1973 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France

The 1973 Kangaroo Tour was the thirteenth Kangaroo Tour, and saw the Australian national rugby league team travel to Europe and play nineteen matches against British and French club and representative rugby league teams, in addition to three Test matches against Great Britain and two Tests against the French. It followed the tour of 1967-68 and the next was staged in 1978.

1973 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France
Manager	Charles Gibson Albert Bishop
Coach(es)	Graeme Langlands
Tour captain(s)	Graeme Langlands Bob McCarthy Tom Raudonikis Arthur Beetson
Top point scorer(s)	Mick Cronin 77
Top try scorer(s)	Bob Fulton 20
Top test point scorer(s)	Bob Fulton 15
Top test try scorer(s)	Bob Fulton 5
Summary	P W D L
Total	19 17 00 02
Test match	05 04 00 01
Opponent	P W D L
Great Britain	3 2 0 1
France	2 2 0 0
Tour chronology
Previous tour	1967-68
Next tour	1978

Due to the advent of the Jet Age which had made international travel times much shorter (a Jumbo Jet airplane could travel between Sydney and London in a day compared to the weeks it took a ship at sea), and with a slimed down tour itinerary (the 1973 Kangaroos played 19 games compared to the 27 played by the 1967-68 Kangaroos), this was the first Kangaroo Tour of Great Britain and France to be held inside of a single calendar year.

The squad's leadership

The team was captain-coached by Graeme Langlands making his third Kangaroo Tour. Managers of the team were Albert Bishop and Charlie Gibson with Alf Richards as the team trainer.

Touring squad

The following players were in the touring squad.^[1]

Player	Club	Position(s)	Tests	Games	Tries	Goals	F/Goals	Points
Arthur Beetson (vc)	Eastern Suburbs Roosters	Prop	5	16	3	0	0	9
Ray Branighan	Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles	Centre, Wing, Fullback	4	13	7	2	0	25
Mick Cronin	Gerringong Lions	Centre	2	12	7	28	0	77
Graham Eadie	Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles	Fullback	2	10	4	9	0	30
Bob Fulton	Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles	Centre, Five-eighth	5	14	20	0	1	61
Ted Goodwin	St George Dragons	Wing, Centre	3	10	7	0	0	21
Bill Hamilton	Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles	Prop	0	8	1	0	0	3
John Lang	Eastern Suburbs Tigers (Qld)	Hooker	1	7	2	0	0	6
Graeme Langlands (c)	St George Dragons	Fullback, Centre	1	8	4	27	0	66
Ken Maddison	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	Second-row	4	13	6	0	0	18
Bob McCarthy (vc)	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Second-row	2	8	4	0	0	12
John O'Neill	Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles	Prop	1	6	0	0	0	0
Bob O'Reilly	Parramatta Eels	Prop	4	13	0	0	0	0
Warren Orr	Wests Panthers (Qld)	Wing	0	6	4	0	0	12
Tim Pickup	North Sydney Bears	Five-eighth, Halfback	4	12	2	0	0	6
Greg Pierce	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	Lock, Second-row	1	8	1	0	0	3
Terry Randall	Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles	Second-row, Lock	0	5	1	0	0	3
Tom Raudonikis (vc)	Western Suburbs Magpies	Halfback	4	10	3	0	0	9
Steve Rogers	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	Centre	0	7	2	0	0	6
Paul Sait	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Second-row, Lock	4	13	2	0	0	6
Geoff Starling	Balmain Tigers	Centre, Lock	5	13	8	0	0	24
Gary Stevens	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Second-row	3	8	1	0	0	3
David Waite	Wests Wollongong	Wing	4	12	4	0	0	12
Elwyn Walters	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Hooker	4	15	2	0	0	6
Dennis Ward	Western Suburbs Rosellas	Halfback	0	8	1	0	0	3
Lionel Williamson	Newtown Bluebags	Wing	3	9	0	0	0	0

1973 NSWRFL Premiers Manly-Warringah provided a record 6 players to the Kangaroos while the team they defeated in the Grand Final Cronulla-Sutherland, provided 3 players. Surprisingly, no players were selected from either of the 1973 Brisbane Rugby League Grand Finalists, winners Fortitude Valley or runners up Redcliffe.

