1954 Rugby League World Cup: Difference between revisions

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Line 2: {{EngvarB\|date=May 2014}} {{Use dmy dates\|date=May 2020}} {{Infobox ~~rugby~~Rugby ~~league~~World ~~international tournament~~Cup \| logo = ~~\| year = 1954~~ \| logosize = 130px ~~\| title = Rugby League World Cup~~ \| other_titles = ~~\| image =~~ \| datefrom = 30 October ~~\| imagesize =~~ \| dateto = 13 November ~~\| caption =~~ \| host = France ~~\| finalists = 4{{efn\|Initially there were to be five countries invited to compete, however the [[United States national rugby league team\|United States]]' invitation was later cancelled.}}~~ \| ~~country~~jointhost1 = ~~France~~ = \| nations = 4 (reduced from 5) ~~\| winners = Great Britain~~ \| champion = {{rl\|GB}} \| count = 1 \| runnerup = {{rl\|France }} \| third = {{rl\|Australia}} ~~\| matches = 7~~ \| matches = 7 ~~\| attendance = 138329~~ \| attendance = 138329 ~~\| points = 231~~ \| ~~tries~~apm = 48 = \| ~~topscorer~~top_scorer = {{flagdeco\|GBR}} [[Jimmy Ledgard]] (29 ~~pts~~) \| ~~top~~most_tries ~~try~~ ~~scorer~~ = {{nowrap\|{{flagdeco\|GBR}} [[Gordon Brown (rugby league)\|Gordon Brown]] (6 ~~tries~~)}} \| ~~tournaments~~next = [[1957 Rugby League World Cup \|1957]] ~~\| last =~~ ~~\| next = [[1957 Rugby League World Cup\|1957]]~~ }} The '''1954 Rugby League World Cup''' was [[rugby league]] football's first [[Rugby League World Cup\|World Cup]] and was held in France in October–November 1954.<ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueplanet.com/RLP/Worldcup/1954worldcup.htm 1954 World Cup] {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090713072347/http://www.rugbyleagueplanet.com/RLP/Worldcup/1954worldcup.htm \|date=13 July 2009 }} at ''rugbyleagueplanet.com''</ref> Officially known as the "Rugby World Cup",<ref name="SPARC-2009-p28">[[#SPARC-2009\|SPARC, 2009]]: 28</ref> four nations competed in the tournament: [[Australia national rugby league team\|Australia]], [[France national rugby league team\|France]], [[Great Britain national rugby league team\|Great Britain]] and [[New Zealand national rugby league team\|New Zealand]]. 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 Paris' [[Parc des Princes]] before 30,368 spectators.<ref>[http://rugbyleagueproject.org/competitions/World_Cup_1954.html 1954 World Cup] at ''rugbyleagueproject.org''</ref> The '''1954 Rugby League World Cup''' was [[rugby league]]'s first [[Rugby League World Cup\|World Cup]] and was held between 30 October and 13 November and hosted by France<ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueplanet.com/RLP/Worldcup/1954worldcup.htm 1954 World Cup] {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090713072347/http://www.rugbyleagueplanet.com/RLP/Worldcup/1954worldcup.htm \|date=13 July 2009 }} at ''rugbyleagueplanet.com''</ref> and was won by [[Great Britain national rugby league team\|Great Britain]] who beat [[France national rugby league team\|France]] in the final at the [[Parc des Princes]] in [[Paris]].<ref>[http://rugbyleagueproject.org/competitions/World_Cup_1954.html 1954 World Cup] at ''rugbyleagueproject.org''</ref> As it was the first official World Cup of either [[Rugby football\|rugby code]] it was officially known as the '''Rugby World Cup'''.<ref name="SPARC-2009-p28">[[#SPARC-2009\|SPARC, 2009]]: 28</ref> The prime instigators behind the idea of holding a rugby league world cup were the French, who were short of money following the [[History of rugby league#The thirties and the Second World War\|seizing of their assets]] by [[French Rugby Federation\|French rugby union]] in the Second World War. The first rugby league world cup was an unqualified success. It was played in a uniformly good spirit, provided an excellent standard of play and was a fitting celebration of France's 20th anniversary as a rugby league-playing nation. The trophy, which was donated by the French, was worth eight million francs.