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.

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

1973 NSWRFL Premiers Manly-Warringah provided a record 6 players to the Kangaroos.

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

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.

Saturday, 3 November 1973
Great Britain  21 – 12  Australia
Tries:
Phil Lowe (2)
Colin Clarke
Brian Lockwood
Goals:
Terry Clawson (4)
Field Goals:
Steve Nash (1)		 [1] Tries:
Ray Branighan
Bob Fulton

Goals:
Graeme Langlands (3)
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 9,874
Referee: Billy Thompson
Man of the Match: Phil Lowe
Great Britain
Australia
FB1 Paul Charlton
RW2 Clive Sullivan (c)
RC3 Syd Hynes
LC4 Chris Hesketh
LW5 John Atkinson
SO6 David Topliss
SH7 Steve Nash
PR8 Terry Clawson
HK9 Colin Clarke
PR10 Brian Lockwood
SR11 Phil Lowe
SR12 George Nicholls
LK13 Ray Batten
Substitutions:
IC14
IC15
Coach:
Jim Challinor
FB1 Graeme Langlands (c)
RW2 Ray Branighan
RC3 Bob Fulton
LC4 Geoff Starling
LW5 Ted Goodwin
FE6 Tim Pickup
HB7 Tommy Raudonikis
PR8 Bob O'Reilly
HK9 Elwyn Walters
PR10 Arthur Beetson
SR11 Bob McCarthy
SR12 Ken Maddison
LF13 Paul Sait
Substitutions:
IC14
IC15
Coach:
Graeme Langlands

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.

Saturday, 24 November 1973
Great Britain  6 – 14  Australia
Tries:

Goals:
Terry Clawson (3)		 [2] Tries:
Bob McCarthy
Goals:
Graham Eadie (5)
Headingley, Leeds
Attendance: 16,674
Referee: Billy Thompson
Man of the Match: Graham Eadie
Great Britain
Australia
FB1 Paul Charlton
RW2 Clive Sullivan (c)
RC3 Syd Hynes
LC4 Chris Hesketh
LW5 John Atkinson
SO6 David Topliss
SH7 Steve Nash
PR8 Terry Clawson
HK9 Colin Clarke
PR10 Brian Lockwood
SR11 Phil Lowe
SR12 John Mantle
LK13 Ray Batten
Substitutions:
IC14 David Eckersley
IC15 Colin Dixon
Coach:
Jim Challinor
FB1 Graham Eadie
RW2 Lionel Williamson
RC3 Geoff Starling
LC4 Ray Branighan
LW5 Ted Goodwin
FE6 Bob Fulton
HB7 Tommy Raudonikis
PR8 Bob O'Reilly
HK9 Elwyn Walters
PR10 Arthur Beetson
SR11 Bob McCarthy (c)
SR12 Gary Stevens
LF13 Paul Sait
Substitutions:
IC14 Ken Maddison
IC15
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.

Saturday, 1 December 1973
Great Britain  5 – 15  Australia
Tries:
Roger Millward



Goals:
Roger Millward		 [3] Tries:
Ken Maddison (2)
Bob Fulton
Geoff Starling
Elwyn Walters
Goals:
Graham Eadie (0/4)
Ray Branighan (0/2)
Wilderspool, Warrington
Attendance: 10,019
Referee: Billy Thompson
Man of the Match: Ken Maddison
Great Britain
Australia
FB1 Paul Charlton
RW2 Alan Smith
RC3 Syd Hynes
LC4 Chris Hesketh
LW5 Clive Sullivan (c)
SO6 David Eckersley
SH7 Roger Millward
PR8 Terry Clawson
HK9 Colin Clarke
PR10 Mick Harrison
SR11 George Nicholls
SR12 Phil Lowe
LK13 Doug Laughton
Substitutions:
IC14 David Watkins
IC15 Colin Dixon
Coach:
Jim Challinor
FB1 Graham Eadie
RW2 Lionel Williamson
RC3 Geoff Starling
LC4 Ray Branighan
LW5 David Waite
FE6 Bob Fulton
HB7 Tommy Raudonikis (c)
PR8 Bob O'Reilly
HK9 Elwyn Walters
PR10 Arthur Beetson
SR11 Ken Maddison
SR12 Gary Stevens
LF13 Paul Sait
Substitutions:
IC14 Tim Pickup
IC15
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
Sunday, 9 December 1973
France  9 – 21  Australia
Tries:
Michel Molinier
André Ruiz

Goals
Roger Garrigue (1)

Field Goals:
Roger Garrigue (1)		 [4] Tries:
Bob Fulton (2)
Ted Goodwin (2)
Geoff Starling
Goals
Ray Branighan (2)
Michael Cronin (1)
Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan
Attendance: 5,109
Referee: Georges Jameau
France
Australia
FB1Maurice de Martos
RW2Serge Marsolan
RC3Michel Molinier
LC4André Ruiz
LW5Jean-Claude Marty
SO6Patrick Rives
SH7Roger Garrigue (c)
PR8Christian Carré
HK9Jacques Franc
PR10Charles Thénégal
SR11Jean-Jacques Cologni
SR12Jean-Paul Sauret
LK13Georges Bonet
Substitutions:
IC14Marius Frattini
IC15Serge Gleyzes
Coach:
FB1 Ray Branighan
RW2 Lionel Williamson
RC3 Bob Fulton
LC4 Michael Cronin
LW5 David Waite
FE6 Tim Pickup
HB7 Tommy Raudonikis (c)
PR8 Arthur Beetson
HK9 John Lang
PR10 John O'Neill
SR11 Greg Pierce
SR12 Elwyn Walters
LF13 Geoff Starling
Substitutions:
IC14 Ted Goodwin
IC15
Coach:
Graeme Langlands

Second Test

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

Sunday, 16 December 1973
France  3 – 14  Australia
Tries:
Jacques Franc



Goals:		 [5] Tries:
Ray Branighan
Michael Cronin
Bob Fulton
Ken Maddison
Goals:
Michael Cronin (1)
Stade des Minimes, Toulouse
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Marcel Caillol
France
Australia
FB1José Calle
RW2Serge Marsolan
RC3Michael Moliner
LC4André Ruiz
LW5Jean-Claude Marty
SO6Michael Mazaré
SH7Roger Garrigue (c)
PR8Victor Serrano
HK9Jacques Franc
PR10Christian Carré
SR11Jean-Paul Sauret
SR12Jean-Jacques Cologni
LK13Serge Gleyzes
Substitutions:
IC14Georges Bonet
IC15Lambert Brunet
Coach:
FB1 Ray Branighan
RW2 Ted Goodwin
RC3 Michael Cronin
LC4 Geoff Starling
LW5 David Waite
FE6 Bob Fulton
HB7 Tim Pickup
PR8 Bob O'Reilly
HK9 Elwyn Walters
PR10 Arthur Beetson (c)
SR11 Ken Maddison
SR12 Gary Stevens
LF13 Paul Sait
Substitutions:
IC14
IC15
Coach:
Graeme Langlands

References
  1. 1st Ashes Test
  2. 2nd Ashes Test
  3. 3rd Ashes Test
  4. 1st Test - France vs Australia
  5. 2ns Test - France vs Australia
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