1997 World Club Championship

Last updated

1997 World Club Championship
World Club Challenge.JPG
Trophy won by Brisbane Broncos
Duration6 June – 17 October 1997
Teams22
Matches played68
Average attendance7,989
Attendance543,258
Champions Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos  (2nd title)
Runners-up Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners
Top point-scorer(s) Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Ryan Girdler (118 points)
Top try-scorer(s) Brisbane colours.svg Steve Renouf (13)
←  1994
2000  →

The 1997 World Club Championship was an expansion of the World Club Challenge concept by Super League. The rugby competition was restructured to include all 22 clubs from the Australasian Super League and the Super League championships and was known as the Visa World Club Championship due to sponsorship. As it was contested over six rounds in two hemispheres, with A$1 million prize money (GBP 640,000), the competition was prohibitively expensive to stage, with suggestions that it cost A$6 million. [1] This coupled with the poor ratings and attendances that were achieved both in Australia and Europe reportedly resulted in a loss over A$5 million, and the World Club Challenge was not staged again for a number of years. No British teams progressed further than the quarter-finals, with two Australian teams reaching the final (played at the Ericsson Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand): the dominant Brisbane Broncos club and the ill-fated Hunter Mariners. [2]

Contents

Format

The competition was held during the second season of the European Super League competition and the inaugural season of the Australasian Super League season. Both competitions paused their competitions for the first three rounds in June, and again for the second round of matches in July-August.

Teams in each competition were seeded into two pools to ensure that the leading teams would play each other. [3] The Australasian teams were split into a pool of six teams that contained the teams that had finished highly in the 1996 ARL season, and a pool of four teams that included the expansion Super League franchises Hunter Mariners and Adelaide Rams. The European Super League teams were split into two pools of six teams in order of the final positions of the clubs during the 1996 Super League season. Promoted club Salford Reds joined Pool B.

With only four teams in the Australasian Pool B, the six European teams had two bye weekends.

The competition saw five Australasian teams tour Europe for each set of three match weekends, with five European teams simultaneously touring Australasia.

Following the completion of the pool matches, the top three teams from both of the competitions Pool A progressed to the quarter finals, with the winner of the Australasian Pool B. The winner of the European Pool B faced the fourth-placed team from Pool A in an elimination qualifier for a place in the quarter finals. [4] The playoffs took place after the completion of the respective Super League competitions.

Credit card company Visa was announced as the competition sponsor just before the European launch of the championship at Huddersfield. The sponsorship was described as a "substantial investment to help offset the estimated £2 million operational costs." [5]

Pool stage tables

The Australasian and European teams were each divided into two pools for the 1997 World Club Challenge. Each pool had six teams, with the exception of Australasia B, which had the two lowest placed Super League-aligned teams and the two newly formed teams: the Hunter Mariners and the Adelaide Rams. The finals series was contested between the top three teams in Australasia Pool A and Europe Pool A, and the top team from Australasia Pool B and Europe Pool B.

Australian Super League

Pool A
PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 660027052+21812Advance to Quarter-finals
2 Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors 660026882+18612
3 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla Sharks 660023054+17612
4 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 6600256120+13612
5 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 6501302108+19410
6 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury Bulldogs 6402218121+978
Source: RLP
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Point difference; 3) Points scored.
Pool B
PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners 660022650+17612Advance to Quarter-finals
2 North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys 650122892+13610
3 Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams 640217068+1028
4 Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds 6402148104+448
Source: RLP
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Point difference; 3) Points scored.

Super League

Pool A
PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 620489212−1234Advance to Quarter-finals
2 Broncoscolours.png London Broncos 6105136238−1022
3 Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls 600682228−1460
4 Saintscolours.svg St Helens 600696270−1740Advance to Elimination final
5 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves 600678256−1780
6 Faxcolours.svg Halifax Blue Sox 600656340−2840
Source: RLP
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Point difference; 3) Points scored.
Pool B
PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 France colours.svg Paris Saint-Germain 41034890−422Advance to Elimination final
2 Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 410394138−442
3 Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham Bears 410352130−782
4 Redscolours.svg Salford City Reds 410344130−862
5 Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles 410354168−1142
6 Castleford colours.svg Castleford Tigers 400452116−640
Source: RLP
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Point difference; 3) Points scored.

