1957 Rugby League World Cup

2nd Rugby League World Cup tournament

1957 World Cup

Number of teams| 4
Host country|  Australia
Winner|  Australia (1st title)

* * *

Matches played| 6
Attendance| 214,918 (35,820 per match)
Points scored| 204 (34 per match)
Top scorer|  Brian Carlson (28)
Top try scorers|  Mick Sullivan (3)
Ian Moir (3)
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.[1]

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.

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).

## Squads

[edit]

Main article: 1957 Rugby League World Cup squads

## Referees

[edit]

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.[2]

## Venues

[edit]

Sydney | Brisbane

|

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

## Results

[edit]

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: 50,077

17 June

Australia | 31 – 6|  Great Britain

|
|

| Program
Report[3]|
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 58,655[4]

17 June

France | 14 – 10|  New Zealand

|
|

| |
The Gabba, Brisbane
Attendance: 22,142

22 June

Australia | 26 – 9|  France

|
|

| Program|
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 35,158

25 June

Great Britain | 21 – 29|  New Zealand

|
|

| Program
Report[5]|
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 14,263

## Try scorers

[edit]

* Ian Moir
* Kel O'Shea
* Mick Sullivan

* Brian Carlson
* Ken McCaffery
* Harry Wells
* Jean Foussat
* Phil Jackson
* Tom Hadfield

* Brian Clay
* Bill Marsh
* Dick Poole
* Norm Provan
* Gilbert Benausse
* Jacques Merquey
* Billy Boston
* Jack Grundy
* Lewis Jones
* Sid Little
* Jeffrey Stevenson
* Cliff Johnson
* Bill McLennan
* George Menzies
* Jim Riddell
* Bill Sorensen
* George Turner

## References

[edit]

1. ^ McAteer, Paddy (22 December 2010). "Whole world in their hands". North West Evening Mail. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012.
2. ^ 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.
3. ^ "Australia In Runover World Cup Game Win". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 18 June 1957. p. 10. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
4. ^ "Australia in Rugby Cup Win". The Age. 18 June 1957. p. 14. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
5. ^ "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.

## External links

[edit]

* 1957 World Cup at rlhalloffame.org.uk
* 1957 World Cup at rlwc2008.com
* 1957 World Cup at rugbyleagueproject.com
* 1957 World Cup data at hunterlink.net.au
* 1957 World Cup at 188-rugby-league.co.uk

* v
* t
* e

Men's Rugby League World Cup

| Tournaments|

* 1954
* 1957
* 1960
* 1968
* 1970
* 1972
* 1975
* 1977
* 1985–88
* 1989–92
* 1995
* 2000
* 2008
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021
* ~~2025~~
* 2026
* 2030

|

Qualification|

* 1954
* 1957
* 1960
* 1968
* 1970
* 1972
* 1975
* 1977
* 1985–88
* 1989–92
* 1995
* 2000
* 2008
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021
* ~~2025~~
* 2026

Finals|

* 1954
* 1957
* 1960
* 1968
* 1970
* 1972
* 1975
* 1977
* 1985–88
* 1989–92
* 1995
* 2000
* 2008
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021
* ~~2025~~

Squads|

* 1954
* 1957
* 1960
* 1968
* 1970
* 1972
* 1975
* 1977
* 1985–88
* 1989–92
* 1995
* 2000
* 2008
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021
* ~~2025~~

Related articles|

* Festival of World Cups
* 2008
* 2013
* 2017
* 2021
* 2025
* Women's World Cup
* Wheelchair World Cup
* Tertiary Student World Cup
* Emerging Nations World Championship
* 1995
* 2000
* 2018

* History
* Records
* Trophy
* Opening matches
* Hosts
* Venues
* Hat-tricks

* v
* t
* e

Australia squad – 1957 Rugby League World Cup Champions (1st Title)

*  Dick Poole (Ca./Co.)
*  Keith Barnes
*  Brian Carlson
*  Brian Clay
*  Brian Davies
*  Greg Hawick
*  Keith Holman
*  Ken Kearney
*  Ken McCaffery

*  Bill Marsh
*  Ian Moir
*  Kel O'Shea
*  Norm Provan
*  Ray Ritchie
*  Don Schofield
*  Tom Tyquin
*  Alex Watson
*  Harry Wells

*[Pld]: Played
*[W]: Won
*[D]: Drawn
*[L]: Lost
*[PF]: Points for
*[PA]: Points against
*[PD]: Point difference
*[Pts]: Points
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template