Rugby Football History All Blacks Barbarians Canada British & Irish Lions Ireland Scotland Springboks USA Wales Wallabies The first Rugby League World Cup was held in France in 1954. The prime motivators behind the idea of holding rugby league world cup were the French, who were short of money following the seizing of their assets by the rugby union in World War II. They had campaigned for it since 1935. In January 1952 the idea gained momentum. At a meeting held in Blackpool, England, November 1953, the International Board accepted Paul Barrie’s proposal that France should be the nation to host the inaugural Rugby League World Cup. The World Cup was initially contested by the four Test nations: Australia, Great Britain, France and New Zealand). The teams played each other in a league format. A group stage was held first, with Great Britain topping the table as a result of points difference. They went on to defeat France (who finished second in the table, level on points) in the final, which was held at the Charlety Stadium, Paris, in front of around 30,000 spectators.

Group stages October 30: France 22 - 13 New Zealand (Paris) October 31: Australia 13 - 28 Great Britain (Lyon) November 7: France 13 - 13 Great Britain (Toulouse) November 7: Australia 34 - 15 New Zealand (Marseilles) November 11: Great Britain 26 - 6 New Zealand (Bordeaux) November 11: France 15 - 5 Australia (Nantes) League standings November 13: France 12 - 16 Great Britain (Charlety Stadium, Paris) Extract from The second World Cup in Australia in 1957. Australia proved victorious on their home ground after ending up top opf the ladder. After the successful 1960 competition, in which Great Britain won the title for the second time, there would be no further World Cup for 8 years. The competition had be scheduled to be held in France in 1965, but after an unsuccessful tour of Australia, the French withdrew.

The tournament was next held in 1968, and followed a 2 year cycle until the mid-1970s. The 1972 World Cup final ended in a 10-all draw, and the title was awarded to Great Britain by virtue of their superior record in the qualifiers. In 1975 the competition underwent its most radical overhaul to date. It was decided to play matches on a home and away basis around the world, instead of in any one host nation. Furthermore, the Great Britain team was spilt into England and Wales. Australia won that tournament, and in 1977 it was decided that Great Britain should once more compete as a single entity. Although the final between Australia and Great Britain was a closely fought affair, public interest in the tournament waned due to the continuing tinkering with the format, and it would not be held again until the mid-1980s. From 1985 to 1988, each nation played each other a number of times on a home and away basis. At the end of that period Australia met New Zealand at Eden Park.

The match was a physical encounter, and Australian captain Wally Lewis played part of the match with a broken arm. The Kangaroos won the competition 25-12. This format was repeated from 1989-1992, and Australia defeated Great Britain 10-6 at Wembley Stadium in front of 72,000 people. This crowd remains a rugby league World Cup record. In 1995 the competition was once again restructured, and the largest number of teams to date, 10, entered. New teams competing included Fiji, Tonga Samoa and South Africa. The tournament, which was also held to celebrate the centenary of the sport in England, was highly successful with over 250,000 people attending the group stages and over 66,000 people attending the final to see Australia defeat England 16-8 in the final. The 2000 world cup expanded the field further, with 16 teams entering. Blown out scorelines ensured that this tournament was not as successful as the previous one. Ten teams are to compete in the next World Cup in Australia in 2008.

It has also been announced that a further tournament will be held in Great Britain in 2012 Potted history from 1954 World Cup Champions - Great Britain Great Britain defeated France 16-12 in the first ever 'Rugby' World Cup Final, played in Paris. The 1954 World Cup was played in France. 1957 World Cup Champions - Australia Australia won by virtue of being at the top of the ladder. Followed games in Sydney and Brisbane, Australia defeating New Zealand 25-5, Great Britain 31-6 and France 26-9. 1960 World Cup Champions - Great Britain Great Britain won by virtue of being at the top of the ladder. Great Britain defeated Australia 10-3 at Odsal Stadium in England. Both Great Britain and Australia were undefeated coming into the match. 1968 World Cup Champions - Australia Australia defeated France 20-2 in the World Cup Final in Sydney. The 1968 World Cup was played in Australia and New Zealand. 1970 World Cup Champions - Australia Australia defeated Great Britain 12-7 in the World Cup Final in Leeds.

The 1970 World Cup was played in England. 1972 World Cup Champions - Great Britain Great Britain and Australia played a 10-all draw in Lyon, France. Great Britain were declared World Cup winners by virtue of being undefeated. 1975 World Cup Champions - Australia Australia won by virtue of being at the top of the ladder, one point ahead of England. The 1975 World Cup was played in Australia, New Zealand, England, Wales and France and was spread over the entire year. Great Britain was divided into the two home nations of England and Wales. 1977 World Cup Champions - Australia Australia defeated Great Britain 13-12 in the World Cup Final in Sydney. The 1977 World Cup was played in Australia and New Zealand. 1985-1988 World Cup Champions - Australia Australia defeated New Zealand 25-12 in the World Cup Final in Auckland. Played internationally over four seasons, the ninth World Cup tournament saw the introduction of Papua-New Guinea.

1989-1992 World Cup Champions - Australia Australia defeated Great Britain 10-6 in the World Cup Final in front of 76,631 people at Wembley Stadium in London. 1995 World Cup Champions - Australia Australia defeated England 16-8 in the World Cup Final in London. The 1995 World Cup, played in England, saw the introduction of more rugby league nations as well Great Britain being divided into home nations. The Australian Rugby League announced that matches played by the Kangaroos would be given ARL Test match status. 2000 World Cup Champions - Australia Australia defeated New Zealand 40-12 in the World Cup Final in Manchester. The 2000 World Cup was played in Great Britain and France. Great Britain was divided itself into four home nations. A number of new teams were introduced including NZ Maori and Cook Is. in addition to Lebanon, Russia, Fiji and South Africa. 2008 World Champions - New Zealand New Zealand defeated Australia 34 - 20 in the World cup final in Brisbane. The 2008 world cup was played in Australia.

