The Romans Were Here!

In 1966 Italian Serie A giants AS Roma were brought to Australia for an eight game tour by the tobacco company W.D. & H.O. Wills. They were led on the tour by Guido Masetti, goalkeeper in their only championship win to that point in 1941-42, as well as having had stints as manager in 1943-45, 1950-51 and 1956-57.

The company produced the following promotional film of the tour, which as well as including some travel features (a visit to a VFL footy game, boating in Sydney Harbour) contains footage from four of the games played. It's a fabulous slice of not just football history, but of Australia at the time.

Roma had won the Coppa Italia in 1964, having captured the Inter-City Fairs Cup (later UEFA Cup) in 1961. They were coming off an eighth place in the 1965-66 season, finishing fourteen points behind champions Internazionale, and four places above local rivals Lazio. The touring side featured Giacomo Losi, one of the inaugural eleven inductees into the club's Hall of Fame when it was established in 2012.

Details of the games featured in the film:

Sunday June 19, 1966.
At Olympic Park (Crowd: 15694)
Referee: Geoff Harrison

Victoria 0 AS Roma 1 (Francesconi 79')

Victoria: J.Young, N.Shepherd, J.O'Neill, W.Janczyk, B.Rice, F.Micic, A.Abonyi (T.Roseweir), B.Vojtek (S.Jones), K.Kowalec, J.Anderson, H.McMeechan. Coach: Wieslaw Janczyk
AS Roma: F.Cudicini, G.Tomasin, M.Ardizzon, F.Capelli, G.Losi, S.Carpenesi, L.Leonardi, G.Tamborini, F.Francesconi, A.Spanio, F.Enzo. (V.Benitez on 46') Coach: Guido Masetti

Saturday June 4, 1966
At Newcastle Sports Ground (Crowd: 14931)
Referee: George Muir

Northern New South Wales 1 (Morrow) AS Roma 4 (Benitez 3, Francesconi)

Northern New South Wales: J.Dorman, R.Bullen (R.Reynolds 25'), C.Curran, R.Cameron, T.Garrett, R.Lloyd, B.Morrow, A.Oldham, R.Baartz, D.Wright, K.Twidle.
AS Roma: A.Ginulfi, G.Tomasin, A.Sensible, F.Capelli, G.Losi, S.Carpanesi, L.Leonardi, V.Benitez, R.Da Silva, F.Francesconi, F.Enzo (G.Tamborini). Coach: Guido Masetti

Saturday June 11, 1966
At the Brisbane Exhibition Ground (Crowd: 7800)
Referee: Vince Dobinson

Queensland 0 AS Roma 6 (Francesconi 2, Da Silva 2, Leonardi, Benitez)

Queensland: R.Kelly, W.Haigh, G.Kathage, M.Jackson, M.Hosie, L.Petie (B.Allison), G.McMillan, R.Richards, E.Pattison, R.Edmunds, K.Jones. Coach: George Pagan
AS Roma: A.Ginulfi, G.Tomasin, A.Sensible, G.Tamborini, G.Losi, S.Carpanesi, L.Leonardi, V.Benitez, R.Da Silva, F.Francesconi, F.Enzo. Coach: Guido Masetti

Monday June 13, 1966
At the Sydney Showgrounds (Crowd: 5800)
Referee: Roger Lamb

Australia 1 (Morrow 67') AS Roma 1 (Tamborini 88')

Australia: B.Rorke, T.Edwards, G.Nuttall, P.Hughes, B.Rice, J.,Watkiss, B.Morrow, R.Campana, J.Giacometti, D.Walsh, D.Holden. Coach: Joe Marston
AS Roma: F.Cuducini, G.Tomasin, M.Ardizzon, F.Capelli, G.Losi, S.Carpanesi, L.Leonardi (A.Sensible), V.Benitez, R.Da Silva, G.Tamborini, F.Francesconi. Coach: Guido Masetti

Programmes

New South Wales v AS Roma - June 5

Details of the full tour:

May 29   Victoria 2 (Gajda, Micic) AS Roma 4 (Spanio 2, Francesconi, Benitez)
June 4   Northern New South Wales 1 (Morrow) AS Roma 4 (Benitez 3, Francesconi)
June 5   New South Wales (Campana) AS Roma 2 (Leonardi, Da Silva)
June 11   Queensland 0 AS Roma 6 (Francesconi 2, Da Silva 2, Leonardi, Benitez)
June 13   Australia 1 (Morrow) AS Roma 1 (Tamborini)
June 19   Victoria 0 AS Roma 1 (Francesconi)
June 25   South Australia 0 AS Roma 3 (Tamborini, Francesconi, Da Silva)
July 3   Western Australia 2 (Reid, Lukcszek) AS Roma 4 (Da Silva 2, Carpenesi, O.G.)

Action from the May 29th game against Victoria.

                                          (Click on images to enlarge)