2011 Rugby League Four Nations

History

The 2011 tournament was the third of three Four Nations series planned before the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, with the venues rotating between Europe and the South Pacific. There was no Four Nations in 2012 due to teams preparing for the World Cup.

In addition to automatic inclusions Australia, England and New Zealand, Wales qualified for the tournament by defeating France in the final of the 2010 European Cup.

Teams

Squads

Australia

Australian coach Tim Sheens' touring squad was announced on 3 October: Of the twenty four players, twenty three were Australian born while one was Fijian born.

1 Replaced originally selected Brett Stewart who withdrew due to injury.

2 Replaced originally selected David Taylor who withdrew due to injury.

3 Replaced originally selected Glenn Stewart who withdrew for compassionate reasons.

England

The England squad for the 2011 Four Nations: Of the twenty four players, twenty two were English born while one was New Zealand born and one Australian born.

Coach: England Steve McNamara

New Zealand

The Kiwis announced their 23-man touring squad on 4 October. Of the twenty three players, eighteen were New Zealand born while four were Australian born and one Tongan born.

Coach: NZL Stephen Kearney

1 Replaced original replacement Krisnan Inu who withdrew for family reasons. He replaced originally selected Steve Matai who withdrew due to injury.

2 Replaced originally selected Manu Vatuvei who withdrew due to injury.

3 Replaced originally selected Shaun Johnson who withdrew due to injury.

Wales

The Welsh training squad was named on 14 September. Of the twenty three players, nine were English born while eight were Welsh born and five Australian borns and one South African born.

Coach: WAL Iestyn Harris

Gareth Thomas was originally selected in the squad, but retired with immediate effect in the week leading up to the tournament.

Venues

The games were played at venues in England and Wales. The tournament final was played in Leeds.

Officiating

Referees

• ENG Phil Bentham
• AUS Matt Cecchin
• NZL Henry Perenara

Touch judges

• AUS Paul Holland (TJ)
• NZL Shane Rehm (TJ)
• ENG James Child (TJ)

Video Referees

• ENG Ian Smith
• ENG Ben Thaler

Pre-tournament matches

Before the series, England played a Test match against France, New Zealand and Australia played a test in Newcastle before heading to Great Britain, and Wales played Ireland in Neath.

New Zealand were originally scheduled to play a Test match against the Cook Islands on 7 October, however this was called off due to the unavailability of 29 frontline players.

Australia vs New Zealand

date = 16 October 2011| time= 4:00pm (AEDT)| team1 = | score = 42–6| team2 = | points1= Tries Uate (3', 7') 2 Boyd (13', 70') 2 Lawrence (20', 34') 2 Galloway (63') 1 Tonga (68') 1 Goals Thurston 4/7 (9', 15', 21, 72') C Smith (64') 1/1| points2= Tries 1 (56') Locke Goals 1/1 (57') Luke| stadium = Ausgrid Stadium, Newcastle, Australia | attendance = 32,890| referee = Phil Bentham| manofmatch = | report = Match details|

|}

France vs England

date = 21 October 2011| time= 8:45pm (CET) | team1 = | score = 18–32 | team2 = | points1= Tries Elima (17') 1 Pélissier (71') 1 Duport (74') 1 Goals Bosc (17', 71', 74') 3/3 | points2= Tries 2 (34', 50') Briscoe 1 (2') Hall 1 (30') Yeaman 1 (39') Roby 1 (68') Reed Goals 4/6 (30', 39', 50', 68') Sinfield | stadium = Parc des Sports, Avignon, France | attendance = 16,866 | referee = Matt Cecchin | manofmatch = | report = Match details |

|}

Wales vs Ireland

date = 22 October 2011| time= 6:00pm (GMT) | team1 = | score = 30–6| team2 = | points1= Tries: Gay (2') 1 Roets (27') 1 Frizell (30') 1 Lennon (42') 1 Kear (45') 1 James (70') 1 Goals: Webster (27', 42', 70') 3/5 White 0/1| points2= Tries: 1 (77') Bergin Goals: 1/1 (77') Finn | stadium = The Gnoll, Neath, Wales | attendance = 2,265| referee = Thierry Alibert | manofmatch = | report = Match details|