Massive underdogs heading into the match, the Kiwis pulled off the biggest upset in World Cup history as the Kangaroos surrendered their No.1 ranking to their trans-Tasman rivals with their first loss since 2006. The next Rugby League World Cup is scheduled for 2013. rugby - Organization and competition | sport | Britannica.com Organization and competition Six Nations Championship Rugby union The rapid spread of rugby union throughout many parts of the British Empire led to the establishment of the International Rugby Football Board (since 1997 the International Rugby Board ; IRB) in 1886 to determine the laws of the game and settle any disputes that arose between countries. The initial members were the Rugby Football Union plus the Scottish, Irish, and Welsh national unions. In classic imperial fashion, the RFU held six seats on the board, and the other member unions held two each. In 1926 Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa joined with one seat each. In 1958 representation changed to two seats each for member countries, but when Argentina, Canada, Italy, and Japan joined in 1991, they received only one seat each on the board.

The IRB became the recognized international governing body and has been active since its formation in policing and modifying the laws of the game. Test (international) matches (a series of two or more games between national teams) have historically been the pinnacle of rugby union. In 1888 a British team toured New Zealand and Australia, and in 1891 an English team toured South Africa, thus beginning the pattern of international competition in rugby union. Colonial rugby tours of the British Isles by official national teams began with visits by New Zealand in 1905, South Africa in 1906 and 1912, and Australia in 1908. In 1905 the New Zealanders shocked the British media as they won every match leading up to their final Test against Wales, overwhelming some good English teams by 40 to 60 points. Wales narrowly defeated the All Blacks 3–0 near the end of the New Zealanders’ tour, restoring some pride in the Home nations. In 1906 the first tour by the South African team, known as the Springboks, was nearly as successful, as they defeated Wales.

In 1908 the Australians also played well and won the Olympic gold medal in London. Similar Topics chariot racing After the successes of the first New Zealand and South African touring teams in Britain, most observers thought the two countries were the leading exponents of the game. Competition between them soon became recognized as the unofficial world championship. When the All Blacks and Springboks met in 1921 and 1928, both series ended in draws, and it was not until 1937, when South Africa triumphed in a series in New Zealand, that debates about the better team first were resolved. Competition with Australia also became important, especially for New Zealand. In 1931 Lord Bledisloe, the governor-general of New Zealand, donated a trophy for competition between New Zealand and Australia. New Zealand has largely dominated the competition, though Australia enjoyed an extended run of Bledisloe Cup victories between 1998 and 2002. During the period between World Wars I and II, official international tours by a combined team from the Home Nations began.

The first tour by the British Lions (now called the British and Irish Lions)—as that composite team of players from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland was known—took place in 1924, when they lost to South Africa. The Lions have existed only to undertake international tours of South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand and were not particularly successful against the Southern Hemisphere powers until 1971, when they defeated New Zealand. That success was followed by their famous series win against South Africa during their undefeated tour in 1974. In the last quarter of the 20th century, touring continued to be popular for rugby union teams. South American teams became a new force, even beating the team from South Africa. Romania also rose in stature as a touring team, winning the 1999 European Nations Cup. Rugby union continued to grow as an international game, highlighted by such new tournaments as the Pacific Rim Championship and the African Top Six Tournaments. British Culture and Politics The highest level of international competition for rugby union teams is the IRB Rugby World Cup , played for the William Webb Ellis Trophy. The World Cup has been held at regular four-year intervals since 1987.

New Zealand won the inaugural cup, and the Australian team, the Wallabies, became the first team to win two World Cups (1991, 1999). The three Southern Hemisphere powers along with England and France dominated the early history of the World Cup, with each team reaching the final on multiple occasions. However, rapid improvement by countries such as Argentina and Samoa have expanded the next level of competitive national teams. Britannica Stories Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent In the professional era, competitions at club, provincial, and national levels have increased. The Southern Hemisphere season centres on the Super Rugby provincial competition between teams from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, followed by the Tri-Nations series between national teams from the three countries. In the Northern Hemisphere the Six Nations (England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales) tournament remains the most significant, followed by the European Club Championship and national and supranational leagues, such as the Celtic League. Indeed, the professional era has led to conflicts between clubs and national unions. In the Southern Hemisphere leading players are signed to both national and Super Rugby contracts, whereas in England players are contracted to their clubs, as is the case in English professional association football.

Rugby league In rugby league, major competitions are held in England and Australia, and the pinnacle of the game has been international tours involving the Australian and British national teams, along with the Rugby League World Cup , which began in 1954 in France and has been held at irregular intervals since then. Australia won six consecutive World Cups between 1975 and 2000, establishing itself as the international powerhouse in rugby league. The rugby league 2000 World Cup, held in Britain, featured teams from 16 countries. Rugby league saw tremendous growth in the Pacific area during the 1990s; Fiji, Samoa, the Cook Islands , Tonga, and Japan all field league teams. Club play continues to thrive in the European Superleague, the National Rugby League (Australian and New Zealand), the Rugby League Championship (Britain), and the French Rugby League. Rugby sevens Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest Another popular form of rugby, a variation of rugby union, is rugby sevens. It is played on a standard-sized rugby union field but with only seven players on each side.

At 15 minutes, the length of a rugby sevens match is also much shorter than its 80-minute rugby union counterpart. Rugby sevens originated in Melrose, Scotland, in 1883; today it is played in dozens of countries, with its principal competitions being the Rugby World Cup Sevens and the IRB Sevens World Series. Rugby sevens became an Olympic sport in 2016. Women and rugby While rugby was being professionalized during the 1990s, a parallel revolution was under way in the sport. Because the relationship between masculinity and rugby has been passed between fathers and sons, and rugby participation became synonymous with learning to be a man in the public schools of England and the private schools in the settler societies of the British Empire, women historically were excluded from playing competitive rugby. There was a short-lived attempt to establish a women’s rugby league in Sydney in the early 1920s, but for the most part, as in association football, women were not allowed to play and were actively discouraged. In the United States and Canada, women’s rugby gained popularity in the 1980s, primarily on college campuses.

In 1983 the Women’s Rugby Football Union formed in England with 12 member clubs. By 2000 there were more than 120 clubs and more than 2,000 women playing organized rugby in England. The Women’s World Cup began in 1991 and then shifted in 1994 to years preceding the men’s World Cup. The competition is held every four years. While the United States was an early powerhouse, winning in 1991 and losing in the final in 1994 (to England), by the late 1990s women’s international rugby was dominated by the New Zealand national team, known as the Black Ferns, who won both the 1998 and 2002 World Cups. The Black Ferns’ success can be attributed to the NZRFU’s providing the national team with leading coaches and training facilities, as well as operating the game in a professionalized manner not dissimilar to the men’s game. Britannica Lists & Quizzes In the 1990s rugby was, along with association football, the fastest-growing sport for women in Europe and the fastest in Australia and New Zealand.