Of the 26 player squad, 21 were from New South Wales and 5 from Queensland, with 3 of the Queenslanders picked Sydney teams (team vice captain Arthur Beetson (Easts), Souths hooker Elwyn Walters and Newtown winger Lionel Williamson). Brisbane Easts hooker John Lang and Brisbane Wests winger Warren Orr were the only players picked from Queensland based clubs.

Great Britain

The Ashes series against Great Britain saw an aggregate crowd of 36,567 attending the Test series

Test Venues

The three Ashes series tests took place at the following venues.

London	Leeds	Warrington
Wembley	Headingley	Wilderspool
Capacity: 100,000	Capacity: 30,000	Capacity: 15,000

Sunday, 30 September	Salford	12 – 15	Australia	The Willows, Salford
3.30pm	Tries: 2 Ian Holland Keith Fielding Goals: 3 David Watkins (3)	[2]	Tries: 3 Bob Fulton (3) Goals: 3 Graeme Langlands (3)	Attendance: 11,064 Gate £4,711 Referee: M. J. Naughton

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Wednesday, 3 October	Wakefield Trinity	9 – 13	Australia	Belle Vue, Wakefield
	Tries: 1 D. Topliss Goals: 3 T. Crook (3)	[3]	Tries: 3 Bill Hamilton Steve Rogers David Waite Goals: 2 Graham Eadie (2)	Attendance: 5,863 Gate £2,004 Referee: R. Jackson

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Sunday, 7 October	Dewsbury	3 – 17	Australia	Old Crown Flatt ground, Dewsbury
3.30pm	Tries: nil Goals: 1 N. Stephenson Field goals: 1 N. Stephenson	[4]	Tries: 3 Bob Fulton (2) Paul Sait Goals: 4 Graeme Langlands (4)	Attendance: 5,865 Gate £2,059 Referee: G. Kershaw

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Wednesday, 10 October	Castleford	10 – 16	Australia	Wheldon Road, Castleford
7.30pm	Tries: nil Goals: 5 S. Lloyd (5)		Tries: 4 Graham Eadie Mick Cronin Ray Branighan Ken Maddison Goals: 2 Graham Eadie (2)	Attendance: 2,419 Gate £947 Referee: K. Allatt

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Sunday, 14 October	Widnes	10 – 25	Australia	Naughton Park, Widnes
3.00pm	Tries: 2 T. Warburton D. Macko Goals: 2 R. Dutton (2)	[5]	Tries: 7 Graeme Langlands (2) Bob Fulton Warren Orr Tom Raudonikis Gary Stevens Bob McCarthy Goals: 2 Graeme Langlands Mick Cronin	Attendance: 5,185 Gate £1,710 Referee: Harry Hunt

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Friday, 19 October	Oldham	10 – 44	Australia	Watersheddings, Oldham
7.30pm	Tries: 2 P. Astbury J. Blair Goals: 2 T. Clawson (2)	[6]	Tries: 10 Geoff Starling (4) Ken Maddison (2) Bob McCarthy Paul Sait Ted Goodwin Mick Cronin Goals: 7 Mick Cronin (7)	Attendance: 2,895 Gate £991

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Wednesday, 24 October	Cumberland	2 – 28	Australia	Recreation Ground, Whitehaven
2.15pm	Tries: nil Goals: 1 R. Nicholson	[7]	Tries: 6 Ted Goodwin (2) David Waite (2) Graham Eadie Mick Cronin Goals: 5 Mick Cronin (5)	Attendance: 3,666 Gate £1,258 Referee: Mick Naughton

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Sunday, 28 October	Bradford Northern	14 – 50	Australia	Odsal, Bradford
3.00pm	Tries: 2 A. Long G. Joyce Goals: 4 E. Tees (4)	[8]	Tries: 12 Bob Fulton (4) Tom Raudonikis (2) Arthur Beetson (2) Terry Randall Tim Pickup Ted Goodwin Geoff Starling Goals: 7 Graeme Langlands (7)	Attendance: 5,667 Referee: F. Lindop

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The Ashes series

First Test

In the first rugby league international played at Wembley since 1963, the Lions shocked the then unbeaten Australian's 21-12 in front of just 9,874 fans. The match had been moved to Wembley from the Central Park ground in Wigan at the request of the Australian team management.

