1956–57 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France

1956–57 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France
Manager	Clarrie Fahy Cyril Connell Sr.
Tour captain(s)	Ken Kearney
Top point scorer(s)	Gordon Clifford 94
Top try scorer(s)	Ian Moir 13
Top test point scorer(s)	Gordon Clifford 22
Top test try scorer(s)	Keith Holman 4
Summary	P W D L
Total	28 18 01 09
Test match	06 04 00 02
Opponent	P W D L
Great Britain	3 1 0 2
France	3 3 0 0
Tour chronology
Previous tour	1952–53
Next tour	1959–60

The 1956–57 Kangaroo tour was the ninth Kangaroo tour, in which the Australian national rugby league team travelled to Great Britain and France and played twenty-eight matches, including the Ashes series of three Test matches against Great Britain and three Test matches against the French. It followed the tour of 1952–53 and the next was staged in 1959–60.

The squad's leadership

The team was captained by Ken Kearney with Clive Churchill as vice-captain. Tour co-managers were Clarrie Fahy and Cyril Connell Sr. The latter's son, Cyril Connell Jr. was a playing member of the touring party.[1]
In the three matches in which neither Kearney nor Churchill played, the Kangaroos were captained by Cyril Connell Jr.

Touring squad

The Rugby League News published a photo and details of the touring team including the players' ages and weights.[2] Various newspapers published the names of the touring squad when it was selected in September 1956.[1]
Match details - listing surnames of both teams and the point scorers - were included in E.E. Christensen's Official Rugby League Yearbook, as was a summary of the players' point-scoring.[3]
Banks, Connell, Davies, Doyle, Flannery, Furner, McGovern, Payne, Tyquin and Watson were selected from Queensland clubs. Adams and Marsh were selected from clubs in New South Wales Country areas. The balance of the squad had played for Sydney-based clubs during the 1956 season.

Player	Position	Age	Weight	Club	Tests on Tour	Games	Tries	Goals	FG	Points
Clive Churchill	Fullback	29	11.0 (70)	South Sydney	2	15	0	10	3	26
Gordon Clifford	Fullback	26	12.0 (76)	Newtown	4	12	2	43	1	94
Denis Flannery	Wing	27	12.10 (81)	Ipswich Brothers	5	16	12	0	0	36
Don Adams	Wing	22	12.6 (79)	Newcastle	2	15	11	0	0	33
Des McGovern	Wing	28	13.3 (84)	Toowoomba All Whites	3	9	6	0	0	18
Ian Moir	Wing	24	11.4 (72)	South Sydney	2	16	13	0	0	39
Alex Watson	Centre	23	13.10 (87)	Brisbane Western Suburbs	5	18	1	0	0	3
Dick Poole	Centre	25	13.2 (83)	Newtown	6	17	7	0	0	21
Kevin O'Brien	Centre	24	12.12 (82)	St George	0	11	6	0	0	18
Tom Payne	Centre	21	12.6 (79)	Toowoomba All Whites	1	13	3	0	0	9
Bob Banks	Five-eighth	26	12.6 (79)	North Rockhampton	6	18	5	0	1	17
Ian Johnston	Five-eighth	29	12.8 (80)	Western Suburbs	0	9	7	0	0	21
Keith Holman	Halfback	28	11.9 (74)	Western Suburbs	6	17	10	5	0	40
Cyril Connell Jr.	Halfback	26	10.10 (68)	North Rockhampton	0	14	10	17	0	64
Ian Doyle	Lock	24	13.1 (83)	Toowoomba All Whites	4	16	2	0	0	6
Tom Tyquin	Lock	23	14.4 (91)	South Brisbane	3	16	2	0	0	6
Norm Provan	Second-row	24	15.6 (98)	St George	3	15	3	0	0	9
Kel O'Shea	Second-row	23	15.4 (97)	Western Suburbs	6	14	2	0	0	6
Bernie Purcell	Second-row	28	13.10 (87)	South Sydney	0	7	0	12	0	24
Don Furner	Second-row	23	14.7 (92)	Toowoomba Souths	1	11	0	3	0	6
Brian Davies	Prop	26	14.10 (93)	Brisbane Brothers	3	12	5	1	0	17
Roy Bull	Prop	26	15.5 (98)	Manly-Warringah	6	21	2	0	0	6
Bryan Orrock	Prop	25	15.7 (98)	St George	2	5	0	0	0	0
Bill Marsh	Prop	27	14.12 (94)	Cootamundra	2	17	5	0	0	15
Ken Kearney	Hooker	32	13.7 (86)	St George	6	19	2	1	0	8
Ernest Hammerton	Hooker	29	11.11 (75)	South Sydney	0	11	0	0	0	0

