1986 New Zealand rugby league tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea

The 1986 New Zealand rugby league tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea was a tour by the New Zealand national rugby league team. Test matches were played in New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea. The tour began on 6 July in Auckland and finished on 17 August in Port Moresby, consisted of five test matches, with two of them counting towards the 1985-88 World Cup.

After having lost 18-0 to the Kiwis at Carlaw Park in the 3rd test of the 1985 series, Australia won the 1986 series 3-0. New Zealand then continued their tour to Papua New Guinea. In Papua New Guinea they won the first test against Papua New Guinea 36-26. They then lost the second test match 22-24, a match which counted towards the 1988 World Cup.

Squads

Australia

Australia was coached for the first time by 1956–57 Kangaroo Tourist Don Furner. Wally Lewis was the captain of the team with Wayne Pearce the team vice captain.

The players used by Australia in the series was: Wally Lewis (Wynnum Manly) (c), Wayne Pearce (Balmain) (vc), Noel Cleal (Manly Warringah), Steve Folkes (Canterbury-Bankstown), Garry Jack (Balmain), Brett Kenny (Parramatta), Les Kiss (North Sydney), Terry Lamb (Canterbury-Bankstown), Gene Miles (Wynnum Manly), Bryan Niebling (Redcliffe), Michael O'Connor (St George), Steve Roach (Balmain), Dale Shearer (Manly-Warringah), Royce Simmons (Penrith), Peter Sterling (Pattamatta), Peter Tunks (Canterbury-Bankstown).

Of the players used by Australia, only Wayne Pearce (injury) and Peter Tunks (personal reasons) did not go on the end of season 1986 Kangaroo Tour of Great Britain and France.

New Zealand

The New Zealand test team was coached by Graham Lowe and captained by Mark Graham.

The Kiwis squad was: Mark Graham (North Sydney) (c), Dean Bell (Eastern Suburbs), Shane Cooper (Mt Albert), Mark Elia (Te Atatu), Olsen Filipaina (North Sydney), Gary Freeman (Northcote), Barry Harvey (Western Suburbs (Taranaki)), Gary Kemble (Hull), A'au Leulaui (Hull), Hugh McGahan (Eastern Suburbs), Dane O'Hara (Hull), Ron O'Regan (Mt Albert), Gary Prohm (Hull KR), Joe Ropati (Warrington), Kurt Sorensen (Widnes), Brent Todd (Linwood), Wayne Wallace (Hornby), Darrell Williams (Mt Albert), Owen Wright (Manukau).

Peter Brown, Tea Ropati, Marty Crequer, Dean Lonergan, Adrian Shelford, Sam Stewart, James Goulding, Glenn Donaldson and Gary Mercer also played for the Kiwis against Papua New Guinea.

New Zealand leg

The tour began with Australia coming to Auckland to play the first of three test matches between the trans-Tasman rivals.

This would be the final test played between New Zealand and Australia at the Carlaw Park ground in Auckland. Due to sponsorship, the test series was known as the "Winfield Test Series".

With the selection of St George and NSW centre Michael O'Connor, the former Wallaby became Australia's 39th dual-code rugby international. Dale Shearer, Steve Folkes and utility reserve Terry Lamb also played in their debut tests for Australia.

First test

6 July 1986

New Zealand	8 – 22	Australia
Tries: Dean Bell Goals: Olsen Filipaina (2/2)	[1]	Tries: Brett Kenny (2) Steve Folkes Dale Shearer Goals: Michael O'Connor (3/5)

Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 14,566 Referee/s: Robin Whitfield

Australian leg

In the tour games the Kiwis defeated Newcastle 22-17, Riverina 14-16, Wide Bay 32-7 and North Queensland 46-6.

Second test

After having been Sydney's main test match venue since 1914, this would be the final test played at the Sydney Cricket Ground until 2008. Gary Freeman, who would go on to play a total of 46 tests for New Zealand until 1995, made his test debut in this game.

19 July 1986

Australia	29 – 12	New Zealand
Tries: Garry Jack Brett Kenny Wally Lewis Gene Miles Wayne Pearce Goals: Michael O'Connor (4) Field Goals: Peter Sterling	[2]	Tries: Olsen Filipaina Dane O'Hara Goals: Olsen Filipaina (2)

Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Attendance: 34,302 Referee/s: Robin Whitfield Man of the Match: Steve Roach

Third test

Australian vice-captain Wayne Pearce tore the Anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the first half. Despite surgery and an intense rehabilitation, he was eventually ruled out of the 1986 Kangaroo Tour after failing a team medical.

Australia continued its international dominance and scored a clean sweep against the Kiwis with a 32-12, 6 tries to 2 win in front of almost 23,000 at Lang Park. The match was broadcast into NSW and Qld by the Nine Network and via relay into New Zealand. This game also counted towards the 1985-1988 Rugby League World Cup.^[3]

29 July 1986

Australia	32 – 12	New Zealand
Tries: Brett Kenny (2) Peter Sterling Wally Lewis Gene Miles Michael O'Connor Goals: Michael O'Connor (4/6)	[4]	Tries: Darrell Williams (2) Goals: Olsen Filipaina (2/3)

Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 22,811 Referee/s: Robin Whitfield Man of the Match: Wally Lewis

Papua New Guinea leg

In Papua New Guinea they defeated Island Zone 26-6 and lost to Southern Zone 20-26 before the two test matches.

First test

10 August 1986

Papua New Guinea	26 – 36	New Zealand
Tries: Lauta Atoi Darius Haili Joe Tep Bernard Waketsi Goals: Kungas Kuveu (5)	[5]	Tries: Peter Brown (2) Mark Elia Gary Freeman Hugh McGahan Dane O'Hara Joe Ropati Goals: Joe Ropati (3) Peter Brown (1)

Danny Leahy Oval, Goroka Attendance: 11,000 Referee/s: Kevin Roberts Man of the Match: Adrian Shelford

Second test

This match counted towards the 1985-88 World Cup.

17 August 1986

Papua New Guinea	24 – 22	New Zealand
Tries: Daruis Haili (2) Bobby Ako Lauta Atoi Goals: Dairi Kovae (4)	[6]	Tries: Peter Brown Hugh McGahan Joe Ropati Wayne Wallace Goals: Peter Brown (3)

Lloyd Robson Oval, Port Moresby Attendance: 15,000 Referee/s: Kevin Roberts Man of the Match: Arebo Taumaku

Papua New Guinea scored their first ever test match victory against New Zealand and their first test win since defeating France 37-6 in 1977. The Kumuls would not win another test until 1990.^[7]

Aftermath

Graham Lowe resigned in August and Tony Gordon was appointed coach in September.

Dun Furner and Wally Lewis would lead the Australian team on the undefeated 1986 Kangaroo Tour of Great Britain and France at the end of the NSWRL and Brisbane Rugby League seasons.

See also

• Australia vs New Zealand in rugby league
• 1985-88 Rugby League World Cup

References