[1] In September 1945 the Australian Minister for External Affairs, H. V. Evatt issued an invitation to the Rugby Football League (RFL) to send a team to Australia during the summer of 1946.
[4] The issue of transport to Australia almost resulted in the tour being cancelled; the travel arrangements were the responsibility of the Australian authorities who were unable to find passage on a commercial ship.
[5] Eventually the Australian High Commission in London arranged transport on the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable, the first time a rugby league team had travelled by warship.
Appointed captain was Salford centre Gus Risman with Widnes scrum-half Tommy McCue as vice-captain.
W. Crockford of Hull Kingston Rovers represented the Rugby Football League Council, although he was not officially a member of the squad management and was paying his own way.
[9] Following the announcement of the squad the Rugby Football League (RFL) entered into discussions with the War Office over leave of absence for White, Phillips and Ernie Ward as all three were still serving soldiers.
[12][13] Had permission not been granted the RFL had already identified replacements; R. Robson of Huddersfield for Phillips, E. Watkins of Wigan for White and S. Rookes of Hunslet for Ward.
The team as well as a large number of navy personnel and returning Australian and New Zealand soldiers were disembarked and travelled by train across Australia, leaving Fremantle on 8 May and arriving in Sydney on 12 May.
[16][17] Prior to leaving Fremantle the squad played an exhibition match, fulfilling a commitment made to the captain of the Indomitable during the voyage; splitting into two teams, McCue's "Reds" beat Risman's "Blues" 24–5.
To transfer to New Zealand it had been arranged for the team to fly, the size of the aircraft involved made it necessary for the party to travel by three separate flights from Rose Bay Water Airport on 22, 23 and 24 July.
In the second half, with England disorganised after Kitching's dismissal, Australia fought back and brought the score to 6–5 with a try by centre Ron Bailey.
England extended struck back as Risman kicked a penalty but with ten minutes left Australia equalised as winger Lionel Cooper scored a try.
Despite a public transport strike and continuing restrictions on non-essential travel, huge queues had formed outside the ground by early morning and the gates were opened at 7 am, several hours before kick off.
[74][75] The attendance was officially recorded as 40,500 but estimates are that the number watching was closed to 60,000 when the gatecrashers and members of the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland (owners of the ground) are included.
With the Ashes already decided the game at Sydney Cricket Ground on 20 July was about pride for both teams and the match was hotly contested from the start.
Almost a quarter of the game had gone before either side scored and it was Australia who took the lead as Joe Jorgenson kicked a penalty.
England equalised with a Gus Risman field goal before another Jorgenson penalty restores Australia's lead.
Australis mounted pressure on the English line but lost momentum when Arthur Clues was sent-off for attempting a dangerous swinging arm tackle on Risman.
England made use of the one-man advantage and scored two further converted tries, the first by Ike Owens and the second, right at the end of the game, by Bassett to win 20–7.
England gave test debuts to three players; Joe Jones, Trevor Foster and Bryn Knowelden while the entire New Zealand team were previously uncapped.