Test Venues

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

Wigan	Bradford	Swinton
Central Park	Odsal Stadium	Station Road
Capacity: 48,000	Capacity: 60,000	Capacity: 40,000

Match Results

The tour began in Great Britain with a series a matches, but the first Test Match of the tour was played against France in Paris. The tourists returned to Great Britain for more matches against English clubs and a three Test Match series against Great Britain. The team then returned to France to play a Second and Third Test against France (the fifth and sixth Tests of the tour), plus matches against club and other representative teams.

October 10	Liverpool Stanley	12–40	Australia	Mill Yard, Liverpool
3.00pm	Tries: 2 Greenhough Hunt Goals: 3 Wood (3)		Tries: 10 Don Adams (4) Denis Flannery (3) Kel O'Shea Keith Holman Bob Banks Goals: 4 Clive Churchill (3) Brian Davies Field Goals: 1 Clive Churchill	Attendance: 4,712 Gate: £ 595 Referee: C.F. Appleton

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October 13	Leeds	18–13	Australia	Headingley, Leeds
3.00pm	Tries: 4 McLellan Robinson Pratt Prior Goals: 3 Dunn (3)		Tries: 3 Ian Moir (2) Keith Holman Goals: 2 Gordon Clifford (2)	Attendance: 24,459 Gate: £ 3,483 Referee: R. Gelder

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October 15	Hull F.C. / Hull Kingston Rovers XIII	14–37	Australia	Boothferry Park, Hull
7.15pm	Tries: 2 Gittoes Coulson Goals: 4 Buckle (4)	[4]	Tries: 9 Brian Davies (2) Ian Moir (2) Dick Poole (2) Denis Flannery Roy Bull Cyril Connell Jr. Goals: 4 Don Furner (3) Clive Churchill Field goals: 1 Clive Churchill	Attendance: 17,172 Gate: £ 2,680 Referee: M. Coates

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October 18	Barrow	11–25	Australia	Craven Park, Barrow
3.30pm	Tries: 3 Lewthwaite (2) Castle Goals: 1 Ball	[5]	Tries: 5 Bob Banks Don Adams Bill Marsh Dick Poole Keith Holman Goals: 4 Bernie Purcell (4) Field goals: 1 Clive Churchill	Attendance: 9,988 Gate: £ 1,102 Referee: Eric Clay

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October 20	Whitehaven	14–11	Australia	Recreation Ground, Whitehaven
3.00pm	Tries: 2 Tembey Smith Goals: 4 McKeown (4)	[6][7]	Tries: 3 Bill Marsh Denis Flannery Cyril Connell Jr. Goals: 1 Clive Churchill	Attendance: 10,840 Gate: £ 1,253 Referee: R. Thomas

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October 24	Bradford Northern	11–23	Australia	Odsal Stadium, Bradford
7.30pm	Tries: 3 Davies (3) Goals: 1 Seddon	[8]	Tries: 5 Des McGovern (2) Gordon Clifford Bill Marsh Cyril Connell Jr. Goals: 4 Gordon Clifford (4)	Attendance: 2,743 Gate: £ 451 Referee: N.T. Railton

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October 27	Warrington	21–17	Australia	Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington
3.00pm	Tries: 5 Challinor (2) Gilfidder (2) Horton Goals: 3 Bath (3)	[9]	Tries: 3 Dick Poole (2) Denis Flannery Goals: 4 Bernie Purcell (4)	Attendance: 15,613 Gate: £ 2,163 Referee: G. Scott

