World Cup
1954 Great Britain 16-12 France France
1957 Australia (best record) Australia
1960 Great Britain (best record) Britain
1968 Australia 20-2 France Australasia
1970 Australia 12-7 Great Britain England
1972 Great Britain 10-10 Australia France
* Great Britain were awarded the cup because of their
superior record.
World Championships
1975 Australia (best record) Worldwide
1977 Australia 13-12 Great Britain Australasia
World Cup
1985 Australia 25-12 New Zealand Worldwide
1989 Australia 10-6 Great Britain Worldwide
1995 Australia 16-8 England England
1998 ???
Played between England, France and Wales since 1935, when France first became an international competitor.
European Championships 1935 England * 1935-36 Wales 1936-37 Wales 1938 Wales 1938-39 France 1945-66 England (points average) 1946-47 England 1947-48 England 1948-49 France 1949-50 England (points average) 1950-51 France (points average) 1951-52 France (points average) 1952-53 Other Nationalities (points average) 1953-54 England 1954-55 (no competition due to World Cup) 1955-56 Other Nationalities 1969-70 England (points average) 1975 England 1975-76 (no competition due to World Cup) 1977 France 1978 England 1979 England 1980 England 1981 France 1995 Wales 1996 England
A seven aside tournament for Sydney teams was introduced in 1988 as a curtain raiser to the premiership.
In 1992 it was expanded, with teams from around the world taking part alongside the Sydney teams. The teams were divided into pools, with each team's final position within its pool deciding whether it played off for the cup, trophy, or plate.
In 1995 the format was again changed so that only overseas teams could be placed into the plate competition.
Nissan World Rugby League Sevens
1992 CUP Wigan 18-6 Brisbane
TROPHY Eastern Suburbs 14-10 Illawarra
PLATE Fiji 18-14 Gold Coast
Coca-Cola World Rugby League Sevens
1993 CUP Eastern Suburbs 18-12 Manly Warringah
TROPHY Cronulla Sutherland 20-14 Parramatta
PLATE Fiji 28-24 Western Suburbs
1994 CUP Manly Warringah 44-12 St George
TROPHY Canberra 26-22 Papua New Guinea
PLATE Great Britain 24-22 Balmain
1995 CUP Manly Warringah 36-12 Fiji
TROPHY Sydney Tigers 20-12 Sydney Bulldogs
PLATE Tonga 20-4 USA
1996 CUP Newcastle 48-18 North Sydney
TROPHY St George 22-14 South Sydney
PLATE Gold Coast 14-6 Western Suburbs
1997 CUP Parramatta 32-22 North Sydney
TROPHY Balmain 22-16 Newcastle
PLATE St George 18-8 South Queensland
This competition was started by Super League as an alternative to the ARL's Sevens competition in 1996. It was the only Super League competition to be played that year.
Super League World Nines
1996 CUP New Zealand 26-10 Papua New Guinea
TROPHY Wales 12-8 Western Samoa
PLATE Fiji 18-8 France
BOWL Cook Islands 22-0 United States
Gatorade Super League World Nines
1997 TROPHY New Zealand 16-0 Western Samoa
PLATE Fiji 22-6 South Africa
BOWL Tonga 16-8 Papua New Guinea
The Pacific Cup was started in 1975 to provide a competition for the Southern Hemisphere's lesser lights. It was the brainchild of the then assistant secretary of the NSWRL, Keith Gittoes. It was held twice, then abandoned because of the immense costs incurred by the participating teams.
The Cup was revived 11 years later, and played for every two years until the outbreak of the Super League war.
Pacific Cup 1975 New Zealand Maoris 38-13 Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea 1977 New Zealand Maoris 35-12 Western Australia New Zealand 1988 New Zealand Maoris 19-16 Western Samoa Western Samoa 1990 Western Samoa 26-18 New Zealand Maoris Tonga 1992 Western Samoa 18-14 Tonga New Zealand Air Pacific Cup 1994 Tonga 34-11 Fiji Batis Fiji Oceania Cup 1997 New Zealand XIII 20-15 New Zealand Maoris New Zealand
For many years it had been suggested that the top clubs in the British and Australian premierships should play each other. Attempts were made to take the Australian team to Britain in the 50s and 60s but the league vetoed them. In 1976 St Helens, who had just won the British premiership and Challenge Cup, made a quick visit to Australia to play the reigning premiers. They got thrashed, and the concept went into limbo.
It was revived in 1987, with matches being held every couple of years. Britain won most of them, though it was suggested in Australia that it was because the Australian team wasn't taking them seriously--they were always played in England the week after the Australian grand final. That theory took a blow in 1994 when Wigan beat Bribane in the middle of the Australian season.
In 1996 Super League planned a Challenge series between the top four British sides and the top four Australian sides. The Australian court orders put paid to it, but plans were still made to have the top British side (St Helens) play the top Super League aligned Australian side (Cronulla). The match never took place.
In 1997 Super League expanded the concept into a six round competition between the 12 first division British teams and the 10 Australian Super League teams. The result was a fiasco, with British teams only winning 8 of the 68 games played.
1976 Eastern Suburbs 25-2 St Helens Sydney 1987 Wigan 8-2 Manly-Warringah Wigan 1989 Widnes 30-18 Canberra Manchester 1991 Wigan 21-4 Penrith Liverpool 1992 Brisbane 22-8 Wigan Wigan 1994 Wigan 20-14 Brisbane Brisbane 1997 Brisbane 36-12 Hunter Brisbane