Rugby League Planet - 2000 Rugby League World Cup

RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP
RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP OVERVIEW

Host Nation - England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France

Number of Teams - 16

Highest Crowd - 44,329 Manchester, England

Average Crowd - 7,882

Total Crowd - 244,355

2000 World Cup Snapshot - The 2000 World Cup saw an unprecedented 16 teams compete in 4 Pools. Even though the World Cup final attracted over 44,000 spectators, the tournament as a whole was marred by disappointing crowds and lopsided score lines. For all its failings the World Cup did produce some exciting games and provided the launch pad for the domestic competition in Lebanon today. The semi final game between Australia and Wales was a highlight with Wales leading Australia at half time. In the end Australia had won the World Cup for the 9th time beating New Zealand 40-12 in the final at Old Trafford.

2000 Rugby League World Cup emblem

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RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP MAP

2000 Rugby League World Cup map 3

PRE WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS MEDITERRANEAN POOL

Game 1

Lebanon 36 - Italy 16

Game 2

Lebanon 104 - Morocco 0

Game 3

Italy 34 - Morocco 0

Pool Table

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	PTS
Lebanon	2	2	0	0	140	16	4
Italy	2	1	0	1	50	36	2
Morocco	2	0	0	2	0	138	0

Mediterranean Pool Winners

Lebanon

Lebanon Rugby League flag large

PRE WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS PACIFIC RIM POOL

Game 1

United States 54 - Japan 0

Game 2

United States 68 - Canada 0

Game 3

Japan 14 - Canada 0

Pool Table

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	PTS
United States	2	2	0	0	122	0	4
Japan	2	1	0	1	14	54	2
Canada	2	0	0	2	0	82	0

Pacific Rim Pool Winners

United States

United States Rugby League flag large

PRE WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS PLAYOFF

Game 1

Lebanon 62 - United States 8

World Cup Qualifier (16th Team)

Lebanon

Lebanon Rugby League flag large

The six teams involved in the Pre World Cup Qualifiers were playing for the 16th place in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. The winner of the Mediterranean Pool and the Pacific Rim Pool played each other with the winner advancing through to the 2000 Rugby League World Cup

2000 WORLD CUP POOL OVERVIEW

2000 Rugby League World Cup Group Format

The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was played in the Great Britain and France. 16 teams were split up into four groups of four teams.

Group One - - - -

Group Two - - - -

Group Three - - - -

Group Four - - - -

2008 Rugby League World Cup Finals Format

The top two teams in each group qualify for the quarter finals. From the quarter finals onwards each game becomes a knockout with the loser bowing out and the winner advancing to the next round. The winners advance to the semi finals. The winner of each semi final play each other in the World Cup Final.

WORLD CUP GROUP ONE RESULTS

Game 1

Oct 28th

Australia 22 -

England 2

Location - London, England

Crowd - 33,758

Game 2

Oct 29th

Fiji 38 -

Russia 12

Location - Barrow, England

Crowd - 2,187

Game 3

Nov 1st

Australia 66 -

Fiji 8

Location - Gateshead, England

Crowd - 4,197

Game 4

Nov 1st

England 76 -

Russia 4

Location - St Helens, England

Crowd - 5,736

Game 5

Nov 4th

England 66 -

Fiji 10

Location - Leeds, England

Crowd - 10,052

Game 6

Nov 4th

Australia 110 -

Russia 4

Location - Hull, England

Crowd - 3,044

Pool Table

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	PTS
Australia	3	3	0	0	198	14	6
England	3	2	0	1	144	36	4
Fiji	3	1	0	2	56	144	2
Russia	3	0	0	3	20	224	0

Group One Quarter-Final Qualifiers

Australia

Australia Rugby league flag large

England

England Rugby League flag large

WORLD CUP GROUP TWO RESULTS

Game 1

Oct 29th

Wales 38 -

Cook Islands 6

Location - Wrexham, Wales

Crowd - 5,060

Game 2

Oct 29th New Zealand 64 - Lebanon 0

Location - Gloucester, England

Crowd - 2,496

Game 3

Nov 2nd New Zealand 84 -

Cook Islands 10

Location - Reading, England

Crowd - 3,982

Game 4

Nov 2nd

Wales 24 - Lebanon 22

Location - Llanelli, Wales

Crowd - 1,497

Game 5

Nov 5th

Cook Islands 22 - Lebanon 22

Location - Cardiff, Wales

Crowd - 5,500

Game 6

Nov 5th New Zealand 58 -

Wales 18

Location - Cardiff, Wales

Crowd - 17,612

Pool Table

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	PTS
New Zealand	3	3	0	0	206	28	6
Wales	3	2	0	1	80	86	4
Lebanon	3	0	1	2	44	110	1
Cook Islands	3	0	1	2	38	144	1