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October 29	Rugby League XIII	15–19	Australia	Kirkhall Lane, Leigh
7.30pm	Tries: 3 Shar Pitchford Bolton Goals: 3 Jones (3)	[10][11]	Tries: 3 Des McGovern (2) Tom Tyquin Goals: 5 Gordon Clifford (5)	Attendance: 7,811 Gate: £ 1,127 Referee: N.T. Railton

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1st Test vs France

November 1

France	8–15	Australia
Tries: 2 Augustin Parent Jacky Merquey Goals: 1 Andre Audy	[12][13][14]	Tries: 3 Keith Holman (2) Des McGovern Goals: 3 Clive Churchill (2) Keith Holman

Parc des Princes, Paris Attendance: 10,789 Gate: Fr 4,181,400 Referee: P. Ribas

France	Position	Australia
Andre Audy	FB	Clive Churchill
Maurice Voron	WG	Denis Flannery
Roger Rey	CE	Dick Poole
Jacky Merquey (c)	CE	Alex Watson
Andre Savonne	WG	Des McGovern
Auguste Ambert	SO	Bob Banks
Guy Lucia	SH	Keith Holman
François Rinaldi	PR	Roy Bull
Antranik Apelian	HK	Ken Kearney (c)
François Montrucolis	PR	Brian Davies
Robert Medus	SR	Bill Tyquin
Augustin Parent	SR	Norm Provan
Jean Rouqueirol	LF	Kel O'Shea

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November 3	York	18–20	Australia	Wigginton Road, York
3.00pm	Tries: 4 Smith Webster Foster Deighton Goals: 3 Yorke (3)	[15]	Tries: 4 Ian Johnston (2) Brian Davies Kevin O'Brien Goals: 4 Bernie Purcell (4)	Attendance: 6,842 Gate: £ 897 Referee: A. Howgate

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November 7	Oldham	21–2	Australia	Watersheddings, Oldham
3.00pm	Tries: 3 Pitchford Etty Turner Goals: 6 Ganley (6)		Tries: nil Goals: 1 Cyril Connell Jr.	Attendance: 8,458 Gate: £ 1,268 Referee: T. Watkinson

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November 10	Huddersfield	10–20	Australia	Fartown Ground, Huddersfield
3.00pm	Tries: 2 Fairbank Sullivan Goals: 2 Dyson (2)	[16]	Tries: 4 Brian Davies Ian Moir Tom Tyquin Don Adams Goals: 4 Gordon Clifford (4)	Attendance: 12,127 Gate: £ 1,699 Referee: A.E. Durkin

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1st Test vs Great Britain

November 17 2.30pm

Great Britain	21–10	Australia
Tries: 5 Billy Boston (2) Jack Grundy Alan Davies Mick Sullivan Goals: 3 Frank Mortimer (3)	[17][18]	Tries: 2 Ian Moir Dick Poole Goals: 2 Keith Holman (2)

Central Park, Wigan Attendance: 22,473 Gate: £ 4,844 Referee: Norman Railton

Great Britain	Position	Australia
Frank Mortimer	FB	Clive Churchill
Billy Boston	WG	Ian Moir
Phil Jackson	CE	Dick Poole
Alan Davies	CE	Alex Watson
Mick Sullivan	WG	Don Adams
Raymond Price	SO	Bob Banks
Jeff Stevenson	SH	Keith Holman
Alan Prescott (c)	PR	Brian Davies
Tommy Harris	HK	Ken Kearney (c)
Brian Shaw	PR	Roy Bull
Jack Grundy	SR	Bill Tyquin
Don Robinson	SR	Bill Marsh
Edgar Dawson	LF	Kel O'Shea

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November 21	Hunslet	11–27	Australia	Parkside, Hunslet
2.30pm	Tries: 1 Burnell Goals: 4 Langton (4)	[19]	Tries: 5 Cyril Connell Jr. (2) Kevin O'Brien Denis Flannery Kel O'Shea Goals: 6 Gordon Clifford (6)	Attendance: 4,451 Gate: £ 400 Referee: G. Wilson

