Strong tradition: Jason Taumalolo and Shaun Johnson lead the haka for New Zealand before the 2016 Anzac Test. Credit:Jonathan Carroll A sub-editor on this newspaper, derisively dubbed them the "All Golds", a reference to the fact the players on the private tour were paid, unlike those in the establishment rugby union. The ship which transported the Kiwis and the sole Australian was the RMS Ortona. Eight years later, renamed the Arcadian, the ship was the headquarters of Sir Ian Hamilton, the British general who commanded the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force during the Gallipoli campaign. Therefore, as General Hamilton looked out on the Gallipoli coastline on April 25, 1915, planning an attack, it was from the same decks that the Kiwis with their single Australian reinforcement, Messenger, had trained for their sporting assault on the Motherland. There is no record of any of the All Golds being on Gallipoli on that first Anzac Day.

After all, some of them, such as captain Bumper Wright and backrower Addie Lile, had fought in the Boer war 15 years earlier. Others remained in England after the tour, playing for north of England rugby league clubs. Messenger had already retired to Manilla in northern NSW to run a pub. The 1911 Kangaroo tour, which was the first team to win the Ashes in England, included four New Zealand players. One of them, Charles Savory, died at Gallipoli. A controversial character and New Zealand heavyweight boxing champion, he died on May 8, 1915 at Gallipoli from wounds. He had been a rugby league international from 1911 to 1914.

Of the touring Maori team to Sydney in May 1908, fullback Aritaku Wihapi was wounded fighting at Gallipoli. By mid 1915, over 400 rugby league playing Kiwis had enlisted and the NZRL could not field a team for the planned tour of Australia, cancelling it. But some of the All Golds who had signed with English rugby league clubs enlisted from the "mother country" and were killed or wounded. The captain of the All Golds in the very first Test against Australia at the Royal Agricultural Ground on May 9, 1907 was fullback Herbert 'Jum' Turtill. He enlisted at St Helens and was a sergeant in the Royal Engineers. He was killed in action on April 9, 1918 at Flanders, France.

Another fullback, Joseph Lavery, remained in England after the tour, enlisted and was wounded in action, returning home. Centre Arthur Kelly also stayed on in England, enlisted as part of the 'Corps of Colonials' in British Army and survived the war. Five eighth Lance Todd was another to remain in England and enlisted in both world wars. He was Commandant in the Salford Section of the Home Guards and killed on duty in a car accident in 1942. Prop Charles Dunning enlisted from New Zealand and suffered a severe leg injury in fighting. He walked with the aid of a walking stick the rest of his life. Each of the All Golds was required to pay a levy of £50 to be selected, which was recouped, plus a share of the profits, from the financially successful tour.

This year's Anzac Test, 110 years after the All Golds tour, will be played at Canberra's GIO stadium on May 5. It will feature many Kiwis playing for Australian NRL clubs. When the ARL opted to increase payments for Test matches, aligning them with State of Origin fees, the Kiwi players in NRL clubs pointed out they were entitled to the same. The NZRL had always paid the agreed levy on Test matches, used to promote the code internationally, unlike England which had occasionally reneged after games against France. Loading

But the Kiwis could not also afford the massive increase in match payments to players. So the ARL, recognising that the Kiwis have always contributed when they can, agreed to pay the men whose forefathers were the first to make an international tour.