1968 Rugby League World Cup

Last updated

1968 (1968) World Cup  ()
Number of teams4
Host countriesFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
WinnerFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia (2nd title)

Matches played7
Attendance220,683 (31,526 per match)
Points scored227 (32.43 per match)
Top scorer Flag of Australia (converted).svg Eric Simms (56)
Top try scorers Flag of Australia (converted).svg Lionel Williamson (4)
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ron Coote (4)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Clive Sullivan (4)
 < 1960
1970 > 

The 1968 Rugby League World Cup tournament was the fourth staging of the Rugby League World Cup, and was held in Australia and New Zealand during May and June in 1968. Contested by the men's national rugby league football teams of the two host countries plus Great Britain and France, for the first time a final to determine the World Cup was specifically pre-arranged (previous finals having only been used when teams finished level on points). Financially it was a profitable venture for the competing nations.[ citation needed ]

Contents

The 1968 World Cup was the first to be played under limited tackles rules, the number then being four tackles. The round 1 match between Great Britain and Australia attracted an attendance of 62,256, the highest for a World Cup match until 1992. [1] The final was held at the Sydney Cricket Ground; a crowd of 54,290 watched Australia defeat France. [1] The stars of the Australian team in the tournament were skipper Johnny Raper, second-rower Ron Coote, who scored spectacular tries in each and every game, and the dead-shot kicker Eric Simms, who harvested a record 25 goals (50 points).

Squads

Venues

Flag of Australia (converted).svg Sydney Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brisbane Flag of New Zealand.svg Auckland
Sydney Cricket Ground Lang Park Carlaw Park
Capacity: 70,000Capacity: 40,000Capacity: 20,000
Sydney Showground and Cricket Ground 1936 (14019783946).jpg Suncorp-Stadium-Milton-Queensland.jpg Carlaw Park.jpg

Results

25 May
New Zealand  Flag of New Zealand.svg10 – 15Flag of France.svg  France
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Col Pearce (AUS)

France: Jean-Claude Cros; Daniel Pellerin, Michel Molinier, Jean-Pierre Lecompte, André Ferren; Jean Capdouze, Roger Garrigue; Georges Ailleres (c), Yves Bégou, Christian Sabatié, Francis de Nadaï, Henri Marracq, Jean-Pierre Clar
New Zealand: R Tait; R Mincham, H Sinel, P Schultz, E Wiggs; J Bond (c), J Clarke; O Danielson, Colin O'Neil, George Smith, B Lee, J Dixon, A Kriletich; Henry Tatana.

After only twelve minutes, New Zealand second-rower Brian Lee was sent off in a match in which the classy French stand-off Jean Capdouze bagged 13 points. The game was also notable for the first World Cup substitution when Adolphe Alésina replaced second-rower Francis de Nadaï.


25 May
Australia  Flag of Australia (converted).svg25 – 10Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 62,256 [1]
Referee: John Percival Flag of New Zealand.svg

A record World Cup crowd of 62,256 saw New Zealand referee John Percival mercilessly penalising Great Britain, with debutant full-back Eric Simms booting a record eight goals in Australia's win. [2]


1 June
Australia  Flag of Australia (converted).svg31 – 12Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Lang Park, Brisbane
Attendance: 23,608

Simms repeated the feat of kicking eight goals as he had in the previous match as Australia eventually killed off New Zealand at Brisbane after trailing for much of the game.


2 June
France  Flag of France.svg7 – 2Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 15,760

France surprised Britain in a rain-ruined match at Auckland with an uncharacteristically stubborn defensive display and winger Jean-René Ledru, scoring the winning try to qualify for a World Cup final showdown against Australia.


8 June
Australia  Flag of Australia (converted).svg37 – 4Flag of France.svg  France
Lang Park, Brisbane
Attendance: 32,664

In the final preliminary game in Brisbane, Australia's scrum-half back Billy Smith dropped three goals. French winger Jean-René Ledru and Australia's prop Artie Beetson were both sent off.


8 June
Great Britain  Flag of the United Kingdom.svg38 – 14Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 14,105

Final standings

TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 33009326+676Qualified for the World Cup final
Flag of France.svg  France 32012649234
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 31025046+42
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 30033684480
Source: [ citation needed ]

Final

The final had been billed a 'debacle' following Great Britain's inexplicable loss to France in Auckland, resulting in France contesting the final against Australia despite having been beaten by Australia seven tries to none two days prior. [3] Nonetheless, it attracted a record crowd of 54,290 for a World Cup final match.

10 June 1968
Australia  Flag of Australia (converted).svg20–2Flag of France.svg  France
Try:
Lionel Williamson (2)
Ron Coote
Johnny Greaves
Goals:
Eric Simms (4)
[4]
Try:



Goals:

Field Goals:
Jean Capdouze (1)
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 54,290
Referee: John Percival Flag of New Zealand.svg
Player of the Match: John Wittenberg Australian colours.svg
Kit left arm kangaroos.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body kangaroos54.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm kangaroos.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts thingoldsides.png
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks hoops gold.png
Kit socks long.svg
Australia
Kit left arm francerl54.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body francerl54.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm francerl54.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks 2whitestripes.png
Kit socks long.svg
France
FB1 South Sydney colours.svg Eric Simms
LW2 Canterbury colours.svg Johnny Rhodes
RC3 St. George colours.svg Graeme Langlands
LC4 Canterbury colours.svg Johnny Greaves
RW5 Cougscolours.svg Lionel Williamson
FE6 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Bob Fulton
HB7 St. George colours.svg Billy Smith
LK8 St. George colours.svg Johnny Raper (c)
SR9 South Sydney colours.svg Ron Coote
SR10 Parramatta colours.svg Dick Thornett
PR11 Balmain colours.svg Arthur Beetson
HK12 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Fred Jones
PR13 St. George colours.svg John Wittenberg
Substitutions:
IC14
IC15 St. George colours.svg Elton Rasmussen
Coach:
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Harry Bath
FB1 France colours.svg Jean-Claude Cros
RW2 France colours.svg Daniel Pellerin
RC3 France colours.svg Jacques Gruppi
LC4 France colours.svg Jean-Pierre Lecompte
LW19 France colours.svg Jean-René Ledru
FE6 Catalanscolours.svg Jean Capdouze
HB7 France colours.svg Roger Garrigue
PR8 France colours.svg Christian Sabatié
HK9 France colours.svg Yves Bégou
PR10 France colours.svg George Ailleres (c)
SR11 France colours.svg Francis de Nadaï
SR12 France colours.svg Henri Marracq
LF13 France colours.svg Jean-Pierre Clar
Substitutions:
IC14
IC16 France colours.svg Jacques Gruppi
Coach:
Flag of France.svg Jep Lacoste

The undefeated Australians went into the tournament decider as favourites. [5] However France offered stern resistance and held the Australians to 0–7 at half-time and with quarter of an hour were only 0–12 down before losing 2–20. It was Australia's second World Cup title.

Try scorers

4
3
2
1

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References

Inline

  1. 1 2 3 McCann, 2006: 83
  2. 1968 RLWC Australia vs Great Britain
  3. "Rugby league debacle". The Age . 10 June 1968. p. 21. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  4. Report
  5. Kdouh, Fatima (28 November 2013). "We take a look back at the greatest Rugby League World Cup finals of all time". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 23 December 2013.

General