1924–25 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland and France


The Invincibles was a nickname given to the 1924–25 New Zealand national team which toured the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Canada. The team was captained by Cliff Porter, and numbered among its top players George Nepia and brothers Cyril and Maurice Brownlie. During the test against England Cyril Brownlie was sent off by the Welsh referee Albert Freethy, the first player to be sent off from a test.
Between September 1924 and February 1925, the team played 32 games including four test matches, one each against Ireland, England, Wales, and France. They won all 32 games, scoring 838 points and only having 116 points scored against them.
Cliff Porter was tour captain, but played only 17 of the 32 games due to injury, including just one test. During the remaining games, tour vice-captain Johnstone Richardson took over the captaincy.

Touring party

Management

Complete list of matches played by the All Blacks in Australia, the British Isles, France and Canada:
Test matches
#DateRivalCityVenueScore
113 Sep 1924Devonshire RUDevonportRectory Ground11–0
218 SepCornwall RUCamborneRecreation Ground29–0
320 SepSomersetshire RUWeston-super-MareWeston Ground6–0
425 SepGloucestershire RUGloucesterKingsholm Stadium6–0
527 SepSwansea RFCSwanseaSt Helens Ground39–3
62 OctNewport RFCNewportAthletic Ground13–10
74 OctLeicester TigersLeicesterWelford Road Stadium27–0
88 OctNorth Midlands RUBirminghamVilla Park40–3
911 OctCheshire RUBirkenheadBirkenhead Park18–5
1015 OctDurhamSunderlandRoker Park43–7
1118 OctYorkshire RUBradfordLidget Green42–4
1222 OctLancashire RUManchesterOld Trafford23–0
1325 OctCumberlandCarlisleBrunton Park41–0
141 NovDublinLansdowne Road6–0
155 NovUlster RugbyBelfastRavenhill Stadium28–6
168 NovNorthumberland RUGosforth27–4
1712 NovCambridge UniversityGrange Road5–0
1815 NovLondon CountiesLondonTwickenham Stadium31–6
1920 NovOxford UniversityOxfordIffley Road33–15
2022 NovCardiff RFCCardiffNational Stadium16–8
2129 NovSwanseaSt Helens Ground19–0
222 DecLlanelli RFCLlanelliStradey Park8–3
236 DecEast MidlandsNorthamptonCricket Ground31–7
2411 DecWarwickshire RUHighfield Road20–0
2513 DecCombined ServicesLondonTwickenham Stadium25–3
2617 DecHampshire RUPortsmouthFratton Park22–0
2727 DecLondon CountiesLondonRectory Field28–3
283 Jan 1925LondonTwickenham Stadium17–11
2911 JanSelection FrancaisColombesStade Olympique37–8
3018 JanToulouseStade des Ponts Jumeaux30–6
3114 FebVancouverVancouverCricket Oval49–0
3218 FebVictoriaVancouver IslandVictoria Ground68–4

The test-matches

Ireland

Ireland: 15.William Crawford, 14.Henry Stephenson, 13.George Stephenson, 12.James Gardiner, 11.Tom Hewitt, 10.Frank Hewitt, 9.John McDowell, 8.James Clinch, 7.Robert Crichton, 6.Norman Brand, 5.William Collis, 4.Alex Spain, 3.Dick Collopy, 2.Thomas McClelland, 1.Jim McVicker
New Zealand: 15.George Nepia, 14.Snowy Svenson, 13.Frederick Lucas, 12.Bert Cooke, 11.Augustine Hart, 10.Mark Nicholls, 9.Bill Dalley, 8.Les Cupples, 7.Son White, 6.Jock Richardson, 5.Read Masters, 4.Maurice Brownlie, 3.Bull Irvine, 2.Quentin Donald, 1.James Parker

Wales

Wales: Tom Johnson, Ernie Finch, Albert Jenkins, Albert Stock, Rowe Harding, Jack Wetter capt., Eddie Williams, Bobby Delahay, Dai Parker, Jack Gore,, Charlie Pugh, Steve Morris, Cliff Williams, Douglas Marsden-Jones, Dai Hiddlestone
New Zealand: G Nepia, J Steel, AE Cooke, KS Svenson, NP McGregor, MF Nicholls, J Mill, JH Parker, WR Irvine, Q Donald, RR Masters, LF Cupples, CJ Brownlie, MJ Brownlie, J Richardson

England

England:15.Jim Brough, 14.Richard Hamilton-Wickes, 13.Vivian Davies, 12.Leonard Corbett, 11.John Gibbs, 10.Harold Kittermaster, 9.Arthur Young, 8.Tom Voyce, 7.Geoffrey Conway, 6.Freddie Blakiston, 5.Ron Cove-Smith, 4.Wavell Wakefield, 3.Ronald Hillard, 2.Sam Tucker, 1.Reg Edwards

New Zealand:15.George Nepia, 14.John Steel, 13.Bert Cooke, 12.Mark Nicholls, 11.Snowy Svenson, 10.Neil McGregor, 9.Jimmy Mill, 8.Jock Richardson, 7.Son White, 6.Cyril Brownlie, 5.Read Masters, 4.Maurice Brownlie, 3.Bull Irvine, 2.Quentin Donald, 1.James Parker,

France

France: 15.Chilo, 14.Jauregui, 13.Ballette, 12.Ballarin, 11.Hallet, 10.du Manoir, 9.Piteu, 8.Boubee, 7.Ribere, 6.Bioussa, 5.Cassayeet, 4.Laurent, 3.Maury, 2.Marcet, 1.Montade
New Zealand: 15.George Nepia, 14.John Steel, 13.Frederick Lucas, 12.Bert Cooke, 11.Snowy Svenson, 10.Mark Nicholls, 9.Jimmy Mill, 8.Cliff Porter, 7.Son White, 6.Jock Richardson, 5.Cyril Brownlie, 4., 3.Maurice Brownlie, 2.Quentin Donald, 1.Bull Irvine