Results

Round 1

date = 28 October 2011| time= 8:00pm (BST)| team1 = | score = 26–12 | team2 = | points1= Tries Matthew Scott (3') 1 Tony Williams (29') 1 Johnathan Thurston (37') 1 Darius Boyd (65') 1 Akuila Uate (77') 1 Goals Johnathan Thurston 3/5 (4', 30', 66')| points2= Tries 1 (48') Jason Nightingale 1 (56') Kalifa Faifai Loa Goals 2/2 (49', 52') Benji Marshall| stadium = Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington, England | attendance = 12,491| referee = Phil Bentham| manofmatch = Sam Thaiday| report = |

|}

date = 29 October 2011| time= 2:30pm (BST) | team1 = | score = 42–4| team2 = | points1= Tries Sam Tomkins 4 (1', 16', 50', 59') Kirk Yeaman (22') 1 Jack Reed (54') 1 Chris Heighington (76') 1 Gareth Widdop (80') 1 Goals 5/8 Kevin Sinfield (17', 51', 60', 77', 80')| points2= Tries 1 Elliot Kear (66') Goals| stadium = Leigh Sports Village, Leigh, England | attendance = 10,377| referee = Henry Perenara | manofmatch = Sam Tomkins | report = |

|}

Round 2

date = 5 November 2011| time= 1:00pm (GMT)| team1 = | score = 0–36 | team2 = | points1= | points2= Tries 2 (20', 32') Sika Manu 2 (39', 62') Gerard Beale 1 (5') Jason Nightingale 1 (13') Kevin Locke 1 (75') Nathan Fien Goals 4/7 Benji Marshall (21', 33', 40', 77')| stadium = Wembley Stadium, London, England | attendance = 42,344| referee = Matt Cecchin | manofmatch = Thomas Leuluai | report = |

|}

date = 5 November 2011| time= 3:30pm (GMT) | team1 = | score = 20–36| team2 = | points1= Tries Ryan Hall (11', 40') 2 Jack Reed (60') 1 Chris Heighington (77') 1 Goals Kevin Sinfield 2/4 (62', 77')| points2= Tries 1 (17') Luke Lewis 1 (30') Tony Williams 1 (44') Greg Inglis 1 (53') Paul Gallen 1 (73') Darius Boyd 1 (79') Chris Lawrence Goals 6/6 Johnathan Thurston (19', 32', 45', 55', 74', 80')| stadium = Wembley Stadium, London, England | attendance = 42,344| referee = Henry Perenara | manofmatch = Johnathan Thurston| report = |

|}

Round 3

date = 12 November 2011| time= 06.00pm (GMT)| team1 = | score = 28–6| team2 = | points1= Tries Tom Briscoe Ryan Hall James Graham Sam Tomkins Goals Kevin Sinfield 6/6|| points2= Tries Jason Nightingale Goals Benji Marshall 1/1| stadium = KC Stadium, Hull, England | attendance = 23,447| referee = | manofmatch = Kevin Sinfield| report = |

|}

date = 13 November 2011| time= 5:45pm (GMT) | team1 = | score = 14–56| team2 = | points1= Tries Rhys Williams (10') 1 Elliot Kear (14') 1 Jordan James (49') 1 Goals Lee Briers 1/3 (51')| points2= Tries 3 (38', 40', 69') Cooper Cronk 1 (25') Cameron Smith 1 (41') Daly Cherry-Evans 1 (45') Darius Boyd 1 (59') Johnathan Thurston 1 (63') Greg Inglis 1 (66') Jharal Yow Yeh 1 (73') Josh Morris Goals 8/9 (26', 39', 40', 42', 47', 60', 64', 70') Johnathan Thurston| stadium = Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, Wales | attendance = 5,233| referee = | manofmatch = Darius Boyd| report = |

