1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup

Venues

Final

The World Cup final was played at Wembley Stadium in London.

Matches

Group stage

1989

The first match of the 1989–1992 World Cup was also the 3rd test of the 1989 Trans-Tasman Test series which was won 3–0 by Australia

1990

This match was also the 3rd and deciding test of the 1990 Ashes series.

1991

This match was also the 3rd and deciding test of the 1991 Trans-Tasman series.

Australian winger Willie Carne crossed for a hat trick of tries in Port Moresby.

1992

Daley Meninga Goals: Meninga (4) Offiah Goals: Eastwood (3) In addition to being an allocated World Cup match, this was the third, deciding test of the 1992 Ashes series. This six-point margin of defeat meant that New Zealand would need to beat Papua New Guinea by 109 points in the following match to prevent a Great Britain-Australia World Cup final in October.

Final

Main article: 1992 Rugby League World Cup final

Goals: Deryck Fox (3/4) Steve Renouf Goals: Mal Meninga (3/4)

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This match set a new world record attendance for a rugby league international of 73,631, beating the previous record of 70,204 set at the Sydney Cricket Ground during the 1932 Ashes series. As they had done in 1988, Australia won the right to host the World Cup final. However, in the interests of rugby league, and the potential for a much larger attendance since at the time Lang Park in Brisbane could only hold 33,000, and the Sydney Football Stadium could only seat 42,000, the ARL agreed to Great Britain hosting the final at the 82,000 capacity Wembley.

Unlike 1988 when Australia had agreed to let New Zealand host the Final at Eden Park in Auckland due to dwindling international attendances in Australia, the international game had become popular again over the next four years (mainly due to much improved performances by Great Britain and New Zealand) and there was a good chance of sell-out crowd in either Brisbane or Sydney for the game. However, the potential for an attendance at Wembley that would be almost or more than double the size that could be seen in Australia, and the potential exposure from playing the game at one of the world's most iconic stadiums, could not be ignored.

Both coaches picked experienced teams, with only Australian's Tim Brasher (fullback) and Steve Renouf (centre) making their international debut in the game. With incumbent fullback Andrew Ettingshausen unavailable through injury, Australian coach Bob Fulton preferred utility outside back Brasher over Newcastle Knights fullback Brad Godden due to Brasher's previous big game experience having played in Balmain's 1989 Grand Final loss as well as making his State of Origin debut earlier in the year. Fulton also chose seven members from the Brisbane Broncos 1992 Winfield Cup premiership winning team including exciting centre Renouf. Lions coach Mal Reilly chose to retain Garry Schofield as captain despite the presence of Ellery Hanley in the team. He also went with pace on the wings with Martin Offiah and St. Helens flyer Alan Hunte.

The hard-fought final was a one-try affair, with Great Britain leading 6–4 with only 12 minutes remaining. The only try of the match was then set up by Australian replacement back Kevin Walters, who, with a clever cut-out pass, put his Broncos teammate Steve Renouf into a gap not covered by replacement Lions centre John Devereux. Renouf, in his debut test for Australia, then raced 20 metres to score in the corner. Otherwise, the two teams' kickers (Mal Meninga and Deryck Fox) were called upon to score most of the points, including Meninga's pressure sideline conversion of Renouf's try. The rain started pouring in the second half and Australia was able to hold Great Britain out and maintain their lead until the final siren.

Australia's triumph saw them win their fourth World Cup in a row after winning the previous cups in 1975, 1977 and 1988. It also ended a mini-hoodoo for the Kangaroos at London's Wembley Stadium. Australia had previously left the arena 21–12 losers in 1973, and the 1990 Kangaroos were outplayed by Great Britain 19–12, but when it mattered most this time around Australia proved themselves as worthy World Cup champions.

The match was telecast live late at night throughout Australia on the Nine Network, with commentary provided by Ray Warren, Peter Sterling and Paul Vautin, with sideline comments from Chris Bombolas. The game broke Australia's midnight-to-dawn television ratings record which was set a year earlier by the rugby union's 1991 Rugby World Cup final.

Try scorers

;7

• AUS Mal Meninga

;5

• AUS Willie Carne
• AUS Brad Mackay
• GBR Martin Offiah
• GBR Garry Schofield
• NZL Richie Blackmore
• NZL Dave Watson

;4

• AUS Laurie Daley
• AUS Andrew Ettingshausen

;3

• AUS Bradley Clyde
• AUS Dale Shearer
• NZL Tony Kemp

;2

• AUS Graham Mackay
• AUS Mark McGaw
• AUS Rod Wishart
• FRA Jean-Marc Garcia
• FRA Cyril Pons
• GBR Denis Betts
• GBR Paul Eastwood
• GBR Shaun Edwards
• GBR Carl Gibson
• GBR Michael Jackson
• GBR Paul Moriarty
• GBR Andy Platt
• GBR Daryl Powell
• NZL Dean Clark
• NZL Sam Panapa
• NZL Kelly Shelford
• PNG Stanley Haru
• PNG Jack Uradok

;1

• AUS Greg Alexander
• AUS Gary Belcher
• AUS Ben Elias
• AUS Brad Fittler
• AUS Peter Jackson
• AUS Chris Johns
• AUS Michael O'Connor
• AUS Steve Renouf
• AUS Steve Roach
• AUS Mark Sargent
• AUS Steve Walters
• FRA Christophe Auroy
• FRA Denis Biénès
• FRA Christophe Bonnafous
• FRA Patrick Entat
• FRA David Despin
• FRA Daniel Divet
• FRA Gilles Dumas
• FRA David Fraisse
• FRA Daniel Verdès
• GBR Martin Dermott
• GBR Paul Dixon
• GBR Karl Fairbank
• GBR Deryck Fox
• GBR Bobbie Goulding
• GBR Les Holliday
• GBR Alan Hunte
• GBR Paul Newlove
• GBR Roy Powell
• GBR Anthony Sullivan
• GBR Alan Tait
• NZL Dean Bell
• NZL Mark Elia
• NZL Gary Freeman
• NZL Clayton Friend
• NZL Gavin Hill
• NZL Sean Hoppe
• NZL Kevin Iro
• NZL Mike Kuiti
• NZL Dean Lonergan
• NZL Duane Mann
• NZL Jarrod McCracken
• NZL Gary Mercer
• NZL Tawera Nikau
• NZL Matthew Ridge
• NZL Brent Stuart
• NZL Darrell Williams
• PNG Sauna Babago
• PNG Aquila Emil
• PNG Paul Gela
• PNG Chris Itam
• PNG August Joseph
• PNG James Naipo
• PNG Gigmai Ongugo
• PNG Opoe Soga
• PNG Goie Waine

References

References

1. Kdouh, Fatima. (28 November 2013). "We take a look back at the greatest Rugby League World Cup finals of all time". [[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney).
2. [https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league-meninga-breaks-britains-resistance-australians-recover-their-full-power-to-shackle-the-resilient-lions-and-ensure-another-series-victory-in-the-third-and-deciding-test-1531190.html Meninga breaks Britain's resistance] (independent.co.uk)
3. [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/world-cup-1989/final/great-britain-vs-australia.html 1992 Rugby League World Cup final]
4. Wilson, Andy. (4 November 2011). "Wembley Rugby League internationals – in pictures". The Guardian.
5. "1989 – 1992: AUSTRALIA". [[Rugby League International Federation]].
6. Roberts, Michael. (2008). "Great Australian Sporting Moments". The Miegunyah Press.
7. Oliver, Robin. (27 October 1992). "'Roos give 9 early-hours record". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].