1959–60 Kangaroo tour

The 1959–60 Kangaroo tour was the tenth Kangaroo tour, in which the Australian national rugby league team traveled to Europe and played thirty-seven matches against British, French and Italian teams, including the Ashes series of three Test matches against Great Britain, two Test matches against the French and an additional two non-Test matches against an Italian representative team. It followed the tour of 1956-57 and the next was staged in 1963-64.

The squad's leadership

The team was coached by Clive Churchill. The team captain was Balmain Tigers Fullback Keith Barnes while the vice-captain was Manly-Warringah's dual rugby international forward Rex Mossop. Tour co-managers were Jack Argent and Ern Keffer.

Touring squad
Player Club Position(s) Tests Games Tries Goals F/Goals Points
Keith Barnes (c) Balmain Tigers Fullback 8
Dud Beattie Ipswich Railways (Qld) Prop 4
Ron Boden Toowoomba (Qld) Wing, Centre 0 13
Tony Brown Newtown Bluebags Five-eighth 2
Bob Bugden St George Dragons Halfback 0
Peter Burke Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Halfback 1
Brian Carlson North Sydney Bears Fullback, Centre, Wing 4
Brian Clay St George Dragons Five-eighth, Lock 6
Darrel Chapman Kempsey (NSW Country) Fullback 1 18
Bill Delamare Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Prop 2 19
Reg Gasnier St George Dragons Centre 6
Brian Hambly Wagga Magpies (NSW Country) Prop, Second-row 8
Ken Irvine North Sydney Bears Wing 3
Noel Kelly Ipswich Brothers (Qld) Prop, Hooker 1
Eddie Lumsden St George Dragons Wing 8
Rex Mossop (vc) Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Prop, Second-row 5
Barry Muir Brisbane Wests (Qld) Halfback 7
Gary Parcell Ipswich Brothers (Qld) Prop, Second-row 5
Don Parish Macquarie (NSW Country) Fullback 0 12
Jim Paterson South Townsville (Qld) Second-row, Prop 2
Johnny Raper St George Dragons Lock 4
Elton Rasmussen Toowoomba (Qld) Prop, Second-row 0
Johnny Riley St George Dragons Centre 1 13
Ian Walsh Eugowra (NSW Country) Hooker 8
Harry Wells Western Suburbs Magpies Centre 7
Billy Wilson St George Dragons Prop 6

Great Britain

The largest non-test attendance of the tour was 29,156 when the Kangaroos defeated St. Helens at Knowsley Road.

Test Venues

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

Swinton Leeds Wigan
Station Road Headingley Central Park
Capacity: 40,000 Capacity: 30,000 Capacity: 40,000

The Ashes series

The Ashes series against Great Britain saw an aggregate crowd of 91,604 attending the Test series. The largest attendance of the tour came during the Kangaroos 22-14 first test win over Great Britain at Station Road in Swinton with 35,224 in attendance.

First Test

The first Ashes series test was played at Station Road, Swinton and drew the tours largest attendance of 35,224. Australia won the first test 22-14 with Reg Gasnier playing in his first ever test match against Great Britain named as the man of the match with 3 tries.

Saturday, 17 October
Great Britain  14 – 22  Australia
Tries:
Billy Boston
Derek Turner
Goals:
Eric Fraser (4)		 [1] Tries:
Reg Gasnier (3)
Harry Wells
Goals:
Keith Barnes (5)
Station Road, Swinton
Attendance: 35,224
Referee: R. Gelder
Man of the Match: Reg Gasnier
Great Britain Position Australia
Eric FraserFBKeith Barnes (c)
Billy BostonWGJohnny Riley
Eric Ashton (c)CEHarry Wells
Alan DaviesCEReg Gasnier
Mick SullivanWGEddie Lumsden
Dave BoltonSOBrian Clay
Alex MurphySHBarry Muir
Abe TerryPRBilly Wilson
Tommy HarrisHKIan Walsh
Brian McTiguePRDud Beattie
Mick MartynSRGary Parcell
Dick HuddartSRRex Mossop
Derek TurnerLFBrian Hambly
Jim ChallinorCoachClive Churchill

5 days prior to the match against Bradford Northern, the Kangaroos played the first test against France.

Second Test

The Kangaroos went within one penalty goal of becoming the first All-Australian team to win The Ashes on British soil and the first touring side to win The Ashes since 1911-12. However, the Lions survived and the series would go on to a deciding 3rd test.

Saturday, 21 November
Great Britain  11 – 10  Australia
Tries:
Neil Fox
Don Robinson
Johnny Whiteley
Goals:
Neil Fox (1)		 [2] Tries:
Brian Carlson (2)


Goals:
Keith Barnes (1)
Brian Carlson (1)
Headingley, Leeds
Attendance: 30,301
Referee: R. Gelder
Great Britain Position Australia
Frank DysonFBKeith Barnes (c)
Ike SouthwardWGEddie Lumsden
Eric AshtonCEHarry Wells
Neil FoxCEReg Gasnier
Mick SullivanWGBrian Carlson
Dave BoltonSOBrian Clay
Jeff Stevenson (c)SHBarry Muir
Don RobinsonPRGary Parcell
Tommy HarrisHKIan Walsh
Abe TerryPRBilly Wilson
Don VinesSRElton Rasmussen
Brian McTigueSRRex Mossop
Johnny WhiteleyLFBrian Hambly
Jim ChallinorCoachClive Churchill

Third Test

This would be the final time that Great Britain (or England) would win the Ashes on home soil (as of 2017).

