# Cumbria rugby league team

The Cumbria rugby league team (known as Cumberland from 1898 to 1973) is an English representative rugby league team consisting of players who were born in the county of Cumbria and the historic county of Cumberland. They play fixtures against international representative sides, often acting as opposition in warm-up fixtures for touring international sides.

## History

Cumbria played the touring Australian Kangaroos during 14 Kangaroo Tours, including 1908-09 (twice), 1911-12, 1921-22, 1929–30, 1933–34, 1948–49, 1963-64, 1967-68, 1973, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990 and 1994, as well as playing the Australians as part of their 1992 Rugby League World Cup final tour. They also played New Zealand in 1907–08, 1926–27 and 1980.
During the 2004 Tri-Nations series Cumbria played a match against an 'ANZAC Combination' side made up of Australian and New Zealand squad members. The 64–12 loss was the largest ever suffered by the Cumbrian side.
Cumbria played the England national rugby league team as part of England's preparation for the 2010 Four Nations. The match raised funds for the Rugby Football League's benevolent fund and the family of Garry Purdham, who was among the victims of the Cumbria shootings tragedy on 2 June 2010. The game was watched by 5,250 spectators at Whitehaven's Recreation Ground and ended 18–18, raising over £50,000 for its cause.
In 2006, Cumbria defeated Tonga 28–16 at Derwent Park in Workington, while on 4 November 2007, Cumbria recorded its largest ever win when they defeated the United States 70–0 at Craven Park in Barrow-in-Furness.
In 2010, Cumbria was coached by Paul Crarey, with assistant coaches; Gary Charlton of Workington Town, and David Seeds of Whitehaven.

## Results

Cumbria played in the County Championship from 1898 to its final season in 1983. They have also played against international representative sides during tours to Great Britain.

### County Championship results

Titles 16: 1905–1906, 1907–1908, 1909–1910, 1911–1912, 1927–1928, 1932–1933, 1933–1934, 1934–1935, 1948–1949, 1959–1960, 1961–1962, 1963–1964, 1965–1966, 1966–1967, 1980–1981, 1981–1982.

### International results

Results for Cumbria against international teams.
| Date | Opposition | Result | Venue | Attendance | Tour |
| 8 January 1908 | New Zealand | 21–9 | Lonsdale Park, Workington | 4,000 | 1907–08 All Golds tour |
| 24 October 1908 | Australia | 10–52 | Recreation Ground, Whitehaven | 4,000 | 1908–09 Kangaroo tour |
| 4 February 1909 | Australia | 11–2 | Devonshire Park, Carlisle | 2,000 | 1908–09 Kangaroo tour |
| 22 November 1911 | Australasia | 2–5 | Athletic Ground, Maryport | 6,000 | 1911–12 Kangaroo tour |
| 7 January 1922 | Australasia | 12–25 | Lonsdale Park, Workington | 5,000 | 1921–22 Kangaroo tour |
| 6 January 1927 | New Zealand | 3–18 | Unknown | 4,200 | 1926–27 Kiwis tour |
| 7 December 1929 | Australia | 8–5 | Lonsdale Park, Workington | 3,500 | 1929–30 Kangaroo tour |
| 9 December 1933 | Australia | 17–16 | Recreation Ground, Whitehaven | 5,800 | 1933–34 Kangaroo tour |
| 14 October 1939 | New Zealand | C–C | Recreation Ground, Whitehaven | N/A | 1939 Kiwis tour |
| 14 October 1948 | Australia | 5–4 | Recreation Ground, Whitehaven | 8,818 | 1948–49 Kangaroo tour |
| 7 December 1955 | New Zealand | 24–11 | Odsal Stadium, Bradford | 3,643 | 1955 Kiwis tour |
| 20 September 1961 | New Zealand | 22–20 | Station Road, Swinton | 5,271 | 1961 Kiwis tour |
| 9 October 1961 | New Zealand | 9–10 | Recreation Ground, Whitehaven | 5,033 | 1961 Kiwis tour |
| 31 October 1963 | Australia | 0–21 | Derwent Park, Workington | 8,229 | 1963–64 Kangaroo tour |
| 18 November 1967 | Australia | 17–15 | Derwent Park, Workington | 7,545 | 1967–68 Kangaroo tour |
| 24 October 1973 | Australia | 2–28 | Recreation Ground, Whitehaven | 3,666 | 1973 Kangaroo tour |
| 1 October 1978 | Australia | 4–47 | Craven Park, Barrow-in-Furness | 5,964 | 1978 Kangaroo tour |
| 7 November 1979 | Papua New Guinea | 9–23 | Craven Park, Barrow-in-Furness | 2,000 | 1979 Kumuls tour |
| 8 October 1980 | New Zealand | 9–3 | Recreation Ground, Whitehaven | 4,070 | 1980 Kiwis tour |
| 9 November 1982 | Australia | 2–41 | Brunton Park, Carlisle | 5,748 | 1982 Kangaroo tour |
| 2 November 1983 | Māori | 6–40 | Recreation Ground, Whitehaven | 2,600 | 1982 Kiwis tour |
| 15 October 1985 | New Zealand | 6–32 | Recreation Ground, Whitehaven | 5,500 | 1985 Kiwis tour |
| 21 October 1986 | Australia | 12–48 | Craven Park, Barrow-in-Furness | 4,233 | 1986 Kangaroo tour |
| 20 October 1987 | Papua New Guinea | 22–4 | Recreation Ground, Whitehaven | 3,750 | 1987 Kumuls tour |
| 17 October 1989 | New Zealand | 2–28 | Recreation Ground, Whitehaven | 3,983 | 1989 Kiwis tour |
| 17 October 1990 | Australia | 10–42 | Derwent Park, Workington | 6,750 | 1990 Kangaroo tour |
| 5 November 1991 | Papua New Guinea | 35–5 | Derwent Park, Workington | 2,000 | 1991 Kumuls tour |
| 18 October 1992 | Australia | 0–44 | Derwent Park, Workington | 5,156 | 1992 Kangaroo tour |
| 2 October 1994 | Australia | 8–52 | Derwent Park, Workington | 4,277 | 1994 Kangaroo tour |
| 19 October 2003 | New Zealand Residents | 24–24 | Recreation Ground, Whitehaven | 4,124 | Friendly |
| 27 October 2004 | Anzacs | 12–64 | Derwent Park, Workington | 4,203 | Friendly |
| 25 October 2006 | Tonga | 28–16 | Derwent Park, Workington | 1,639 | Friendly |
| 4 November 2007 | United States | 70–0 | Craven Park, Barrow-in-Furness | 1,028 | Friendly |
| 3 October 2010 | England | 18–18 | Recreation Ground, Whitehaven | 5,250 | Friendly |
| 22 October 2011 | England Knights | 12–26 | Recreation Ground, Whitehaven | 1,163 | Friendly |
| 21 October 2016 | Scotland | 16–48 | Craven Park, Barrow-in-Furness | 1,048 | Friendly |
| 7 October 2022 | Jamaica | 28–12 | Derwent Park, Workington | 3,000 | Friendly |
| 13 October 2023 | Wales Chairman's XIII | 23–4 | Recreation Ground, Whitehaven | Unknown | Friendly |