Women play the game by the same rules as men. Play of the game While handling the ball and hacking set rugby apart from association football (soccer) in the early days of the sport, further rule changes served to cement the distinctive character of rugby. Most significant, rugby rules enforced an offside rule that required all players in open play to remain behind the ball. The game is perceived as being somewhat rough; whereas in American and Canadian gridiron football, players wear padding and protection to guard against injury from contact made with other players, in rugby the wearing of most types of padding and helmets is either looked down upon or illegal. Learn the basics of rugby. Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz Field of play and equipment Based on International Rugby Board (IRB) rules, rugby union is played on a rectangular field not more than 70 metres (229.7 feet) wide; the maximum distance between the goal lines is 100 metres (328 feet), and beyond each goal line the end zone, called “in goal,” extends not more than 22 metres (72.2 feet).

At the centre of the goal lines are two goalposts 5.6 metres (18.4 feet) apart with a crossbar 3 metres (10 feet) above the ground. The field also includes two 22-metre lines (located 22 metres from each goal line), a halfway (midfield) line, and 10-metre (32.8 feet) lines at that distance on either side of the halfway line. The sideline is known as the “touch” line, and a kick that goes out of play is said to have gone “into touch.” Figure 1: Rugby playing field, showing divisions and goals. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The inflated ball is oval and less pointed than the ball used in gridiron football. It is 28 to 30 cm (11 to 11.8 inches) long and 58 to 62 cm (22.9 to 24.4 inches) in circumference, and it weighs 410 to 460 grams (14.1 to 15.5 ounces). The outside casing of the ball is usually of leather or plastic.

Trending Topics Eyjafjallajökull volcano The rugby league rules call for a similarly sized field, though the goal posts are slightly closer (5.5 metres [18 feet]). The field typically includes lines marking each 10-metre interval, giving the field an appearance similar to a gridiron football field. The league ball is essentially the same as the union ball. Players wear cleated shoes, socks, shorts, and jerseys numbered 1 through 15 in rugby union and 1 through 13 in rugby league. The rules now allow the regulated use of light headgear to protect against injury, and an increasing number of players wear scrum caps (made of high-impact foam), headbands (to prevent cauliflower ear), and mouth guards. Principles of play Individual matches are adjudicated by a referee supported by one “touch” (or sideline) judge on either side of the field. A match consists of two 40-minute halves. In rugby union a team fields 15 players; in rugby league teams field 13 players. Play starts with a kickoff from the centre of the field, with one team kicking into the territory of its opponents.

Players can run forward with the ball, pass the ball backward to teammates, or kick the ball forward. The defending team tries to prevent the attacking team from encroaching on its territory and seeks to gain possession of the ball. Only the player with the ball may be tackled and once tackled must release the ball immediately. The first player arriving usually then picks up the ball though both teams may fight for possession of it. This battle for the ball on the ground is known as a “ ruck.” In this situation, teams must approach the ball from their own side of the ball only and must remain on their feet while playing the ball. When the player with the ball is stopped but not taken down to the ground, the struggle for the ball goes on from an upright position. This is known as a “maul.” If the ball goes out of bounds, play restarts by forming a “ line-out.” Two parallel lines of forward players line up at the point where the ball traversed the sideline. The ball is then thrown into play by a player from the team that did not last touch the ball.

The player restarts play with an overhead two-handed pass that must travel five metres (16.4 feet) into the field of play and in between the two lines of players. Those in the line-out then jump to catch the ball or to knock it back to a waiting teammate. In open field, if a team loses the ball forward (called a “knock-on”), a scrum is formed. The forwards form a pack into which a back from the team that recovered the loose ball feeds the ball. The ball is retrieved from the scrum when advantageous, and it is passed to the back line. Figure 2: (Left) Players in position for a scrummage. (Right) Positions of players for a line-out. … Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. In rugby union, possession of the ball may be held indefinitely by an attacking team as long as the ball continues to be controlled and not lost forward or taken by the opposing team. In rugby league, by contrast, each team can maintain possession for only six tackles. After the sixth tackle the ball reverts to the opposing team, so teams in possession normally kick the ball to the other team after five tackles unless in scoring range.

In both codes, the ball may be kicked into touch “on the full” (in the air) from inside the defensive 22-metre line. Outside the 22, balls must bounce in the field of play before going into touch. While balls kicked into touch in rugby union come back into play by means of the line-out, rugby league had dispensed with the line-out by 1907 to speed up play. By 1907 a number of other rule changes had taken place in rugby league, which included the abolition of rucks and mauls and the introduction of the orderly restart of play after a tackle. In rugby league, play is restarted with the tackled player standing up and heeling the ball back to a teammate, who then runs or passes the ball back to another teammate. Scoring In early rugby, the only scores came from goals , and the first goal scored won the match. A goal was scored by kicking the ball through the goalposts and above the crossbar. When a player touched the ball down over the goal line, he then kicked out from the goal line to a teammate, who in turn kicked it toward the goalposts in the face of onrushing defenders.

Rugby later developed a more complex scoring system that included the touch down of the ball over the goal line that resulted in an attempt at goal, called a “ try,” and goals, called “conversions,” that could be kicked after a try. Scoring changed by 1890 to the pattern favoured at Cheltenham School, whereby points were scored for a try, and penalty kicks were introduced, allowing teams disadvantaged by illegal play to kick for goal and score points if successful. Thus, goals could be scored from an opposition penalty (“penalty goals”) or by dropping the ball on the field of play and kicking it through the uprights (“ drop-goal”). In 1892 a try was worth three points, and drop-goals were worth four points. Penalty goals were introduced in 1894. By 1900 a try counted three points, a goal converting a try added two more points, and a penalty or drop-goal from the field was worth five points. Though the point values have changed, the methods of scoring remain the same today. In both modern games the primary scoring method is for players to score a try.

