1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup

1989–1992 (1989–1992) World Cup ()
Number of teams	5
Winner	Australia (7th title)

Matches played	21
Attendance	300,059 (14,289 per match)
Points scored	835 (39.76 per match)
Top scorer	Mal Meninga (70)
Top try scorer	Mal Meninga (7)
Tournaments < 1985–1988 1995 >

The 1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup was the tenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup, and continued to use the three-year format, stretching across the years 1989 to 1992. As with the 1985–1988 World Cup, teams played each other on a home and away basis. These matches were fitted into the normal international programme of three-match test series between the nations, with a pre-designated match from each series counting as the World Cup fixture.

The matches went strictly to form, with Australia undefeated and certain to claim a world cup final berth as early as 1991. France and Papua New Guinea were uncompetitive, leading to a straight fight between New Zealand and Great Britain for the right to meet the Kangaroos in the final. In the event the Lions were able to just edge out the Kiwis on points difference.

The final, at Wembley, was a surprisingly close affair, with Great Britain leading with only 12 minutes to go. The game's only try was then scored by Steve Renouf and Australia were able to claim victory in front of a Rugby League World Cup record crowd of 73,631.

1 Tournament results
- 1.1 1989
- 1.2 1990
- 1.3 1991
- 1.4 1992
2 Final standings
3 Final
4 References
5 External links

Tournament results

1989

23 July 1989	New Zealand	14–22	Australia	Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 15,000
				Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 15,000

11 November 1989	Great Britain	10–6	New Zealand	Central Park, Wigan Attendance: 20,346
				Central Park, Wigan Attendance: 20,346

3 December 1989	France	0–34	New Zealand	Stade d'Albert Domec, Carcassonne Attendance: 4,208
				Stade d'Albert Domec, Carcassonne Attendance: 4,208

1990

2 June 1990	Papua New Guinea	8–40	Great Britain	Lloyd Robson Oval, Port Moresby Attendance: 7,837
				Lloyd Robson Oval, Port Moresby Attendance: 7,837

27 June 1990	Australia	34–2	France	Pioneer Oval, Parkes, New South Wales Attendance: 12,384
				Pioneer Oval, Parkes, New South Wales Attendance: 12,384

15 July 1990	New Zealand	21–18	Great Britain	Addington Showground, Christchurch Attendance: 3,133
				Addington Showground, Christchurch Attendance: 3,133

11 August 1990	Papua New Guinea	10–18	New Zealand	Lloyd Robson Oval, Port Moresby Attendance: 7,837
				Lloyd Robson Oval, Port Moresby Attendance: 7,837

24 November 1990	Great Britain	0–14	Australia	Headingley, Leeds Attendance: 32,500
				Headingley, Leeds Attendance: 32,500

9 December 1990	France	10–34	Australia	Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan Attendance: 3,428
				Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan Attendance: 3,428

1991

27 January 1991	France	10–45	Great Britain	Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan Attendance: 3,965
				Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan Attendance: 3,965

23 June 1991	New Zealand	32–10	France	Addington Showground, Christchurch Attendance: 2,000
				Addington Showground, Christchurch Attendance: 2,000

7 July 1991	Papua New Guinea	18–20	France	Danny Leahy Oval, Goroka Attendance: 11,485
				Danny Leahy Oval, Goroka Attendance: 11,485

31 July 1991	Australia	40–12	New Zealand	Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 29,139
				Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 29,139

13 October 1991	Papua New Guinea	6–40	Australia	Lloyd Robson Oval, Port Moresby Attendance: 14,500
				Lloyd Robson Oval, Port Moresby Attendance: 14,500

9 November 1991	Great Britain	56–4	Papua New Guinea	Central Park, Wigan Attendance: 4,193
				Central Park, Wigan Attendance: 4,193

24 November 1991	France	28–14	Papua New Guinea	Stade d'Albert Domec, Carcassonne Attendance: 1,440
				Stade d'Albert Domec, Carcassonne Attendance: 1,440

1992

7 March 1992	Great Britain	36–0	France	The Boulevard, Kingston-upon-Hull Attendance: 5,250
				The Boulevard, Kingston-upon-Hull Attendance: 5,250

In addition to being a World Cup allocated match, this was the third and deciding test of the 1992 Ashes series.