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November 24	St Helens	44–2	Australia	Knowsley Road St Helens
2.30pm	Tries: 10 Llewellyn (2) Gaskell McCabe Silcock Karalius Rhodes Dickinson Terry Prescott Goals: 7 Rhodes (7)	[20]	Tries: nil Goals: 1 Gordon Clifford	Attendance: 15,579 Gate: £ 1,931 Referee: F. Smith

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2nd Test vs Great Britain

December 1 2.30pm

Great Britain	9–22	Australia
Tries: 1 Jeff Stevenson Goals: 3 Frank Mortimer (3)	[21][22][23]	Tries: 4 Keith Holman Bob Banks Brian Davies Roy Bull Goals: 5 Gordon Clifford (5)

Odsal Stadium, Bradford Attendance: 23,634 Gate: £ 4,174 Referee: Matthew Coates

Great Britain	Position	Australia
Frank Mortimer	FB	Gordon Clifford
Billy Boston	WG	Denis Flannery
Phil Jackson	CE	Alex Watson
Alan Davies	CE	Dick Poole
Mick Sullivan	WG	Des McGovern
Raymond Price	SO	Bob Banks
Jeff Stevenson	SH	Keith Holman
Alan Prescott (c)	PR	Brian Davies
Tommy Harris	HK	Ken Kearney (c)
Brian Shaw	PR	Roy Bull
Jack Grundy	SR	Kel O'Shea
Don Robinson	SR	Don Furner
Derek Turner	LF	Ian Doyle

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December 5	Halifax	6–3	Australia	Thrum Hall, Halifax
2.30pm	Tries: nil Goals: 3 Owen (3)		Tries: 1 Ian Moir Goals: nil	Attendance: 2,254 Gate: £ 280 Referee: J. Clapham

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December 8	Wigan	4–32	Australia	Central Park, Wigan
2.30pm	Tries: nil Goals: 2 Ashton (2)		Tries: 6 Ian Doyle (2) Des McGovern Alex Watson Denis Flannery Keith Holman Goals: 7 Gordon Clifford (7)	Attendance: 15,854 Gate: £ 2,032 Referee: H. Harrison

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December 10	Wakefield Trinity	17–12	Australia	Belle Vue, Wakefield
2.30pm	Tries: 3 Hirst Rollin Bullock Goals: 4 Fox (4)		Tries: 2 Ian Johnston Cyril Connell Jr. Goals: 3 Clive Churchill (3)	Attendance: 3,381 Gate: £ 309 Referee: G. Philpott

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3rd Test vs Great Britain

December 15 2.30pm

Great Britain	19–0	Australia
Tries: 5 Sid Little Derek Turner Geoff Gunney Mick Sullivan Billy Boston Goals: 2 Alan Davies (2)	[24][25]	Tries: nil Goals: nil

Station Road, Swinton Attendance: 17,542 Gate: £ 4,224 Referee: Frank Gelder

Great Britain	Position	Australia
Glyn Moses	FB	Gordon Clifford
Billy Boston	WG	Denis Flannery
Phil Jackson	CE	Dick Poole
Alan Davies	CE	Alex Watson
Mick Sullivan	WG	Des McGovern
Raymond Price	SO	Bob Banks
Jeff Stevenson	SH	Keith Holman
Alan Prescott (c)	PR	Bryan Orrock
Tommy Harris	HK	Ken Kearney (c)
Sid Little	PR	Roy Bull
Jack Grundy	SR	Bill Tyquin
Geoff Gunney	SR	Kel O'Shea
Derek Turner	LF	Ian Doyle

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December 18	French Army XIII	11–11	Australia	Palais des Sports, Limoges
	Tries: 1 Alberti Goals: 4 Giriat (4)		Tries: 3 Don Adams Kevin O'Brien Ian Johnston Goals: 1 Cyril Connell Jr.	Attendance: 3,153

