2007 All Golds Tour

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The 2007 All Golds Tour was conducted as part of the celebrations of a century of rugby league in New Zealand. It was a re-creation of the original New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain in 1907. The New Zealand Kiwis toured Great Britain and France playing four test matches. They lost the series against Great Britain 3-0. In addition a special game was played between the "All Golds" and the "Northern Union" which featured many players coming out of international retirement for the game.

Contents

[edit] History

Main article: 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain

In 1905 New Zealand's rugby union team toured Great Britain and witnessed the growing popularity of the professional Northern Union rugby code.

With this popularity in mind, and sensing a financial opportunity, Albert Henry Baskerville recruited a group of players for a professional tour of Great Britain, and wrote to the Northern Rugby Football Union asking if they were willing to host a New Zealand touring party. This team toured Australia and then Great Britain in 1907, and was known colloquially as the All Golds, or Professional All Blacks.

[edit] Fixtures

The New Zealand side played a total of five matches while on their European tour and one test in New Zealand before leaving.

Date Opponent Venue Result Score Attendance Report
13 October 2007 Australia Westpac Stadium, Wellington Lost 0-58 16,681 [1]
21 October 2007 All Golds v Northern Union Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington Won 25-18 [1]
27 October 2007 Great Britain Galpharm Stadium, Huddersfield Lost 14-20 16,522 [2]
3 November 2007 Great Britain Kingston Communications Stadium, Hull Lost 0-44 20,324 [3]
10 November 2007 Great Britain JJB Stadium, Wigan Lost 22-28 21,235 [4]
17 November 2007 France Stade Jean-Bouin, Paris Won 22-14 6,781 [5]
The third Test: New Zealand against Great Britain in 2007.

[edit] Australian representative

To celebrate the inclusion of Australia's Dally Messenger in the original All Golds tour, Andrew Johns was initially invited to join the New Zealand team for the match against the Northern Union.[2] However, due to a career ending neck injury, he was unable to play with the squad.[3]

Australian captain Darren Lockyer was then set to take Johns' place until he too was ruled out after suffering a season-ending knee injury.[4][5] Trent Barrett was then linked with the stand-off role in the side however the place was taken by New Zealand Warriors captain and Queensland front rower Steve Price.[6] The Australian Test prop said it was "mind-blowing" to be invited on the tour.[7][8]

[edit] All Blacks and former Kiwi Test players

The NZRL expressed interest to include recently retired New Zealand Rugby League Legends Nigel Vagana, Ruben Wiki, and Stacey Jones in test matches. All three came out of international retirement to play in the match against the Northern Union.

Several current and former All Blacks were also considered for the match against the Northern Union. Players who grew up playing rugby league such as Carlos Spencer, Piri Weepu and Ma'a Nonu were approached by the NZRL however none were available due to rugby union commitments.[9]

Jonah Lomu was also considered but was effectively ruled out due to media and personal appearance commitments at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.[10]

[edit] Coach

Brisbane Broncos coach Wayne Bennett accepted the invitation from the New Zealand Rugby League to join the All Golds for their commemorative match against the Northern Union in England in October.[11] The former Queensland and Australian coach stated "This is a great honour and it's unique in the game."[12]

[edit] All Golds v Northern Union Team

Interchange

Coach: Wayne Bennett

^Australian guest player

[edit] Aftermath

Coach Gary Kemble was fired after the tour losses, with Roy Asotasi and David Kidwell leading a public campaign to replace him. Kemble was replaced by Stephen Kearney as head coach and Wayne Bennett assistant coach, a combination which took the Kiwis to win the 2008 World Cup. The All Golds played another match, against the New Zealand Māori in New Plymouth, in 2008 as part of the lead up to the Rugby League World Cup.

[edit] See also

[edit] Sources

[edit] References

  1. ^ Shawn Dollin. "New Zealand vs Australia 2007". Archived from the original on 2009-09-04. http://www.webcitation.org/5jYD2UScE. Retrieved 2009-08-22. 
  2. ^ "Legend Johns to represent Kiwis". BBC. 2007-03-01. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/6375317.stm. Retrieved 2007-07-29. 
  3. ^ "Neck injury forces Johns to quit". BBC. 2007-04-10. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/6540309.stm. Retrieved 2007-07-29. 
  4. ^ "Lockyer to star in All Golds game". BBC. 2007-07-08. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/6281916.stm. Retrieved 2007-07-29. 
  5. ^ "Lockyer faces long injury lay-off". BBC. 2007-07-14. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/6898915.stm. Retrieved 2007-07-29. 
  6. ^ "No deadline on All Golds player". tvnz.co.nz. 2007-05-05. http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/1098266. Retrieved 2007-07-29. 
  7. ^ "Prop Price given All Golds berth". BBC. 2007-07-28. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/6920815.stm. Retrieved 2007-07-29. 
  8. ^ "Price accepts invitation". Newstalk ZB. 2007-07-29. http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=121640. Retrieved 2007-07-29. 
  9. ^ "Snubbed All Blacks get All Golds invite". Sydney Morning Herald. 2007-07-24. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4138955a10713.html. Retrieved 2007-07-29. 
  10. ^ "NZRL wants Lomu to switch codes for centenary match". Stuff.co.nz. 2007-07-22. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4138955a10713.html. Retrieved 2007-07-29. 
  11. ^ "Darren Lockyer and Wayne Bennett confirmer for NZ All Golds". RLeague.com. 2007-07-22. http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=28587. Retrieved 2007-07-29. 
  12. ^ "Bennett, Lockyer join All Golds". press.co.nz. 2007-07-09. http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/4120976a14896.html. Retrieved 2007-07-29. 
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