2001_Kangaroo_tour

2001 Kangaroo tour

2001 Kangaroo tour

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Not to be confused with 2001 Wallaby tour.

The 2001 Kangaroo Tour was the Australia national rugby league team's nineteenth Kangaroo tour of Great Britain. The truncated tour featured only the three Ashes series Test matches against Great Britain. The 2001 tour was almost abandoned due to military action in the wake of the September 11 attacks.[1] Australia continued its dominance, winning two of the three tests against Great Britain and retaining The Ashes that they have held since 1973.

Background

The 2001 Kangaroo tour was initially cancelled by the Australian Rugby League (ARL) but after strong public opinion in both Great Britain and Australia, it went ahead. However, the only games played were the three tests, marking the first Kangaroo Tour to not play against any British club or provincial teams. The 2001 tour was also the first since 1952-53 not to include a test series against France following The Ashes series.

Touring Squad

The team was coached by Chris Anderson who was making his third Kangaroo Tour, and first as coach, after playing in the 1978 and 1982 tours, the second in 1982 as a member of the famed "Invincibles". Team captain was Brad Fittler, the youngest ever Kangaroo tourist in 1990 at the age of 18, was making his third and last Kangaroo Tour after being part of the successful 1990 and 1994 touring teams. Fittler was also the only member of the squad that had previously taken part in a Kangaroo tour.

Player Club Position(s) Games Tries Goals F/Goals Points
Braith Anasta Canterbury Bulldogs Five-eighth 3 1 0 0 4
Trent Barrett St. George Illawarra Dragons Five-eighth, Halfback 3 2 0 0 8
Nathan Blacklock St. George Illawarra Dragons Wing 1 0 0 0 0
Danny Buderus Newcastle Knights Hooker 3 0 0 0 0
Dane Carlaw Brisbane Broncos Prop, Second-row 3 0 0 0 0
Petero Civoniceva Brisbane Broncos Prop 3 0 0 0 0
Brad Fittler (c) Sydney Roosters Five-eighth 3 1 1 0 6
Mark Gasnier St. George Illawarra Dragons Centre 0 0 0 0 0
Matthew Gidley Newcastle Knights Centre 3 1 0 0 4
Andrew Johns Newcastle Knights Halfback 3 3 11 0 34
Robbie Kearns Melbourne Storm Prop 3 0 0 0 0
Ben Kennedy Newcastle Knights Lock 3 1 0 0 4
Darren Lockyer Brisbane Broncos Fullback 3 2 0 0 8
Jamie Lyon Parramatta Eels Centre 3 0 0 0 0
Adam MacDougall Newcastle Knights Centre, Wing 3 2 0 0 8
Brad Meyers Brisbane Broncos Second-row, Prop 2 1 0 0 4
Jason Ryles St. George Illawarra Dragons Prop 3 0 0 0 0
Jason Stevens Cronulla Sharks Prop 3 0 0 0 0
Lote Tuqiri Brisbane Broncos Wing 2 0 0 0 0
Michael Vella Parramatta Eels Prop 2 0 0 0 0
Daniel Wagon Parramatta Eels Lock, Wing 0 0 0 0 0

Ashes series

Date Opponent Score Ground Referee Crowd Report
November 11  Great Britain 20 – 12 McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield R. Connolly (GB) 21,458 bbc.co.uk
November 17  Great Britain 12 – 40 Reebok Stadium, Bolton B. Harrigan (AUS) 22,152 bbc.co.uk
November 24  Great Britain 8 – 28 JJB Stadium, Wigan B. Harrigan (AUS) 25,011 bbc.co.uk

1st Test

More information Great Britain, 20 – 12 ...
11 November 2001
McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield
Attendance: 21,758
Referee: Robert Connolly United Kingdom
Player of the Match: Paul Sculthorpe [3]
More information Great Britain, Position ...

Great Britain led 12 nil at half time but after the break Australia came back strongly. The home side were able to get the upset in the end.[4]

2nd Test

More information Great Britain, 12 – 40 ...
17 November 2001
Reebok Stadium, Bolton
Attendance: 22,152
Referee: Bill Harrigan Australia
Player of the Match: Andrew Johns [6]
More information Great Britain, Position ...

After trailing 40 nil at half time, Great Britain's two tries in the final ten minutes were too little too late.[7] The main contributors of Australia's victory were scrum half back Andrew Johns, who scored two tries and kicked all but one of the six conversions, and fullback Darren Lockyer.[8]

3rd Test

For the first time since the 1986 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France, the Lions and Kangaroos had met in Wigan.

More information Great Britain, 8 – 28 ...
24 November 2001
JJB Stadium, Wigan
Attendance: 25,011
Referee: Bill Harrigan Australia
Player of the Match: Trent Barrett [10]
More information Great Britain, Position ...

Great Britain scored the opening try of the match early in the first half, but by the break trailed 12-6 behind Australia.[11] During the first half of the game, Australia's coach Chris Anderson suffered a heart attack and was taken to hospital.[12]

Statistics

Leading Try Scorer

Leading Point Scorer

Largest Attendance

References

  1. [1]
    "Ashes tour back on". BBC News. 16 October 2001. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  2. [2]
    1st Test Report
  3. [3]
    Gordos, Phil (11 November 2001). "Great Britain stun Aussies". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  4. [4]
    "Clockwatch: GB 20-12 Australia". BBC News. 11 November 2001. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  5. [5]
    2nd Test Report
  6. [6]
    "Johns warns against complacency". BBC News. 17 November 2001. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  7. [7]
    "Clockwatch: GB 12-40 Australia". BBC News. 17 November 2001. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  8. [8]
    Chowdhury, Saj (17 November 2001). "Australia humiliate Lions". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  9. [9]
    3rd Test Report
  10. [10]
    Chowdhury, Saj (24 November 2001). "Kangaroos seal Ashes triumph". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  11. [11]
    "Clockwatch: GB 8-28 Australia". BBC News. 24 November 2001. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  12. [12]
    Chowdhury, Saj (25 November 2001). "Aussie coach suffers heart attack". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
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