Results

Round 1

June 6–9
HomeScoreAwayMatch information
Day & Time (local)VenueRefereeAttendance
Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 42 – 22 Broncoscolours.png London Broncos Friday 6 June, 7:30 pm ANZ Stadium, Brisbane Bill Harrigan 18,193
Saintscolours.svg St. Helens 14 – 42 Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors Friday 6 June, 7:30 pm Knowsley Road, St. Helens Stuart Cummings 8,911
North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys 42 – 20 Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos Saturday 7 June, 7:30 pm Stockland Stadium, Townsville Steve Clark14,561
Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams 50 – 8 Redscolours.svg Salford Reds Sunday 8 June, 2:00 pm Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Tim Mander 11,346
Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 70 – 6 Faxcolours.svg Halifax Blue Sox Sunday 8 June, 2:30 pm Bruce Stadium, Canberra Brian Grant7,780
France colours.svg Paris St-Germain 12 – 28 Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners Sunday 8 June, 3:00 pm Charlety Stadium, ParisSteve Presley3,500
Castleford colours.svg Castleford Tigers 16 – 24 Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds Sunday 8 June, 3:30 pm Wheldon Road, Castleford Robert Connolly3,590
Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves 12 – 40 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla Sharks Sunday 8 June, 6:35 pm Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington Russell Smith3,378
Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury Bulldogs 18 – 22 Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors Monday 9 June, 7:30 pm Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney Graham Annesley 10,680
Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls 16 – 20 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers Monday 9 June, 7:45 pm Odsal Stadium, Bradford David Campbell14,378
Byes: Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles, Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham Bears
References: RLP [6]

Round 2

June 13–16
HomeScoreAwayMatch information
Day & Time (local)VenueRefereeAttendance
Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams 34 – 8 Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos Friday 13 June, 8:00 pm Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Steve Clarke14,630
Castleford colours.svg Castleford Tigers 12 – 42 Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners Friday 13 June, 7:30 pm Wheldon Road, Castleford Stuart Cummings 3,087
North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys 54 – 16 Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham Bears Saturday 14 June, 7:30 pm Stockland Stadium, Townsville Graham Annesley 12,631
Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls 16 – 20 Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors Saturday 14 June, 6:00 pm Odsal Stadium, Bradford Russell Smith13,133
Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 66 – 20 Broncoscolours.png London Broncos Sunday 15 June, 2:30 pm Bruce Stadium, Canberra Tim Mander 6,471
Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury Bulldogs 58 – 6 Faxcolours.svg Halifax Blue Sox Sunday 15 June, 2:30 pm Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney Brian Grant5,034
Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves 22 – 52 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers Sunday 15 June, 3:00 pm Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington Robert Connolly3,850
Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles 26 – 22 Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds Sunday 15 June, 6:35 pm Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield John Connolly2,065
Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 34 – 0 Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors Monday 16 June, 7:30 pm ANZ Stadium, Brisbane Bill Harrigan 14,833
Saintscolours.svg St Helens 8 – 48 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla Sharks Monday 16 June, 7:45 pm Knowsley Road, St Helens David Campbell8,039
Byes: France colours.svg Paris St-Germain, Redscolours.svg Salford Reds
References: RLP [6]

Round 3

June 20–23
HomeScoreAwayMatch information
Day & Time (local)VenueRefereeAttendance
Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams 42 – 14 Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham Bears Friday 20 June, 8:00 pm Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Graham Annesley 13,852
Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles 4 – 40 Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners Friday 20 June, 7:30 pm Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield Russell Smith2,350
Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls 10 – 30 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla Sharks Friday 20 June, 7:30 pm Odsal Stadium, Bradford Stuart Cummings10,756
North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys 44 – 8 Redscolours.svg Salford Reds Saturday 21 June, 7:30 pm Stockland Stadium, Townsville Brian Grant15,508
France colours.svg Paris St-Germain 24 – 0 Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds Saturday 21 June, 7:00 pm Charlety Stadium, ParisDavid Campbell3,500
Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 76 – 0 Faxcolours.svg Halifax Blue Sox Sunday 22 June, 2:30 pm ANZ Stadium, Brisbane Tim Mander 11,358
Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 56 – 22 Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors Sunday 22 June, 2:30 pm Bruce Stadium, Canberra Steve Clark9,098
Saintscolours.svg St Helens 30 – 50 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers Sunday 22 June, 6:35 pm Knowsley Road, St Helens John Connolly6,671
Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury Bulldogs 34 – 18 Broncoscolours.png London Broncos Monday 23 June, 7:30 pm Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney Bill Harrigan 7,272
Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves 28 – 56 Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors Monday 23 June, 7:45 pm Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington Steve Presley4,428
Byes: Castleford colours.svg Castleford Tigers, Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos
References: RLP [6]