In rugby union these are now worth five points, but they are worth only four points in rugby league. In both codes conversions count two points; penalty goals in rugby union count three points, two in rugby league; drop goals are worth three points in rugby union but only one point in rugby league. Positions In rugby today each team is divided into forwards and backs, with forwards being the players who form the scrum and backs being the players positioned behind the scrum. Backs It was not until the early 1880s that specialized positions began to appear, particularly among the backs, with Allen Rotherham of Oxford and England establishing the position of halfback, named for a player who took up a position between the scrum and the rest of the backs. Fullbacks, who took the farthest position from the scrum, were also common, and by this time three additional players formed the “three-quarters” line—a centre flanked by two wingers. In 1886 Wales added a second centre against Scotland. This idea became popular in New Zealand by 1889, and Jimmy Duncan of Otago and New Zealand added not only the second centre but also a second halfback.

In modern rugby union the backs consist of seven players. The fullback is the last line of defense and is expected to make try-saving tackles. The fullback is also responsible for fielding kicks from the opposition and then quickly initiating the attack. The two wingers, positioned before the fullback and to the right and left flanks of the field, support the fullback in the last line of defense, but their primary role is to use their speed to make long runs and score tries. The right and left (or inside and outside) centres line up in the middle of the field between the halfbacks and the fullback, and they are vital to the spacing and passing within the attack, as well as active in tackling. There are two halfbacks, the fly half and the scrum half, and both play prominent roles in the attack. The fly back is the primary distributor of the ball and the chief strategist on the field. The fly is typically the best passer and kicker on the team and is responsible for generating attacks and for deciding when the ball should be kicked. The scrum half feeds the ball into scrums and delivers it out of them.

The scrum half also initiates play from rucks and mauls (typically feeding the ball to the fly half) and generally serves as the link between the forwards and the backs. Forwards Forward players still were not specialized by the early 1900s, and when scrums were formed, the first players to arrive usually formed the front row. By 1900 it was common to form a scrum with three men in the front, two behind, and another three behind them for a 3–2–3 formation. In New Zealand and South Africa, innovation continued with the New Zealanders’ devising of a 2–3–2 formation that freed up an additional man for the backs, who became known as a wing forward, and the South Africans’ invention of the 3–4–1 formation used throughout the world today. The 2–3–2 formation created great controversy over the legality of the wing forward, and the IRB eventually banned it in 1932, requiring a minimum of three players in the front row.

In modern rugby union the forwards are made up of two props, a hooker, two locks, and two wing forwards (or flankers), and the “number eight” (so called because of his or her jersey number). The props are positioned in the front row of the scrum on each side of the hooker. Props are typically stout, powerful players who can move piles around in support of the hooker in scrums and of leapers in line-outs. The hooker is typically the shortest of the forwards and is responsible for winning the ball in scrums and throwing the ball in during line-outs. The locks, positioned in the centre of the second row of the scrum, are usually the tallest players on the team and are the primary ball winners in line-outs. The wing forwards assume the outside positions on the scrum’s second row and are responsible for disrupting the play of the opponent’s backs and winning the ball. The number eight is part forward, part back and the last line of the scrum. The number eight is expected to win balls, especially in rucks, to link with the scrum and fly halves, and to make runs as well.

Playing with two fewer players than rugby union, rugby league does not employ wing forwards, so that a league scrum has three men in the front row, two in the second, and one in the back. In league play the locks are known as second row forwards and the number eight is known as a lock forward. Also, the role of the fly half is handled by the stand-off or five-eighth in rugby league. Rugby League World Cup 2013: Why does it matter? - BBC Sport BBC Sport Rugby League World Cup 2013: Why does it matter? By Matt Slater From the section Rugby League Share this page Media playback is not supported on this device Can World Cup boost rugby league? Rugby League World Cup 26 October to 30 November Coverage: Live BBC TV, radio and online coverage of all England's group matches and Wales v Italy, plus one quarter-final, one semi-final and the final Bang. That is how you are supposed to start month-long sports competitions. Grab the public's attention and take them on an incident-packed journey to a climactic contest for the big prize. The organisers of the 2000 Rugby League World Cup must have missed that memo.

They opted for a double-header in Paris and Ireland versus Samoa in rugby league hotbed Belfast, before finally getting to England against Australia at a half-empty Twickenham. Stretched across 27 venues in six countries, the 12th Rugby League World Cup was a textbook case of how not to do it. The most ambitious tournament in the sport's history - and the last Rugby World Cup to be held in the northern hemisphere - lost nearly £700,000. "We don't want to dwell too much on 2000. We have put it behind us," says RFL chief executive Nigel Wood.

"There is a different team of executives now and we think there's a groundswell of optimism coming into the competition." Rugby league's 13 World Cups: New formats, same results 1954, hosted by France: 4 teams entered, GB champions after 16-12 win over France in final 1957, Australia: 4 teams, Australia win league format 1960, UK: 4 teams, GB top table 1968, Australia/NZ: 4 teams, Australia 20-2 France in final 1970, UK: 4 teams, Australia 12-7 GB 1972, France: 4 teams, GB 10-10 Australia, GB win on group results 1975, worldwide: 5 teams, Australia 25-0 England 1977, Australia/NZ: 4 teams, Australia 13-12 GB 1985-88, worldwide: 5 teams, Australia 25-12 NZ 1989-92, worldwide: 5 teams, Australia 10-6 GB 199

5, UK: 10 teams, Australia 16-8 England 2000, France/Ireland/UK: 16 teams, Australia 40-12 NZ 2008, Australia: 10 teams, NZ 34-20 Australia To be fair, the 2013 edition, which starts in Cardiff on Saturday, looks very different: fewer teams and venues, a proper organising committee, a host-city bidding process, an innovative format and what promises to be a decent England team.

But more important than the tweaks, and the possibility of a first British win since 1972, is the sense that this World Cup might be the first to work out what it is for. Having started in France in 1954 - 33 years before those conservative, rugby union types got their acts together - rugby league's big show had already been through about half a dozen changes by the time it got to its 11th instalment in 1995. Having doubled the number of teams to 10, the organisers otherwise played it safe by mainly keeping to northern England. The tournament is fondly remembered as a fitting party for rugby league's 100th birthday. But did it grow the game? Did anybody who was not already a committed fan notice? How did it compare to union's upstart competition? Does it matter that only three teams ever look like winning the thing? Rugby league's bosses thought they knew the answers, and they did not like them. The message was clear for 2000, it seemed, standing still is dying. The result was Frankenstein's monster: an unloved competition of improbable dimensions and no sense of its own identity.