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December 20	Racing Club Albi XIII	20–25	Australia Palais des Sports	Stade Maurice Rigaud, Albi
	Tries: 4 Verdier Bessieres Tounos Berthomieu Goals: 4 Galaup (4)	[26]	Tries: 5 Cyril Connell Jr. (2) Bob Banks (2) Ian Moir Goals: 5 Cyril Connell Jr. (5)	Attendance: 3,789

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2nd Test vs France

December 23

France	6–10	Australia
Tries: nil Goals: 3 Gilbert Benausse (2) Andre Audy	[27][28]	Tries: 2 Denis Flannery Keith Holman Goals: 1 Gordon Clifford Field goals: 1 Gordon Clifford

Parc Lescure, Bordeaux Attendance: 11,379 Gate: Fr 4,150,000 Referee: P. Ribas

France	Position	Australia
Andre Audy	FB	Gordon Clifford
Maurice Voron	WG	Denis Flannery
Roger Rey	CE	Alex Watson
Antoine Jiminez	CE	Dick Poole
Andre Ducasse	WG	Don Adams
Gilbert Benausse	SO	Bob Banks
Jean Dop	SH	Keith Holman
Angélo Boldini	PR	Bryan Orrock
Antranik Apelian	HK	Ken Kearney (c)
Guy Berthomieu (c)	PR	Roy Bull
Gilbert Verdié	SR	Kel O'Shea
Armand Save	SR	Norm Provan
Christian Duple	LF	Ian Doyle

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December 26	AS Carcassonne	12–26	Australia	Stade Albert Domec, Carcassonne
	Tries: 2 Marty Husson Goals: 3 Marty (3)		Tries: 6 Denis Flannery (3) Ian Johnston Keith Holman Cyril Connell Jr. Goals: 4 Cyril Connell Jr. (4)	Attendance: 3,493 Gate: Fr 922,200

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December 31	XIII Catalan	14–20	Australia	Stade Jean-Laffon Perpignan
	Tries: nil Goals: 6 Puig Aubert (6) Field Goals: 1 Puig Aubert	[29]	Tries: 4 Ian Moir (2) Gordon Clifford Tom Payne Goals: 4 Gordon Clifford (4)	Attendance: 7,900 Gate: Fr 2,493,550 Referee: M. Roudine

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3rd Test vs France

January 3 3.00pm

France	21–25	Australia
Tries: 5 Andre Savonne (2) Jean Nerorezoff Jacques Fabre Jacky Merquey Goals: 3 André Rives (3)	[30]	Tries: 5 Dick Poole Ian Moir Ken Kearney Tom Payne Norm Provan Goals: 4 Gordon Clifford (4) Field Goals: Bob Banks

Stade de Gerland, Lyon Attendance: 5,743 Gate: Fr 1,580,150 Referee: Jean Banneau

France	Position	Australia
André Rives	FB	Gordon Clifford
Andre Savonne	WG	Denis Flannery
Antoine Jiminez	CE	Tom Payne
Roger Rey	CE	Dick Poole
Jean Nedorezoff	WG	Ian Moir
Jacky Merquey (c)	SO	Bob Banks
Claude Teisseire	SH	Keith Holman
Henri Delhoste	PR	Bill Marsh
Louis Michel	HK	Ken Kearney (c)
Jacques Fabre	PR	Roy Bull
Guy Berthomieu	SR	Norm Provan
Augustin Parent	SR	Kel O'Shea
Christian Duple	LF	Ian Doyle

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January 6	Avignon	11–38	Australia	Parc des Sports, Avignon
3.00pm	Tries: 1 Savonne Goals: 4 Pascal (4)		Tries: 10 Don Adams (2) Ian Moir (2) Ian Johnston (2) Norm Provan (2) Cyril Connell Jr. Bill Marsh Goals: 4 Cyril Connell Jr. (4)	Attendance: 5,061 Gate: Fr 937,100 Referee: M. Casson

