During the 1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand McGovern was selected to play on the wing for Queensland in their match against the touring Frenchmen, which ended in a 22-all draw. In 1952 McGovern first gained selection for the Australia national rugby league team, becoming Kangaroo No. 296 He was selected as a winger for the 1952-53 Kangaroo tour. On the 1956-57 Kangaroo tour, McGovern was selected to play in all three Test matches against Great Britain. McGovern retired having scored the most tries in the history of the Bulimba Cup with 27.