Group Two Quarter-Final Qualifiers

New Zealand

New Zealand Rugby league flag large

Wales

Wales Rugby league flag large

WORLD CUP GROUP THREE RESULTS

Game 1

Oct 28th

Papua New Guinea 23 -

France 20

Location - Paris, France

Crowd - 7,498

Game 2

Oct 28th

Tonga 66 -

South Africa 18

Location - Paris, France

Crowd - 7,498

Game 3

Nov 1st

France 28 -

Tonga 6

Location - Carcassonne, France

Crowd - 10,288

Game 4

Nov 2nd

Papua New Guinea 16 -

South Africa 0

Location - Toulouse, France

Crowd - 4,313

Game 5

Nov 5th

France 56 -

South Africa 6

Location - Albi, France

Crowd - 7,969

Game 6

Nov 6th

Papua New Guinea 30 -

Tonga 22

Location - St Estave, France

Crowd - 3,666

Pool Table

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	PTS
Papua New Guinea	3	3	0	0	69	42	6
France	3	2	0	1	104	37	4
Tonga	3	1	0	2	96	76	2
South Africa	3	0	0	3	24	138	0

Group Three Quarter-Final Qualifiers

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea Rugby league flag large

France

France Rugby League flag large

WORLD CUP GROUP FOUR RESULTS

Game 1

Oct 28th

Ireland 30 -

Samoa 16

Location - Belfast, Ireland

Crowd - 3,207

Game 2

Oct 29th

Maori 17 -

Scotland 16

Location - Glasgow, Scotland

Crowd - 2,008

Game 3

Nov 1st

Ireland 18 -

Scotland 6

Location - Dublin, Ireland

Crowd - 1,782

Game 4

Nov 1st

Samoa 21 -

Maori 16

Location - Workington, England

Crowd - 4,107

Game 5

Nov 4th

Ireland 30 -

Maori 16

Location - Dublin, Ireland

Crowd - 3,164

Game 6

Nov 5th

Samoa 20 -

Scotland 12

Location - Edinburgh, Scotland

Crowd - 1,579

Pool Table

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	PTS
Ireland	3	3	0	0	78	38	6
Samoa	3	2	0	1	57	58	4
Maori	3	1	0	2	49	67	2
Scotland	3	0	0	3	34	55	0

Group Four Quarter-Final Qualifiers

Ireland

Ireland Rugby League flag large

Samoa

Samoa Rugby League flag large

WORLD CUP QUARTER-FINALS

Quarter-Final 1

Nov 11th

England 26 -

Ireland 16

Location - Headingley, Leeds, England

Crowd - 15,405

Quarter-Final 2

Nov 11th

Australia 66 -

Samoa 10

Location - Vicarage Road, Watford, England

Crowd - 5,404

Quarter-Final 3

Nov 12th

Wales 22 -

Papua New Guinea 8

Location - Auto Quest Stadium, Widnes, England

Crowd - 5,211

Quarter-Final 4

Nov 12th

New Zealand 54 -

France 6

Location - The Jungle, Castleford, England

Crowd - 5,158

Semi Final Qualifiers

England

Australia

Australia Rugby league flag large

Wales

Wales Rugby league flag large

New Zealand

New Zealand Rugby league flag large

WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS

Semi-Final 1

Nov 18th

New Zealand 49 -

England 6

Location - Reebok Stadium, Bolton, England

Crowd - 16,032

Semi-Final 2

Nov 19th

Australia 46 -

Wales 22

Location - McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield, England

Crowd - 8,114

Grand Final Qualifiers

New Zealand

New Zealand Rugby league flag large

Australia

Australia Rugby league flag large

The biggest upset in Rugby League World Cup History nearly took place when Wales were leading Australia at half time in the Semi Final. Once again the Australian's fitness took hold in the second half and luckly for Australia, Wales could not hold onto their first half lead.

WORLD CUP FINAL

World Cup Final

Nov 25th Australia 40 - New Zealand 12

Location - Old Trafford, Manchester, England

Crowd - 44,329

World Cup Champions

Australia

The 2000 RLWC saw New Zealand take part in a World Cup Final for only the second time. Played at Manchester all was looking good for the Kiwis with just under 15 minutes remaining. Australia were just ahead by 4 points (18 - 12). Then the Australian's superior fitness took hold and the Kangaroos ran away with the game.

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