1972 Rugby League World Cup Final

1972 (1972) Rugby League World Cup Final  ()
Great Britain Australia (RFL) (ARL) 10 10
1 2 Total GBR 5 5 10 AUS 5 5 10
Date	11 November 1972
Stadium	Stade de Gerland
Location	Lyon, France
Referee	Georges Jameau
Attendance	4,231
Broadcast partner
Broadcaster	BBC
Commentator	Eddie Waring
< 1970 Rugby League World Cup Final 1977 >

The 1972 Rugby League World Cup Final was the conclusive game of the 1972 Rugby League World Cup tournament and was played between Great Britain and Australia on 11 November 1972 at the Stade de Gerland ground in Lyon, France.

Background

The 1972 Rugby League World Cup was the sixth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since its inauguration in 1954, and the first since the 1970 tournament. The tournament was held in the France from 28 October, culminating in the final between Great Britain and Australia on 11 November.

Stade de Gerland, the venue of the 1972 Rugby League World Cup final

Great Britain

Scores and results list Australia's points tally first.

Opposing Team	For	Against	Date	Venue	Attendance	Stage
Australia	27	21	29 October	Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan	6,300	Group Stage
France	13	4	1 November	Stade Lesdiguières, Grenoble	13,231	Group Stage
New Zealand	53	19	4 November	Stade du Hameau, Pau	7,500	Group Stage

Great Britain were undefeated going into the final.

Australia

Scores and results list Great Britain's points tally first.

Opposing Team	For	Against	Date	Venue	Attendance	Stage
Great Britain	21	27	29 October	Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan	6,300	Group Stage
New Zealand	9	5	1 November	Parc des Princes, Paris	8,000	Group Stage
France	5	19	5 November	Stadium Municipal, Toulouse	10,332	Group Stage

Match details

11 November 1972

Great Britain	10 – 10 (ET)	Australia
Tries: Clive Sullivan Mike Stephenson Goals: Terry Clawson (2)	[1]	Tries: John O'Neill Arthur Beetson Goals: Ray Branighan (2)

Stade de Gerland, Lyon Attendance: 4,231 Referee/s: Georges Jameau

The French public seemed uninterested in a final that did not involve the home team, as less than 4,500 spectators turned up. Indeed, out of the seven games in the World Cup tournament, including the final, the only games that drew over 10,000 fans were two of the three games in which the French team played. The Final actually drew the lowest attendance of the tournament.^[2]

The game will always be remembered by the British for their captain Clive Sullivan's wonderful long distance try^[3][4] and by the Australians for perhaps "the greatest try never scored",^[5] later shown on TV to be legitimately scored by Australian fullback Graeme Langlands but disallowed by French referee Georges Jameau.^[6] Mike Stephenson scored the 73rd-minute try that helped Great Britain level the scores and secure the World Cup.^[7]

Had Aussie winger Ray Branighan succeeded with a 79th-minute penalty or Bob Fulton landed one of three drop goal attempts in the last five minutes, the cup could easily have gone to Australia. But for the first time in the competition's history the scores were level at full-time. An additional twenty minutes extra time was played, but no further score resulted, and Great Britain were awarded the cup by virtue of a better position in the table.^[8]

References