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..STUDENTS RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP HISTORY
by Niel Wood

The Student Rugby League was founded in 1967 when Andrew Cudbertson, Jack Abernathy and Cec Thompson formed a team at Leeds University. They played in the Leeds and District Sunday League and were very much frowned upon by the hierarchy of the University. Gradually, it became clear that there were other like minded students based at other Universities. Not always in the "heart-land" of Rugby League, universities such as Liverpool, Swansea and even Portsmouth took up the game over the next ten years. At this time the League was administered by volunteers who held down full time jobs as well as organising the leagues. Dave Chambers, a school teacher from Manchester did a great deal for the game in the late Seventies and early Eighties. Together with Ron Barnes and Don Bowes they started to make the game a force within the university sector. 

In 1986 the game took a quantum leap as it went fully international and staged the first Student Rugby League World Cup in New Zealand. The hosts won the five-team competition but started one of the biggest success stories in the sport. John Yarker, who lived in Nottingham and was a Rugby League afficienado, took over as League Secretary and really began the expansion. He became and outstanding administrator and was the real architect of the modern Student Rugby League. 

The game in this country grew to around 30 universities spread across the whole of the land. In 1989 there were two significant developments. The World Cup was held in York and included eight teams with the four Home Nations plus, Australia, New Zealand, France and Holland. The Aussies defeated England in the final at Wigan and started a domination of the world game that only ended in 1999. Secondly, the Rugby Football League appointed Bev Risman and Malcolm Reid as Associate Directors of Student Rugby League. 

Their brief was to increase the supply of graduates with a leaning towards Rugby League. This they did with great style. There was a rapid increase in the number of Clubs, which has continued to the present day. Now the SRL has over 70 clubs who field almost 100 teams.

The Student World Cup has since been held in Australia, England and most recently in Europe with groups based in Paris, Cardiff, Belfast, Dublin, Glasgow and Hull. There are 12 nations playing student rugby league with more ready to come on stream. Virtually all the major universities in England and Wales have a club with plans to expand more into Scotland and Ireland over the next 12 months. 

 

The first World Cup in New Zealand certainly reflected the dominant rugby league playing nations of the time, and also the strength and concentration of the student game in this country with Great Britain participating instead of individual Home Nations.

1986 World Cup in New Zealand

Round 1                                                                                 Round 2

Great Britain             8             France     14                            New Zealand          12            France                     10

New Zealand          22           Australia  14                            Great Britain            40            Papua New Guinea 8

 

Round 3                                                                                 Round 4

Australia                  12            GB           4                              New Zealand          54            Papua New Guinea 0

France                     20            PNG         4                              Australia                  35            France                     18

 

Round 5                                                                                 3rd Place Play-off

Australia                  50            PNG         16                            France                     24            Great Britain            10

New Zealand          28            GB           12

 

WORLD CUP FINAL

New Zealand          14            Australia  10

World Cup 2 came to these shores in 1989. Great Britain were now split into the Home Nations, with England applying themselves most successfully to lose narrowly to Australia in the Final. This World Cup also witnessed the first appearance of Holland on the world rugby league stage.

1989 World Cup in England

Round 1                                                                                 Round 2

Scotland                  12            Ireland     16                            Australia                  36            Scotland                  22

Australia                  18            England   10                            England                   65            Ireland                     12

New Zealand          20            France     20                            New Zealand          28            Wales                      10

Wales                      48            Holland    10                            France                     42            Holland                    12

 

Round 3                                                                                 Semi-Finals

Australia                  78            Ireland     8                              New Zealand          10            England                   20

England                   54            Scotland  4                              Australia                  18            France                     2

New Zealand          50            Holland    16

France                     18            Wales     4

 

Play-off for 7th/8th Place                                                    Play-off for 5th/6th Place

Holland                    10            Scotland  20                            Ireland                     12            Wales                      48

 

Play-off for 3rd/4th Place

France                     28            NZ          16

 

WORLD CUP FINAL

Australia                  10            England   5

The 1992 World Cup moved to Australia, and in addition to the continuing strength of the Australian student game, also saw the rise of the Pacific Islanders. Their senior teams were to make a big impression in the Halifax Centenary World Cup in 1995, but in 1992, Fiji, Samoa and in particular, Tonga, proved to be an instant hit.

1992 World Cup in Australia

Round 1                                                                                 Round 2

England                   38            Ireland     4                              Tonga                      36            Papua New Guinea 12

Wales                      20            Fiji            18                            New Zealand          48            Ireland                     4

Scotland                  42            PNG         14                            Fiji                            34            England                   14

Australia                  32            Tonga      6                              Australia                  38            Scotland                  10

New Zealand          15            Samoa     14                            Wales                      7              Samoa                     6

 

Round 3                                                                                 Quarter Final

Australia                  32            PNG         0                              Tonga                      44            England                   20

Tonga                      56            Scotland  12                            New Zealand          24            Scotland                  18

New Zealand          38            Fiji            20                            Wales                      57            Fiji                            20

Wales                      38            Ireland     10                            Australia                  74            Samoa                     14

England                   24            Samoa    24

 

Semi-Finals

Tonga                      34            NZ           16

Australia                  35            Wales     7

 

Play-off for 3rd/4th Place

NZ                         14            Wales          12

 

WORLD CUP FINAL

Australia                  32            Tonga     

 

The Halifax Student Rugby League 1996 World Cup in England again saw an increase in the number of teams taking part, but unfortunately for the home nations, still no home success. Japan entered the rugby league world stage for the first time, and the USA carried on the good work of their senior side in 1995, by not only participating, but beating the Irish. France proved to be the most successful of the European teams.