Friday, 3 July 1992	Australia	16 - 10	Great Britain	Lang Park, Brisbane Attendance: 32,313 Man of the Match: Paul Sironen
Friday, 3 July 1992	Tries: Laurie Daley, Mal Meninga Goals: Mal Meninga (4)		Tries: Martin Offiah Goals: Paul Eastwood (3)

This six-point margin of defeat meant that New Zealand would need to beat Papua New Guinea by 109 points in the following match to prevent a Great Britain-Australia World Cup final at Wembley in October.^[1]

5 July 1992	New Zealand	66–10	Papua New Guinea	Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 3,000
				Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 3,000

15 July 1992	Australia	36–14	Papua New Guinea	Townsville Sports Reserve, Townsville, Queensland Attendance: 12,470

Final standings

Team	Played	Won	Lost	For	Against	Difference	Points
Australia	8	8	0	236	68	+168	16
Great Britain	8	5	3	221	79	+142	10
New Zealand	8	5	3	197	120	+77	10
France	8	2	6	80	247	−167	4
Papua New Guinea	8	0	8	84	304	−220	0

Final

AUSTRALIA:
1. Tim Brasher; 2. Willie Carne; 3. Steve Renouf; 4. Mal Meninga (c); 5. Michael Hancock; 6. Brad Fittler; 7. Allan Langer
8. Glenn Lazarus; 9. Steve Walters; 10. Mark Sargent; 11. Paul Sironen; 12. Bob Lindner; 13. Bradley Clyde
Replacements: Chris Johns, John Cartwright, David Gillespie & Kevin Walters
Coach: Bob Fulton

GREAT BRITAIN:
1. Joe Lydon; 2. Alan Hunte; 3. Gary Connolly; 4. Garry Schofield (c); 5. Martin Offiah; 6. Shaun Edwards; 7. Deryck Fox
8. Kevin Ward; 9. Martin Dermott; 10. Andy Platt; 11. Denis Betts; 12. Phil Clarke; 13. Ellery Hanley
Replacements: John Devereux, Alan Tait, Kelvin Skerrett & Richard Eyres
Coach: Mal Reilly

24 October 1992	Australia	10–6^[2]	Great Britain	Wembley Stadium, London Attendance: 73,631^[3] Referee: Dennis Hale
	Try: Renouf^[4] Goals: Meninga (3)		Goals: Fox (3)

The hard-fought final was a one-try affair, with the only four-pointer being set up by Kevin Walters, who put his Brisbane teammate Steve Renouf over to score with a clever cut-out pass.^[5] Otherwise, the two teams' kickers were called upon to score most of the points. The rain started pouring in the second half and Australia was able to hold Great Britain out and maintain their lead until the final siren.

Australia's World Cup triumph ended a mini-hoodoo for them at London's Wembley Stadium. The Kangaroos had previously left the arena 21-12 losers in 1973 and the 1990 tourists were outplayed by Great Britain 19-12, but when it mattered most this time around Australia proved themselves as worthy World Cup champions to retain the crown they had won against New Zealand in 1988. This match also set a new attendance record for a rugby league international in the United Kingdom.^[6]

The match, which was telecast late at night down under, broke Australia's midnight-to-dawn television ratings record which was set the previous year by rugby union's world cup final.^[7]

References

^ Meninga breaks Britain's resistance (independent.co.uk)
^ Britain's resources sold short - Rugby League World Cup Final (independent.co.uk)
^ Paddy McAteer (22 December 2010) "Whole World in their Hands" North West Evening Mail
^ Harms, John (2005). The Pearl: Steve Renouf's Story. Australia: University of Queensland Press. pp. 88. ISBN 0702235369, 9780702235368. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OFE2EZ7JyEkC.
^ Roberts, Michael (2008). Great Australian Sporting Moments. Australia: The Miegunyah Press. p. 275. ISBN 9780522855470. http://books.google.com/books?id=dvWZHv2l7J0C. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
^ Wilson, Andy (4 November 2011). "Wembley Rugby League internationals - in pictures". guardian.co.uk. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/gallery/2011/nov/04/wembley-rugby-league-internationals-in-pictures#/?picture=381413774&index=1. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
^ Oliver, Robin (1992-10-27). "'Roos give 9 early-hours record". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Digital): pp. 6. http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&docID=news921027_0088_9090. Retrieved 2009-10-07.

External links

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