WELSH RUGBY LEAGUE NATION OVERVIEW
This page was updated on the 14/3/14
Foundation Year – 1908
International Team – Dragons
Highest finish in World Cup – Semi Final (1995, 2000)
Top level domestic competition – 9 teams play in the Wales Conference. The Celtic Crusaders and South Wales Scorpions play in the Co-Operative Championship One.
History – Welsh players have a long history of travelling over to the north of England to earn money playing rugby league. Wales played the touring New Zealand All Golds in January of 1908 in the first ever rugby league test match of its kind.
The Welsh have played in the European Nations Cup since it’s inception back in 1935. They have been fairly successful in the tournament winning the Euro Cup four times. In 1975 Wales played in their first ever World Cup. The Welsh were grouped with Australia, New Zealand, England and France. To the surprise of many Wales won three of their eight games and finished 3rd overall.
In 1995 Wales played in their first Rugby League World Cup since 1975. The Welsh were grouped with Samoa and France. With the likes of Jonathan Davies in the ranks the Welsh team went through the group stages undefeated. In the semi-final Wales meet England in a highly entertaining game. It wasn’t to be for the Welsh as they narrowly lost to England 25 -10.
In the 2000 World Cup Wales were grouped with New Zealand, Lebanon and the Cook Islands. The First game saw Wales easily account for the Cook Islands 38 – 6. In Wales second group game they just defeated Lebanon 24 -22. The following week New Zealand proved why they would later play in the final by handing Wales a rugby league lesson winning 58 – 18. The Welsh bounced back a week later in the Quarter Final to defeat Papua New Guinea 22 – 8 and booked a place in the semi finals. The Dragons meet the Kangaroos in the Semi-final. Wales nearly pulled of the upset of the tournament when the went into the half time break leading Australia. It was all to good to be true and the Kangaroos raced back in the second half eventually winning the game 46 – 22.
Wales kicked of their 2008 World Cup qualifying campaign in 2006. In a major upset Wales lost against Scotland in the first qualifying game 21 – 14. In the return match in 2007 Wales defeated Scotland 18 -16. Unfortunately for the Welsh the for and against tally was in Scotland’s favour. Wales were forced to enter the repechage rounds to qualify for the remaining place in the World Cup. Wales faced Lebanon in the repechage game but could not match the enthusiasm of the Lebanese losing 50 – 26. Wales were bundled out of the qualifiers and failed to qualify for their 3rd consecutive World Cup appearance.
In 2008 Wales were ranked 6th in European seedings by the Rugby League European Federation (RLEF).
Since the birth of the Celtic Crusaders (now North Wales Crusaders) in 2006 rugby league in Wales has made great strides. At the beginning of 2009 Wales had over 114 schools in South Wales that played rugby league with a record number of participants. Media exposure of Rugby League in Wales has increased significantly since 2006. Wales also have a team based in the South called the South Wales Scorpions.
In early 2009 Wales were ranked 12th in World seedings by the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF)
Championship One team the North Wales Crusaders relocated to Wrexham in 2010 with a new team called the South Wales Scorpions starting off in Championship One in the South. It is hoped that these two semi-profesional teams will eventally work there way up into the Super League in years to come and assist with providing Wales with a production line of fully professional players.
In late 2009 Wales participated in the European Cup competition along side Lebanon, Ireland, Scotland, Serbia and Italy. Wales won the European Cup competition after defeating Scotland 28 – 16 in the Final. By finishing 1st Wales have secured their place in the 2010 European Nations Cup.
Wales took part in the Rugby League Four Nations for the first time in 2011. They did not win a game throughout the tournament but showed they had what it takes to match it with the best three rugby league nations in the world.
RLWC co-hosts Wales have been placed in Group D in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup (RLWC) along side the Cook Islands and United States. On October 26th (Saturday) Wales will open their World Cup campaign at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff in a cross group match against RLWC new comers Italy. Then Wales will host other RLWC new comers the United States on November 3rd (Sunday) at Glyndwr University Racecourse Ground in Wrexham. Their final match takes them to the The Gnoll at Neath in Wales to take on the Cook Islands on November 10th (Sunday).
