KANGAROOS PROUD HISTORY

This is a continuation of the series on the History of the Kangaroos which Steve Ricketts put together at the request of Australian coach, Mal Meninga ahead of last year’s Pacific Cup competition. The potted history was contained in a booklet presented to the players ahead of the 2024 tournament.

CHAPTER NINE
1970-1980
RULE BRITANNIA – ALMOST

The decade started badly for Australia with the touring British side winning back the Ashes in a Test series which saw three different captains lead the Kangaroos – Graeme Langlands, John Sattler and Phil Hawthorn, the latter a former Wallaby. The First Test was another ‘Battle of Brisbane’, such was the level of violence. British prop, Cliff Watson introduced the phrase ‘Liverpool Kiss’ when he rearranged rival prop, Jim Morgan’s nose with a crunching head butt. Morgan, who scored two tries in Australia’s 37-15 victory, had no complaints. “I head butted Cliff first,” he said. Watson said it wasn’t a very good effort by Morgan. “I waited a few seconds, and then showed him how it was done.”

Morgan had the last laugh. “They can break my nose in any Test, as long as I can still score two tries,” he said. Morgan and Watson became close friends after Watson finished his playing career in Australia with Cronulla and then Port Kembla.

Inspired by one of British rugby league’s legends, Roger ‘The Dodger’ Millward, the tourists won the Second Test 28-7 in Sydney, and then won the decider 18-17 at the SCG, scoring five tries to one. Referee, Don Lancashire dismissed Arthur Beetson at the 60 minute mark after he whacked Watson. The goal kicking of Roosters’ fullback, Allan McKean kept Australia in the hunt, but the Brits were deserved winners.

The Kangaroos gained revenge by winning the World Cup Final against Britain at Headingley, Leeds in November that year, in a match described by the British press as the most violent football game of any code, ever to be played in the UK. The match was televised live by the BBC, and there was outrage in the popular press the next day. “Get these savages off our TV screens,” screamed one headline. Australian team manager, Ken Arthurson, a 2024 inductee into the NRL Hall of Fame, rated the 12-7 win one of Australia’s proudest days.

Australia was brought back to earth in Auckland the following year when they were walloped by the Kiwis 24-3 at Auckland’s Carlaw Park. The Kiwis toured Britain and France at the end of the season and won both series, with NZRFL officials declaring their side the best in the rugby league world.

A challenge went out from Australia for the Kiwis to tour here in 1972, but by the time they reached our shores, a number of players had signed for Sydney or English clubs, and were not eligible for selection under the rules of the day. Australia, captained by Graeme Langlands, won the first Test 36-11 in Sydney, and then backed up with a 31-7 win in Brisbane. Torres Strait Islander, George Ambrum scored two tries for Australia in his Test debut in Sydney. Legendary halfback, Tom Raudonikis made his Australian debut in this series, along with giant Roosters’ winger, Mark Harris.

Another World Cup was held in 1972 – in France – with Australia and Britain playing a 10-all draw in the final in Lyon, with neither side able to be separated after 20 minutes extra time. Britain were awarded the Cup because they were undefeated, and had beaten Australia in a lead-up game in Perpignan, when French referee Claude Teisseire awarded Britain what amounted to a seven point try, after winger, John Atkinson was hit late by Australian second rower, John ‘Snoozer’ Elford. British prop, Terry Clawson converted the Atkinson try, and when the teams returned to the halfway line, the British were given a penalty. Clawson landed a 50 metre goal.

Britain were captained in the World Cup by Welsh winger, Clive Sullivan, who became the first black man to captain Britain in any major team sport. A section of motorway leading into Hull is named after Sullivan, just as the highway west of Ipswich in Queensland is named after Darren Lockyer.

The 1972 World Cup Final is remembered for the try that never was. Australian halfback, Dennis Ward put through a chip kick, and Graeme Langlands followed, diving full length through the air to catch the ball on the fly, and then ground it safely. But French referee, Georges Jameau ruled Langlands off-side. Television replays show Langlands was well on side. Jameau explained later that he couldn’t believe it was possible for a man to get there so quickly.

ARTIE THE SKIPPER

Future Immortal, Arthur Beetson became the first Indigenous man to captain Australia in any team sport when he led the Kangaroos against France in Perpignan on December 9, 1973. Beetson had already captained New South Wales, following in the footsteps of fellow Indigenous stars, Bob Honeysett (1959) and Ron Saddler (1967). ‘Artie’, who started his senior football career in Roma, went on to captain Queensland in the inaugural State of Origin match in 1980.

The 1973 tourists lost only two of their 19 games, one of those losses to Great Britain in the First Test at London’s Wembley Stadium. Nineteen-year-old fullback, Graham ‘Wombat’ Eadie from the Manly-Warringah club made a marvellous debut in the Second Test in Leeds, which Australia won 14-6. Eadie landed five goals The try scorers were Bob Fulton and Bob McCarthy.

The Third Test was played in Warrington on a day when all soccer matches in England’s North were cancelled because of icy conditions, which made the grounds rock hard and slippery. But a Rugby League Test went ahead!! Officials dumped 18 tonnes of straw onto the ground, but it stayed frozen solid. Making matters worse, tractors used to move the straw, left jagged icy ruts in the surface. But strict television contracts and the upcoming French section of the tour meant the game had to go ahead.

Captained by Raudonikis, the Kangaroos were fearless, scoring five tries to one in 15-5 win, with the match attracted more media than usual for rugby league because it was about the only sporting event in the country. Cronulla second rower, Ken Maddison scored two rampaging tries for Australia, and later paid tribute to Sharks’ coach, former British Test halfback, Tommy Bishop for developing him into an attacking forward.