Round 4

July 18–21
HomeScoreAwayMatch information
Day & Time (local)VenueRefereeAttendance
Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 48 – 12 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves Friday 18 July, 7:30 pm Penrith Football Stadium, Penrith Brian Grant5,642
Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham Bears 20 – 16 North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys Friday 18 July, 7:30 pm Boundary Park, Oldham Robert Connolly2,961
Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 22 – 14 Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams Friday 18 July, 7:30 pm Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds Russell Smith11,269
Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds 48 – 12 Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles Saturday 19 July, 7:30 pm WACA Ground, Perth Steve Clark7,429
Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors 76 – 0 Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls Sunday 20 July, 2:30 pm Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Bill Harrigan 12,500
Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners 26 – 8 Castleford colours.svg Castleford Tigers Sunday 20 July, 2:30 pm Topper Stadium, Newcastle Tim Mander 3,379
Faxcolours.svg Halifax Blue Sox 22 – 40 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury Bulldogs Sunday 20 July, 3:00 pm Thrum Hall, Halifax Steve Presley3,300
Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 4 – 30 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Sunday 20 July, 6:35 pm Central Park, Wigan Stuart Cummings13,476
Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla Sharks 28 – 12 Saintscolours.svg St. Helens Monday 21 July, 7:30 pm Shark Park, Sydney Graham Annesley 7,721
Broncoscolours.png London Broncos 38 – 18 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders Monday 21 July, 7:30 pm The Stoop, LondonJohn Connolly7,819
Byes: France colours.svg Paris St-Germain, Redscolours.svg Salford Reds
References: RLP [6]

Round 5

July 25–28
HomeScoreAwayMatch information
Day & Time (local)VenueRefereeAttendance
Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors 70 – 6 Saintscolours.svg St. Helens Friday 25 July, 7:30 pm Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Steve Clark18,354
Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham Bears 2 – 18 Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams Friday 25 July, 7:30 pm Boundary Park, Oldham John Connolly3,315
Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla Sharks 44 – 0 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves Saturday 26 July, 7:30 pm Shark Park, Sydney Tim Mander 6,112
Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners 32 – 0 France colours.svg Paris St-Germain Sunday 27 July, 2:30 pm Topper Stadium, Newcastle Graham Annesley 2,210
Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds 24 – 14 Castleford colours.svg Castleford Tigers Sunday 27 July, 2:30 pm WACA Ground, Perth Brian Grant12,500
Faxcolours.svg Halifax Blue Sox 12 – 42 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders Sunday 27 July, 3:00 pm Thrum Hall, Halifax Robert Connolly3,620
Redscolours.svg Salford City Reds 14 – 24 North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys Sunday 27 July, 3:00 pm The Willows, Salford Steve Presley7,448
Broncoscolours.png London Broncos 16 – 34 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Sunday 27 July, 6:35 pm The Stoop, LondonStuart Cummings9,846
Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 54 – 14 Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls Monday 28 July, 7:30 pm Penrith Football Stadium, Penrith Bill Harrigan 5,336
Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 31 – 24 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury Bulldogs Monday 28 July, 7:45 pm Central Park, Wigan Russell Smith10,280
Byes: Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos, Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles
References: RLP [6]