For the latest 2013 RLWC match information and results for Wales visit our 2013RLWC page and click here
Dear Readers, If you have first hand knowledge of the current Rugby League situation in Wales we would love to hear from you. Please email us at: webmaster@rugbyleagueplanet.com or join our international rugby league Forums at http://forums.rugbyleagueplanet.com and let us all know what’s going on in your part of the world.
WELSH INTERNATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE RESULTS
2014 Rugby League Results
Nov 2nd Wales 14 v Ireland 46, Wrexham (European Championship)
Oct 25th France 42 v Wales 22, Albi (European Championship)
Oct 17th Scotland 42 v Wales 18, Workington (European Championship)
2013 Rugby League Results
Nov 10th 2.00pm Wales 24 v Cook Islands 28 (World Cup)
Nov 3rd 2.00pm Wales 16 v USA 24 (World Cup)
Oct 26th 4.30pm Wales 16 v Italy 32 (World Cup)
Oct 15th Wales 62 v Wales Select XIII 12 (RLWC warm-up match
2012 Rugby League Results
Oct 27th Wales 12 – England 80 (Autumn International Series)
Oct 20th France 20 – Wales 6 (Autumn International Series)
Jun 16th Wales 16 – France 28 (Test Match)
2011 Rugby League Results
Nov 13th Wales 14 – Australia 56 (Four Nations)
Nov 5th Wales 0 – New Zealand 36 (Four Nations)
Oct 29th England 42 – Wales4 (Four Nations)
Oct 22nd Wales 30 – Ireland 6 (Test Match)
2010 Rugby League Results
Oct 23rd France 11 – Wales 12 (European Cup)
Oct 16th Wales 31 – Ireland 30 (European Cup)
Oct 10th Scotland 22 – Wales 60 (European Cup)
Oct 6th Wales 6 – Italy 15
2009 Rugby League Results
Nov 8th Wales 28 – Scotland 16 (European Cup Final)
Nov 1st Wales 42 – Ireland 12 (European Cup)
Oct 24th Serbia 8 – Wales 88 (European Cup)
Oct 17th England 48 – Wales 12 (Test)
2008 Rugby League Results
Oct 10th England 74 – Wales 0 (Test)
2007 Rugby League Results
Nov 9th Lebanon 50 – Wales 26 (World Cup Qualifier)
Nov 4th Wales 18 – Scotland 16 (World Cup Qualifier)
Oct 28th Wales 50 – Papua New Guinea 10
2006 Rugby League Results
Oct 29th Scotland 21 – Wales 14 (World Cup Qualifier)
2005 Rugby League Results
Oct 30th Wales 31 – Ireland 10
Oct 16th Wales 22 – Scotland 14
2004 Rugby League Results
Oct 24th Scotland 30 – Wales 22
Oct 17th Ireland 25 – Wales 12
2003 Rugby League Results
Nov 8th England A 22 – Wales 4
Nov 2nd Australia 74 – Wales 4
Oct26th Wales 74 – Russia 4
2002 Rugby League Results
Nov 3rd New Zealand 50 – Wales 22
2001 Rugby League Results
Jul 31st England 42 – Wales 33
2000 Rugby League Results
Nov 12th Australia 46 – Wales 22 (World Cup Semi Final)
Nov 12th Wales 22 – Papua New Guinea 8 (World Cup Quarter Final)
Nov 5th New Zealand 58 – Wales 18 (World Cup)
Nov 2nd Wales 24 – Lebanon 22 (World Cup)
Oct 29th Wales 38 – Cook Islands 6 (World Cup)
Oct 19th Wales 40 – South Africa 8
1999 Rugby League Results
Oct 22nd Scotland 36 – Wales 16
Oct 15th Ireland 24 – Wales 17
1996 Rugby League Results
Jun 26th England 26 – Wales 12 (European Nations Cup)
Jun 5th Wales 34 – France 14 (European Nations Cup)
1995 Rugby League Results
Oct 21st England 25 – Wales 10 (World Cup Semi Final)
