1975 Rugby League World Cup

The 1975 Rugby League World Championship (also referred to as the World Series[1]) was the seventh tournament for the Rugby League World Cup. The format differed from that employed in previous competitions; no single country hosted the matches, which were spread out in a 'world series' hosted by each of the five participating nations over a period of just over eight months. Each team had to play the others on a 'home and away' basis. Great Britain were split up into separate England and Wales teams, taking advantage of a glut of Welsh talent in the British game at the time.

1975 (1975) World Cup  ()
Number of teams5
Winner Australia (4th title)
Matches played21
Attendance204,476 (9,737 per match)
Points scored661 (31.48 per match)
Top scorerAustralia Mick Cronin (76)
Top try scorersEngland Keith Fielding (7)
Australia Ian Schubert (7)
Tournaments
 < 1972
1977 > 

No final was held, with Australia being deemed the champions by virtue of finishing on top of the table[2] with England coming in second.[3]

Teams
Main article: 1975 Rugby League World Cup squads

Venues

14 venues across the five competing countries hosted games of the 1975 Rugby League World Cup. Wales used their own home venue at Swansea, but also played home games in England in both Salford and Warrington. England also played a 'home' game against Wales at Lang Park in Brisbane, Australia.

Australia Sydney France Marseille Australia Brisbane England Bradford England Wigan
Sydney Cricket Ground Stade Vélodrome Lang Park Odsal Stadium Central Park
Capacity: 70,000 Capacity: 49,000 Capacity: 40,000 Capacity: 40,000 Capacity: 40,000
France Toulouse France Bordeaux England Leeds New Zealand Auckland England Salford
Stadium Municipal Stade du Parc Lescure Headingley Carlaw Park The Willows
Capacity: 35,000 Capacity: 30,000 Capacity: 30,000 Capacity: 20,000 Capacity: 17,000
Wales Swansea New Zealand Christchurch England Warrington France Perpignan
St Helen's Rugby Ground Addington Showgrounds Wilderspool Stadium Stade Gilbert Brutus
Capacity: 15,000 Capacity: 15,000 Capacity: 15,000 Capacity: 13,000

Results
2 March
France 14 – 7 Wales
Stade Municipal, Toulouse
Attendance: 7,563
Referee: Fred Lindop England
16 March
England 20 – 2 France
Headingley, Leeds
Attendance: 10,842
Referee: Keith Page Australia (Harry Hunt England)
1 June
Australia 36 – 8 New Zealand
Lang Park, Brisbane
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Francois Escande France
10 June
England 7 – 12 Wales
Lang Park, Brisbane
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Don Lancashire Australia
14 June
Australia 30 – 13 Wales
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 25,386
Referee: Francois Escande France

In this match Mick Cronin kicked nine goals.

15 June
New Zealand 27 – 0 France
Addington Showground, Christchurch
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Laurie Bruyeres Australia
21 June
New Zealand 17 – 17 England
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Laurie Bruyeres Australia
22 June
Australia 26 – 6 France
Lang Park, Brisbane
Attendance: 9,000
Referee: John Percival New Zealand
28 June
Australia 10 – 10 England
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Attendance: 33,858
Referee: John Percival New Zealand
28 June
New Zealand 13 – 8 Wales
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 9,368
Referee: Laurie Bruyeres Australia
20 September
Wales 16 – 22 England
Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington
Attendance: 5,034
Referee: Marcel Caillol France
27 September
New Zealand 8 – 24 Australia
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Fred Lindop England
11 October
France 2 – 48 England
Stade du Parc Lescure, Bordeaux
Attendance: 1,581
Referee: John Percival New Zealand

England winger Keith Fielding created a new record by scoring four tries against a hapless French team at Bordeaux.

17 October
France 12 – 12 New Zealand
Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Billy Thompson England
19 October
Wales 6 – 18 Australia
St. Helen's Rugby Ground, Swansea
Attendance: 11,112
Referee: John Percival New Zealand

Kangaroo wing prodigy Ian Schubert also scored a hat-trick tries.

25 October
England 27 – 12 New Zealand
Odsal Stadium, Bradford
Attendance: 5,507
Referee: Andre Lacaze France

English stand-off Ken Gill ran in three tries.

26 October
France 2 – 41 Australia
Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan
Attendance: 10,440
Referee: Billy Thompson England
1 November
England 16 – 13 Australia
Central Park, Wigan
Attendance: 9,353
Referee: John Percival New Zealand
2 November
Wales 25 – 24 New Zealand
St. Helen's Rugby Ground, Swansea
Attendance: 2,645
Referee: Georges Jameau France

In this match Jim Mills, the Wales prop, was banned for the rest of the season after an altercation. The ban was eventually lifted on 2 January 1976.

6 November
Wales 23 – 2 France
The Willows, Salford
Attendance: 2,247
Referee: Fred Lindop England

Final standings
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
 Australia 8 6 1 1 198 69 +129 13
 England 8 5 2 1 167 84 +83 12
 Wales 8 3 0 5 110 130 −20 6
 New Zealand 8 2 2 4 121 149 −28 6
 France 8 1 1 6 40 204 −164 3
Source:

Final challenge match

As Australia had not beaten England to win the cup, a final challenge was hastily arranged. The Kangaroos showed they were worthy World Champions with a comprehensive 25–0 win at Headingley in front of a disappointing crowd of 7,680 which was over 11,000 less than had attended the 1970 World Cup final between Great Britain and Australia at the same venue.

12 November
England 0 – 25 Australia
Headingley, Leeds
Attendance: 7,680
Referee: Fred Lindop England

Try scorers
7
5
4
3
2
1

References
  1. Clarkson, Alan (10 June 1974). "Fulton battles injury". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia. Archived from the original on 30 July 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  2. Paddy McAteer (22 December 2010) "Whole World in their Hands" Archived 5 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine North West Evening Mail
  3. "World Cup 1975" at 188-rugby-league.co.uk Archived 7 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine
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