Of the 22 man squad, 14 had been members of the 1948–49 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France. Manly-Warringah front rower Roy Bull, and Parramatta centre Ian Johnston became the first players respectively to gain Kangaroos and Test selection from their clubs who had only been admitted into the Sydney Premiership in 1947. Bull's selection also made him the first local junior from Manly to play test football while Johnston scored 4 tries on debut in the tour opener against South Auckland and also made his Test debut in the 1st Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.[citation needed]
Davies Park, Huntly Attendance: 1,823 Referee: Rolly Avery
South Auckland: R. Martin, Turner, O'Carroll, O'Callaghan, A. Rodgers, Phillips, A. Aoaki, Albert Hambleton (c), J. Tupaea, Norman, Tonga, F. Hilton, Moyes. Reserves – . Coach –
Southern Provinces: B. Sillwell, J. Parata, A. Haysarm, N. Evans, E. Chatham, T. Dodd, J. Sutton, R. Westerley, G. Davidson, Ken English (c), K. O'Brien, L. Morgan, J. Kraeyl. Reserves – . Coach –
New Zealand Māori: R. Martin (c), Andrew Berryman, Rex Hohaia, C. Masters, R. Hohua, S. Toka, A. Aoaki, R. Ewe, R. Bolton, Gordon Hohaia, F. Williams, N. Paratine, L. Wright. Reserves – . Coach –
Jubilee Park, Whangārei Attendance: 1,164 Referee: J. O'Shannessey
Northern Provinces: B. Latham, J. Rogers, J. Gibson, G. Kay, J. Stringfellow, R. Tweedie, W. Toker, P. Dormer, Cliff Johnson, S. Roff, A. Hambleton, R. Packham, Allan Laird (c). Reserves – . Coach –
Auckland Colts: Des White, N. Moore, J. Fisher, W. Brooking, N. Clarkin, J. Lepper (c), W. Tocker, V. Barchard, S. Rogers, Raymond Cranch, G. McNichol, J. Herring, Joe Wright. Reserves – . Coach –