Round 6

August 1–4
HomeScoreAwayMatch information
Day & Time (local)VenueRefereeAttendance
Western Reds colours.svg Perth Reds 18 – 8 France colours.svg Paris St-Germain Friday 1 August, 6:30 pm WACA Ground, Perth Tim Mander 5,690
Broncoscolours.png London Broncos 22 – 44 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury Bulldogs Friday 1 August, 7:30 pm The Stoop, LondonJohn Connolly6,923
Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla Sharks 40 – 12 Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls Saturday 2 August, 7:30 pm Shark Park, Sydney Brian Grant8,272
Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors 16 – 4 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves Sunday 3 August, 2:30 pm Lancaster Park, Christchurch Graham Annesley 5,500
Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners 58 – 12 Castleford colours.svg Castleford Tigers Sunday 3 August, 2:30 pm Topper Stadium, Newcastle Steve Clark1,965
Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 12 – 50 Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders Sunday 3 August, 3:00 pm Central Park, Wigan Steve Presley12,504
Redscolours.svg Salford City Reds 14 – 12 Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams Sunday 3 August, 6:35 pm The Willows, Salford Stuart Cummings6,995
Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 14 – 48 North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys Sunday 3 August, 8:00 pm Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds Russell Smith12,224
Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 32 – 26 Saintscolours.svg St. Helens Monday 4 August, 7:30 pm Penrith Football Stadium, Penrith Bill Harrigan 5,303
Faxcolours.svg Halifax Blue Sox 10 – 54 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Monday 4 August, 7:45 pm Thrum Hall, Halifax Robert Connolly3,255
Byes: Castleford colours.svg Castleford Tigers, Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham Bears
References: RLP [6]

Playoffs

Bracket

Elimination qualifier Quarter-finals Semi finals Final
Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 66
Saintscolours.svg St. Helens 42 Saintscolours.svg St. Helens 12
France colours.svg Paris St-Germain 4 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 22
Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors 16
Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors 62
Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls 14
Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 36
Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners 12
Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 18
Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners 22
Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla Sharks 18
Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners 22
Broncoscolours.png London Broncos 16
Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla Sharks 40

Elimination qualifier

Wednesday, 13 August St. Helens Saintscolours.svg 42 – 4 France colours.svg Paris St-Germain Knowsley Road, St. Helens
7:45 pm

Attendance: 3,641
Referee: Russell Smith

Quarter-finals

Friday, 3 October Auckland Warriors Auckland colours.svg 62 – 14 Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls Ericsson Stadium, Auckland

Attendance: 12,063
Referee: Bill Harrigan
Friday, 3 October Wigan Warriors Wigancolours.svg 18 – 22 Bullscolours.svg Hunter Mariners Central Park, Wigan

Attendance: 9,553
Referee: Russell Smith
Saturday, 4 October Brisbane Broncos Brisbane colours.svg 66 – 12 Saintscolours.svg St. Helens ANZ Stadium, Brisbane

Attendance: 6,438
Referee: Steve Clark
Saturday, 4 October London Broncos Broncoscolours.png 16 – 40 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla Sharks The Stoop, London

Attendance: 6,239
Referee: Stuart Cummings

Semi-finals

Friday, 10 October Brisbane Broncos Brisbane colours.svg 22 – 16 Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors ANZ Stadium, Brisbane
19:30 AEST (UTC+10)
Tries:
Walker Ru ball.svg (2)
Tallis Ru ball.svg
Walters Ru ball.svg
Goals:
Walker Rugby penalty.svg (3)
1st: 10–10
2nd: 12–6
Report
Tries:
Oudenryn Ru ball.svg (2)
Endacott Ru ball.svg
Goals:
Ridge Rugby penalty.svg (2)

Attendance: 9,686
Referee: Graham Annesley
Saturday, 11 October Cronulla Sharks Cronulla colours.svg 18 – 22 Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners Shark Park, Sydney
19:30 AEST (UTC+10)
Tries:
Ettingshausen Ru ball.svg
Richardson Ru ball.svg
Rogers Ru ball.svg
Goals:
Rogers Rugby penalty.svg (3)
1st: 12–12
2nd: 6–10
Report
Tries:
Kimmorley Ru ball.svg (2)
Doherty Ru ball.svg
Zisti Ru ball.svg
Goals:
K Iro Rugby penalty.svg (2)
Swain Rugby penalty.svg (1)

Attendance: 5,214
Referee: Bill Harrigan

Final

1997 (1997) World Club Championship final  ()
EricssonStadium00.jpg
Mount Smart Stadium hosted the match
Brisbane Broncos Hunter Mariners
(SL Flag of Australia (converted).svg )(SL Flag of Australia (converted).svg )
3612
12Total
BRI Brisbane colours.svg 261036
HUN Hunter colours.svg 4812
Date18 October 1997
Stadium Mount Smart Stadium
LocationAuckland, New Zealand
Referee Graham Annesley Flag of Australia (converted).svg
Attendance10,300
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters
Commentators
←  1994
2000  →

In their only year of existence, this would be the only final that the Hunter Mariners would appear in.

