1977_Rugby_League_World_Cup

1977 Rugby League World Cup

1977 Rugby League World Cup

8th Rugby League World Cup tournament


The 1977 Rugby League World Cup was the eighth Rugby League World Cup tournament and was held in Australasia, with games played during May and June in both Australia and New Zealand. It featured four teams: Great Britain and France in addition to the two host nations. All teams played each other once, resulting in a top two of Great Britain and Australia who played in the tournament final at the Sydney Cricket Ground with the home team winning by one point.

Quick Facts World Cup (), Number of teams ...

The tournament was held during the 1977 NSWRFL season and 1977 New Zealand rugby league season.

Teams

More information Team, Nickname ...

Venues

More information Sydney, Brisbane ...

Matches

Group stage

More information Team, Pld ...
Source: [citation needed]
29 May
New Zealand 12 – 27 Australia
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 18,000
5 June
France 4 – 23 Great Britain
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 10,000
11 June
Australia 21 – 9 France
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 13,231
12 June
New Zealand 12 – 30 Great Britain
Addington Showground, Christchurch
Attendance: 9,000
18 June
Australia 19 – 5 Great Britain
Lang Park, Brisbane
Attendance: 27,000
19 June
New Zealand 28 – 20 France
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 8,000

Final

More information Australia, 13–12 ...
25 June
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 24,457
Referee: Billy Thompson England
Player of the Match: John Kolc
Australia
Great Britain
FB1Graham Eadie
RW2Allan McMahon
RC3Michael Cronin
LC4Russel Gartner
LW5Mark Harris
FE6John Peard
HB7John Kolc
LK8Greg Pierce
SR9Ray Higgs
SR10Arthur Beetson (c)
PR11Terry Randall
HK12Nick Geiger
PR13Greg Veivers
Substitutions:
IC14Denis Fitzgerald
IC15Mark Thomas
Coach:
Australia Terry Fearnley
FB1George Fairbairn
RW2Stuart Wright
RC3John Holmes
LC4Les Dyl
LW5Bill Francis
SO6Roger Millward (c)
SH7Steve Nash
LF8Phil Hogan
SR9Eddie Bowman
SR10Len Casey
PR11Jimmy Thompson
HK12Keith Elwell
PR13Steve Pitchford
Substitutions:
IC14Ken Gill
IC15Peter Smith
Coach:
Wales David Watkins

After their 19–5 win over Great Britain a week earlier at Lang Park in Brisbane (which actually drew 2,543 more fans than the Final), the Australians went into the Final as warm favourites. However, led by experienced captain Roger Millward, the Lions managed to dominate possession throughout the game, and it took a last minute try from Australian halfback John Kolc (playing his only international game for Australia) to secure the Cup in front of 24,457 spectators at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

1st Half

The Australian's opened the scoring through Allan McMahon who scored in the Paddington corner. Michael Cronin kicked the sideline conversion and Australia led 5–0. Great Britain soon his back with a try to Steve Pitchford. George Fairbairn converted the try to lock the scores at 5–5. The match was then highlighted by a 60-metre try to Australian centre Russel Gartner who pounced on a dropped ball from Lions fullback Fairbairn after a Great Britain scrum win to race away and score. Only converging defence from Gartner's opposite number Les Dyl kept him from scoring closer to the posts, giving Cronin a difficult conversion from midway between the posts and the touch line. Cronin missed the attempt and the Australian's led 8–5. Fairbairn then kicked a penalty goal to make the scores 8–7 closing in on half time.

Late in the first half the gritty and determined Lions were considered unlucky not to score when they were denied what would have been a certain try to winger Stuart Wright by English referee Billy Thompson. Wright had intercepted a pass from Cronin to Mark Harris 15 metres from the Australian line and was racing downfield with no one near him when Thompson called play back for an obstruction penalty to Great Britain rather than play advantage. Had Wright scored, and likely under the posts, it could have given the visitors a 12–8 lead going into the break. Instead, soon after Cronoin kicked a penalty goal from in front of the posts to make the score 10–7 going into half time.

2nd Half

Australia took the lead out to 13–7 after a try to John Kolc in the Randwick corner in front of the Bradman Stand. Fairbairn had dropped a downfield kick by Cronin and the ball was pounced upon by Allan McMahon. From acting half, Kolc then dummied which fooled Fairbairn and Bill Francis and he raced away to score in the corner. Cronin missed the difficult kick from the sideline and the score remained at 13–7.

The Lions then hit back with a try under the posts to replacement back Ken Gill which was converted by Fairbairn to bring the scores to 13–12. After Kolc was penalised for using an elbow on Roger Millward who was chasing his own chip-kick, Fairbairn then had a late chance to give Great Britain the lead with a penalty goal from 45 metres out, though his went just to the right of the posts into the waiting arms of Australian fullback Graham Eadie who took full advantage of the Lions defence line still being near halfway to run the ball back outside the Australian quarter line.[2]

Try scorers

4
3
2
1

References


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