 

1996 World Cup in England

Round 1                                                                                 Round 2

France                     29            England   2                              Scotland                  10            England                   4

Scotland                  90            Japan      4                              France                     76            Japan                      0

Samoa                     16            NZ           4                              New Zealand          62            USA                         10

Russia                     57            SA           30                            Samoa                     42            Ireland                     16

Australia                  50            Wales      4                              Australia                  68            South Africa            12

USA                         22            Ireland     20                            Russia                     12            Wales                      8

 

Round 3                                                                                 World Cup Semi-Finals

Samoa                     82            USA         6                              Samoa                     28            France                     22

France                     36            Scotland  2                              Australia                  26            New Zealand          6

New Zealand          66            Ireland     0

England                   76            Japan      18                            Plate Semi-Finals

Australia                  52            Russia     5                              Wales                      42            USA                         18

South Africa            30            Wales      28                            Ireland                     66            Japan                      10

 

South Africa            44            Scotland  16                            South Africa            22            England                   20

England                   32            Russia     18

                                                                                               

Bowl Play-Off                                                                        Plate Play-Off

Russia                     26            Scotland  20                            USA                         54            Japan                      10

 

Plate Final                                                                              World Cup 3rd/4th Play-Off

Wales                      20            Ireland     12                            New Zealand          22            France                     20

 

WORLD CUP FINAL

Australia                  38            Samoa     16

 

The Independent Student Rugby League World Cup 1999 was a memorable fortnight of tremendous action and excitement. Many treasured and lasting memories will have been made of the event, won impressively by New Zealand, but contributed enormously to by all who take part.

1999 World Cup in Europe

Paris Pool       Cardiff Pool      
Russia 50 Japan 8 Wales 72 Canada 12
France 27 Russia 10 New Zealand 88 Canada 0
France 62 Japan 14 New Zealand 46 Wales 10
Glasgow Pool       Ireland Pool      
Scotland 26 South Africa 26 Ireland 50 USA 0
England 34 South Africa 18 Australia 74 USA 2
England 20 Scotland 4 Australia 40 Ireland 10

 

Paris Pool

P

W

D

L

For *

Agst *

Diff *

Points

France

2

2

0

0

87

24

63

4

Russia

2

1

0

1

60

35

25

2

Japan

2

0

0

2

22

110

-88

0

 

Cardiff Pool

P

W

D

L

For *

Agst *

Diff *

Points

New Zealand

2

2

0

0

106

10

96

4

Wales

2

1

0

1

70

58

12

2

Canada

2

0

0

2

12

120

-108

0

 

Glasgow Pool

P

W

D

L

For *

Agst *

Diff *

Points

England

2

2

0

0

54

22

32

4

South Africa**

2

0

1

1

44

60

-16

1

Scotland

2

0

1

1

30

46

-16

1

 

Belfast/Dublin Pool

P

W

D

L

For *

Agst *

Diff *

Points

Australia

2

2

0

0

100

12

88

4

Ireland

2

1

0

1

60

40

20

2

USA

2

0

0

2

2

110

-108

0
*     Points Difference - there was a limit of 60 points per match on points difference

**    South Africa qualified for the Bowl ahead of Scotland on the basis of a greater number of points scored

World Plate Semi-Finals                                                     World Bowl Semi-Finals

Japan      10            Scotland                  70                            South Africa            10            Russia     22

(at Featherstone Rovers)                                                       (at Heworth, York)

USA         12            Canada                    16                            Ireland                     26            Wales      16

(at Keighley)                                                                            (at Castleford Lock Lane)

World Plate Play-Off                                                            World Bowl Play-Off

Japan      16            USA                         46                            South Africa            24            Wales      26

(at Batley)                                                                               (at Keighley)

World Plate Final                                                                  World Bowl Final

Scotland  26            Canada                    16                            Russia                     25            Ireland     24

(at Castleford)                                                                         (at Wakefield Trinity)

World Cup Semi-Finals                                                       World Cup Play-Off

England   10            France                     7                              France                     0              Australia  78           

(at The Boulevard, Hull)                                                          (at The Boulevard, Hull)

Australia  14            New Zealand          25

(at Wilderspool, Warrington)

World Cup Final

England   16            New Zealand          46 (at The Boulevard, Hull)

 

A statistical review of the performances of every side who have played in Student Rugby League World Cup tournaments. Note that whilst there was a limit of 60 points per match on points difference in the tournament itself, for the purposes of the following, the actual scores of games will be recorded.

Team

No*

Pld

W

D

L

For

Agst

Diff

Australia

5

25

22

0

3

960

252

708

Canada

1

4

1

0

3

44

198

-154

England

4

18

9

1

8

464

332

132

Fiji

1

4

1

0

3

92

129

-37

France

4

19

11

1

7

475

301

174

Great Britain

1

5

1

0

4

74

86

-12

Holland

1

4

0

0

4

48

160

-112

Ireland

4

16

4

0

1

290

568

-278

Japan

2

9

0

0

9

90

592

-502

New Zealand

5

24

18

1

5

760

342

418

Papua New Guinea

2

7

0

0

7

54

274

-220

Russia

2

9

6

0

3

225

211

14

Samoa

2

9

4

1

4

242

206

36

Scotland

4

17

6

1

10

404

434

-30

South Africa

2

9

3

1

5

216

297

-81

Tonga

1

6

4

0

2

190

125

65

USA

2

9

3

0

6

172

372

-200

Wales

4

18

10

0

8

465

387

78

No*          Number of tournaments

 

 

 

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