Great Britain	21 – 12	Australia
Tries: Phil Lowe (2) Colin Clarke Brian Lockwood Goals: Terry Clawson (4) Field Goals: Steve Nash (1)	[9][10]	Tries: Ray Branighan Bob Fulton Goals: Graeme Langlands (3)

Saturday, 3 November 1973

Wembley Stadium, London Attendance: 9,874 Referee: Billy Thompson Player of the Match: Phil Lowe

Great Britain

Australia

FB 1 Paul Charlton RW 2 Clive Sullivan (c) RC 3 Syd Hynes LC 4 Chris Hesketh LW 5 John Atkinson SO 6 David Topliss SH 7 Steve Nash PR 8 Terry Clawson HK 9 Colin Clarke PR 10 Brian Lockwood SR 11 Phil Lowe SR 12 George Nicholls LK 13 Ray Batten Substitutions: IC 14 IC 15 Coach: Jim Challinor

FB 1 Graeme Langlands (c) RW 2 Ray Branighan RC 3 Bob Fulton LC 4 Geoff Starling LW 5 Ted Goodwin FE 6 Tim Pickup HB 7 Tommy Raudonikis PR 8 Bob O'Reilly HK 9 Elwyn Walters PR 10 Arthur Beetson SR 11 Bob McCarthy SR 12 Ken Maddison LF 13 Paul Sait Substitutions: IC 14 IC 15 Coach: Graeme Langlands

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Wednesday, 7 November	Hull Kingston Rovers	9 – 25	Australia	Craven Park, Hull
7.30pm	Tries: 1 G. Dunn Goals: 3 Roger Millward (3)	[11]	Tries: 5 Mick Cronin (2) Graham Eadie (2) Bob McCarthy Goals: 5 Mick Cronin (5)	Attendance: 5,150 Gate £1,747 Referee: P. Geraghty

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Saturday, 10 November	Huddersfield	2 – 32	Australia	Fartown, Huddersfield
	Tries: nil Goals: 1 F. Davies	[12]	Tries: 8 Bob Fulton (3) Ray Branighan (2) Arthur Beetson David Waite Mick Cronin Goals: Graeme Langlands (4)	Attendance: 1,333 Gate £451 Referee: R. Wood

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Sunday, 11 November	Leigh	4 – 31	Australia	Hilton Park, Leigh
	Tries: nil Goals: 2 J. Fiddler (2)		Tries: 7 Graeme Langlands (2) Ted Goodwin Steve Rogers Warren Orr Tim Pickup John Lang Goals: 5 Graeme Langlands (5)	Attendance: 2,607 Gate £826 Referee: A. Givvons

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Tuesday, 13 November	St. Helens	11 – 7	Australia	Knowsley Road, St. Helens
	Tries: 1 F. Wilson Goals: 4 K. Coslett (4)	[13]	Tries: 1 Geoff Starling Goals: 2 Mick Cronin (2)	Attendance: 10,013 Gate £3,419 Referee: T. Keane

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Sunday, 18 November	Featherstone Rovers	13 – 18	Australia	Post Office Road, Featherstone
3.00pm	Tries: 2 L. Tonks W. Harris Goals: 3 H. Box (3) Field Goals: 1 S. Nash		Tries: 4 Ray Branighan (2) Bob Fulton Elwyn Walters Goals: 3 Mick Cronin (3)	Attendance: 5,659 Gate £7,776 Referee: S. Shepherd

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Second Test

The second test at Headingley in Leeds saw the Australian's tie the series at one game all with a 14-6 win in front of the tours largest attendance of 16,674.

Great Britain	6 – 14	Australia
Tries: Goals: Terry Clawson (3)	[14][15]	Tries: Bob McCarthy Goals: Graham Eadie (5)

Saturday, 24 November 1973

Headingley, Leeds Attendance: 16,674 Referee: Billy Thompson Player of the Match: Graham Eadie

Great Britain

Australia

FB 1 Paul Charlton RW 2 Clive Sullivan (c) RC 3 Syd Hynes LC 4 Chris Hesketh LW 5 John Atkinson SO 6 David Topliss SH 7 Steve Nash PR 8 Terry Clawson HK 9 Colin Clarke PR 10 Brian Lockwood SR 11 Phil Lowe SR 12 John Mantle LK 13 Ray Batten Substitutions: IC 14 David Eckersley IC 15 Colin Dixon Coach: Jim Challinor