OK, the organisers could not help the rain, or that the Hatfield rail crash just before the tournament made north-south travel in England very tricky. Neither could they do much about Australia being so good they should have been made to play with 12 men. But there can be no mitigation for staging New Zealand versus Lebanon (a team made up of Australians of Lebanese descent) in the rugby union stronghold of Gloucester, or Scotland against Aotearoa Maori (a New Zealand second team) at a football ground in Glasgow. The total attendance of those two games was 4,504. England captain Andy Farrell trudges off after losing to Australia on the opening day of the 2000 World Cup - a lack of atmosphere at a half-empty and soggy Twickenham did not help Crowds, or the lack of them, were an issue throughout, which is not surprising when you consider how many games were played in football grounds, and how few were contests - only eight of the 31 matches finished with winning margins of 10 points or fewer; there were 12 games with margins of more than 40 points. It was expansion for expansion's sake, and floating fans floated away.

"There are clearly lessons to be learned," was the understated assessment of former Rugby Football League (RFL) chairman Sir Rodney Walker, speaking after Australia's ninth World Cup victory. "It would be fair to say that there was not much proper planning done," recalls Leeds Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington. "A lot of assumptions were made and in hindsight it was a disappointment." It was also a major setback for the game's hopes of replicating rugby union's more global canvas. The Rugby League International Federation, the global governing body, works like a charity with just one big fundraiser every four years. One year of feast, three or four years of development cheques to the sport's minnows. The experience in 2000 was so bruising the World Cup did not come back until 2008 in Australia. It was a success. New Zealand upset the hosts in a memorable final, the tournament made a profit and international rugby league was back. Rugby league needs to escape the working-class bubble it has lived and blossomed in Jon Wilkin St Helens But most significantly, the competition had rediscovered its purpose: a celebration for its loyal fans, and an advertisement to potential fans.

"We've got a solid business at Leeds - 15,000 fans who come week in, week out," explains Hetherington. "If the World Cup disappoints that won't change. But if it goes well, there are potential spin-offs for everybody. "We're bringing the world's best players to our neck of the woods and I'm sure some of them will end up in Super League next season. "We can also see from the ticket sales for our two games (New Zealand-Papua New Guinea and a quarter-final) that a lot of people will be coming to their first rugby league game." Hetherington says 60% of the first 4,000 tickets sold at Headingley went to people not on the Rhinos' computer system. That might be because their fans were more focused on the Super League play-offs, but it tallies with a figure of one in four tickets across all 21 venues going to new fans. "It's fantastic that so many tickets have been sold to people outside the heartland," says Leeds and England captain Kevin Sinfield. "I would say to people who are new to the sport 'come with an open mind and you'll be pleasantly surprised by what you see'.

The athletes on show, the ferocity, the skill level - people will be bowled away by it." The organisers have set themselves a target of 500,000 tickets across the 28 games - double the amount sold in 2000. Whether they get there or not will depend on how Sinfield's men fare, and the tournament's new structure. The game's best eight teams are divided between two groups, with three quarter-final slots available in each group. The remaining two places in the last eight will go to the winners of groups C and D, six emerging nations who have fought through pre-qualifying to be here.

Rugby League World Cup 2013: Who, what, when, where Starts on 26 October with a double-header at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium featuring England v Australia and Wales v Italy Final at Old Trafford on 30 November 14 teams taking part: England, Australia, Fiji, Ireland, New Zealand, France, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Tonga, Italy, Wales, Cook Islands, United States There are 28 games in total, taking place in England, Wales, Ireland and France The idea is to avoid the blow-outs that have marred other World Cups - in both codes - and to give every team a chance of scoring tries, and hopefully winning a game. Could this be the next league brainwave to crop up in union at some point? The mix of venues is smarter than 2000's, too. It starts big with a double-header at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium - rugby league's trump card, England against Australia, followed by Wales versus Italy - and then heads to the heartlands of Hull and Warrington on Sunday for Papua New Guinea v France and New Zealand-Samoa. "That's a seductive offering in anybody's language," says Wood.

"We'll have a good idea of where we are after that." England's next group game against Ireland in Huddersfield is the first sell-out, with the final at Old Trafford not far behind, and tickets going fast for the two games in the south of France, a traditional league stronghold. In fact, the only real departures from the tried-and-tested list are Bristol and Limerick, but both came through a bidding process, which means the local authorities want this to work and are sharing the marketing load. The semi-finals are a double-header at Wembley, but even with fans getting a two-for-the-price-of-one deal the overall numbers should at least double the crowds at 2000's semi-finals. Barely 25,000 went to those. And then there is the television audience. "This is the best national team for 25 years and they're going to be on the BBC every weekend for five, hopefully six, weeks. That will elevate the team's profile, the players and the sport," says Hetherington. That assessment of England came a few days before the shock defeat by Italy in a warm-up game on Saturday.

Everybody associated with rugby league, even the most ardent Australia fan, will be hoping that was an aberration. Having only three genuine contenders for a contest purporting to be a "World" anything is fine (how many teams can really win football's World Cup next year?), but losing one would hurt, particularly if it is the home team. World Cups of any variety need a bit of parochialism. It will be exactly the same when union's World Cup is staged in England in 2015, but a run to the final for Stuart Lancaster's men would see the other code enjoy blanket media coverage. Can that be said of England in this World Cup? An estimated 750,000 people lined central London's streets to see England hero Jonny Wilkinson and celebrate the rugby union team's landmark victory at the 2003 World Cup in Australia "There's not a lot of mileage in peering over the garden fence and looking at somebody else's vegetable patch," counters Wood. "We know we've got a good patch of our own.

"Of course, we'd like greater exposure and revenues, but we are confident that this will be the best World Cup our sport has ever put on." It is a sentiment shared by a man who narrowly missed out on selection for England's 24-man squad, Jon Wilkin. But the St Helens star's ambitions for the tournament are two-fold. "From a playing side, it's simple: win the tournament. But for the wider game, there's a huge opportunity to take the sport on to a national level, give the papers and news programmes a reason to mention rugby league," says Wilkin. "But we've got to be ready to deal with the increased interest that would come with success. So that would be the real success, creating awareness and then dealing with it." So rugby league wants its own Jonny Wilkinson moment, but must be ready to adapt when it comes? "I think we need to let go a bit," explains Wilkin. "Rugby league needs to escape the working-class bubble it has lived and blossomed in. And I mean that in the nicest way. "If you look at the history of our game, factory-owners in the north used to pay people to play for their factory teams.

