The second
Rugby League World CupThe Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
was held in
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in
1957. As before a group stage was held first, with matches being held at locations in
SydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and
BrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
.
The 1957 World Cup marked the 50th anniversary of rugby league in Australia but the hosts were not confident of their ability to lift the trophy, having capitulated in the Ashes series in England barely seven months previously. Great Britain, under
Alan PrescottG. Alan Prescott was an English rugby league footballer and coach of the 1940s, '50s and '60s, playing initially at , and then later at , or /. In 404 matches for St. Helens. Prescott scored 31 tries for a total of 93 points...
, and boasting world-class backs such as
Billy BostonWilliam John "Billy" Boston MBE is a former Wales and Great Britain professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer. Boston is a member of the Rugby League Hall of Fame, Welsh Sports Hall of Fame and was, along with Shaun Edwards the first to be voted into the Wigan Hall Of Fame...
,
Mick SullivanMichael "Mick" Sullivan is an English former professional Rugby League World Cup winning footballer of the 1950s and 60s. He holds the record for the most appearances for the Great Britain Lions with 46.Sullivan signed with Huddersfield in 1952 as an 18 year-old right winger...
, Jeff Stevenson and Lewis Jones, and a formidable pack, were expected to win with
Jacques MerqueyJacques Merquey , was a French rugby footballer of the 1950s. An dual-code rugby international, his position was centre, later in his career this changed to stand-off. He played for the Avignon rugby league club, S.O.A XIII, becoming the most capped International, with 37 games for France...
's French side a dark horse.
In the end Australia were dominant, winning all matches and were declared the champions by virtue of finishing top of the group – there was no World Cup Final. Best and fairest awards were made to individual nations, the recipients being
Gilbert BenausseGilbert Benausse was a French rugby league footballer of the 1950s, and '60s. He played at the international level for France, and at club level for AS Carcassonne, Lézignan Sangliers, and Toulouse Olympique, playing at /, or /, i.e...
(France),
Brian CarlsonBrian Carlson was an Australian professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s and 60s. He was a centre & utility back for the Australia national team. He played in 17 Tests and 6 World Cup games between 1952 and 1961, as captain on 2 occasions...
(Australia), Phil Jackson (Great Britain) and
Bill SorensenWilliam Sorensen was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his country in the 1954, 1957 and 1960 World Cups. His brother Dave also played for the Kiwis as did two of his nephews; Dane and Kurt.-Playing career:...
(New Zealand).
Australia
Captain/Coach
Dick PooleHerbert Richard Poole is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a centre for the Australian national team...
Keith BarnesWilliam Keith Barnes OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a fullback for the Australian national team and for the Balmain Tigers. He played in 14 Tests between 1959 and 1966, as national captain on 12 occasions. He was known as "Golden Boots" due to his...
,
Brian CarlsonBrian Carlson was an Australian professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s and 60s. He was a centre & utility back for the Australia national team. He played in 17 Tests and 6 World Cup games between 1952 and 1961, as captain on 2 occasions...
,
Brian ClayBrian Joseph 'Poppa' Clay was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1950s and 60s. He was a five-eighth with the St. George Dragons during their 11-year consecutive premiership winning run from 1956 to 1966...
, Brian Davies,
Greg HawickGreg Hawick was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. A fine utility back for the champion South Sydney Rabbitohs teams of the 1950s and a representative player in the Australian national side, he was named at five-eighth in the Australian 1950s rugby league team of the...
,
Keith HolmanKeith Victor Holman, MBE was an Australian rugby league footballer, a national and state representative whose club career was played with the Western Suburbs Magpies from 1949 to 1961. He has since been named as one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century...
,
Ken KearneyKen "Killer" Kearney was an Australian rugby footballer – a dual-code international player – and a rugby league coach. He represented the Wallabies in seven Tests and the Kangaroos in thirty-one Test matches and World Cup games. He captained Australia in nine rugby league Test matches in 1956 and...
,
Ken McCafferyKen McCaffery is an Australian former rugby league footballer, commentator and administrator. He started playing first grade rugby league with Sydney's Easts club in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership in 1948. After three seasons with them he was persuaded to move to Toowoomba by...
, Billy Marsh,
Ian MoirIan Moir was an Australian rugby league player, a champion wing three-quarter of the 1950s for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. He made eight Test appearances for the Australian national representative side and represented in four World Cup matches in two World Cups and in 14 Kangaroo tour...