Saturday, 12 December
Great Britain  18 – 12  Australia
Tries:
Neil Fox
Ike Southward
Goals:
Neil Fox (6)		 [3] Tries:
Brian Carlson
Johnny Raper
Goals:
Keith Barnes (3)
Central Park, Wigan
Attendance: 26,089
Referee: Eric Clay
Great Britain Position Australia
Gerry RoundFBKeith Barnes (c)
Ike SouthwardWGEddie Lumsden
Eric AshtonCEHarry Wells
Neil FoxCEReg Gasnier
Mick SullivanWGBrian Carlson
Dave BoltonSOBrian Clay
Jeff Stevenson (c)SHBarry Muir
Jack WilkinsonPRBilly Wilson
Tommy HarrisHKIan Walsh
Abe TerryPRDud Beattie
Don RobinsonSRBrian Hambly
Brian McTigueSRRex Mossop
Johnny WhiteleyLFJohnny Raper
Jim ChallinorCoachClive Churchill

France

The first two games of the French leg of the tour were actually played while The Kangaroos were still completing the British leg.

First Test

Australia won the first test against the French at the Parc des Princes in Paris. Kangaroos winger Eddie Lumsden crossed for 3 tries while legendary winger Ken Irvine made the first of 33 test appearances for Australia.

Saturday, 31 October
France  19 – 20  Australia
Tries:
Aldo Quaglio

Goals:
Andre Lacaze (6)
Field Goals:
Andre Lacaze (2)		 [4] Tries:
Eddie Lumsden (3)
Harry Wells
Goals:
Keith Barnes (4)
Parc des Princes, Paris
Attendance: 9,864
Referee: Georges Jameau
Man of the Match: Eddie Lumsden
France Position Australia
Andre LacazeFBKeith Barnes (c)
Maurice VoronWGEddie Lumsden
Jacques Merquey (c)CEHarry Wells
Antoine JiminezCEReg Gasnier
Andre SavonneWGKen Irvine
Gilbert BenausseSOTony Brown
Georges FagesSHBarry Muir
Jean PanoPRGary Parcell
Antranick AppelianHKIan Walsh
Aldo QuaglioPRDud Beattie
Robert EramouspeSRJim Paterson
J. AubertSRRex Mossop
S. TonusLFBrian Hambly
CoachClive Churchill

The game against the French Army XIII was played 4 days before the third Ashes test against Great Britain

Second Test
Sunday, 20 December
France  2 – 17  Australia
Tries:
Raymond Gruppi
G. Velvaud

Goals
Claude Mantoulan (1)		 [5] Tries:
Brian Carlson
Johnny Raper
Harry Wells
Goals
Keith Barnes (4)
Stade Municipal, Bordeaux
Attendance: 8,848
Referee: A. Cassan
France Position Australia
Claude MantoulanFBKeith Barnes (c)
Maurice VoronWGBrian Carlson
Jean FoussatCEHarry Wells
Antoine Jiminez (c)CEReg Gasnier
Andre SavonneWGEddie Lumsden
Robert MoulinasSOJohnny Raper
Rene JeanSHBarry Muir
H. ContiPRBilly Wilson
Andre CasasHKIan Walsh
Marcel BescosPRDud Beattie
Robert EramouspeSRGary Parcell
Jean BartheSRBrian Hambly
S TonusLFBrian Clay
CoachClive Churchill

Third Test
Wednesday, 20 January
France  8 – 16  Australia
Tries:
Raymond Gruppi
G. Velvaud

Goals
Andre Lacaze (1)		 [6] Tries:
Johnny Raper (2)
Reg Gasnier
Brian Hambly
Goals
Keith Barnes (2)
Parc des Sports, Roanne
Attendance: 6,932
Referee: Georges Jameau
France Position Australia
Andre LacazeFBKeith Barnes (c)
Raymond GruppiWGEddie Lumsden
Jean FoussatCEHarry Wells
G. VelvaudCEReg Gasnier
Andre SavonneWGBrian Carlson
Claude MantoulanSOJohnny Raper
Bernard FabreSHBarry Muir
H. ContiPRBilly Wilson
Andre CasasHKIan Walsh
Marcel BescosPRElton Rasmussen
P. LaurentSRJim Paterson
S. TonusSRBrian Hambly
Georges FagesLFBrian Clay
CoachClive Churchill

Italy

To finish the tour, the Kangaroos played two games against an Italian representative team.

Ken Irvine crossed for 6 tries in this game.

gollark: Unless the intention is that you would eventually end up with adaptations to being hotter.
gollark: You would just get back to where you started though.
gollark: How would that help? You would just get hotter.
gollark: You would probably have to swap out a bunch of important proteins to make everything work. Which would be hard, as lots of them are probably ridiculously optimized for their current function.
gollark: Does it matter? In most contexts where you *need* to know if something is "alive" there's probably a more specific definition which categorises them better.

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