"We're still a community-based sport. Essentially the rugby clubs have become the factories, the chairmen are the owners, the players are the workforce and the fans are the customers. So we've not got away from that model. "That's great because we still have a fantastic community game, but I'm a big believer in breaking down those social barriers to let our game grow, and I think part of that is our passionate support relinquishing a bit of control." So there you have it. The Rugby League World Cup aims to be a long and enjoyable party and like all the best parties it's about letting go and making new friends. Enjoy. Share this page Rugby League World Cup | Britannica.com Rugby League World Cup Rugby League World Cup, international rugby event that is considered to be the foremost competition in the “league” variant of the sport. New Zealand’s Sam Perrett (centre) running through Australian defenders during the 2008 Rugby … Tertius Pickard/AP The Rugby League World Cup began in 1954 in France and has been held at irregular intervals since then. Australia won six consecutive World Cups between 1975 and 2000, establishing itself as the international powerhouse in rugby league.

Australia’s run of dominance ended in 2008 when the team—playing at home in Brisbane—was beaten in the World Cup final by rival New Zealand in one of the biggest upsets in rugby history. The rugby league 2000 World Cup, held in Britain, featured teams from 16 countries, but the 2008 iteration returned to a 10-team format. Results of the Rugby League World Cup are provided in the table. Rugby League World Cup *Great Britain won on match points. **Called International Championship from 1975 to 1977. ***Championships played without a grand final match; England was the runner-up. Learn More in these related articles: rugby football game played with an oval ball by two teams of 15 players (in rugby union play) or 13 players (in rugby league play). Both rugby union and rugby league have their origins in the style of football played at Rugby School in England. According to the sport’s lore, in 1823 William Webb... Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email.

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Close Article Title: Rugby League World Cup Website Name: Encyclopædia Britannica Date Published: December 02, 2013 URL: Access Date: January 20, 2017 Share Rugby League World Cup 2013: Tournament guide - BBC Sport BBC Sport Rugby League World Cup 2013: Tournament guide By Jonathan Jurejko From the section Rugby League Share this page Media playback is not supported on this device The mystery of the missing trophy Rugby League World Cup 26 October to 30 November Coverage: Live TV, radio and online coverage of all England's group matches and Wales v Italy, plus one quarter-final, one semi-final and the final. Listen to every match live on BBC Radio 5 live or sports extra The 14th Rugby League World Cup begins on 26 October with England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland aiming to end 38 years of southern hemisphere dominance. The 14-team tournament sees 28 matches across England, Wales, Ireland and France. England, where the bulk of the games are being played, begin proceedings when they host Australia in the double-headed opener in Cardiff on Saturday.

Steve McNamara's men are only third favourites - behind overwhelming front-runners Australia and holders New Zealand - to be crowned world champions at Old Trafford on 30 November. Media playback is not supported on this device Rugby League World Cup: 1972 - Superb Sullivan secures GB win Scotland, Wales and Ireland are considered rank outsiders to become the first northern hemisphere winners since a unified Great Britain team triumphed in the 1972 edition. The World Cup is viewed as the latest event in the UK's 'golden decade of sport', which centred around London 2012 and also includes the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2015 Rugby Union World Cup. Domestic governing body the Rugby Football League hopes the tournament can capitalise on the success of last year's Olympic and Paralympic Games and boost the profile of the sport, helping it to expand beyond its traditional Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbrian heartlands. "The World Cup is a wonderful opportunity to reach out to new audiences who want to be involved in the next major international sporting event after London 2012," said tournament director Nigel Wood.

"Ticket sales have been very encouraging, with strong buying patterns from people who have never previously bought tickets for rugby league events." Here, BBC Sport tells you everything you need to know about the competition's teams, format, venues and history. Format Ireland Samoa With an ever-changing format, long gaps between tournaments and on-field mismatches, the Rugby League World Cup has not been easy for supporters, new and old, to follow. But the last edition, hosted by Australia in 2008, proved to be a resounding success, drawing large crowds and an impressive worldwide television audience. Media playback is not supported on this device Rugby League World Cup: 1954 - Britain win first competition Pool A and Pool B are each comprised of four teams, including Australia and England in the former and New Zealand in the latter, and the top three sides from those groups will progress to the quarter-finals. There are only three teams in each of Pool C and Pool D, which means the sides play each other and then one nation from the opposite group. Only the group winners earn a place in the last eight. "The idea is that we don't have any of the blow-outs that you see in other World Cups," said communications manager Martin Johnson.

"So every team will go into the group stages thinking they have a chance of winning their group, although that will be a bit harder in the elite groups. "But every team in groups C and D has a chance of winning a game and no team should go home without scoring a few tries - and that's better for the supporters and better for the development of the game." Teams Former England skipper Jamie Peacock, who is part of BBC Sport's commentary team for the World Cup and will have a weekly column on the website, won 48 caps for England and Great Britain before retiring from international duty in June 2012. The Leeds Rhinos prop, 35, analyses the chances of the home nations, Australia and New Zealand. AUSTRALIA Star man: Johnathan Thurston (half-back) Appearances: 13 Best: Champions (1957, 1968, 1970, 1975, 1977, 1988, 1992, 1995, 2000) Jamie Peacock's view: "Australia are the overwhelming favourites - but they are beatable.

New Zealand have proved that in big games, including the 2008 World Cup final. "The Aussies are very effective at international level and it is a big help that their four key players - Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith and Billy Slater - play together for Queensland in the State of Origin. That's another high-pressure situation. "Australia have the biggest pool of players to pick from so it is no surprise they are the favourites." ENGLAND Star man: Sam Burgess (prop forward) Appearances: Four (plus nine as Great Britain) Best: Runner-up (1975, 1995) *Great Britain were three-time champions (1954, 1960, 1972) Peacock's view: "They have a great chance of winning the tournament, especially with home advantage. That's a big bonus. Look at the Olympics - some of the performances from the British athletes rose to levels they didn't know they could reach. "All the main players are fully fit and Steve McNamara has managed to break down the barriers of the club rivalries which exist between the players on a weekly basis in the Super League.

