United States national rugby league team

The United States national rugby league team, nicknamed the Tomahawks, represents the United States in international rugby league football competitions. The team is controlled by the American National Rugby League (AMNRL) and is overseen by the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF).

The United States competed with little success in some international games during the 1950s, but did not return to consistent competition until 1987. Since the governance of the team was taken over by what is now the AMNRL in 1997, it has competed more regularly in international matches.

History

American All-Stars

One of the earliest attempts to introduce rugby league to the United States was in 1953, when Mike Dimitro, a wrestling promoter, was asked to organize a tour of Australasia by an American rugby league team.

The team, known as the American All-Stars, was given a huge schedule that included 26 matches against Australian and New Zealand sides. None of the 22 American players had ever played rugby league prior to this tour, they presented themselves in American football-like attire early on in the tournament. The team only won six games and tied two.

Their second match of the tour, against a Sydney side, drew a crowd of 65,453 to the Sydney Cricket Ground. After a consistent lack of competition, crowds were good but never reached the great height that the match at the SCG did.

The tour did not in turn bring any benefits to American rugby league. However, Mike Dimitro did not give up; he was able to organise two exhibitions against Australia and New Zealand in California that did not turn out to be a big success.

Return of the United States

In 1987, the United States played their first international game since 1954 against Canada. They have participated in the World Sevens (1992–1997), Superleague World Nines (1996, 1997), Emerging Nations World Cup (2000) and Victory Cup (2003, 2004) competitions.

In 1997 the team was organized by Super League America, which was succeeded by the American National Rugby League (AMNRL) in 2001. The United States Tomahawks warmed up for the 2000 World Cup with a three-match trip to New South Wales, Australia. On Friday 11 August, they took on Forster XIII, drawn from Forster’s two clubs, the Hawks and the Dragons. The Americans were defeated 32-12. They also played the South Sydney Rabbitohs at the old Redfern Oval during Souths' appeal to return to the Australian NRL.

In 2001, as a response to the September 11 attacks, the AMNRL setup a rugby league match between local USA born players (USA All Stars) and AMNRL players who were born overseas (World Allies All Stars). The match was won by the USA All Stars 27-26. Proceeds from the game were donated to the Red Cross to help with cleanup operations.

Since 2002, the Tomahawks have been playing regular international competition in the United States. In 2002, the United States were defeated by Russia 54-10 in front of over 25,000 spectators in Moscow. In 2004, they shocked the Rugby League world by leading the World Cup and Tri-Nations champions Australia for most of the game. Australia rallied in the last quarter of the game and won 36-24. In 2009 and 2010 the United States hosted other emerging North American teams in the Rugby League Atlantic Cup at Hodges Stadium at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.^[1]

In 2011, seven teams in the AMNRL domestic competition broke away to form the USA Rugby League (USARL). The AMNRL denied selection to players affiliated with USARL teams, including players who had been selected for the Tomahawks previously.^[2]

2011 squad

2013 Rugby League World Cup qualifying squad.^[3]

2008 & 2013 Rugby League World Cup Qualifying

In October 2006, The Tomahawks were to participate in a four team Atlantic qualifying pool for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, but South Africa and the West Indies withdrew. As a result, The Atlantic qualifying pool was reduced to a single game between the Tomahawks and Japan. The USA won 54-18. They then played Samoa in the Repechage Semi Final. Samoa won this match 42-10. Despite playing well against Samoa and coming within two games of qualifying for the World Cup, the United States were dropped from 14th down to 15th, when the new world rankings were released after the tournament. When the 2013 World Cup qualifying matches in 2011 come, it could be possible for USA to qualify to the World Cup. The United States began the World Cup Qualification Atlantic Tournament with a comprehensive 40-4 victory over the South Africa Rhinos in Philadelphia,^[4] keeping their chances of qualification for the 2013 World Cup alive. A victory over Jamaica in their final tournament match would ensure their qualification. Coached by Australian Matthew Elliot,^[5] The Tomahawks 40-4 victory over Jamaica qualified them for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, their first ever.^[6]

