Kangaroo Tour: 2003

Sean Fagan of RL1908.com

The Kangaroos of 2003 ventured to New Zealand for a one-off Test, won by the Kiwis, before they embarked on a six match tour of France, Wales and England. The last three matches were all Tests against Great Britain.

With both Andrew Johns and Gorden Tallis unavailable the Maroon's Darren Lockyer was appointed captain - the fourth Kangaroo tour leader from Queensland.

A gruelling NRL season had seen the squad missing up to 15 front line players, and the loss to the Kiwis increased the opinion that this would be Australia's most inexperienced Kangaroo team seen in a long time.

Of the 17 Australian players in the team that thrashed Great Britain in Sydney in July 2002, just five remained. The only back was Lockyer, while from the forwards and bench there was Webcke, Buderus, Simpson and Mason.

The Kangaroos played three lead up matches before the Tests. They won them all, but at times were scratchy. Against 'England A' the Australian side held on in the final few minutes to win 26-22 and avoid their first tour loss (outside of Tests) since 1978. The Great Britain side entered the Test series with many rating them a strong chance to regain the Ashes.

In the First Test drama erupted when the opening tackle of the match saw Britain's Adrian Morley hit Australia's Robbie Kearns in a high tackle. Morley was sent off and the home side battled on with 12 men on the field for virtually the whole match.

Under captain Andy Farrell the home side fought on courageously in an enthralling Test. Britain appeared to have secured a memorable win when Irishman Brian Carney scored a try eight minutes from the end to put them in the lead 18-16. In the final moments of play the Kangaroos ran the ball on the fifth tackle and makeshift centre Craig Wing speared through a gap to set up a winning try to Lockyer.

Morley held his place in the Lions side for the 2nd Test when 'send-off sufficient' was the penalty imposed for his high tackle. Again Great Britain held the better of the game and at one stage were up 20-8 over the Kangaroos. However, unable to gain a penalty from NRL referee Tim Mander in the final sixty minutes of the game, the Lions gradually saw their lead cut down by the Kangaroos.

In the final ten minutes a penalty goal by Craig Fitzgibbon drew Australia level at 20-20, before a field goal from Brett Kimmorley edged the visitors in front. A late goal by the Kangaroos saw them run out winners 23-20 and secure the Ashes series. Britain had for the most part of two Tests been the frontrunners, yet the series was gone.

Kangaroos coach Chris Anderson caused a controversy to erupt after he called Darren Smith, who was in England playing for St Helens, into the 3rd Test team. With Ryan Girdler and Craig Gower out injured, Smith was drafted into the squad as an 'emergency' replacement. However three other Kangaroos had remained unused in the Tests, including Penrith's winger Luke Lewis, and they were overlooked in preference to Smith.

In the 3rd Test the Lions held control for most of the game and led 12-6 with only minutes remaining. After an inspired defensive effort for most of the second half, Great Britain lapsed in the dying moments of the Test as Australia scored two converted tries to win 18-12.

The 3-0 loss was not a true reflection of the close-fought series. Great Britain had been in front going into the last ten minutes of every Test and somehow lost them all. Credit must be given to the Kangaroos for playing out the full 80 minutes in each game. In the end that was probably the difference between the sides.

Australia were also particularly good at denying the Lions any penalties in the second half of the matches. Almost all the '50/50' decisions favoured the Kangaroos. Rather than that being seen as the Aussies getting the better of the referees, the reality is that the visitors 'gamesmanship' and the brilliance of Lockyer and Kimmorley got them over the line.

Comparisons with the undefeated Kangaroo tourists of '82 and '86 were made. To be fair to their predecessors though, they had much more arduous tours and their opponents were given at least two weeks between Tests to regroup.

Tour Details:

2003 v Great Britain

GREAT BRITAIN
1st Test - 8 November: won 22-18 / JJB Stadium, Wigan
2nd Test - 15 November: won 23-20 / KC Stadium, Hull
3rd Test - 22 November: won 18-12 / McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield

RECORD: P: 6 W: 6 L: 0 FOR: 199 AGST: 86
TEST SERIES: Won 3-0

AGGREGATE ATTENDANCE: 91, 666

SYDNEY ROOSTERS 6 (Michael Crocker, Craig Fitzgibbon, Shannon Hegarty, Anthony Minichiello, Luke Ricketson, Craig Wing,)

CANTERBURY 1 (Willie Mason)

ST. GEORGE-ILLAWARRA 0

PARRAMATTA 0

PENRITH 5 (Joel Clinton, Luke Lewis, Ryan Girdler, Craig Gower, Trent Waterhouse)

CRONULLA 2 (Phil Bailey, Brett Kimmorley)

NTH QUEENSLAND 1 (Matt Sing)

CANBERRA 0

MANLY 0

BRISBANE 4 (Petero Civoniceva, Michael De Vere, Darren Lockyer Capt., Shane Webcke)

NEWCASTLE 2 (Danny Buderus, Steve Simpson)

NEW ZEALAND 1 (Richard Villasanti)

WESTS TIGERS 0

MELBOURNE 1 (Robbie Kearns)

ST HELENS 1 (Darren Smith*)

* was added to squad while in England

08/09 Lutge - 11/12 McKivat - 21/22 Cubitt 29/30 Gorman - 33/34 McMillan - 37/38 Prigg 48/49 Maxwell - 52/53 Churchill - 56/57 Kearney 59/60 Barnes - 63/64 Summons - 67/68 Gasnier 1973 Langlands - 1978 Fulton - 1982 Krilich 1986 Lewis - 1990 Meninga - 1994 Meninga 2001 Fittler - 2003 Lockyer

Copyright © 2006 - Sean Fagan. All rights reserved - the article above may not be reproduced (in full or part) in any form without written permission.