1968 Rugby League World Cup final

April 2022 1968 Rugby League World Cup final AustraliaAUS 30px FranceFRA 30px ARL FFR XIII AUS Australia 16 FRA France 16 7 12 20 0 2 2 10 June 1968 Sydney Cricket Ground Sydney, Australia Man of the Match John Wittenberg (Australia) John Percival (New Zealand) 54,290 Rugby League World Cup final 1954 1970 The 1968 Rugby League World Cup final was the conclusive game of the 1968 Rugby League World Cup tournament and was played between Australia and France on 10 June 1968 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia. The final had been billed a 'debacle' following Great Britain's inexplicable loss to France in Auckland, leaving them to contest the final despite being beaten by Australia seven tries to nil two days prior. Rugby league debacle The Age 21 10 June 1968 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=u3wQAAAAIBAJ&pg=5549,1891993 6 October 2009 Nonetheless, it attracted a then record crowd of 54,290 for a World Cup final, though it wasn't the record World Cup attendance as the second match of the tournament between Australia and Great Britain (won 25-10 by Australia) had drawn 62,256 to the SCG, a record that would not fall until 73,631 attended the 1992 World Cup final at Wembley Stadium. Background 1968 Rugby League World Cup The 1968 Rugby League World Cup was the fourth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since its inauguration in 1954, and the first since the 1960 tournament. The tournament was held in the Australia and New Zealand from 25 May, culminating in the final between Australia and France on 10 June. Australia Scores and results list Australia's points tally first. Opposing Team For Against Date Venue Attendance Stage GBR 25 10 25 May Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 62,256 Group Stage NZL 31 12 1 June Lang Park, Brisbane 23,608 Group Stage FRA 37 4 8 June Lang Park, Brisbane 32,664 Group Stage Australia were undefeated going into the final. France Scores and results list France's points tally first. Opposing Team For Against Date Venue Attendance Stage NZL 15 10 25 May Carlaw Park, Auckland 18,000 Group Stage GBR 7 2 2 June Carlaw Park, Auckland 15,760 Group Stage AUS 4 37 8 June Lang Park, Brisbane 32,664 Group Stage France had a 2–1 record going into the Final Match details Although it had been anticipated before the tournament that it would be an Australia vs Great Britain WCF, the French surprised by making the Final after defeating both New Zealand and Great Britain in the preliminary games. The match attracted a World Cup final record crowd of 54,290. #eeeeee 10 June 1968 AUS 20–2 FRA Try: Lionel Williamson (2) Ron Coote Johnny Greaves Goals: Eric Simms (4) Try: Goals: Field Goals: Jean Capdouze (1) Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 54,290 John Percival (New Zealand) John Wittenberg (Australia) Report _kangaroos _kangaroos54 _kangaroos _thingoldsides _hoops_gold 023E00 023E00 023E00 023E00 023E00 Australia _francerl54 _francerl54 _francerl54 _2whitestripes 0000CD 0000CD 0000CD FFFFFF FF0000 France FB 1 Eric SimmsLW 2 Johnny RhodesRC 3 Graeme LanglandsLC 4 Johnny GreavesRW 5 Lionel WilliamsonFE 6 Bob FultonHB 7 Billy SmithLK 8 Johnny Raper (c)SR 9 Ron CooteSR 10 Dick ThornettPR 11 Arthur BeetsonHK 12 Fred JonesPR 13 John WittenbergSubstitutions:IC 15 Elton RasmussenCoach: Harry Bath FB 1 Jean-Claude CrosRW 2 Daniel PellerinRC 3 Jacques GruppiLC 4 Jean-Pierre LecompteLW 19 Jean-René LedruFE 6 Jean CapdouzeHB 7 Roger GarriguePR 8 Christian SabatiéHK 9 Yves BégouPR 10 George Ailleres (c)SR 11 Francis de NadaiSR 12 Henri MarracqLF 13 Jean-Pierre ClarSubstitutions:IC 16 Jacques GruppiCoach: Jep Lacoste The undefeated Australians went into the tournament decider as favourites.Kdouh Fatima We take a look back at the greatest Rugby League World Cup finals of all time http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/we-take-a-look-back-at-the-greatest-rugby-league-world-cup-finals-of-all-time/story-fni2flhh-1226771460587 23 December 2013 The Daily Telegraph 28 November 2013 However, France offered stern resistance and held the Australians to only a 7–0 lead at half-time, and with quarter of an hour left were only 12–0 down before losing 20–2. It was Australia's second World Cup title.1968 Rugby League World Cup final highlights References See also Rugby League World Cup Australia national rugby league team France national rugby league team List of rugby league test matches at the Sydney Cricket Ground Category:Rugby League World Cup finals final Category:Rugby league in Sydney 1968 Category:Sydney Cricket Ground