1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup
1989–1992 | Rugby League World Cup|
---|---|
Number of teams | 5 |
Winner | Australia (7th title) |
Matches played | 21 |
Attendance | 300,059 (14,289 per match) |
Points scored | 834 (39.71 per match) |
Top scorer | Mal Meninga (70) |
Top try scorer | Mal Meninga (7) |
1995 > |
The 1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup (sometimes shortened to 1992 Rugby League World Cup) was the tenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup, and continued to use the three-year format, stretching across the years 1989 to 1992. As with the 1985–1988 World Cup, teams played each other on a home-and-away basis. These matches were fitted into the normal international programme of three-match test series between the nations, with a pre-designated match from each series counting as the World Cup fixture. The tournament culminated in the 1992 Rugby League World Cup final.
The matches went strictly to form, with Australia undefeated and certain to claim a world cup final berth as early as 1991. France and Papua New Guinea were uncompetitive, leading to a straight fight between New Zealand and Great Britain for the right to meet the Kangaroos in the final. In the event the Lions were able to just edge out the Kiwis on points difference.
As they had done in
Venues
Brisbane | Leeds | Auckland | Wigan |
---|---|---|---|
Lang Park | Elland Road | Mount Smart Stadium | Central Park |
Capacity: 32,500 | Capacity: 32,500 | Capacity: 30,000 | Capacity: 30,000 |
Port Moresby | Hull | Christchurch | Perpignan |
Lloyd Robson Oval
|
The Boulevard | Addington Showgrounds
|
Stade Gilbert Brutus |
Capacity: 17,000 | Capacity: 16,000 | Capacity: 15,000 | Capacity: 13,000 |
Parkes | Goroka | Townsville | Carcassonne |
Pioneer Oval | Danny Leahy Oval | Townsville Sports Reserve | Stade Albert Domec |
Capacity: 12,000 | Capacity: 12,000 | Capacity: 12,000 | Capacity: 10,000 |
Final
The World Cup final was played at Wembley Stadium in London.
London |
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Wembley Stadium |
Capacity: 82,000 |
Matches
Group stage
Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 236 | 68 | +168 | 16 | Advances to the Final |
Great Britain | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 215 | 79 | +136 | 10 | |
New Zealand | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 203 | 120 | +83 | 10 | |
France | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 80 | 247 | −167 | 4 | |
Papua New Guinea | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 84 | 304 | −220 | 0 |
1989
The first match of the 1989–1992 World Cup was also the 3rd test of the 1989 Trans-Tasman Test series which was won 3–0 by Australia
1990
This match was also the 3rd and deciding test of the
1991
This match was also the 3rd and deciding test of the 1991 Trans-Tasman series.
Australian winger Willie Carne crossed for a hat trick of tries in Port Moresby.
1992
3 July 1992
|
Australia | 16–10 | Great Britain |
---|---|---|
Tries: Daley Meninga Goals: Meninga (4) |
Tries: Offiah Goals: Eastwood (3) |
In addition to being an allocated World Cup match, this was the third, deciding test of the 1992 Ashes series. This six-point margin of defeat meant that New Zealand would need to beat Papua New Guinea by 109 points in the following match to prevent a Great Britain-Australia World Cup final in October.[2]
15 July 1992
|
Australia | 36–14 | Papua New Guinea |
---|---|---|
Townsville Sports Reserve, Queensland
Attendance: 12,470 |
Final
24 October 1992
2:30PM (GMT) |
Great Britain | 6–10 | Australia |
---|---|---|
Tries: Goals: Deryck Fox (3/4) |
Report[usurped] |
Tries: Steve Renouf Goals: Mal Meninga (3/4) |
Great Britain
|
Australia
|
|
|
This match set a new world record attendance for a rugby league international of 73,631, beating the previous record of 70,204 set at the
Unlike 1988 when Australia had agreed to let New Zealand host the Final at Eden Park in Auckland due to dwindling international attendances in Australia, the international game had become popular again over the next four years (mainly due to much improved performances by Great Britain and New Zealand) and there was a good chance of sell-out crowd in either Brisbane or Sydney for the game. However, the potential for an attendance at Wembley that would be almost or more than double the size that could be seen in Australia, and the potential exposure from playing the game at one of the world's most iconic stadiums, could not be ignored.
Both coaches picked experienced teams, with only Australian's Tim Brasher (fullback) and Steve Renouf (centre) making their international debut in the game. With incumbent fullback Andrew Ettingshausen unavailable through injury, Australian coach Bob Fulton preferred utility outside back Brasher over Newcastle Knights fullback Brad Godden due to Brasher's previous big game experience having played in Balmain's 1989 Grand Final loss as well as making his State of Origin debut earlier in the year. Fulton also chose seven members from the Brisbane Broncos 1992 Winfield Cup premiership winning team including exciting centre Renouf. Lions coach Mal Reilly chose to retain Garry Schofield as captain despite the presence of Ellery Hanley in the team. He also went with pace on the wings with Martin Offiah and St. Helens flyer Alan Hunte.
The hard-fought final was a one-try affair, with Great Britain leading 6–4 with only 12 minutes remaining.[5] The only try of the match was then set up by Australian replacement back Kevin Walters, who, with a clever cut-out pass, put his Broncos teammate Steve Renouf into a gap not covered by replacement Lions centre John Devereux. Renouf, in his debut test for Australia, then raced 20 metres to score in the corner.[6] Otherwise, the two teams' kickers (Mal Meninga and Deryck Fox) were called upon to score most of the points, including Meninga's pressure sideline conversion of Renouf's try. The rain started pouring in the second half and Australia was able to hold Great Britain out and maintain their lead until the final siren.
Australia's triumph saw them win their fourth World Cup in a row after winning the previous cups in
The match was telecast live late at night throughout Australia on the
Try scorers
- 7
- 5
- 4
- 3
- 2
- 1
- Greg Alexander
- Gary Belcher
- Ben Elias
- Brad Fittler
- Peter Jackson
- Chris Johns
- Michael O'Connor
- Steve Renouf
- Steve Roach
- Mark Sargent
- Steve Walters
- Christophe Auroy
- Denis Biénès
- Christophe Bonnafous
- Patrick Entat
- David Despin
- Daniel Divet
- Gilles Dumas
- David Fraisse
- Daniel Verdès
- Martin Dermott
- Paul Dixon
- Karl Fairbank
- Deryck Fox
- Bobbie Goulding
- Les Holliday
- Alan Hunte
- Paul Newlove
- Roy Powell
- Anthony Sullivan
- Alan Tait
- Dean Bell
- Mark Elia
- Gary Freeman
- Clayton Friend
- Gavin Hill
- Sean Hoppe
- Kevin Iro
- Mike Kuiti
- Dean Lonergan
- Duane Mann
- Jarrod McCracken
- Gary Mercer
- Tawera Nikau
- Matthew Ridge
- Brent Stuart
- Darrell Williams
- Sauna Babago
- Aquila Emil
- Paul Gela
- Chris Itam
- August Joseph
- James Naipo
- Gigmai Ongugo
- Opoe Soga
- Goie Waine
References
- ^ Kdouh, Fatima (28 November 2013). "We take a look back at the greatest Rugby League World Cup finals of all time". The Daily Telegraph.
- ^ Meninga breaks Britain's resistance (independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1992 Rugby League World Cup final
- ^ Wilson, Andy (4 November 2011). "Wembley Rugby League internationals – in pictures". The Guardian.
- )
- ISBN 978-0-522-85547-0.
- ^ Oliver, Robin (27 October 1992). "'Roos give 9 early-hours record". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 6.