1970 Rugby League World Cup group stage

The 1970 Rugby League World Cup group stage was the main component of the 1970 Rugby League World Cup, with the top two nations qualifying for the World Cup Final. The group consisted of hosts Great Britain as well as Australia, France and New Zealand.

Ladder

Great Britain were undefeated in the group stage. By virtue of a better for and against record, Australia would be the team to face them in the Final at Headingley in Leeds.

Team	Played	Won	Drew	Lost	For	Against	Difference	Points
Template:Rl	3	3	0	0	44	21	+23	6
Template:Rl	3	1	0	2	66	39	+27	2
Template:Rl	3	1	0	2	32	37	−5	2
Template:Rl	3	1	0	2	44	89	−45	2

Australia vs New Zealand

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FB 1 Template:Leagueicon Eric Simms RW 2 Template:Leagueicon Ray Branighan CE 3 Template:Leagueicon John Cootes CE 4 Template:Leagueicon Bob Fulton LW 5 Template:Leagueicon Lionel Williamson FE 6 Template:Leagueicon Denis Pittard HB 7 Template:Leagueicon Billy Smith PR 8 Template:Leagueicon John O'Neill HK 9 Template:Leagueicon Elwyn Walters PR 10 Template:Leagueicon Bob O'Reilly SR 11 Template:Leagueicon Bob McCarthy SR 12 Template:Leagueicon Paul Sait LKR 13 Template:Leagueicon Ron Coote (c) Substitutions: IC 14 Template:Leagueicon Ron Turner IC 15 Coach: Harry Bath

FB 1 Template:Leagueicon Don Ladner RW 2 Template:Leagueicon Bob McGuinn CE 3 Template:Leagueicon Roy Christian (c) CE 4 Template:Leagueicon Bernie Lowther LW 5 Template:Leagueicon Mocky Brereton FE 6 Template:Leagueicon Gary Woollard HB 7 Template:Leagueicon Graeme Cooksley PR 8 Template:Leagueicon Garry Smith HK 9 Template:Leagueicon Colin O'Neil PR 10 Template:Leagueicon Doug Gailey SR 11 Template:Leagueicon Bill Deacon SR 12 Template:Leagueicon Eddie Heatley LK 13 Template:Leagueicon Tony Kriletich Substitutions: IC 14 IC 15 Coach: Lory Blanchard

Australia beat the Kiwis easily at Wigan in the opening fixture with Eric Simms repeating his form of the 1968 tourney by landing a record nine goals.

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Great Britain vs Australia

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FB 1 Template:Leagueicon Ray Dutton RW 2 Template:Leagueicon Alan Smith CE 3 Template:Leagueicon Frank Myler (c) CE 4 Template:Leagueicon Syd Hynes LW 5 Template:Leagueicon John Atkinson SO 6 Template:Leagueicon Mick Shoebottom SH 7 Template:Leagueicon Keith Hepworth PR 8 Template:Leagueicon Dennis Hartley HK 9 Template:Leagueicon Tony Fisher PR 10 Template:Leagueicon Cliff Watson SR 11 Template:Leagueicon Doug Laughton SR 12 Template:Leagueicon Jimmy Thompson LF 13 Template:Leagueicon Mal Reilly Substitutions: IC 14 IC 15 Coach: Johnny Whiteley

FB 1 Template:Leagueicon Eric Simms RW 2 Template:Leagueicon Mark Harris CE 3 Template:Leagueicon Ray Branighan CE 4 Template:Leagueicon Bob Fulton LW 5 Template:Leagueicon Lionel Williamson FE 6 Template:Leagueicon Denis Pittard HB 7 Template:Leagueicon Billy Smith (c) PR 8 Template:Leagueicon John O'Neill HK 9 Template:Leagueicon Elwyn Walters PR 10 Template:Leagueicon Bob O'Reilly SR 11 Template:Leagueicon Bob McCarthy SR 12 Template:Leagueicon Paul Sait LK 13 Template:Leagueicon Gary Sullivan Substitutions: IC 14 IC 15 Coach: Harry Bath

Great Britain came from 0–4 behind to defeat Australia 11–4 at Headingley with Syd Hynes scoring the game's only try.