|}

Standings

Final

1 (36') Ryan Hall Goals 2/2 (38', 52') Kevin Sinfield Jharal Yow Yeh (57') 1 Johnathan Thurston (63') 1 Greg Inglis (69') 1 Darren Lockyer (80') 1 Goals Johnathan Thurston 5/5 (6', 40', 59', 64', 70') Darren Lockyer** 0/1** report =

Statistics

Top pointscorers

Johnathan Thurston broke the record for most points in a single tournament with his 56-point haul. The previous record of 42 was set in 2005 by New Zealand's Stacey Jones.

References

References

1. "Wales 12 France 11 – Wales in 2011 Four Nations". rleague.com.
2. "RLEF". Rlef.eu.com.
3. link. (14 July 2011 ''NRL.com'')
4. (3 October 2011). "No issue with Watmough, insists Sheens". Sydney Morning Herald.
5. "Kangaroos coach Sheens happy to have Scott". NRL.com.
6. (20 September 2011). "McNamara adds to train-on squad". Gillette4nations.co.uk.
7. "Kiwis call up Johnson, Locke for 4 Nations". NRL.com.
8. (11 October 2011). "Inu Withdraws from Kiwi Touring Team".
9. (7 October 2011). "Grand final trio forced out of Kiwis". New Zealand Herald.
10. link. (15 November 2011 ''rleague.com'', 14 September 2011)
11. Roughley, Gregg. (25 October 2011). "Wales international Gareth Thomas retires from all forms of rugby". The Guardian.
12. "NZ Match Officials Confirmed for Four Nations 2011".
13. [http://www.gillette4nations.co.uk/4-nations-news/article/550/england-to-face-france-in England to face France in Avignon] {{Webarchive. link. (8 October 2011 ''gillette4nations.co.uk'', 15 July 2011)
14. Kilgallon, Steve. (24 April 2011). "Kiwis to play Roos again after grand final". [[The Sunday Star-Times]].
15. [http://www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk/article/wales-to-take-on-ireland.html Wales to take on Ireland in pre-Four Nations game] {{Webarchive. link. (19 March 2012 ''walesrugbyleague.co.uk'', 21 July 2011)
16. [http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/rugby-league/5700612/Kiwis-league-test-against-Cook-Islands-called-off Kiwis' league test against Cook Islands called off] ''The Press'', 28 September 2011
17. Lawton, Aaron. (19 June 2011). "Kiwis will go troppo with test in Rarotonga". [[The Press]].
18. Woodcock, Fred. (5 July 2011). "Kiwis to play Cook Islands in Rarotonga". [[The Press]].
19. (5 July 2011). "League: Kiwis to play in Rarotonga". [[The New Zealand Herald]].
20. "Gillette Four Nations Schedule". Rugby Football League.
21. (2 November 2011). "Gillette Four Nations: England newcomer Jack Reed is ready to take on the world's best at Wembley". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
22. Burke, David. (30 October 2011). "England 42 Wales 4: Sam Tomkins slaughters Welsh lambs". [[Daily Mirror]].
23. (5 November 2011). "4NTV Kiwis nil Wales". gillette4nations.co.uk/.
24. (6 November 2011). "Billy Slater injury mars Kangaroos' win over England at Wembley". [[The Australian]].
25. (13 November 2011). "England books Kangaroos showdown". [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]].
26. (13 November 2011). "England earn final spot". rleague.com.
27. Walter, Brad. (14 November 2011). "Boyd takes charge as Aussies see off gallant Welsh". [[Sydney Morning Herald]].
28. Hudson, Elizabeth. (19 November 2011). "Australia beat England for Four Nations victory". [[BBC Sport]].