RUGBY LEAGUE NATION

 

Foundation Year - 1908

International Team - Australian Kangaroos

Highest finish in World Cup - Winners World Cup Final (1957, 1968, 1970, 1975, 1977, 1985 - 1988, 1989 - 1992, 1995, 2000)

Top level domestic competition - National Rugby League (NRL), runs from March to October. The season has 26 rounds. After the last round a 4-week final series commences involving the top 8 teams. NRL teams are located in Australia and New Zealand.

History - Rugby league first visited Australia via the touring New Zealand All Golds in 1907. The first domestic rugby league competition kicked off in 1908. The Kangaroos went on their first tour of England at the conclusion of the 1908 season. This was the beginning of a rivalry that has lasted for over 100 years.

The State of Origin series started in 1980. The best players from Queensland & New South Wales play each other in a three game interstate series. The State of Origin is now one of the biggest events on the Australian sporting calendar. Rugby league is one of Australia's most popular sports and dominates the sporting landscape in NSW and QLD. In 2008 the NRL reported national playing numbers had increased by 3% to 455,000.

Australia have been very successful at the World Cup winning in 1957, 1968, 1970, 1975, 1977, 1988, 1992, 1995, and 2000. Australia have also dominated the Tri-Nations series winning in 1999, 2004 and 2006. Australia's loss to New Zealand in the 2005 Tri-Nations was there first series loss since losing a test series to France in 1978.

Australia celebrated 100 years of rugby league in 2008. The centenary celebrations drew to a close with Australia hosting the 2008 Rugby League World Cup competition. The World Cup involved 10 nations in 3 groups. Australia dominated the Pool rounds and easily booked a place in the final against New Zealand. Australia went into the game as un-backable favourites. What happened next will go down in history as one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. The Kangaroos were outplayed by the Kiwis in every aspect of the game and failed to retain the World Cup that they had held since 1975, going down 20 - 34.

Looking towards the next 100 years many are pushing for the NRL to be expanded into other states to make it a truly national competition in Australia. Currently 9 of the 16 teams are based in Sydney with 1 in Newcastle (NSW). The other teams are based in QLD (3), ACT (1), VIC (1)and New Zealand (1). The NRL has provided financial incentives for a team to relocate from Sydney to the Central Coast. So far the Sydney teams haven't taken the bait. The North Sydney Bears are currently putting a bid together to re-enter the NRL on the Central Coast in 2013 when the TV deal is up for renewal. The Western Reds based in Perth have made the first step to re-entering the NRL by playing in the Jim Beam Cup. They are also hoping to gain entry into the NRL in 2013.

On the back of the successful 2008 World Cup, minnow nations who performed well are also interested in entering teams in the NRL. The Papua New Guinea government have held talks with the NRL and the Australian government about the possibility of entering a team in the NRL. To make the bid more attractive the team could play half of the home games in Port Moresby and the other half in Darwin. The likes of Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji have also put their hands up for a combined pacific team to enter the NRL. New Zealand's recent win in the World Cup has strengthened calls for a second team in New Zealand based in Wellington.