USA Representative results

International results

• USA def. Jamaica 40-4 (23 October 2011) - World Cup Qualification
• USA def. South Africa 40-4 (15 October 2011) - World Cup Qualification
• Canada def. USA 18-16 (18 September 2011)
• USA def. Canada 18-2 (27 August 2011)
• Ireland def. USA 26-8 (19 March 2011)
• USA def. Canada 46-12 (20 November 2010)
• USA def. Jamaica 36-26 (16 November 2010)
• USA def. Canada 22-16 (19 September 2010)
• USA def. Jamaica 37-22 (14 November 2009)
• Samoa def. USA 42-10 (9 November 2007)
• USA def. Japan 54-18 (28 October 2006)
• Italy "A" def. USA 38-6 (4 February 2006)
• USA def. Japan 40-10 (26 January 2006)
• Australia def. USA 36-24 (1 December 2004)
• Russia def. USA 64-8 (12 May 2004)
• Ireland def. USA 74-16 (10 May 2004)
• USA def. Ireland A 41-10 (24 March 2004)
• USA def. Japan 78-6 (27 June 2003)
• Russia def. USA 44-14 (6 May 2003)
• USA def. Ireland A 20-16 (15 March 2003)
• New Zealand A def. USA 74-14 (6 October 2002)
• Russia def. USA 54-10 (13 September 2002)
• Tartarstan def. USA 30-24 (9 September 2002)
• USA def. Japan 26-10 (1 June 2002)
• USA def. Ireland A 24-22 (16 March 2002)
• USA def. Morocco 50-10 (2000)
• Italy def. USA 40-16 (17 November 2000)
• USA def. Canada 52-10 (13 November 2000)
• USA def. Ireland A 19-6 (18 March 2000)
• England def. USA 110-0 (2000)
• Lebanon def. USA 62-8 (November 1999)
• USA def. Canada 68-0 (1999)
• USA def. Japan 54-0 (1999)
• USA def. Canada 32-6 (1998)
• USA def. Canada 50-10 (1997)
• Ireland A def. USA 26-6 (16 March 1996)
• Russia def. USA 28-26 (20 October 1995)
• Scotland def. USA 38-16 (18 October 1995)
• Cook Islands def. USA 64-8 (16 October 1995)
• Wales def. USA 66-10 (18 June 1995)
• Wales def. USA 92-4 (11 June 1995)
• Ireland A def. USA 24-22 (16 March 1995)
• USA 44 def. Canada 0 (1995)
• USA def. Canada 22-0 (1994)
• USA def. Canada 22-10 (1994)
• Russia def. USA 19-12 (1994)
• USA def. Canada 32-2 (1993)
• Canada def. USA 23-10 (1987)
• France def USA 31-0 (1954)

World Nines results

• Tonga def. USA 26-4 (1997)
• Fiji def. USA 18-8 (1997)
• Cook Islands def. USA 24-6 (1997)
• Papua New Guinea def. USA 38-8 (1997)
• Western Samoa def. USA 30-10 (1997)
• Australia def. USA 24-0 (1997)
• Cook Islands def. USA 22-0 (1996)
• USA def. Morocco 18-4 (1996)
• Western Samoa def. USA 14-6 (1996)
• Australia def. USA 30-16 (1996)
• Scotland def. USA 12-6 (1996)

World Sevens results

• Illawarra def. USA* 18-6 (1997) *unofficial team
• USA* def. Japan 18-14 (1997) *unofficial team
• Italy def. USA* 22-0 (1997) *unofficial team
• Gold Coast def. USA* 40-8 (1996) *unofficial team
• USA* def. Japan 20-8 (1996) *unofficial team
• Melbourne def. USA* 18-14 (1996) *unofficial team
• Australian Aboriginals def. USA* 28-0 (1996) *unofficial team
• Tonga def. USA 20-4 (1995)
• USA def. Russia 28-8 (1995)
• USA def. Italy 22-4 (1995)
• USA def. Russia 20-6 (1995)
• Sydney Tigers def. USA 24-10 (1995)
• South Africa def. USA 20-8 (1994)
• New Zealand def. USA 20-12 (1994)
• France def. USA 18-12 (1994)
• Wainuiomata def. USA 34-8 (1993)
• South Sydney def. USA 28-6 (1993)
• Illawarra def. USA 28-4 (1993)
• Fiji def. USA 30-10 (1992)
• USA def. CIS Red Arrows 12-8 (1992)
• South Sydney def. USA 12-0 (1992)
• Newcastle def. USA 16-0 (1992)

Student results

• USA def. Japan 54-10 (1996)
• Wales def. USA 22-18 (1996)
• Western Samoa def. USA 82-8 (1996)
• New Zealand def. USA 62-10 (1996)
• USA def. Ireland 22-20 (1996)

Other representative results

• USA All Stars def. World Allies All Stars 27-26 (2001)
• Sydney def. USA All Stars 52-25 (1953)

References

• American All Stars RL Team - rl1908.com

External links

• American National Rugby League official site
• NRL (US) official site
• Google-Video