FB 1 Graham Eadie RW 2 Lionel Williamson RC 3 Geoff Starling LC 4 Ray Branighan LW 5 Ted Goodwin FE 6 Bob Fulton HB 7 Tommy Raudonikis PR 8 Bob O'Reilly HK 9 Elwyn Walters PR 10 Arthur Beetson SR 11 Bob McCarthy (c) SR 12 Gary Stevens LF 13 Paul Sait Substitutions: IC 14 Ken Maddison IC 15 Coach: Graeme Langlands

Kangaroos captain-coach Graeme Langlands was ruled out of the second test with a broken hand. To replace him at fullback, Langlands selected Manly-Warringah's 19 year old dual premiership winning fullback Graham Eadie to make his test debut (Eadie, known affectionately as "Wombat", would turn 20 the next day). Eadie was also handed the goal kicking duties on the day and despite a very strong wind making conditions tricky for kickers, kicked 5 goals which proved vital in the Kangaroos 14-6 win over the Lions to keep The Ashes series alive.

After conceding 4 tries in the first test loss at Wembley, the Kangaroos kept their line intact with the Lions only scores coming from 3 goals by prop forward Terry Clawson.

Third Test

The Kangaroos won back The Ashes with a hard fought 15-5 win in trying conditions at Warrington. The pitch at Wilderspool was frozen which suited the Australians who were used to playing on hard grounds at home.

Great Britain	5 – 15	Australia
Tries: Roger Millward Goals: Roger Millward	[16][17]	Tries: Ken Maddison (2) Bob Fulton Geoff Starling Elwyn Walters Goals: Graham Eadie (0/4) Ray Branighan (0/2)

Saturday, 1 December 1973

Wilderspool, Warrington Attendance: 10,019 Referee: Billy Thompson Player of the Match: Ken Maddison

Great Britain

Australia

FB 1 Paul Charlton RW 2 Alan Smith RC 3 Syd Hynes LC 4 Chris Hesketh LW 5 Clive Sullivan (c) SO 6 David Eckersley SH 7 Roger Millward PR 8 Terry Clawson HK 9 Colin Clarke PR 10 Mick Harrison SR 11 George Nicholls SR 12 Phil Lowe LK 13 Doug Laughton Substitutions: IC 14 David Watkins IC 15 Colin Dixon Coach: Jim Challinor

FB 1 Graham Eadie RW 2 Lionel Williamson RC 3 Geoff Starling LC 4 Ray Branighan LW 5 David Waite FE 6 Bob Fulton HB 7 Tommy Raudonikis (c) PR 8 Bob O'Reilly HK 9 Elwyn Walters PR 10 Arthur Beetson SR 11 Ken Maddison SR 12 Gary Stevens LF 13 Paul Sait Substitutions: IC 14 Tim Pickup IC 15 Coach: Graeme Langlands

With coach Graeme Langlands still out with a broken hand and looking on from the sidelines, the Kangaroos wrapped up the Ashes with a 15-5 win on the frozen ground at Wilderspool. Man of the match Ken Maddison crossed for two tries while Warrington born Bob Fulton, centre Geoff Starling and hooker Elwyn Walters also crossed for tries. For the Lions, their only score came from a try and goal from Hull Kingston Rovers halfback Roger Millward.

France

Date	Opponent	Score	Ground	Referee	Crowd	Report
9 December	France	9 – 21	Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan	G. Jameau (FRA)	5,109
12 December	France XIII	12 – 24	Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux		2,523
16 December	France	3 – 14	Stade des Minimes, Toulouse	M. Caillol (FRA)	7,060

French Tests

First test

France	9 – 21	Australia
Tries: Michel Molinier André Ruiz Goals Roger Garrigue (1) Field Goals: Roger Garrigue (1)	[18]	Tries: Bob Fulton (2) Ted Goodwin (2) Geoff Starling Goals Ray Branighan (2) Michael Cronin (1)

Sunday, 9 December 1973

Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan Attendance: 5,109 Referee: Georges Jameau

