1957 | World Cup|
---|---|
Number of teams | 4 |
Host country | Australia |
Winner | Australia (1st title) |
Matches played | 6 |
Attendance | 214,918 (35,820 per match) |
Points scored | 204 (34 per match) |
Top scorer | Brian Carlson (28) |
Top try scorers | Mick Sullivan (3) Ian Moir (3) Kel O'Shea (3) |
The 1957 Rugby League World Cup was the second World Cup held for men’s national rugby league teams and was held between 15 and 25 June and hosted by Australia. Table toppers Australia were the winners as there was no Final at this World Cup. [1]
1957 marked the 50th anniversary of rugby league in Australia but the hosts were not confident of their ability to lift the trophy, having capitulated in the Ashes series in England barely seven months previously. Great Britain, under Alan Prescott, and boasting world-class backs such as Billy Boston, Mick Sullivan, Jeff Stevenson and Lewis Jones, and a formidable pack, were expected to win with Jacques Merquey's French side a dark horse.
Best and fairest awards were made to individual nations, the recipients being Gilbert Benausse (France), Brian Carlson (Australia), Phil Jackson (Great Britain) and Bill Sorensen (New Zealand).
Referee Vic Belsham from New Zealand controlled three matches at the World Cup, including controlling one of New Zealand's matches. New Zealand included his brother Sel at halfback. [2]
Sydney | Brisbane |
---|---|
Sydney Cricket Ground | The Gabba |
Capacity: 70,000 | Capacity: 48,000 |
Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 82 | 20 | +62 | 6 | World Cup Winners |
Great Britain | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 50 | 65 | −15 | 2 | |
New Zealand | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 44 | 60 | −16 | 2 | |
France | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 59 | −31 | 2 |
17 June |
Australia | 31 – 6 | Great Britain |
Program Report [3] |
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Attendance: 58,655 [4] |
25 June |
Great Britain | 21 – 29 | New Zealand |
Program Report [5] |
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Attendance: 14,263 |
The 1960 Rugby League World Cup was the third World Cup for men’s national teams and was held between 24 September and 8 October and hosted in England. The same format used in 1957 was used, with Great Britain winning their second World Cup after finishing top of the group.
The 1968 Rugby League World Cup was the fourth World Cup for men’s national teams and was held between 25 May and 10 June and for the first time co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. Australia were the Champions after they defeated France in the final.
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Hull Football Club, commonly referred to as Hull or Hull F.C., is a professional rugby league club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Hull play their home games at the MKM Stadium and compete in Super League, the top tier of British rugby league
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Jacques Merquey also known by the nickname of "Jackiew", as a French rugby footballer of the 1950s. A dual-code rugby international, his position was centre, later in his career this changed to stand-off. While Merquey started in union, he played the vast majority of his career in rugby league. He played his club rugby league for Marseille, Sporting Olympique Avignon XIII and Lezignan, becoming the most capped International, with 37 games for France. Merquey is the only Frenchman to play in the first three successive World Cups, in 1954, 1957 and 1960.
Workington Town is a semi-professional rugby league club based in Workington, West Cumbria, England. The club plays home games at Derwent Park and competes in the League One, the third tier of British rugby league.
Brian Patrick Carlson was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He was a centre & utility back for the Australia national team. He played in 17 Tests and 6 World Cup games between 1952 and 1961, as captain on 2 occasions. He is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.
Philip Jackson was an English World Cup winning former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He was a captain, playing as a centre, or stand-off, as well as a Barrow club legend.
Michael Sullivan was an English professional rugby league footballer and coach who played as a wing. He started his playing career at Huddersfield before joining Wigan for a record transfer fee in 1957. He won two Challenge Cups with the club, and won a third Challenge Cup medal with St Helens after signing with the club for another record fee in 1961.
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Gilbert Benausse was a French rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at the international level for France, and at club level for AS Carcassonne, Lézignan Sangliers and Toulouse Olympique, playing at centre, stand-off, or scrum-half.
The 1957 New Zealand rugby league season was the 50th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand.
The 1961 New Zealand rugby league season was the 54th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand.
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Four teams that took part at the 1960 Rugby League World Cup.
This page list all the four squads which took part to the 1957 Rugby League World Cup.