1999 Rugby League Tri-Nations

1999 (1999) Tri-Nations  ()
Number of teams	3
Winner	Australia (1st title)
Matches played	4
Attendance	70,295 (17,574 per match)
Tries scored	26 (6.5 per match)
Top scorer	Mat Rogers[1] (36)
Top try scorer	Nigel Vagana[1] (4)
Tournaments 2004 >

The 1999 Rugby League Tri-Nations series was contested by Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand in 1999. It was the first multi-national rugby league tournament to feature the sport's three world powers since the 1989-92 World Cup (the 1995 World Cup featured England and Wales separately). Co-hosts Australia and New Zealand played in the final, which was narrowly won by the Kangaroos. Great Britain didn't win a game of the tournament.

After the Lions narrowly defeated the Queensland Cup premiers, Burleigh Bears, a poor crowd attended their match against Australia at Suncorp Stadium. Fearing a similar attendance for the series final, the tournament organisers relocated the match to Ericsson Stadium.

With the Rugby League World Cup to be staged the following year, and tours of Great Britain by Australia in 2001 and 2003 and New Zealand in 2002, the Tri-nations was not held again until 2004.

Venues

The games were played at the following venues in Australia and New Zealand. The tournament final was played in Auckland.

Auckland	Brisbane
Mount Smart Stadium	Suncorp Stadium
Capacity: 30,000	Capacity: 52,500

Results

Tournament matches

15 October

New Zealand	24–22	Australia

Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 22,540[1]

22 October

Australia	42–6	Great Britain

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 12,511[1]

29 October

New Zealand	26–4	Great Britain

Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 14,040[1]

Tournament standings

Team	Played	Won	Drew	Lost	For	Against	Difference	Points
New Zealand	2	2	0	0	50	26	+24	4
Australia	2	1	0	1	64	30	+34	2
Great Britain	2	0	0	2	10	68	−58	0

Final

5 November

New Zealand	20–22	Australia
Tries: Robbie Paul Nigel Vagana Goals: Henry Paul (6/7)		Tries: Mat Rogers (2) Matthew Johns Wendell Sailor Goals: Mat Rogers (3/5)

Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 21,204[1] Referee/s: R Smith

Non-series Test

During the series, New Zealand also played a Test against Tonga. This was the last test match to be held at Auckland's Carlaw Park.

27 October

New Zealand	74–0	Tonga

Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 4,528

Non-series Match

As a curtain raiser to the final, New Zealand Māori played Great Britain.^[2]

1 November

Māori	12–22	Great Britain

Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 21,204[1]

References