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New Zealand at the 2000 Rugby League World Cup

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The 2000 New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain was a tour by the New Zealand national rugby league team to compete at the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. New Zealand dominated Group 1 of the tournament thrashing Lebanon, the Cook Islands and Wales with a combined score of 206–28, before winning their quarter-final against France and their semi-final against England to qualify for the final. In the final, they lost to defending champions Australia 12-40 to finish runners-up in a World Cup tournament for the second time.

Background

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Alongside Australia and France, New Zealand had competed at all eleven previous World Cups. New Zealand finished runner up in 1988.

The twelfth World Cup was scheduled to be held in Great Britain, Ireland and France in 2000, following on from the successful 1995 Rugby League World Cup. New Zealand was granted automatic entry into the 2000 World Cup.

Build up

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In the twelves months prior to the World Cup, New Zealand had finished second at the 1999 Rugby League Tri-Nations, losing to Australia 20–22 in the final, before losing the 2000 Anzac test match by a record margin of 0-52.

For the first, and to date only, time, the New Zealand Māori rugby league team were invited to compete in the World Cup as Aotearoa Māori. Their squad included several past New Zealand representatives who were not selected for the final squad.

Staff

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Squad

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Player Games Tries Goals Points Position Club
Richie Barnett (captain) 6 6 0 24 FE Sydney Roosters
Richie Blackmore 2 1 0 4 CE Leeds Rhinos
Tonie Carroll 5 4 0 16 CE Brisbane Broncos
Nathan Cayless 6 1 0 4 PR Parramatta Eels
Brian Jellick 2 2 0 8 WG North Queensland Cowboys
Stacey Jones 5 2 6 20 HB Auckland Warriors
Stephen Kearney 6 2 0 8 SR Melbourne Storm
Ali Lauitiiti 2 2 0 8 SR Auckland Warriors
Tasesa Lavea 2 2 14 36 HB Melbourne Storm
Henry Paul 5 1 25* 53 HB Bradford Bulls
Robbie Paul 5 5 0 20 HB Bradford Bulls
Quentin Pongia 5 2 0 8 PR Sydney Roosters
Tony Puletua 2 1 0 4 SR Penrith Panthers
Matt Rua 5 1 0 4 SR Melbourne Storm
Craig Smith 6 1 0 4 PR St. George Illawarra Dragons
Richard Swain 6 0 0 0 HK Melbourne Storm
Logan Swann 4 2 0 8 SR Auckland Warriors
Willie Talau 5 6 0 24 CE Canterbury Bulldogs
David Vaealiki 1 2 0 8 CE Parramatta Eels
Joe Vagana 6 0 0 0 PR Auckland Warriors
Nigel Vagana 5 3 0 12 CE Auckland Warriors
Lesley Vainikolo 5 9 0 36 WG Canberra Raiders
Ruben Wiki 6 3 0 12 PR Canberra Raiders
  • Note*: includes a field goal.

Fixtures

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Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1  New Zealand 3 3 0 0 206 28 +178 6 Advance to knockout stage
2  Wales 3 2 0 1 80 86 −6 4
3  Lebanon 3 0 1 2 44 110 −66 1
4  Cook Islands 3 0 1 2 38 144 −106 1

Lebanon

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29 October 2000
New Zealand  64–0  Lebanon
Try: Jones (2),
Carroll (2),
Vainikolo (2),
Talau (2),
Barnett (2),
Swain,
Jellick
Con: Jones (6),
Paul (2)
Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester
Attendance: 2,496[3]
Referee: Bill Harrigan

New Zealand:
1. Richie Barnett (c), 2. Leslie Vainikolo, 3. Tonie Carroll, 4. Willie Talau, 5. Brian Jellick, 6. Henry Paul, 7. Stacey Jones
8. Smith, 9. Swain, 10. Pongia, 11. Logan Swann, 12. Kearney, 13. Ruben Wiki.
Substitutes: Joe Vagana, Robbie Paul, Rua, Cayless.
Coach:Frank Endacott

Cook Islands

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2 November 2000
New Zealand 84–10 Cook Islands
Try: Vaealiki (2),
Paul (2),
Barnett (2),
Lavea (2),
Lauitiiti,
Vainikolo,
Wiki,
Cayless,
Pongia,
Vagana,
Puletua
Con: Lavea (12/15)
Try: Noovao
Iro
Con: Piakura (1/2)
Madejski Stadium, Reading
Attendance: 3,982
Referee: Tim Mander