Three tries in 12 minutes from Brisbane Broncos centre Darren Smith put the Broncos in a strong position in the first half to lead 26–0 inside 30 minutes, with the Hunter Mariners only score a try to Nick Zisti just before the break. [7]

After the interval, the Mariners came close to scoring, but were denied twice by the video referee. [7] John Carlaw and Zisti would score tries to reduce the margin to 14 points, [8] [9] but two late tries to the Broncos through Wendell Sailor and Steve Renouf gave the Brisbane side a dominant victory. [7]

The Broncos collected A$1 million for winning the competition, with the Mariners collecting A$500,000 which the club split 50-50 with the players. [10]

Teams

Kit left arm goldborder.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body BrisbaneBroncos1997.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm goldborder.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks band claret.png
Kit socks long.svg
Brisbane Broncos
Kit left arm SLMariners.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body SLMariners.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm SLMariners.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks color 3 stripes yellow.png
Kit socks long.svg
Hunter Mariners
FB1 Darren Lockyer
RW18 Michael De Vere
RC13 Darren Smith
LC4 Steve Renouf
LW5 Wendell Sailor
FE6 Kevin Walters
HB7 Allan Langer (c)
PR21 Shane Webcke
HK9 John Plath
PR23 Andrew Gee
SR11 Gorden Tallis
SR10 Brad Thorn
LK12 Peter Ryan
Substitutions:
IC14 Ben Walker
IC2 Michael Hancock
IC15 Tonie Carroll
IC33 Phillip Lee
Coach:
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wayne Bennett
FB1 Robbie Ross
RW3 Nick Zisti
LC6 Brad Godden
RC4 Kevin Iro
LW5 John Carlaw
FE21 Scott Hill
HB20 Brett Kimmorley
PR31 Anthony Brann
HK9 Robbie McCormack (c)
PR14 Troy Stone
SR16 Darrien Doherty
SR12 Paul Marquet
LK55 Tyran Smith
Substitutions:
IC2 Keith Beauchamp
IC10 Tim Maddison
IC11 Tony Iro
IC18 Richard Swain
Coach:
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Graham Murray

Match details

1997 World Club Challenge Final
Friday, 17 October
19:30 NZST (UTC+12)
Brisbane Broncos Brisbane colours.svg 36 – 12 Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners
Tries:7
D Smith Ru ball.svg 18', 24', 28'
Walters Ru ball.svg 4'
Plath Ru ball.svg 12'
Sailor Ru ball.svg 74'
Renouf Ru ball.svg 79'
Goals:4
De Vere Rugby penalty.svg 5', 13', 29'(3/5)
Walker Rugby penalty.svg 75'(1/2)
1st: 26–4
2nd: 10–8
[11]
Tries:3
Zisti Ru ball.svg 35', 64'
Carlaw Ru ball.svg 53'
Goals:0
K Iro (0/2)
Swain (0/1)
Ericsson Stadium, Auckland
Attendance: 10,300
Referee: Graham Annesley Flag of Australia (converted).svg

Aftermath

The dominance of the Australasian sides in the competition led to the Rugby Football League appointing Joe Lydon to head a commission to provide an explanation. [12] The general conclusion was that the Australian sides were no more skillful than the European teams, the main difference as it had been in international football since the late 1970s, was fitness, something that they were working on by the time of the season ending Super League Test series between the Super League Australians and the Great Britain Lions in England in November.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super League (Australia)</span> Australian rugby league competition active in 1997

Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australia and New Zealand for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to purchase the pay television rights to rugby league in Australia. After two years of legal battles the competition was played for a single season in 1997 alongside the rival Australian Rugby League (ARL) competition before the two merged in 1998 to form the National Rugby League (NRL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adelaide Rams</span> Defunct rugby league team in South Australia

