1957 Rugby League World Cup

1957 World Cup
Number of teams4
Host country Australia
Winner Australia (1st title)
Matches played6
Attendance215,059 (35,843 per match)
Points scored204 (34 per match)
Top scorerAustralia Brian Carlson (28)
Top try scorersUnited Kingdom Mick Sullivan (3)
Australia Ian Moir (3)
Australia Kel O'Shea (3)
Tournaments
 < 1954
1960 > 

The 1957 Rugby League World Cup was the second World Cup held for men’s national rugby league teams and was held between 15 and 25 June and hosted by Australia. Table toppers Australia were the winners as there was no Final at this World Cup.

Best and fairest awards were made to individual nations, the recipients being Gilbert Benausse (France), Brian Carlson (Australia), Phil Jackson (Great Britain) and Bill Sorensen (New Zealand).

Background

1957 marked the 50th anniversary of rugby league in Australia, but the hosts were not confident of their ability to lift the trophy, having capitulated in the Ashes series in England barely seven months previously. Great Britain, under Alan Prescott, and boasting world-class backs such as Billy Boston, Mick Sullivan, Jeff Stevenson and Lewis Jones, and a formidable pack, were expected to win with Jacques Merquey's French side a dark horse.

Great Britain and France played an exhibition game in South Africa en-route to Australia for the tournament to boost awareness of the code there. A game in Benoni, believed to be the first professional rugby league ever played in the country, attracted a modest crowd of 15,000 was won by Great Britain 61 points to 41. The code had struggled to catch on in South Africa and was not reported on much by local newspapers. Ludwig Japhet, a Johannesburg lawyer, promoted the match and publicly claimed that South African rugby union officials feared the introduction of rugby league into the country.

Squads

Referees

Referee Vic Belsham from New Zealand controlled three matches at the World Cup, including controlling one of New Zealand's matches. New Zealand included his brother Sel at halfback.

Venues

Sydney Brisbane
Sydney Cricket Ground The Gabba
Capacity: 70,000 Capacity: 48,000

Results

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Result
 Australia 3 3 0 0 82 20 +62 6 World Cup Winners
 Great Britain 3 1 0 2 50 65 −15 2
 New Zealand 3 1 0 2 44 60 −16 2
 France 3 1 0 2 28 59 −31 2
Source: [citation needed]
15 June
Australia 25 – 5 New Zealand
The Gabba, Brisbane
Attendance: 29,636
15 June
France 5 – 23 Great Britain
Program
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 50,007
17 June
Australia 31 – 6 Great Britain
Program
Report
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 57,995
17 June
France 14 – 10 New Zealand
The Gabba, Brisbane
Attendance: 28,000
22 June
Australia 26 – 9 France
Program
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 35,158
25 June
Great Britain 21 – 29 New Zealand
Program
Report
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 14,263

Try scorers

3
2
1

References

  1. ↑ McAteer, Paddy (22 December 2010). "Whole world in their hands". North West Evening Mail. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012.
  2. ↑ "World Cup League Series in Australia". The Evening Post. 12 August 195. p. 14.
  3. ↑ "Little Enthusiasm Aroused – Demonstration Of Rugby League In South Africa". The Evening Post. 22 July 1957. p. 16.
  4. ↑ "League In South Africa". The Press. Vol. XCV, no. 28310. 22 June 1957. p. 13.
  5. ↑ KILGALLON, Steve (30 November 2008). "Neutral refs have always been a sticky issue". SPORT; INTERNATIONAL. The Sunday Star-Times. Auckland, New Zealand. p. 12. Nexis Uni 4V2B-1TH0-TX52-408R-00000-00.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "1957 Rugby League World Cup – RLWC". Rugbyleagueplanet.com. 12 November 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "Australia In Runover World Cup Game Win". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 18 June 1957. p. 10. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  8. ↑ "New Zealand Defeats U.K. World Cup Team". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 26 June 1957. p. 12. Retrieved 19 January 2021.