Fletcher, Raymond; Howes, David, eds. (1990). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1990-91. London: Queen Anne Press. ISBN 978-0-356-17851-6.