Oct 15th Wales 22 – Western Samoa 10 (World Cup)
Oct 9th Wales 28 – France 6 (World Cup)
Jun 18th Wales 66 – United States 10
Jun 11th Wales 92 – United States 4
Mar 5th Wales 22 – France 10 (European Nations Cup)
Feb 1st Wales 18 – England 16 (European Nations Cup)
1994 Rugby League Results
Oct 30th Australia 46 – Wales 4
Mar 4th Wales 13 – France 12
1993 Rugby League Results
Oct 3rd New Zealand 24 – Wales 19
1992 Rugby League Results
Dec 13th Wales 19 – France 18
Nov 27th England 36 – Wales 11
Nov 20th Wales 35 – France 6
1991 Rugby League Results
Oct 17th Wales 68 – Papua New Guinea 0
1984 Rugby League Results
Oct 14th England 28 – Wales 9
1982 Rugby League Results
Oct 24th Australia 37 – Wales 7
1981 Rugby League Results
Nov 8th England 20 – Wales 15
Mar 18th England 17 – Wales 4 (European Nations Cup)
Jan 31st France 23 – Wales 5 (European Nations Cup)
1980 Rugby League Results
Feb 29th England 26 – Wales 9 (European Nations Cup)
Jan 26th France 21 – Wales 7 (European Nations Cup)
1979 Rugby League Results
Mar 16th England 15 – Wales 7 (European Nations Cup)
Feb 4th France 15 – Wales 8 (European Nations Cup)
1978 Rugby League Results
Oct 15th Australia 8 – Wales 3 (European Nations Cup)
Mar 5th England 13 – France 11 (European Nations Cup)
Jan 15th Wales 29 – France 7 (European Nations Cup)
1977 Rugby League Results
Feb 20th Wales 13 – France 2 (European Nations Cup)
Jan 29th Wales 6 – England 2 (European Nations Cup)
1975 Rugby League Results
Nov 6th Wales 23 – France 2 (World Cup)
Nov 2nd Wales 25 – New Zealand 24 (World Cup)
Oct 19th Australia 18 – Wales 6 (World Cup)
Sep 20th England 22 – Wales 16 (World Cup)
Jun 28th New Zealand 13 – Wales 8(World Cup)
Jun 14th Australia 30 – Wales 13(World Cup)
Jun 10th Wales 12 – England 7 (World Cup)
Mar 2nd France 14 – Wales 7 (World Cup)
Feb 25th England 12 – Wales 8 (European Nations Cup)
Feb 16th Wales 21 – France 8 (European Nations Cup)
1970 Rugby League Results
Jan 25th Wales 15 – France 11 (European Nations Cup)
Feb 24th England 26 – Wales 7 (European Nations Cup)
1969 Rugby League Results
Oct 23rd France 8 – Wales 2 (European Nations Cup)
Oct 18th England 40 – Wales 23(European Nations Cup)
Mar 9th France 8 – Wales 2(European Nations Cup)
1968 Rugby League Results
Nov 7th Wales 24 – England 17 (Test Match)
1963 Rugby League Results
Feb 17th France 23 – Wales 2 (Test Match)
1959 Rugby League Results
Mar 1st France 25 – Wales 8 (Test Match)
1953 Rugby League Results
Dec 13th France 23 – Wales 22 (European Nations Cup)
Sep 16th England 24 – Wales 5 (European Nations Cup)
1952 Rugby League Results
Oct 25th Wales 22 – France 16 (European Nations Cup)
Sep 17th England 19 – Wales 8 (European Nations Cup)
1951 Rugby League Results
Dec 7th New Zealand 15 – Wales 3 (Test Match)
Apr 15th France 28 – Wales 13 (European Nations Cup)
1950 Rugby League Results
Oct 14th England 22 – Wales 4 (European Nations Cup)
Mar 1st England 11 – Wales 6 (European Nations Cup)
1949 Rugby League Results
Nov 12th Wales 16 – France 8 (European Nations Cup)
Apr 10th France 11 – Wales 0 (European Nations Cup)