This is something that others haven't been able to do in the past. "And they have got Sam Burgess, who is the best forward in the world. That's because he can play prop, second row or loose forward as well as anyone else in the world." NEW ZEALAND Star man: Sonny Bill Williams (second row) Appearances: 13 Best: Champions (2008) Peacock's view: "Defending champions New Zealand have got every chance of upsetting the odds again and repeating their 2008 success. "They have a lot of players who not only start regularly in the NRL, but are key players for their sides. "The Kiwis have lost their last five Tests against the Aussies but have managed to beat them in the big games like the 2008 World Cup and Four Nations. "Sonny Bill Williams being available is huge for New Zealand and the tournament. He's just helped Sydney Roosters win the NRL and he lit up the competition.

"Everyone wants to see the star players at the World Cup and Sonny Bill is a name that transcends sports because of his spells in rugby union and boxing." SCOTLAND Star men: Ben Flower (prop) and Craig Kopczak (prop) Appearances: Three (plus nine as Great Britain) Best: Semi-finalists (1995, 2000) Peacock's view: "Wales are growing as a force every year under Iestyn Harris. He has got a good squad together, with plenty of young players. "For them, this World Cup is all about gaining experience as a team. They are not going to win it but they can have a great time and possibly cause an upset. "They have got two very good props in Ben Flowers and Craig Kopczak, who would both be picked in a combined Great Britain squad if there was one." IRELAND Star man: Pat Richards (wing) Appearances: Two Best: Quarter-finalists (2000, 2008) Peacock's view: "Ireland are in the same group as England and Australia and I doubt they are capable of upsetting those two. But they will be hoping to give them a close game.

"It is clear that the other teams in the group, including Fiji, are much stronger, but Ireland will look at this World Cup as an opportunity to give rugby league a huge lift in their country. "Pat Richards is a massive player for them. He has been one of the top three overseas players the Super League has ever had. He's a magnificent player, a great goalkicker and also a wonderful leader." Venues There are two stadiums in Hull - the KC Stadium and Craven Park - and 21 in total Although the tournament is split across four nations, England is the primary host with 20 of the 28 matches taking place across the country. Games are being played in 20 host towns and cities and include London, Cardiff, Limerick and Avignon alongside several venues in the traditional Yorkshire and Lancashire heartlands of the sport. Media playback is not supported on this device Why the French banned rugby league Wembley Stadium hosts both semi-finals in a special double-header, while the final will be staged at Old Trafford in Manchester. Hull is the only place to hold matches at two different venues - the KC Stadium and Craven Park.

But the tournament begins in Wales, where England meet Australia at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on 26 October. As well as the opening fixture, Wales also stages matches at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham and Neath's The Gnoll. France play two of their group matches on home soil in Avignon and Perpignan, while Ireland meet Australia in Limerick. "If you look at the 2000 World Cup [which was staged across the UK, Ireland and France] it was a struggle. We went to a lot of football grounds and that wasn't very successful," added Johnson. Media playback is not supported on this device Rochdale Fijians excited about World Cup "So we've looked at it very closely this time and we think we've got the blend just right. The big games are in big places: the Millennium Stadium, Wembley, Old Trafford. Old Trafford does a great job for us with the Super League Grand Final being held there every year, so that was a no-brainer. "A double-header at Wembley will be fantastic, and we had to have a marquee venue for the opener and you can't do better than Cardiff.

After that we go to the heartlands, areas where we know our fans will come out. "But we're also going to areas where the game is developing, places like Bristol, Limerick and the two games in France. So it's a really good spread for everybody." History Australia have dominated the competition since its inception in 1954, winning nine of the 13 tournaments, and begin as overwhelming favourites to regain the title this year. France were the driving force behind the World Cup's creation and hosted the inaugural four-team event, which also included Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain. But they were defeated in the final by Great Britain in front of an expectant Parisian crowd. Stolen and found The Rugby League World Cup trophy was commissioned by the French Rugby League Federation president Paul Barriere and donated to the International Rugby League Board for the inaugural competition in 1954. But it was stolen during the 1970 tournament when reigning champions Australia put the trophy on public display in Bradford's Midland Hotel. It was taken six days before the final and remained unseen for the next 20 years.

In 1990, father-of-four Stephen Uttley found the trophy among rubbish dumped in a ditch near Bradford and Bingley RLFC. The trophy was reissued for the 2000 tournament and will be presented to the 2013 winners. The next five World Cups, which took place in 1957, 1960, 1968, 1970 and 1972, featured the same four nations. Australia and Great Britain dominated - winning three times and twice respectively - within varied formats. The original trophy, which will be the one presented to the tournament winners, was stolen during the 1970 competition while on public display at Bradford's Midland Hotel and was not found again until 1990. The competition was revamped in 1975, becoming a five-team tournament with Great Britain splitting into England and Wales and the action being played over eight months as part of a "World Series".

It returned to the previous format in 1977 as Australia defended their crown, before another overhaul - including the addition of Papua New Guinea - saw matches stretched over three years between 1985-1988 and 1989-1992. The unstoppable Kangaroos won both, including a 10-6 victory over Great Britain in front of a World Cup record crowd of 73,361 at Wembley in 1992. In 1995, to mark the centenary of rugby league's birth, an innovative new structure was adopted. The number of teams doubled to 10, with Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and South Africa participating for the first time. Australia's continued their dominance and also added the 16-nation version in 2000, when Lebanon, Russia, Ireland, Scotland and the Cook Islands made their bows. But the Kangaroos were denied a seventh straight title when Antipodean rivals New Zealand upset the odds in 2008. The Kiwis lifted the trophy for the first time after an epic final against Australia in Brisbane.

Share this page League Freak – Covering The NRL, Super League And Rugby League World Wide – LeagueFreak.com – The Australian Kangaroos – The Worlds Greatest Rugby Team Search for: The Australian Kangaroos – The Worlds Greatest Rugby Team They are the most successful team in either code of international rugby. They have had a stranglehold on international Rugby League for over a quarter of a century. They hold every single international trophy available to them. The Australian Kangaroos have an incredible winning record in World Cup tournaments, only failing to reach the final in their very first tournament back in 1954. The Australian Kangaroos haven’t failed to impress fans and their country with its winning reputation. Even online bookmakers Betway back the Australian Kangaroos to win. In recent years Australian Kangaroos players such as Billy Slater, who was the top try-scorer and player of the tournament in the 2008 World Cup. He is renowned as one of the world’s most dangerous players from broken play. Other players include Cameron Smith, who is rated universal world’s best hooker. The Australian Kangaroo’s set the standard for sporting excellence.