,
Kel O'SheaKel O'Shea is an Australian former representative rugby league footballer, a second-rower from Queensland whose club career was played with the Western Suburbs Magpies in Sydney...
,
Norm ProvanNorm "Sticks" Provan is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. A giant of a man, he was a second-row forward with the St. George Dragons during their 11-year consecutive premiership-winning run from 1956 to 1966...
, Ray Ritchie,
Don SchofieldDon Schofield was an Australian rugby league footballer of the mid 20th century. After playing country rugby league for the Cessnock club, he played in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership for the Western Suburbs Magpies, scoring two tries in their Grand Final win in the 1952...
,
Tom TyquinTom Tyquin represented for Australia at rugby league and like his brother played his club football with Souths . He was also a lock forward although a number of his representative appearances were made as a second-row forward....
,
Alex WatsonAlex Watson was an Australian professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s. An Australian international and Queensland interstate representative three-quarter back, he played club football in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for Western Suburbs.Watson first represented Queensland in 1951...
,
Harry WellsHarry James Wells is an Australian former representative rugby league footballer of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. A centre whose club career was played along the New South Wales coast as well as in Sydney with the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Western Suburbs Magpies, he has since been named among the...
New Zealand
- Manager: Keith Blow (Canterbury)
- Coach: Bill Telford
Bill "Snow" Telford was a New Zealand rugby league player and coach who coached his country several times, including in the 1957 World Cup.-Playing career:Telford played for the Richmond club in the Auckland Rugby League competition....
(Auckland)
| Name | Region | Position |
| Pat Creedy Pat Creedy was a New Zealand rugby football player who represented his country in rugby league.-Playing career:Creedy originally played rugby union and represented both the Southland Rugby Union and the Canterbury Rugby Union....
|
Canterbury |
FB |
| Vern Bakalich Vern Bakalich is a New Zealand former rugby league player who represented his country in the 1957 World Cup.-Playing career:Bakalich played in the Auckland Rugby League competition and was an Auckland representative. He was first selected for the New Zealand Kiwis in 1953 in a test series against...
|
Auckland |
WG |
| Neville Denton Neville Denton is a New Zealand former rugby league player who represented his country in the 1954 and 1960 World Cups.-Playing career:Denton, an Auckland representative, played in 13 Test matches for the New Zealand Kiwis between 1954 and 1963. During this time Denton attended the 1954, 1957 and...
|
Auckland |
WG |
| Tom Hadfield Bernard Thomas "Tom" Hadfield is a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his country in the 1957 and 1960 World Cups and retired as the highest try-scorer in the New Zealand national side's history.-Playing career:...
|
Auckland |
WG |
| Ron Ackland Ronald Charles "Ron" Ackland is a New Zealand former rugby league player and coach who represented his country in the 1957 and 1960 World Cups and coached his country in the 1977 World Cup. His nephew, John, also played for New Zealand.-Playing career:...
|
Auckland |
CE |
| Bill Sorensen William Sorensen was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his country in the 1954, 1957 and 1960 World Cups. His brother Dave also played for the Kiwis as did two of his nephews; Dane and Kurt.-Playing career:...
|
Auckland |
CE |
| George P Turner George Puhoi Turner is a New Zealand former rugby league player who represented his country in the 1957 and 1960 World Cups.-Playing career:Turner played in the Auckland Rugby League competition and was first selected to represent Auckland in 1956 in a tour of the South Island.He was first selected...
|
Auckland |
CE |
| George Menzies George Menzies is a New Zealand former rugby league player and coach who represented his country at three World Cups and coached New Zealand at another World Cup.-Playing career:...
(vc) |
West Coast |
SO |
| Sel Belsham Selwyn Eric Belsham is a New Zealand former rugby league player who represented his country in the 1957 World Cup. His position of preference was at .His brother Vic was also a New Zealand Kiwis representative...
|
Auckland |
HB |
| Jock Butterfield John Rutherford "Jock" Butterfield was a New Zealand rugby league footballer of the 1950s and 60s who has been named amongst the finest that country produced during the 20th century. A New Zealand international representative forward, he played his club football in various places in New Zealand,...
|
Canterbury |
HK |
| Bill McLennan William "Ginger" Richard McLennan was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his country in the 1954 and 1957 World Cups.-Playing career:...
|
West Coast |
PR |
| Henry Maxwell Henry Maxwell is a New Zealand former rugby league player who represented his country in the 1957 and 1960 World Cups.-Playing career:Maxwell played for the Point Chevalier Pirates in the Auckland Rugby League competition. He represented Auckland and in 1955 he was first selected for the New...
|
Auckland |
PR |
| Cliff Johnson Clifford Raymond Johnson was a New Zealand rugby league footballer who has been named one of the finest the country produced during the 20th century. An international representative, he played mainly as a prop forward.-Playing career:...