<ref name="RLIF1">{{cite web\|url=http://www.rlwc08.com/about/pastwinners.aspx?article=1954 \|publisher=Rugby League International Federation \|title=Past Winners: 1954 \|author=RLIF \|access-date=25 October 2008 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012230118/http://www.rlwc08.com/about/pastwinners.aspx?article=1954 \|archive-date=12 October 2008 \|url-status=dead }}</ref> Five nations were invited to compete: [[Australia national rugby league team\|Australia]], [[France national rugby league team\|France]], [[Great Britain national rugby league team\|Great Britain]], [[New Zealand national rugby league team\|New Zealand]] and [[USA national rugby league team\|USA]] (However the USA would withdraw before the tournament began). The prime instigators behind the idea of holding a rugby league world cup were the French, who were short of money following the [[History of rugby league#The thirties and the Second World War\|seizing of their assets]] by [[French Rugby Federation\|French rugby union]] in the Second World War. The first Rugby League World Cup was an unqualified success. It was played in a uniformly good spirit, provided an excellent standard of play and was a fitting celebration of France's 20th anniversary as a rugby league-playing nation. The trophy, which was donated by the French, was worth eight million francs.<ref name="RLIF1">{{cite web\|url=http://www.rlwc08.com/about/pastwinners.aspx?article=1954 \|publisher=Rugby League International Federation \|title=Past Winners: 1954 \|author=RLIF \|access-date=25 October 2008 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012230118/http://www.rlwc08.com/about/pastwinners.aspx?article=1954 \|archive-date=12 October 2008 \|url-status=dead }}</ref> == Background == {{more citations needed section\|date=November 2014}} [[File:Maillots de la Coupe du monde de rugby à XIII 1954.jpg\|thumb\|Shirts of the teams in 1954.]] The World Cup was a French initiative. Led by [[Paul Barrière]], who donated the [[Rugby League World Cup trophy]] himself,<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.188-rugby-league.co.uk/content/feedstory/world-cup-1954-0 \|title=1954 World Cup \|publisher=188 Rugby League \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226222201/http://www.188-rugby-league.co.uk/content/feedstory/world-cup-1954-0 \|archive-date=26 February 2012}} at ''188-rugby-league.co.uk''</ref> they had been campaigning for such a tournament since before the Second World War. ~~Teams from Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand and the United States were invited to join the hosts, France, for the first World Cup in 1953.<ref>{{cite news~~ ~~\| last = AAP~~ ~~\| title = World Cup Suggestion~~ ~~\| work = The Sydney Morning Herald~~ ~~\| place =Australia~~ ~~\| page = 7~~ ~~\| date = 19 January 1953~~ ~~\| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CbAUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=froDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2635,2047144~~ \| access-date = 25 December 2009}}</ref> However, the tournament was not held until 1954, with all teams except the United States participating. The French had suggested that the United States play but the other nations were concerned about a lack of competitiveness which was borne out by France beating the United States 31–0 on 9 January 1954.<ref>{{cite web \|title=France vs. United States of America \|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/dates/9-january-1954/france-vs-usa.html \|website=Rugby League Project \|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref> It had been suggested that Wales be invited instead of the USA but they weren't approached.<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Ferguson \|first1=Andrew \|title=THE FRENCH BARRIERE THAT WOULDN’T BREAK \|url=http://menofleague.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MOL-issuu-53.pdf \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014053133/http://menofleague.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MOL-issuu-53.pdf \|url-status=dead \|archive-date=14 October 2018 \|website=MenofLeague \|access-date=13 October 2018 }}</ref> The uncertainty of the ultimate outcome was of particular interest. In the early 1950s all four competing nations were quite capable of beating each other – no test series in the period was a foregone conclusion. Line 48 ⟶ 44: The captains for this historic event were [[Puig-Aubert]] (France), [[Cyril Eastlake]] (New Zealand), [[Clive Churchill]] (Australia) and [[Dave Valentine]] (Britain). The referees were Warrington's [[Charlie Appleton]] and [[Rene Guidicelli]] (Perpignan). == ~~Teams~~Participants == {{~~Main~~Further\|1954 Rugby League World Cup squads}} Five teams were invited to participate in the first World Cup; Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand and the United States along with hosts, France.