The Birth of The Green And Gold In 1924 the decision was taken to change the national jersey’s colours to green and gold. A green jersey with gold bands was used for Australia’s next Test series in 1928, making the 1928 Kangaroos the first Australian representative rugby league team to adopt these colours. This design was revived for the July 25, 2003 Test against New Zealand. In 1929 the current design, which is green with two gold “V”s was adopted and first used. However, for the first twenty years of international competition, the jersey was in a state of flux. When playing in Australia the team would wear sky blue or maroon, depending on whether they were playing in New South Wales or Queensland. On tours, Australia would wear either the sky blue of New South Wales (as the New South Wales Rugby League organised the tours) or a maroon and sky blue hooped design. This design was revived in 1963 when Australia played South Africa. The Australian War Cry From 1908 to 1967, the Australian team performed a war cry before Tests played in England and France.

The war cry was first performed when the Kangaroos arrived at Tilbury Docks in England. It was developed after war cries had been performed on tours of England by the New Zealand All Blacks in 1905, the South African Springboks in 1906 and the New Zealand All Golds in 1907. It is believed that the war cry is derived from an indigenous chant on Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia. It went: Wallee Mullalra Choomooroo Tingal Translated into English, it means: We are a race of fighters, descended from the War Gods- Beware! Beware! Beware! Beware! Where we fight there will be great bloodshed- Go! Go! Go! Go! We are powerful, but merciful. Are you friends? Good! Good! The Kangaroo is dangerous when at bay. Come on. Come on, Death. The war cry was last performed by the Kangaroos in December 1967 in France. Rugby League World Cup Wins The Rugby League World Cup is the pinacle of achievement in the game.

Of the 12 World Cups held since 1954 Australia have won 9 of them. 2013 – Australia 34 defeated New Zealand 2 2000 – Australia 40 defeated New Zealand 12 1995 – Australia 16 defeated England 8 1992 – Australia 10 defeated Great Britain 6 1988 – Australia 25 defeated New Zealand 12 1977 – Australia 13 defeated Great Britain 12 1975 – No Final Required 1970 – Australia 12 defeated Great Britain 7 1968 – Australia 20 defeated France 2 1957 – No Final Required Australian Rugby League Ashes Victories It took 40 years before Australia took a stranglehold of the Ashes. Until the 1950’s Australia had only managed to win the Ashes twice.

1911 Great Britain 0-2 Australia 1920 Australia 2-1 Northern Union (GB) 1950 Australia 2-1 Great Britain 1954 Australia 2-1 Great Britain 1966 Australia 2-1 Great Britain 1973 Great Britain 1-2 Australia 1974 Australia 2-1 Great Britain 1978 Great Britain 1-2 Australia 1979 Australia 3-0 Great Britain 1982 Great Britain 0-3 Australia 1984 Australia 3-0 Great Britain 1986 Great Britain 0-3 Australia 1988 Australia 2-1 Great Britain 1990 Great Britain 1-2 Australia 1992 Australia 2-1 Great Britain 1994 Great Britain 1-2 Australia 2001 Great Britain 1-2 Australia 2003 Great Britain 0-3 Australia Australian Rugby League Tri Nations Victories 1999 Australia 22-20 New Zealand Auckland 2004 Australia 44-4 Great Britain Leeds 2

006 Australia 16-12 New Zealand Sydney Australian Rugby League Captains All About Rugby World Cup 2019 Online Quiz Rugby World Cup Rugby World Cup, organized by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board (IRB) is the international rugby union competition.

The tournament, began in 1987 is one of the largest sporting events in the world. This 1987 world cup did not involve any qualifying process. There are two stages for the rugby world cup tournament such as a group and a knock out. The rugby teams are divided into four pools of five nations and the winner and runner-up of each pool enters the knockout stage that consists of quarter and semi-finals and the world cup final. The rugby teams should be qualified enough to compete in the Rugby World Cup. 20 teams are qualified to participate in the rugby world cup tournament in which eight are the previous quarter finalists. The 12 other teams are selected by continental qualifying tournaments. These positions are filled by three teams from America, one from Asia, one from Africa, three from Europe and two from Oceania. The other two positions are filled by the runner-up of the qualifying tournament. They are from Africa and Europe and the winner of this match will then play the with the Americas runner-up to determine the position. The second team is selected after a match between the runners-up from Asia and Oceania. Rugby World Cup 2015 Venues in England S. N.

To be Played The world cup winners are awarded the Webb Ellis Cup, named in honor of the Rugby School student who invented the game. The words International Rugby Board and The Webb Ellis Cup are engraved on the tournament trophy. So far around 23 nations have participated in the Rugby World Cup. The tournament is held every four years. Five world cup tournaments have been held so far and the 1987 world cup tournament was won by all blacks. Australia was the winner of the 1991 and 1999 Rugby World Cup tournaments. South Africa won the tournament trophy in 1995 and England took hold of the tournament trophy in 2003 rugby world cup. Scoring occurs either by achieving a try or a goal. A try is scored when a player places the ball in the opponent's in-goal area. According to the rugby rules, a try is counted as five points and can gain 2 more points with a successful place kick or drop kick. A drop kick in general play and a penalty kick are worth 3 points. It initiates a ban on passing the rugby ball forwards, so that rugby players can gain ground only by running with the ball or by kicking it.

The rugby game with a continuous flow has a constant competition for the rugby ball at the breakdown. These are called Rucks and Mauls. The rugby football has two major codes like rugby league and rugby union. The Rugby league, the national sport of Papua New Guinea is played as a professional as well as amateur sport in Australia, France, Great Britain and New Zealand. Rugby union, a major sport played nationwide in Ireland, France, Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Wales and Scotland is also a professional and amateur game. The rugby is perceived as a rough game and wearing most types of padding and helmets is considered illegal. The rugby players often wear mouth guards and tape down their ears to prevent cauliflower ear.

Question: Which country held the Rugby League World Cup from 1975 to 2000 (for 6 contests)?
Answer: Australia