(c) |
Auckland |
SR |
| Kevin Pearce Kevin Pearce is a New Zealand former rugby league player who represented his country in the 1957 World Cup.-Playing career:Pearce played for the Papanui club in the Canterbury Rugby League competition and also represented Canterbury...
|
Canterbury |
SR |
| Jim Riddell Charles James "Jim" Riddell is a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his country in the 1957 World Cup.-Playing career:Riddell played in the Auckland Rugby League competition and first represented Auckland in 1953 against the American All Stars side. He was first selected for the 1955...
|
Auckland |
SR |
| John Yates John Yates is a New Zealand former rugby league player who represented his country in two World Cups. His brother, Victor, was a New Zealand rugby union representative and played rugby league for Auckland while his father, Moses, represented North Auckland in rugby union.-Playing career:Yates...
|
Auckland |
SR |
| Rex Percy Rex Percy is a New Zealand former rugby league player who represented his country in the 1957 World Cup.-Playing career:Percy played for the Ponsonby club in the Auckland Rugby League competition and was an Auckland representative. In 1955 he was first selected for the New Zealand Kiwis, touring...
|
Auckland |
LF |
| Keith Bell Keith Bell is a New Zealand former rugby league player who represented his country in the 1957 World Cup.-Playing career:Bell played for Ponsonby in the Auckland Rugby League competition. In 1955 he was selected for Auckland and was part of the side that defeated the touring French side 17-15...
|
Auckland |
Utility |
Referees
Referee
Vic BelshamVictor Colin Belsham was a New Zealand rugby league player and referee who represented his country. His position of preference was at . His brother, Sel, also played for the New Zealand Kiwis, including in one match that was controlled by Vic...
from New Zealand controlled three matches at the World Cup, including controlling one of New Zealand's matches. New Zealand included his brother
SelSelwyn Eric Belsham is a New Zealand former rugby league player who represented his country in the 1957 World Cup. His position of preference was at .His brother Vic was also a New Zealand Kiwis representative...
at halfback.
Results
Australia easily accounted for New Zealand but lost full-back
Keith BarnesWilliam Keith Barnes OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a fullback for the Australian national team and for the Balmain Tigers. He played in 14 Tests between 1959 and 1966, as national captain on 12 occasions. He was known as "Golden Boots" due to his...
and scrum-half back
Keith HolmanKeith Victor Holman, MBE was an Australian rugby league footballer, a national and state representative whose club career was played with the Western Suburbs Magpies from 1949 to 1961. He has since been named as one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century...
with injuries for the remainder of the tournament.
----
----
After a close first half the Australians smashed the Lions 31-6. Holman's replacement
Ken McCafferyKen McCaffery is an Australian former rugby league footballer, commentator and administrator. He started playing first grade rugby league with Sydney's Easts club in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership in 1948. After three seasons with them he was persuaded to move to Toowoomba by...
, makeshift fullback
Brian CarlsonBrian Carlson was an Australian professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s and 60s. He was a centre & utility back for the Australia national team. He played in 17 Tests and 6 World Cup games between 1952 and 1961, as captain on 2 occasions...
and a dominant Australian pack were the main instruments in the carve-up of the British defence.
----
----
This comfortable victory over the French saw Aussie skipper
Dick PooleHerbert Richard Poole is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a centre for the Australian national team...
lead his men off the SCG as World Cup winners even before the final game was played on the same ground three days later.
----
This game gave New Zealand their first ever World Cup victory. A shell-shocked Britain matched the Kiwis try for try but
Bill SorensenWilliam Sorensen was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his country in the 1954, 1957 and 1960 World Cups. His brother Dave also played for the Kiwis as did two of his nephews; Dane and Kurt.-Playing career:...
's seven goals to Lewis Jones' three made the difference.
Final standings
| Team | Played | Won | Drew | Lost | For | Against | Difference | Points |
| |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
82 |
20 |
+62 |
6 |
| |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
50 |
65 |
−15 |
2 |
| |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
44 |
60 |
−16 |
2 |
| |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
28 |
59 |
−31 |
2 |
External links