2007 All Golds Tour

The 2007 All Golds Tour is a celebration 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.

History

:"For more information, see: New Zealand national rugby league team."

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 hosted 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. The New Zealand side will play a total of 11 matches while on their European tour.

Fixtures

* 13 October 2007: New Zealand 0-58 Australia (Wellington)
* 21 October 2007: New Zealand All Golds 25-18 The Northern Union (Warrington) - Centenary International
* 27 October 2007: New Zealand 14-20 Great Britain (Huddersfield) - 1st Test
* 3 November 2007: New Zealand 0-44 Great Britain (Hull) - 2nd Test
* 10 November 2007: New Zealand 22-28 Great Britain (Wigan) - 3rd Test
* 17 November 2007: New Zealand 22-14 France (Paris)

There were plans to play 5 midweek games against the likes of the England Under 19's, Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Cumbria, but these matches were shelved.

Australian representative

To celebrate the inclusion of Australia's Dally Messenger in the original All Golds tour, Andrew Johns had been invited to join the New Zealand team for the match against the Northern Union. cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/6375317.stm|title=Legend Johns to represent Kiwis|publisher=BBC|date=2007-03-01|accessdate=2007-07-29] However, due to a career ending neck injury, he was unable to play with the squad. cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/6540309.stm|title=Neck injury forces Johns to quit|publisher=BBC|date=2007-04-10|accessdate=2007-07-29]

Australian captain Darren Lockyer was then set to take Johns' placecite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/6281916.stm|title=Lockyer to star in All Golds game|publisher=BBC|date=2007-07-08|accessdate=2007-07-29] until he too was ruled out after suffering a season-ending knee injury. cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/6898915.stm|title=Lockyer faces long injury lay-off|publisher=BBC|date=2007-07-14|accessdate=2007-07-29] Trent Barrett had been linked with the stand-off role in the side,cite web|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/1098266|title=No deadline on All Golds player|publisher=tvnz.co.nz|date=2007-05-05|accessdate=2007-07-29] however the place was taken by New Zealand Warriors captain and Queensland front rower Steve Price. The Australian Test prop said it was "mind-blowing". cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/6920815.stm|title=Prop Price given All Golds berth|publisher=BBC|date=2007-07-28|accessdate=2007-07-29] cite web|url=http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=121640|title=Price accepts invitation|publisher=Newstalk ZB|date=2007-07-29|accessdate=2007-07-29]

All Blacks and former Kiwi Test players

The NZRL have expressed interest to include recently retired New Zealand Rugby League Legends Nigel Vagana, the Kiwis' Greatest Try Scorer, Ruben Wiki, the most capped international player of all time with 55 caps for the Kiwis and legendary Kiwi halfback Stacey Jones in test matches. Both Wiki and Vagana have taken the idea into serious thought and are considering playing but there is doubt over whether Stacey Jones will take place in the tour.

There are also several current and former All Blacks who are being 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 have been approached by the NZRL. cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/4138955a10713.html|title=Snubbed All Blacks get All Golds invite|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald|date=2007-07-24|accessdate=2007-07-29]

Jonah Lomu is one player who has effectively been ruled out due to media and personal appearance commitments at the 2007 Rugby World Cup. cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/4138955a10713.html|title=NZRL wants Lomu to switch codes for centenary match|publisher=Stuff.co.nz|date=2007-07-22|accessdate=2007-07-29]

Team

*1. Sam Perrett
*2. Tame Tupou
*3. Nigel Vagana
*4. Clinton Toopi
*5. Shaun Kenny-Dowall
*6. Chase Stanley
*7. Stacey Jones
*8. Ruben Wiki (c)
*9. Thomas Leuluai
*10. Steve Price
*11. Ali Lauitiiti
*12. David Kidwell
*13. Louis Anderson

"Interchange"

*14. Jason Cayless
*15. Epalahame Lauaki
*16. Greg Eastwood
*17. Awen Guttenbeil

Coach

Brisbane Broncos coach Wayne Bennett has 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. cite web|url=http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=28587|title=Darren Lockyer and Wayne Bennett confirmer for NZ All Golds|publisher=RLeague.com|date=2007-07-22|accessdate=2007-07-29] The former Queensland and Australian coach stated "This is a great honour and it's unique in the game," cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/4120976a14896.html|title=Bennett, Lockyer join All Golds|publisher=press.co.nz|date=2007-07-09|accessdate=2007-07-29]

ee also

* New Zealand Rugby League
* Rugby league in New Zealand

ources

* [http://xtramsn.co.nz/sport/0,,12050-6096689,00.html "NZ League To Take Hard Line With NRL"] , xtraMSN website, retrieved 27 July, 2006.
* [http://www.stuff.co.nz/4008874a1823.html "States the wish for Wiki, Vagana and Jones to play in the Tour] , retrived 20 May, 2007
* [http://www.rlhalloffame.org.uk/cen_test.htm Centenary Test at rlhalloffame.org.uk]

References