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January 10	Marseille	7–37	Australia	Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
3.00pm	Tries: 1 Carmouze Goals: 2 Andre (2)		Tries: 9 Kevin O'Brien (3) Don Adams (2) Bill Marsh Tom Payne Ken Kearney Keith Holman Goals: 5 Cyril Connell Jr. (2) Keith Holman (2) Ken Kearney	Attendance: 2,938 Gate: Fr 2,420,350

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References

1. "Connell And Banks Gain Selection In Kangaroos". The Central Queensland Herald. Rockhampton: National Library of Australia. 13 September 1956. p. 18. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
2. New South Wales Rugby Football League. (1 October 1956). "Australia's 1956–57 Kangaroos". The Rugby League News. 37 (29). Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League. nla.obj-756032832. Retrieved 2 January 2022 – via Trove.
3. E.E.Christensen (1957). "The 1956–57 Kangaroos". E.E. Christensen's Official Rugby League Yearbook. 11. Sydney: E.E.Christensen.
4. "Brillian Football by Kangaroos". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 17 October 1956. p. 16. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
5. "Strong Barrow Side To Meet Kangaroos". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 18 October 1956. p. 20. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
6. "Missed Chances Rob Kangaroos of Win". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 27 October 1956. p. 8. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
7. "Poor Kicking Leads To Kangaroos' Defeat". The Central Queensland Herald. Rockhampton: National Library of Australia. 25 October 1956. p. 18. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
8. New South Wales Rugby Football League. (1 December 1956). "Kangaroos' Rally Won At Odsal". The Rugby League News. 37 (31). Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League. nla.obj-756066917. Retrieved 2 January 2022 – via Trove.
9. "Warrington Beat Kangaroos 21-17". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 29 October 1956. p. 10. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
10. Longworth, Tom (1 December 1956). "Kanga's Floodlit Win - Australians Turned on the Heat". The Rugby League News. 37 (31). Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League. nla.obj-756067861. Retrieved 2 January 2022 – via Trove.
11. "Kangaroos Great In 19-15 Win". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 31 October 1956. p. 16. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
12. First Test - France v Australia
13. Black, Tiger (1 December 1956). "Holman Starred in Paris test". The Rugby League News. 37 (31). Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League. nla.obj-756067007. Retrieved 2 January 2022 – via Trove.
14. "Kangaroos Win 15-8 in France". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 3 November 1956. p. 16. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
15. "Kangaroos Defeat York 20-18 in Epic Struggle". The Central Queensland Herald. Rockhampton: National Library of Australia. 8 November 1956. p. 18. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
16. "Kangaroos Take Heart From Huddersfield Win". The Central Queensland Herald. Rockhampton: National Library of Australia. 15 November 1956. p. 18. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
17. First Test - Great Britain v Australia
18. Black, Tiger (1 December 1956). "Forward Failed in Wigan Test". The Rugby League News. 37 (31). Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League. nla.obj-756067197. Retrieved 2 January 2022 – via Trove.
19. "Kangaroos' 27-11 Win". The Central Queensland Herald. Rockhampton: National Library of Australia. 29 November 1956. p. 18. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
20. "Kangaroos Suffer Worst Defeat". The Central Queensland Herald. Rockhampton: National Library of Australia. 29 November 1956. p. 18. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
21. Second Test - Great Britain v Australia
22. Black, Tiger (1 January 1957). "Test Win - Shock to England". The Rugby League News. 37 (32). Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League. nla.obj-756095561. Retrieved 2 January 2022 – via Trove.
23. "Kangaroos Shock England In 22-9 Test Win". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 3 December 1956. p. 9. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
24. Third Test - Great Britain v Australia
25. "Kangaroos Thrashed By England In Third Test Match". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 17 December 1956. p. 12. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
26. "Kangaroos Shine On Firm Ground". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 27 December 1956. p. 8. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
27. Second Test - France v Australia
28. "Kangaroos Beat France In Fine Display". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 25 December 1956. p. 12. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
29. "Kangaroos Win Wild Match". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 3 January 1957. p. 12. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
30. Third Test - France v Australia

External links

• 1956–57 Kangaroo Tour at Rugby League Project