1972 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand and Fiji

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1972 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand and Fiji
ManagerJoe French
Tour captain(s)Greg Davis
Summary
P W D L
Total
14 06 01 07
Test match
04 01 00 03
Opponent
P W D L
 New Zealand
3 0 0 3
 Fiji
1 1 0 0

The 1972 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand and Fiji was a series of thirteen rugby union matches, including three tests, played by the Wallabies in New Zealand, plus a one-off test match played by the Wallabies against the Fijians in Fiji. The tour took place in August and September 1972.[1]

The test series in New Zealand was won by the All Blacks with three wins from three matches. The test match in Fiji was won by the Wallabies.[2]

Results[edit]

Scores and results list Australia's points tally first.

Opposing Team For Against Date Venue Status
Otago 0 26 5 Aug 1972 Carisbrook, Dunedin Tour match[3]
West Coast-Buller 10 15 9 Aug 1972 Victoria Square, Westport Tour match[4]
Taranaki 20 15 12 Aug 1972 Rugby Park, New Plymouth Tour match[5]
Bay of Plenty 6 6 15 Aug 1972 Tauranga Domain, Tauranga Tour match[6]
New Zealand New Zealand 6 29 19 Aug 1972 Athletic Park, Wellington Test match[7]
King Country 13 6 23 Aug 1972 Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui Tour match[8]
Hawke's Bay 14 15 26 Aug 1972 McLean Park, Napier Tour match[9]
Nelson Bays 26 7 29 Sep 1972 Trafalgar Park, Nelson Tour match[10]
New Zealand New Zealand 17 30 2 Sep 1972 Lancaster Park, Christchurch Test match[11]
North Otago 37 12 5 Sep 1972 Centennial Park, Oamaru Tour match[12]
Waikato 24 26 9 Sep 1972 Rugby Park, Hamilton Tour match[13]
Poverty Bay /
East Coast		 22 19 12 Sep 1972 Rugby Park, Gisborne Tour match[14]
New Zealand New Zealand 3 38 16 Sep 1972 Eden Park, Auckland Test match[2]
Fiji Fiji 21 19 19 Sep 1972 National Stadium, Suva Test match[15]

Squad leadership[edit]

The Wallaby squad was captained by Greg Davis described by Howell as "a leader of men who believed a leader should lead....a single minded flanker who gave no quarter and asked for none".[16] Davis was making his seventh and final overseas tour with the Wallabies, his third as captain. Howell writes that for Davis at 33 years and the end of a magnificent career, the seven loss & five win result of the tour was "a disaster and occasioned Davis' retirement".[17] An injury picked up in New Zealand prevented Davis from leading the side in the Test match in Fiji on the way home. Peter Sullivan led the Wallabies to a narrow 21-19 victory against Fiji. He had already captained Australia in two mid-week games during the New Zealand leg. The third Test in New Zealand, a 38-3 romp by the All Blacks was Greg Davis' last match.[17]

Joe French was the Tour Manager. Bob Templeton was the team's coach who carried the traditional touring title of Assistant Manager.[1]

Touring party[edit]

  • Manager - Joe French
  • Assistant manager - Bob Templeton
  • Captain - Greg Davis

Backs[edit]

Forwards[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Wallaby manager wants more tours". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Team records Australia between 1 August 1972 and 30 September 1972". espnscrum.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  3. ^ "Wallabies thrashed 26–0 by Otago". The Canberra Times. 7 August 1972. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  4. ^ "Combined team thwarts Wallabies' efforts". The Canberra Times. 10 August 1972. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  5. ^ "Wallabies beat Taranaki". The Canberra Times. 13 August 1972. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  6. ^ "NZ team draws with Wallabies". The Canberra Times. 16 August 1972. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  7. ^ "Wallabies go down to All Blacks in first Test". The Canberra Times. 21 August 1972. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  8. ^ "Wallabies triumph in bruising match". The Canberra Times. 24 August 1972. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  9. ^ "Wallabies go down to NZ team 14–15". The Canberra Times. 28 August 1972. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  10. ^ "Bays won the second spell". Nelson Photo News No. 143. 16 September 1972. p. 4. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  11. ^ "Rugby union tests and series won by All Blacks". The Canberra Times. 4 September 1972. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  12. ^ "Wallabies swamp NZ side". The Canberra Times. 6 September 1972. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  13. ^ "Waikato downs Wallabies 26–24". The Canberra Times. 11 September 1972. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  14. ^ "Wallabies beat combined side by 22–19". The Canberra Times. 13 September 1972. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  15. ^ "Wallabies beat Fijians 21–19". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  16. ^ Howell p189
  17. ^ a b Howell p192
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