1979 England rugby union tour of Japan, Fiji and Tonga

In 1979 an Nrut|England rugby union touring team toured Japan, Fiji and Tonga. The tourists won all their seven matches, scoring 270 points and conceding only 93. Only the first international against Nrut|Japan was close, with Japan leading 19-15 going into injury time - a converted try by Peter Squires allowed England to win the match.

England did not award full international caps for the matches against Japan, Fiji and Tonga and the tourists played under the name of England XV rather than England in those games. The Welsh referee Clive Norling travelled with the party and refereed five of the matches. The leading tour points scorer was Huw Davies, with 60 points, and the leading try-scorers were John Carleton (9 tries) and Mike Slemen (7 tries).

The visit to Tonga was the first time that a major rugby nation had visited the country.

Matches

:"Scores and results list England's points tally first."

Touring Party

*Manager: D. P. Rogers
*Assistant Manager: A. M. Davis
*Captain: W. B. Beaumont

Full Back

*W. H. Hare (Leicester)
*A. J. Hignell (Bristol)

Three-Quarters

*P. J. Squires (Harrogate)
*M. A. C. Slemen (Liverpool)
*J. Carleton (Orrell)
*P. W. Dodge (Leicester)
*R. M. Cardus (Roundhay)
*A. L. McMillan (Gosforth)

Half-Backs

*W. N. Bennett (London Welsh)
*G. H. Davies (Cardiff)
*C. J. Gifford (Moseley)
*I. G. Peck (Bedford)

Forwards

*J. P Scott (Cardiff)
*T. J. Allchurch (Durham University)
*N. J. C. Pomphrey (Bristol)
*R. J. Mordell (Rosslyn Park)
*M. Rafter (Bristol)
*W. B. Beaumont (Fylde)
*M. J. Colclough (Angouleme)
*J. L. Butler (Gosforth)
*C. E. Smart (Newport)
*G. S. Pearce (Northampton)
*R. J. Doubleday (Bristol)
*P. J. Wheeler (Leicester)
*J. A. G. D. Raphael (Bective Rangers)

References

*cite book |last=Jenkins |first=Vivian |authorlink=Vivian Jenkins|editor= |title=Rothmans Rugby Yearbook 1980-81|year=1980|publisher=Queen Anne Press|isbn= 0362020183|pages=p39-43