The Adelaide Rams was an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Adelaide, South Australia. The team was formed in 1995 for the planned rebel Super League competition. The Rams lasted two seasons, the first in the Super League competition in 1997 and the second in the first season of the National Rugby League (NRL) in 1998. The Rams were not a successful club, winning only 13 out of 42 games. However crowd numbers in the first season were the fifth highest of any first-grade club that year, but dwindled to sixteenth in the second season. The Adelaide club was shut down at the end of the 1998 season as a result of poor on-field performances, dwindling crowd numbers, financial losses and a reduction in the number of teams in the NRL. They remain the only team from the state of South Australia to have participated in top-level rugby league in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett Kimmorley</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Brett "Noddy" Kimmorley is an Australian rugby league coach and former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s, & early 2010’s. A New South Wales interstate and Australian international representative halfback, he last played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs of the NRL. He previously played for five other clubs: Newcastle Knights, Hunter Mariners, Melbourne Storm, Northern Eagles and the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. Kimmorley also represented Country NSW four times and New South Wales ten times as well as playing 15 times for his country including the 2000 World Cup. He also played two Super League Tests. He retired at the end of the 2010 NRL season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Rea</span> Australian rugby league footballer and coach

Tony Rea is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and a former head coach for Super League club, London Broncos. A former hooker, he played club football in the Brisbane Rugby League for Brothers, in the New South Wales Rugby League as captain of the North Sydney Bears, and in the Super League for the London Broncos, later becoming their coach. Rea also briefly coached Super Rugby team, the Brumbies before returning to London to coach the Broncos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graham Murray</span> Australian rugby league player and coach (1955–2013)

Graham Ernest Murray was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.

Nicolas Zisti is an Italian Australian former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He played club level rugby league (RL) for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, the St. George Dragons, the Hunter Mariners, the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and the Bradford Bulls, usually as a wing, but also as a centre, and representative level rugby union (RU) for Italy, and at club level for Rugby Roma Olimpic, as a wing or centre.

The 1998 NRL season was the 91st season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the inaugural season of the newly formed National Rugby League (NRL). After the 1997 season, in which the Australian Rugby League and Super League organisations ran separate competitions parallel to each other, they joined to create a reunited competition in the NRL. The first professional rugby league club to be based in Victoria, the Melbourne Storm was introduced into the League, and with the closure of the Hunter Mariners, Western Reds and South Queensland Crushers, twenty teams competed for the premiership, which culminated in the 1998 NRL grand final between the Brisbane Broncos and Canterbury-Bankstown. It was also the final season for the Illawarra Steelers and the St. George Dragons as their own clubs prior to their merger into the St. George-Illawarra Dragons for the 1999 NRL season

Steven Renouf is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Nicknamed 'the Pearl', he was known as one of the sport's greatest centres. Renouf set numerous records for the Brisbane Broncos club. After spending eleven years with Brisbane, which yielded four premierships, he left Australia to play for English club Wigan Warriors, where he spent two seasons before retiring. He was named in Australia's Indigenous team of the century (1908–2007).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Hill (rugby league)</span> Australia international rugby league footballer

Scott Hill is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He was previously with the Harlequins RL club in the Super League. His usual position is at five-eighth. Hill previously played in Australia for the Melbourne Storm, Hunter Mariners and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Hill is a former New South Wales and Australian representative player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steele Retchless</span> US international rugby league footballer

Steele Retchless is a former United States international rugby league footballer who played as a second-row and prop forward in the 1990s, and 2000s. He played for the Brisbane Broncos and the South Queensland Crushers in the ARL Premiership and the London Broncos in the European Super League. He also played for the Ipswich Jets and Easts Tigers in the Queensland Cup.

The 1997 Super League season was a breakaway professional rugby league football competition in Australia and the only one to be run by the News Limited-controlled Super League organisation. Eight teams which had broken away from the existing Australian Rugby League, in addition to the newly created Adelaide Rams and Hunter Mariners, competed over eighteen weekly rounds of the regular season. The top five teams then played a series of knock-out finals which culminated in a September grand final played in Brisbane between the Brisbane Broncos and Cronulla.

John Stephen Monie is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. He is probably best known for his coaching career where he won premierships in both Australia and England.