Wales

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5 November 2000
Wales 18–58 New Zealand
Try: Briers,
Atcheson,
Farrell
Con: Harris (3/3)
Try: Vainikolo (3),
Barnett (2),
Lauitiiti,
Wiki,
Vagana,
Paul,
Talau,
Carroll
Con: Paul (5)
Lavea (2)
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 17,612
Referee: Russell Smith

Quarter final

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12 November 2000
New Zealand 54–6 France
The Jungle, Castleford
Attendance: 5,158
Referee: Bill Harrigan

Semi-final

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18 November 2000
New Zealand 49–6 England
Reebok Stadium, Bolton
Attendance: 16,032
Referee: Tim Mander

This was the England rugby league team's biggest ever loss.[4] By winning this match, New Zealand had again equaled their record for consecutive victories with five.

Final

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Australia Posit. New Zealand
Darren Lockyer FB Richie Barnett (c)
Mat Rogers WG Nigel Vagana
Adam MacDougall CE Tonie Carroll
Matt Gidley CE Willie Talau
Wendell Sailor WG Lesley Vainikolo
Brad Fittler (c) SO Henry Paul
Brett Kimmorley SH Stacey Jones
Shane Webcke PR Craig Smith
Andrew Johns HK Richard Swain
Robbie Kearns PR Quentin Pongia
Gorden Tallis SR Matt Rua
Bryan Fletcher SR Stephen Kearney
Scott Hill LF Ruben Wiki
Trent Barrett Res Robbie Paul
Nathan Hindmarsh Res Joe Vagana
Darren Britt Res Nathan Cayless
Jason Stevens Res Logan Swann
Chris Anderson Coach Frank Endacott

Australia led at half time 6–0, after a dominant first half.

At the start of the second half, Nathan Hindmarsh scored to take the lead to 12-0 before Lesley Vainikolo pounced on a loose ball to dive over on 49 minutes. When Henry Paul landed the conversion, the deficit was back down to six points. Soon after, Australian halfback, Brett Kimmorley, made a break down the right before feeding the ball inside to fullback Darren Lockyer, who crossed for another try.[6] Rogers' third successful kick made it 18–6 to the defending champions. However, the Kiwis quickly struck back when Tonie Carroll beat several Australian defenders to score. Henry Paul's conversion made it 18–12.

New Zealand then made several crucial errors and Australia were able to capitalise. Sailor grabbed two tries in the space of five minutes to take his tally for the tournament to 10 tries. The first of them came on 63 minutes courtesy of a reverse pass from Gidley. Rogers missed the second of the two quick conversions. Skipper Fittler then breached the New Zealand defence on 73 minutes to score his first try of the final which was converted by Rogers. Substitute Trent Barrett then finished the scoring, with a try that was converted by Rogers.

Aftermath

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The tournament was coach Frank Endacott's last in charge of New Zealand, and he was replaced by Gary Freeman for the 2001 season.

Tonie Carroll later switched his eligibility to Australia and played seven tests for the Kangaroos.[7]

New Zealand next toured Great Britain in 2002. The next World Cup was held in Australia in 2008, and was won by New Zealand.

References

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  1. ^ "Rugby League: World Cup Kiwis 2000". 5 September 2000 – via New Zealand Herald.
  2. ^ John Coffey and Bernie Wood, The Kiwis: 100 Years of International Rugby League, Hodder Moa, Auckland, 2007, p. 371.
  3. ^ Baldock, Andrew (2000). "New Zealand 64 Lebanon 0". PA Sport. sportinglife.com. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  4. ^ Brook, Kip; NZPA (20 November 2000). "Slick Kiwis storm into final". The New Zealand Herald. New Zealand: APN Holdings NZ Limited. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  5. ^ Ferguson, Shawn Dollin and Andrew. "Australia vs. New Zealand - Rugby League Project". Rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
  6. ^ Burke, David (26 November 2000). "Hello Sailor; Australia 40 New Zealand 12". Sunday Mirror, The. MGN Ltd. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
  7. ^ "Home | Live Scores & Latest News". Fox Sports. Retrieved 2016-07-24.