1954 Rugby League World Cup final

Last updated
1954 (1954) Rugby League World Cup final
12Total
FRA France colours.svg 4812
GBR Great Britain colours.svg 8816
Date13 November 1954
Stadium Parc des Princes
Location Paris, France
Man of the Match Don Robinson (Great Britain)
Referee Charles Appleton (Great Britain)
Attendance30,368
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters
  • BBC (United Kingdom)
Commentators
1968  

The 1954 Rugby League World Cup final was the conclusive game of the 1954 Rugby League World Cup tournament and was played between France and Great Britain on 13 November 1954 at the Parc des Princes in Paris, France.

Contents

Background

Parc des Princes, the venue of the inaugural Rugby League World Cup final 1932 Le parc des princes v1.jpg
Parc des Princes, the venue of the inaugural Rugby League World Cup final

The 1954 Rugby League World Cup was the inaugural staging of the Rugby League World Cup. The tournament was held in France from 30 October, culminating in the final between France and Great Britain on 13 November.

France

Scores and results list France's points tally first.
Opposing TeamForAgainstDateVenueAttendanceStage
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 221330 October Parc des Princes, Paris 13,240 Group Stage
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 13137 November Stadium Municipal, Toulouse 37,471 Group Stage
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 15511 November Stade Marcel Saupin, Nantes 13,000 Group Stage

Great Britain

Scores and results list Great Britain's points tally first.
Opposing TeamForAgainstDateVenueAttendanceStage
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 281331 October Stade de Gerland, Lyon 10,250 Group Stage
Flag of France.svg  France 13137 November Stadium Municipal, Toulouse 37,471 Group Stage
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 26611 November Stade Chaban Delmas, Bordeaux 14,000 Group Stage

Match details

13 November 1954
France  Flag of France.svg12–16Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Try:
Raymond Contrastin
Vincent Cantoni

Goals:
Puig Aubert (3)
[1]
Try:
Gordon Brown (2)
Gerry Helme
David Rose
Goals:
Jimmy Ledgard (2)
Parc des Princes, Paris
Attendance: 30,368
Referee: Charles Appleton (Great Britain)
Player of the Match: Don Robinson (Great Britain)
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France
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Great Britain
FB1 Puig Aubert (c)
RW2 Vincent Cantoni
RC3 Claude Teisseire
LC4 Jacques Merquey
LW5 Raymond Contrastin
SO6 Antoine Jimenez
SH7 Joseph Crespo
PR8 Joseph Krawzyck
HK9 Jean Audoubert
PR10 François Rinaldi
SR11 Armand Save
SR12 Jean Pambrun
LF13 Gilbert Verdié
Coach:
Flag of France.svg Jean Duhau and Rene Duffort
FB1 Jimmy Ledgard
RW2 David Rose
RC3 Phil Jackson
LC4 Albert Naughton
LW5 Mick Sullivan
SO6 Gordon Brown
SH7 Gerry Helme
PR8 John Thorley
HK9 Sam Smith
PR10 Bob Coverdale
SR11 Basil Watts
SR12 Don Robinson
LF13 Dave Valentine (c)
Coach:
Flag of England.svg Gideon Shaw

The BBC broadcast the whole match live in the UK via the Television Continental Exchange – a rare novelty for the time. France opened the scoring with a penalty Puig-Aubert kick from 45 yards out and played well early in the match, leading early in the second half thanks to a brilliant try from Cantoni. However Great Britain did not waver, with credit for the win given to a starring role by centre Phil Jackson [2] and the play of their forward pack, as well as the tough match France had played against Australia in Nantes two days earlier. [3] Great Britain defeated France 16–12 and became the first team to lift the World Cup. [4]

References

  1. Report
  2. Paddy McAteer (22 December 2010) "Whole World in their Hands" Archived 2012-10-05 at the Wayback Machine North West Evening Mail
  3. AAP (15 November 1954). "World Cup to England". The Sydney Morning Herald . p. 6. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  4. "The History of Rugby League". Rugby League Information. napit.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2014.