In France, the Kangaroos won the First Test 21-9, and the return match 14-3. French lock Jean-Pierre Sauret impressed the Kangaroos with his toughness, and they learned after the game he had played with three bullets lodged in his back, the result of a lover’s quarrel a few years earlier.

The tour was the first in green and gold for a future Australian skipper, Cronulla’s Steve ‘Sludge’ Rogers, who the previous year, as a 17-year-old, had played for Southport Tigers in a Group 18 Gold Coast Grand Final win over Tweed Heads Seagulls at Murwillumbah.

Langlands captained Australia in the First and Third Tests of the 1974 home series against Great Britain, with Beetson taking the reins in the Second Test. Former Australian captain, Ian Walsh described the British as “a bunch of reserve graders’ after they lost the First Test in Brisbane 12-6, a match in which future Parramatta skipper, Ray Higgs made his Australian debut, from Nambour. To some extent Walsh was on the money, because some of the best British players were contracted to Australian clubs, and were not eligible for selection – men such as Malcolm Reilly, Phil Lowe (Manly); Bill Ashurst, Mick Stephenson (Penrith); Brian Lockwood, Doug Laughton (Canterbury) and Tommy Bishop (Brisbane Norths).

Stung by the criticism of their form, the British won the return Test in Sydney 16-11 with former England rugby union forward, John Gray from Wigan kicking three goals and a field goal. His round the ball kicking style was unusual for the time, but his accuracy inspired a new breed of kickers.

Langlands was reinstated as captain-coach for the Third and deciding Test at the SCG, and he put in a mighty performance in front of a crowd of 55,505, with fans chanting ‘Changa, Changa’ during the second half. Langlands scored a try and kicked five goals, while Gray kicked six goals.

Many thought it would be Langlands’ last match in green and gold, but he was named captain-coach for the 1975 World Series, which was to be held across 10 months, in both hemispheres, on a home and away basis, with five countries – Australia, New Zealand, Wales, England and France. There was no provision for a final, and Australia were declared victors on the strength of their superior record.

Australia’s only loss was to England in Wigan, and the English also held Australia to a 10-10 draw in Sydney, so English fans declared it a hollow victory for the Kangaroos. England’s only loss was to Wales, but they had two draws – one with Australia and the other with the Kiwis. Wauchope product, Ian Schubert scored all three tries for Australia in the Wigan loss.

In 1976 Australia and New Zealand did not play any Tests, although there was a tour down under by champion English club, St Helens.

NEW AGE OF PROFESSIONALISM

There was another World Series in 1977 and Brisbane Souths’ prop, Greg Veivers captained Australia in the opening match against New Zealand in Auckland – after Arthur Beetson was overlooked. ARL boss, Kevin Humphreys over ruled the selectors, but Beetson said if he wasn’t good enough to get the nod in the first place, he didn’t want the job. Arthur was eventually talked around and captained Australia for the rest of the tournament, with the Kangaroos beating Great Britain 13-12 in the final at the SCG. Parramatta’s Terry Fearnley coached the Kangaroos. The 1977 tournament saw an amazing rise to stardom for Brisbane Brothers’ centre, Mark Thomas who had played reserve grade in 1976. Thomas scored a try on debut for Australia – in Auckland.

The debut of diminutive winger, Kerry Boustead from Innisfail in North Qld was the highlight of Australia’s 3-0 home series win over the Kiwis in 1978, with Boustead scoring two tries in the Second Test and one each in the other Tests. The series also saw the debut of former Wallaby, Ray Price. Wally Lewis, who had toured the UK with the Australian Schoolboys’ rugby union side in 1977, was starting to make people sit up and take notice, playing lock for Valleys in Brisbane.

Bob Fulton captained Australia in all three Tests against the Kiwis and then led the Kangaroos to Britain and France, under the coaching of Frank Stanton. The Kangaroos won the series in England 2-1, and also beat Wales in Swansea. The British fielded an ageing team, tagged ‘Dad’s Army’ by the local media. But the British team was still good enough to snag one Test – the return clash in Bradford. With hopes high, fans flooded into Headingley for the deciding Test, with the ground a 30,000 sell-out. But Australia blitzed the Brits, winning 23-6.

In France the Kangaroos suffered the same fate as the 1967-68 tourists, losing both Tests – 13-10 in Carcassonne and 11-10 in Toulouse. French refereeing left a lot to be desired and in a match against French colts in Albi, Roland Fielcard penalised Australia 33-2 with Alain Touchagues kicking 10 goals in a 20-5 victory. The Australians threw their hands in the air and took out their frustrations on the young French side with bruising defence, which resulted in even more penalties.

Britain sent another veteran side to Australia in 1979, and this time suffered the ignominy of their first ever 3-0 series loss to the Kangaroos. This led to much soul searching back in the UK. It was obvious Australia’s emerging fulltime professional era, particularly in Sydney, was widening the gulf between Australia and other league playing nations. Britain had previously won all three Tests against Australia, but this was the first time the Kangaroos had done it.

“Britain have been kidding themselves in recent years that they have a monopoly in brains and finesse and that the crude Aussies could be beaten if these qualities were applied properly,” wrote Jack McNamara from the Manchester Evening News. “But it is no use having the skill without the bodies to use it fully.”

Canterbury-Bankstown’s Greek born hooker, George Peponis, captained Australia after Fulton stepped down following the 1978 Kangaroo tour. Peponis was the first Canterbury junior to captain Australia. Tweed Heads raised Indigenous winger, Larry Corowa was the only Australian debutant in the three Test series. There were three Queenslanders involved in the 1979 series – Kerry Boustead, Rod Reddy and Rod Morris – but they all played for Sydney clubs and represented New South Wales because State of Origin football didn’t become part of the league landscape until the following year.

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