France

Australia

FB 1 Maurice de Matos RW 2 Serge Marsolan RC 3 Michel Molinier LC 4 André Ruiz LW 5 Jean-Claude Marty SO 6 Patrick Rives SH 7 Roger Garrigue (c) PR 8 Christian Carré HK 9 Jacques Franc PR 10 Charles Thénégal SR 11 Jean-Jacques Cologni SR 12 Jean-Paul Sauret LK 13 Georges Bonet Substitutions: IC 14 Marius Frattini IC 15 Serge Gleyzes Coach:

FB 1 Ray Branighan RW 2 Lionel Williamson RC 3 Bob Fulton LC 4 Michael Cronin LW 5 David Waite FE 6 Tim Pickup HB 7 Tommy Raudonikis (c) PR 8 Arthur Beetson HK 9 John Lang PR 10 John O'Neill SR 11 Greg Pierce SR 12 Elwyn Walters LF 13 Geoff Starling Substitutions: IC 14 Ted Goodwin IC 15 Coach: Graeme Langlands

Second Test

Arthur Beetson became the first aboriginal player to captain Australia in a rugby league Test match.

France	3 – 14	Australia
Tries: Jacques Franc Goals:	[19]	Tries: Ray Branighan Michael Cronin Bob Fulton Ken Maddison Goals: Michael Cronin (1)

Sunday, 16 December 1973

Stade des Minimes, Toulouse Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Marcel Caillol

France

Australia

FB 1 José Calle RW 2 Serge Marsolan RC 3 Michel Molinier LC 4 André Ruiz LW 5 Jean-Claude Marty SO 6 Michel Mazaré SH 7 Roger Garrigue (c) PR 8 Victor Serrano HK 9 Jacques Franc PR 10 Christian Carré SR 11 Jean-Paul Sauret SR 12 Jean-Jacques Cologni LK 13 Serge Gleyzes Substitutions: IC 14 Georges Bonet IC 15 Lambert Brunet Coach:

FB 1 Ray Branighan RW 2 Ted Goodwin RC 3 Michael Cronin LC 4 Geoff Starling LW 5 David Waite FE 6 Bob Fulton HB 7 Tim Pickup PR 8 Bob O'Reilly HK 9 Elwyn Walters PR 10 Arthur Beetson (c) SR 11 Ken Maddison SR 12 Gary Stevens LF 13 Paul Sait Substitutions: IC 14 IC 15 Coach: Graeme Langlands

References

1. Christensen, E.E. (1974). E.E. Christensen's Official Rugby League Year Book 1974. State Library of NSW, Sydney: New South Wales Rugby League. p. 46.
2. "Fulton's three tries for 'Roos". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 2 Oct 1973. p. 18. Retrieved 26 Dec 2021.
3. "Rogers and Fulton impress". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 5 Oct 1973. p. 20. Retrieved 26 Dec 2021.
4. "Starling tops in league win". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 9 Oct 1973. p. 18. Retrieved 26 Dec 2021.
5. "Costly win for Kangaroos". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 16 Oct 1973. p. 20. Retrieved 26 Dec 2021.
6. "Kangaroos hooker has neck injury". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 22 Oct 1973. p. 12. Retrieved 26 Dec 2021.
7. "Eadie and Randall Test prospects". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 26 Oct 1973. p. 18. Retrieved 26 Dec 2021.
8. "Starling rated best Kangaroo". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 30 Oct 1973. p. 16. Retrieved 26 Dec 2021.
9. 1st Ashes Test
10. "Kangaroos lose first Test". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 5 Nov 1973. p. 12. Retrieved 26 Dec 2021.
11. "Manly continues to seek Phil Lowe". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 9 Nov 1973. p. 22. Retrieved 26 Dec 2021.
12. "Kangaroos score 32-2 victory". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 12 Nov 1973. p. 11. Retrieved 26 Dec 2021.
13. "Eadie Injury A Blow To Kangaroos". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 15 Nov 1973. p. 26. Retrieved 26 Dec 2021.
14. 2nd Ashes Test
15. "League series even after 14-6 win". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 26 Nov 1973. p. 14. Retrieved 26 Dec 2021.
16. 3rd Ashes Test
17. "15-5 victory clinches Test series". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 3 Dec 1973. p. 16. Retrieved 26 Dec 2021.
18. 1st Test - France vs Australia
19. 2ns Test - France vs Australia

External links

• 1973 Kangaroo Tour at Rugby League Project