The1993 Trans-Tasman Test series was an internationalrugby league test series played inAustralia betweenAustralia andNew Zealand. The series, which started on 20 June inAuckland and finished on 30 June inBrisbane, consisted of threetest matches.[1] The three Tests attracted a total of 74,494 fans. Due to sponsorship, the series was known as theLion Red Test Series.
The Test series was broadcast into Australia via theSeven Network with commentary provided byGraeme Hughes,Graham Lowe andJohn Monie with recently retired former Australian dual-rugby internationalMichael O'Connor the sideline reporter.
The Australians, coached byBob Fulton, had been crownedRugby League World Cup champions for the 7th time after winning the1992 Rugby League World Cup final atWembley Stadium.Mal Meninga captained the side in the final two tests of the Trans-Tasman series but was forced to miss the first test after being suspended by theNSWRL for the use of an elbow onManly-Warringah's Welsh import centreJohn Devereux in a club game. Ironically, Manly's coach was also Australian coach Bob Fulton. The captaincy for the first test fell to Meninga'sCanberra Raiders team mate andNew South Wales captainLaurie Daley.
The test series took place following the1993 State of Origin series which was won by NSW. Dale Shearer's performances at fullback for Qld saw him earn a test recall in front of well performedWorld Cup and NSW fullbackTim Brasher (though Shearer had been selected at centre for all 3Ashes series testsin 1992 but withdrew from all 3 with injury).Bradley Clyde, who had not played in the Origin series due to injury was also recalled to the team.
The Kiwis, coached byHowie Tamati and captained byGary Freeman had lost their 1992 home series against thetouringGreat Britain Lions. New Zealand would be without their goal kicking fullbackMatthew Ridge who had suffered a season ending knee injury in a club game for Manly-Warringah, but would lack for nothing in goal kicking thanks to the presence ofNorth Sydney Bears superboot wingerDaryl Halligan as well asCanterbury-Bankstown's goal kicking forwardGavin Hill.
Australia went into the game without regular captain Mal Meninga who had been suspended for 2 games. It would be the first test Meninga had missed since 1988. With Meninga out, the captaincy for the test was handed to NSW captain, Meninga'sCanberra Raiders team mate Laurie Daley.Dale Shearer made his return to test football after starring at fullback forQueensland in the final 2 games of theState of Origin series to beat out well performedNew South Wales and1992 World Cup final fullbackTim Brasher. The Kiwis were captained by veteran halfbackGary Freeman, but would be without goal kicking dual-rugby international fullbackMatthew Ridge who had suffered a season ending knee injury playing for theBob Fulton coachedManly-Warringah in aWinfield Cup game with coachHowie Tamati handing the #1 jumper toBalmain's utility backMorvin Edwards. Despite the loss of Ridge, the Kiwis lost nothing in goal kicking with the selection ofNorth Sydney Bears wingerDaryl Halligan.
The Australian's created history with the selection of all three Walters brothers, five-eighthKevin, hookerSteve and reserve hookerKerrod for the test, though Kerrod Walters did not get off the bench.
20 June 1993 |
New Zealand  | 14 – 14 |  Australia |
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| Tries: Sean Hoppe (2) Goals: Daryl Halligan (3/3) | [2][3][4] | Tries: Dale Shearer Steve Walters Goals: Dale Shearer (2/2) Field Goals: Laurie Daley (2) |
         New Zealand |      Australia |
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The first test atAuckland'sMt Smart Stadium almost produced a shock result. After three first half goals from Daryl Halligan and two tries from winger Sean Hoppe, one an intercept off a Dale Shearer pass that saw him race 80 metres and out-pace Shearer and Willie Carne, the Kiwis led 14-13 at half time. The Australians scored two tries next to the posts through both Shearer andSteve Walters (who scored with only seconds left in the half) with Shearer easily kicking both conversions, while a field goal from Laurie Daley after Shearers try gave the Australians a 7-2 lead until Hoppe's first try.
Midway through the first half, English referee Russell Smith earned the ire of the Australian's when he ignored aGary Mercer spear tackle onBradley Clyde, then on the next tackle also ignored a high tackle byTawera Nikau onPaul Harragon which caused the Australian front rower to lose the ball with Smith ruling a knock-on. Smith also denied both sides what looked to be legitimate tries with Steve Walters denied one in the first half following a dart from the dummy half, and replacement Kiwi forwardJohn Lomax denied in the second half despite television replays showing that he clearly got the ball down on the Australian line.
The second half was scoreless until the 77th minute when a cool under pressure Laurie Daley (who had already missed one attempt to tie the scores) slotted his second field goal to salvage a 14-all draw for the reigning World Champions.[5]
The Australian's made several changes to their line up for the second test. CaptainMal Meninga returned from suspension withLaurie Daley moved from the centres to 5/8 in place ofKevin Walters who moved to the bench at the expense of his brother andBrisbane Broncos team mateKerrod Walters.Ian Roberts was ruled out with injury withDavid Gillespie replacing him on the bench whileAndrew Ettingshausen returned to the side on the bench in place ofSteve Renouf. The only change made by New Zealand coachHowie Tamati was promotingTony Kemp to start at 5/8 withTea Ropati dropping to the bench.
25 June 1993 |
| New Zealand | 8 – 16 | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Gary Freeman Goals: Daryl Halligan (2) | [6][7][8][9] | Tries: Bradley Clyde Willie Carne Michael Hancock Goals: Dale Shearer (2) |
Palmerston North Showgrounds,Palmerston North Attendance: 19,500 Referee: Russell Smith  Player of the Match:Bradley Clyde |
New Zealand | Australia |
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After a day of torrential rain, the second test was played on a very wetPalmerston North Showgrounds. The overflow crowd of 19,500 were allowed onto thespeedway track (a blunder by the organisers who actually sold more tickets than the venue was licensed to hold), and close to the pitch. A number of times in the second half play was halted as a result of balls being lost in the crowd which had been souvenired by spectators. This (at one stage in the second half the game was held up for almost 5 minutes while a replacement ball was located), and the conditions prompted rival captains Garry Freeman and Mal Meninga to appeal to English referee Russell Smith to actually abandon the game. However, the game continued and the Australia's eventually took a 1-0 lead in the series with a 16-8 win.
Australia's series win extended their series streak over New Zealand to 40 years with the Kangaroos not having lost a test series to the Kiwis since 1952.
30 June 1993 |
| Australia | 16 – 4 | New Zealand |
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| Tries: Brad Fittler Michael Hancock Mal Meninga Goals: Dale Shearer (2) | [10][11][12] | Tries: Goals: Gavin Hill (2) |
Australia | New Zealand |
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The only test match played in Australia in 1993 saw some 32,000 turn out at Lang Park in Brisbane to see Australia wrap up the Trans-Tasman series 2-0. Scoring three times themselves, the Kangaroos kept their line intact to run out 16-4 winners and send retiring forward Bob Lindner out on a winning note.