BTQ7 Rugby League Test - AUS Vs NZ - 3/7/1991

The first test of the 1991 series was also the first-ever rugby league test match to be played in Australia not held in either New South Wales or Queensland.
Wednesday, 3 July 1991
Australia 8 - 24 New Zealand
Tries: Steve Walters
Goals:
Mal Meninga (2/3) [2] Tries:
Jarrod McCracken
Richie Blackmore
Clayton Friend
Tawera Nikau
Goals:
Frano Botica (4/6)
Olympic Park, Melbourne
Attendance: 26,900
Referee: John Holdsworth England
Man of the Match: Jarrod McCracken New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg
Australia
New Zealand
FB 1 Brisbane colours.svg Paul Hauff
LW 2 Brisbane colours.svg Dale Shearer
RC 3 Canberra colours.svg Mal Meninga (c)
LC 4 Brisbane colours.svg Chris Johns
RW 5 Cronulla colours.svg Andrew Ettingshausen
FE 6 Brisbane colours.svg Wally Lewis
HB 7 Brisbane colours.svg Allan Langer
PR 8 Balmain colours.svg Steve Roach
HK 9 Canberra colours.svg Steve Walters
PR 10 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Martin Bella
SR 11 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Ian Roberts
SR 12 Western Suburbs colours.svg Bob Lindner
LK 13 Canberra colours.svg Bradley Clyde
Substitutions:
IC 14 Western Suburbs colours.svg David Gillespie
IC 15 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2017 colours.svg John Cartwright
IC 16 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Des Hasler
IC 17 North Sydney colours.svg Peter Jackson
Coach:
Australia Bob Fulton
FB 1 Wigancolours.svg Frano Botica
RW 2 Castleford colours.svg Richie Blackmore
RC 3 Canterbury colours.svg Jarrod McCracken
LC 4 HKRcolours.svg Dave Watson
LW 5 South Sydney colours.svg Jason Williams
FE 6 Newcastle colours.svg Tony Kemp
HB 7 Balmain colours.svg Gary Freeman (c)
PR 8 Canberra colours.svg Brent Todd
HK 9 Wolvescolours.svg Duane Mann
PR 10 Faxcolours.svg Peter Brown
SR 11 Widnes colours.svg Emosi Koloto
SR 12 Canterbury colours.svg Dean Lonergan
LF 13 Castleford colours.svg Tawera Nikau
Substitutions:
IC 14 Wcatscolours.svg Clayton Friend
IC 15 Saintscolours.svg George Mann
IC 16 Wolvescolours.svg Gary Mercer
IC 17 Workingtoncolours.svg Mike Patton
Coach:
New Zealand Bob Bailey
New Zealand pulled off an upset 24-8 win in front of 26,900 fans in Melbourne, beating the Australians in their first test at home for the third straight time following a successful Kangaroo Tour after also defeating the Kangaroos at Lang Park in both 1983 and 1987.
Australian second-row forward Bob Lindner broke his right leg during the second half of the game. Neither English referee John Holdsworth, nor the touch judges, saw Kiwi front rower Peter Brown deliberately knock the ball from Lindner's hands as he was lying on the ground in pain. Despite Lindner lying on the ground crying out in pain, Holdsworth ruled play-on believing the Australian second rower had simply lost the ball. The Kiwis then swept the ball out to the left, where winger Richie Blackmore beat a Dale Shearer tackle to score. Champion pivot Wally Lewis played the last of his 34 tests for Australia as age and injuries were finally catching up with the 31-year-old 1986 Kangaroos captain, though he went close to scoring in the second half but was held up over the line by a desperate Gary Freeman. It was also the last of 19 tests for veteran Aussie prop forward Steve Roach, while fullback Paul Hauff played his only test match after the Kiwis exposed the tall fullback's problem handling balls around his feet with constant grubber kicks on the greasy surface. The Kiwis' game plan was to avoid using the bomb as Hauff and wingers Dale Shearer and Andrew Ettingshausen (also noted fullbacks) were considered safe under the high ball, and it worked to perfection. On debut, Canberra and Queensland hooker Steve Walters was one of Australia's best in a losing side, scoring his team's only try with a determined drive from dummy half midway through the first half.
Lewis, Hauff and 16-test veteran Dale Shearer were widely touted never to play for Australia again after poor performances. Shearer missed two tackles on Kiwi winger Richie Blackmore in the second half; the first allowed him to make a 30-metre break down the touchline before passing to Man of the match Jarrod McCracken who dived over for the Kiwis' first try despite a last-ditch tackle from Ettingshausen who had raced across from the far wing. Later Shearer failed to stop Blackmore only five metres from his line, letting the winger in for New Zealand's second try. Shearer had also bombed a try early in the first half: after receiving a pass from Meninga and making a break down the left wing he chip kicked but dropped over Frano Botica but the ball was over the line as he attempted to catch it.
The opening tackle of the game saw an accidental head clash between Steve Roach and Kiwi second rower Dean Lonergan which left Lonergan convulsing on the ground (he would recover and finish the game) while Roach received a cut which needed eight stitches.[3]
Both captains, first Gary Freeman and then Mal Meninga, were sent to the sin-bin in the second half by English referee Holdsworth.