Feb 5th Wales 14 – England 10 (European Nations Cup)
1948 Rugby League Results
Nov 20th Australia 12 – Wales 5
Oct 23rd France 12 – Wales 9 (European Nations Cup)
Sep 22nd England 11 – Wales 5 (European Nations Cup)
Mar 20th France 20 – Wales 12 (European Nations Cup)
1947 Rugby League Results
Dec 6th England 18 – Wales 7 (European Nations Cup)
Nov 23rd France 29 – Wales 21 (European Nations Cup)
Oct 18th New Zealand 28 – Wales 20 (Test Match)
Sep 20th Wales 10 – England 8 (European Nations Cup)
Apr 12th Wales 17 – France 15 (European Nations Cup)
Jan 18th France 14 – Wales 5 (European Nations Cup)
1946 Rugby League Results
Nov 16th England 19 – Wales 5 (European Nations Cup)
Oct 12th Wales 13 – England 10 (European Nations Cup)
Mar 24th France 19 – Wales 7 (European Nations Cup)
1945 Rugby League Results
Nov 24th Wales 11 – England 3 (European Nations Cup)
Mar 10th England 18 – Wales 8 (Test Match)
1944 Rugby League Results
Feb 26th England 9 – Wales 9 (Test Match)
1943 Rugby League Results
Feb 27th England 15 – Wales 9 (Test Match)
1941 Rugby League Results
Oct 18th England 9 – Wales 9 (Test Match)
1940 Rugby League Results
Apr 16th Wales 8 – England 5 (Test Match)
1939 Rugby League Results
Apr 16th France 16 – Wales 10 (European Nations Cup)
1938 Rugby League Results
Nov 5th Wales 17 – England 9 (European Nations Cup)
Apr 2nd Wales 18 – France 2 (European Nations Cup)
Jan 29th Wales 7 – England 6 (European Nations Cup)
1936 Rugby League Results
Dec 6th Wales 9 – France 3 (European Nations Cup)
Dec 4th Wales 34 – New Zealand 8
Nov 7th Wales 3 – England 2 (European Nations Cup)
Feb 8th Wales 17 – England 14 (European Nations Cup)
1935 Rugby League Results
Nov 23rd Wales 41 – France 7 (European Nations Cup)
Apr 10th England 24 – Wales 11 (European Nations Cup)
Jan 1st France 18 – Wales 11
1933 Rugby League Results
Dec 30th Australia 51 – Wales 19
1932 Rugby League Results
Nov 30th England 14 – Wales 13
Jan 27th England 19 – Wales 2
1931 Rugby League Results
Mar 18th England 23 – Wales 18
1930 Rugby League Results
Jan 18th Australia 26 – Wales 10
1928 Rugby League Results
Nov 14th England 39 – Wales 15
Jan 11th England 20 – Wales 12
1927 Rugby League Results
Apr 6th England 11 – Wales 8
1926 Rugby League Results
Apr 12th England 30 – Wales 22
1925 Rugby League Results
Sep 30th England 18 – Wales 14
Feb 7th England 27 – Wales 22
Jan 20th England 31 – Wales 5
1923 Rugby League Results
Nov 1st England 18 – Wales 11
Feb 7th Wales 13 – England 2
1922 Rugby League Results
Dec 11th England 12 – Wales 7
1921 Rugby League Results
Dec 10th Australia 21 – Wales 16
Jan 19th England 35 – Wales 9
1914 Rugby League Results
Feb 14th England 16 – Wales 12
1913 Rugby League Results
Feb 15th England 40 – Wales 16
1911 Rugby League Results
Oct 8th Australia 28 – Wales 20
Apr 1st England 27 – Wales 8
1910 Rugby League Results
Dec 10th Wales 39 – England 18
1909 Rugby League Results
Dec 4th England 19 – Wales 13
Jan 16th Wales 14 – Australia 13
1908 Rugby League Results
Dec 28th England 31 – Wales 7
Apr 20th Wales 35 – England 18
Jan 1st New Zealand 9 – Wales 8