<ref>{{cite news \| last = AAP \| title = World Cup Suggestion \| work = The Sydney Morning Herald \| place =Australia \| page = 7 \| date = 19 January 1953 \| url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CbAUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=froDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2635,2047144 \| access-date = 25 December 2009}}</ref> There were concerns around the United States participation. The American All Stars who had toured Australia and New Zealand and drawn big crowds in 1953 but were heavily beaten in all their games as well as being beaten 31–0 by France in 1954.<ref>{{cite web \|title=France vs. United States of America \|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/dates/9-january-1954/france-vs-usa.html \|website=Rugby League Project \|access-date=13 October 2018}}</ref> This led to doubts around whether an American team would be competitive enough to compete with the United States withdrawing from the tournament. It had been suggested that Wales could replace the United States but were not invited as Great Britain were already participating.<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Ferguson \|first1=Andrew \|title=The French Barriere That Wouldn't Break \|url=http://menofleague.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MOL-issuu-53.pdf \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014053133/http://menofleague.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MOL-issuu-53.pdf \|url-status=dead \|archive-date=14 October 2018 \|website=MenofLeague \|access-date=13 October 2018 }}</ref> {{col-begin}} ~~{\| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="width:90%;"~~ {{col-4}} ~~\|+ Qualifying teams~~ '''[[North America]] (0)''' \|- <s>{{rl\|USA\|1912}}</s> (withdrew) ~~! scope="col"\|Team~~ {{col-4}} ~~! scope="col"\|Captain~~ '''[[Europe]] (2)''' ~~! scope="col"\|Coach~~ {{rl\|FRA}} (hosts) ~~! scope="col"\|Previous<br /> {{tooltip\|Apps\|appearances}}~~ {{rl\|GB}} ~~! scope="col"\|Previous best result~~ {{col-4}} ~~! scope="col"\|Qualification<br /> method~~ '''[[Oceania]] (2)''' \|- \|{{rl\|~~Australia~~AUS}} *{{rl\|NZL}} ~~\|[[Clive Churchill]]~~ {{col-4}} ~~\|{{flagdeco\|AUS}} [[Vic Hey\|Victor Hey]]~~ {{col-end}} ~~\| style="text-align:center;"\|None (first appearance)~~ ~~\|None~~ ~~\|Invited~~ \|- ~~\|{{rl\|France}}~~ ~~\|[[Puig Aubert]]~~ ~~\|{{flagdeco\|FRA}} [[Jean Duhau]]~~ ~~\| style="text-align:center;"\|None (first appearance)~~ ~~\|None~~ ~~\|Hosts~~ \|- ~~\|{{rl\|Great Britain}}~~ ~~\|[[Dave Valentine]]~~ ~~\|{{flagdeco\|GBR}} Gideon Shaw~~ ~~\| style="text-align:center;"\|None (first appearance)~~ ~~\|None~~ ~~\|Invited~~ \|- ~~\|{{rl\|New Zealand}}~~ ~~\|[[Cyril Eastlake]]~~ ~~\|{{flagdeco\|NZL}} [[Jim Amos (rugby league)\|Jim Amos]]~~ ~~\| style="text-align:center;"\|None (first appearance)~~ ~~\|None~~ ~~\|Invited~~ \|- ~~\|<s>{{rl\|United States}}</s>~~ ~~\|{{n/a}}~~ ~~\|{{n/a}}~~ ~~\| style="text-align:center;"\|None~~ ~~\|None~~ ~~\|Invited; later cancelled~~ \|} == Venues == Line 147 ⟶ 121: \|} ==~~Round-robin~~Group stage== ~~===Group stage===~~ {{Main\|1954 Rugby League World Cup group stage}} {{#section-h:1954 Rugby League World Cup group stage\|Ladder}} Line 211 ⟶ 184: \|} ==~~Knockout stage~~Final== {{Main\|1954 Rugby League World Cup final}} ~~===Final===~~ ~~{{Main\|1954 Rugby League World Cup Final}}~~ The 1954 Rugby League World Cup ~~Final~~final was the conclusive game of the 1954 Rugby League World Cup tournament and was played between France and Great Britain on November 13, 1954, at Parc des Princes, Paris, France. {{rugbyleaguebox \|date = 13 November Line 230 ⟶ 203: \|stadium = [[Parc des Princes]], [[Paris]] \|attendance = 30,368 \|referee = [[Charles Appleton (~~rugby league~~referee)\|Charles Appleton]] ([[Rugby Football League\|England]]) \|referee2 = \|manofmatch = [[Don Robinson (rugby league)\|Don Robinson]] ([[Great Britain national rugby league team\|Great Britain]])