Terry Matterson is an Australian rugby league coach and former player. Matterson played in Australia's premiership for the Eastern Suburbs Roosters and the Brisbane Broncos, and was also selected to play in the State of Origin for New South Wales once in 1989. He was a goal-kicking lock and he played the majority of his club football for the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won the 1992 and 1993 premierships, in addition to stints with the Eastern Suburbs Roosters and the London Broncos. He worked as a head coach in the Super League for the Castleford Tigers between 2005 and 2011. From October 2013 Matterson was the head coach of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1994 World Club Challenge</span>

The 1994 MMI World Club Challenge was a replay of the 1992 World Club Challenge, with 1993–94 Rugby Football League season champions Wigan facing the 1993 NSWRL season premiers, the Brisbane Broncos, this time in Australia. Wigan were clearly the dominant club in the English game, having won the previous four consecutive Rugby Football League Championships and Challenge Cup tournaments. The Broncos, having won consecutive premierships in 1992 and 1993, were the dominant team in the Australian game at the time. In the World Club Challenge–this time played unusually late in the year–Wigan were looking to get revenge for their loss against Brisbane in the sides' previous encounter, and obtained a strong first-half lead. The English club then survived a second-half comeback from Brisbane and won the match, cementing their position as the world's dominant rugby league club of the period.

Bradley Godden is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s. He played for the Newcastle Knights, Hunter Mariners, and the Leeds Rhinos as a fullback, wing or centre.

1997 in rugby league centered on the Super League II and Australasia's split season.

The 1997 London Broncos season was the eighteenth in the club's history and their second season in the Super League. Coached by Tony Currie, the Broncos competed in Super League II and finished in 2nd place. The club also reached the fifth round of the 1997 Challenge Cup and the Quarter Finals in the 1997 World Club Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunter Mariners</span> Defunct Australian rugby league club, based in Newcastle, NSW

The Hunter Mariners were an Australian professional rugby league club based in the Hunter Region's largest city, Newcastle. Hunter was formed in mid-1995 and was later disbanded at the end of 1997. The club was formed because of the Super League war, which was the rivalry between the traditional Australian Rugby League competition and the new media driven Super League competition. The team competed in the inaugural and only Super League season in 1997, as well as that year's World Club Challenge.

The World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league competition between the winners of the Australian National Rugby League and the British Super League, for the de facto club world championship of the sport.

The 1997 Adelaide Rams season was the Adelaide Rams' debut season as a rugby league club. They competed in the Super League's Telstra Cup and World Club Championship.

References

  1. ↑ Mascord, Steve (17 October 1997). "Gold Coast hunts the Mariners". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales: John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited. p. 45.
  2. ↑ Hadfield, Dave (16 October 1997). "The short but amazing life of Hunter Mariners". The Independent . independent.co.uk. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  3. ↑ Wilson, Andy (1 June 1997). "Ambitious project means global dawning". The Observer. London, United Kingdom. p. 52.
  4. ↑ Fitzpatrick, Paul (6 June 1997). "Show time in the world acid test". The Guardian. London, United Kingdom. p. B7.
  5. ↑ "Visa invests in world club championship". The Times. London, United Kingdom. 5 June 1997. p. 47.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "World Club Championship - Fixtures". Sunday Mirror. London, United Kingdom. 1 June 1997. p. 69.
  7. 1 2 3 "Rugby League: World Club C'ship: Broncos on top of the world Brisbane Broncos 36 Hunter Mariners 12". The Guardian . London, United Kingdom. 18 October 1997. p. 10:1.
  8. ↑ Mascord, Steve (18 October 1997). "In-limbo Mariners fall gamely to Broncos". Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales: John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited. p. 64.
  9. ↑ Hadfield, Dave (18 October 1997). "Rugby League: World Club Championship Final - Broncos' early burst leaves Mariners marooned". The Independent. London, United Kingdom. p. 23.
  10. ↑ Drzyzga, Ben (18 October 1997). "Broncos burst Mariners' bubble". Newcastle Herald. Newcastle, New South Wales: Newcastle Newspapers Pty Limited. p. 22.
  11. ↑ 1997 WCC Final - Brisbane vs Hunter
  12. ↑ Robinson, John (1997). Super League Official Annual 1998. World International. p. 42. ISBN   0-7498-3389-0.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.