The 1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand was the first ever tour of Australasia by any French sports team in history. Puig Aubert captained the France national rugby league team who played 28 matches in total in both Australia and New Zealand, winning 21 of them in what is regarded as the high point in the history of rugby league in France. The Australian Test series resulted in a 2–1 victory to France; however, the tourists then lost their match against the New Zealand national rugby league team. Welcoming the team home to Marseille, more than 150,000 people turned out for a street parade. Touring squad The French side was coached by former internationals Robert Samatan and Jean Duhau, and was captained by Puig Aubert. France had just claimed the 1950–51 European Rugby League Championship before embarking on the tour. The squad's average age was 26.5 years. The backs' average weight was while the forwards' was . Claude Teisseire, half back for Carcassonne and Lucien Barris, a forward, were initially selected in the squad but did not tour. The Rugby League News published Player Details (Position, Occupation, Age, Height and Weight). France's captain Puig Aubert had been offered a large contract to play in Sydney but returned to his homeland where he was voted French sportsman of the year. Australian leg The tour's Australian leg featured games played in every mainland State capital except Adelaide, drawing a total of over 450,000 spectators. Monaro: FB: Max Preston (age 20) ( Queanbeyan), WG: Don Stewart (24) ( Bombala), CE: Doug McRitchie (27) (, Queanbeyan), CE: Tom Hodges (21) (Adaminaby), WG: Terry Fogarty ( Goulburn), FE: P. Schumack (19) (Bega), HB: Ken Brogan (c) (24) ( Cooma), PR: Ted Schell (19) ( Norths), HK: Ken Fogarty (22) ( Goulburn), PR: K. Barber (21) (Bega), SR: Bruce Grant (21) ( Eden), SR: Bob Alexander (26) ( Canberra), LK: Pat Rankin (20) ( Norths). Jack Melville ( Captain's Flat) was selected as a reserve, but did not play. Jack Southwell (25) ( Canberra) was selected, but withdrew due to injury. France: Puig Aubert, Ode Lespes, Gaston Comes, Maurice Andre, Raymond Contrastin, Robert Caillou, Jean Dop, Paul Bartoletti, Gabriel Genoud, Andre Beraud, Michael Lopez, Élie Brousse, Gaston Calixte The Daily Telegraph included a match report from France's tour manager, Antoine Blain, as well as their chief football writer. Newcastle: FB: Les Milne