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France vs New Zealand

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FB 1 Template:Leagueicon Jean Claude Cros RW 2 Template:Leagueicon Serge Marsolan CE 3 Template:Leagueicon Michael Moliner CE 4 Template:Leagueicon André Ruiz LW 5 Template:Leagueicon Ellie Bonal SO 6 Template:Leagueicon Jean Capdouze SH 7 Template:Leagueicon Roger Garrigues PR 8 Template:Leagueicon Christian Sabatie HK 9 Template:Leagueicon Jacques Cabero PR 10 Template:Leagueicon Floreal Bonet SR 11 Template:Leagueicon Herve Mazard SR 12 Template:Leagueicon Roger Biffi LF 13 Template:Leagueicon Jean Pierre Clar (c) Substitutions: IC 14 Template:Leagueicon Francis de Nadai IC 15 Coach:

FB 1 Template:Leagueicon Don Ladner RW 2 Template:Leagueicon John Whittaker CE 3 Template:Leagueicon Roy Christian (c) CE 4 Template:Leagueicon Bernie Lowther LW 5 Template:Leagueicon Mocky Brereton FE 6 Template:Leagueicon Gary Woollard HB 7 Template:Leagueicon Graeme Cooksley PR 8 Template:Leagueicon John Greengrass HK 9 Template:Leagueicon Colin O'Neil PR 10 Template:Leagueicon Doug Gailey SR 11 Template:Leagueicon Garry Smith SR 12 Template:Leagueicon Elliot Kereopa LK 13 Template:Leagueicon Tony Kriletich Substitutions: IC 14 Template:Leagueicon Bill Deacon IC 15 Template:Leagueicon Lummy Graham Coach: Lory Blanchard

The try of the tournament was scored by the sensational French winger Serge Marsolan against New Zealand in a mud-bath at Hull. Marsolan ran from behind his own line for a try fit to win any match but the lackadaisical French lost 15–16.

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Great Britain vs France

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FB 1 Template:Leagueicon Ray Dutton RW 2 Template:Leagueicon Alan Smith CE 3 Template:Leagueicon Syd Hynes CE 4 Template:Leagueicon Frank Myler (c) LW 5 Template:Leagueicon John Atkinson SO 6 Template:Leagueicon Mick Shoebottom SH 7 Template:Leagueicon Keith Hepworth PR 8 Template:Leagueicon Dennis Hartley HK 9 Template:Leagueicon Kevin Ashcroft PR 10 Template:Leagueicon Cliff Watson SR 11 Template:Leagueicon Doug Laughton SR 12 Template:Leagueicon Jimmy Thompson LF 13 Template:Leagueicon Mal Reilly Substitutions: IC 14 IC 15 Coach: Johnny Whiteley

FB 1 Template:Leagueicon Jean Claude Cros RW 2 Template:Leagueicon Serge Marsolan CE 3 Template:Leagueicon Michael Moliner CE 4 Template:Leagueicon André Ruiz LW 5 Template:Leagueicon Ellie Bonal SO 6 Template:Leagueicon Jean Capdouze SH 7 Template:Leagueicon Germaine Guiraud PR 8 Template:Leagueicon Christian Sabatie HK 9 Template:Leagueicon Jacques Cabero PR 10 Template:Leagueicon Francis de Nadai SR 11 Template:Leagueicon Gerard Cremoux SR 12 Template:Leagueicon Herve Mazard LF 13 Template:Leagueicon Jean Pierre Clar (c) Substitutions: IC 14 Template:Leagueicon Floreal Bonet IC 15 Template:Leagueicon Daniel Pellerin Coach:

The French put up a great fight against Britain in vile conditions, only to lose 0–6 at Castleford to three penalties from Ray Dutton.

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Great Britain vs New Zealand

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FB 1 Template:Leagueicon Ray Dutton RW 2 Template:Leagueicon Keri Jones CE 3 Template:Leagueicon Syd Hynes CE 4 Template:Leagueicon Chris Hesketh LW 5 Template:Leagueicon John Atkinson SO 6 Template:Leagueicon Mick Shoebottom SH 7 Template:Leagueicon Keith Hepworth PR 8 Template:Leagueicon David Chisnall HK 9 Template:Leagueicon Kevin Ashcroft PR 10 Template:Leagueicon Cliff Watson SR 11 Template:Leagueicon Bob Haigh SR 12 Template:Leagueicon Jimmy Thompson LF 13 Template:Leagueicon Doug Laughton (c) Substitutions: IC 14 Template:Leagueicon Paul Charlton IC 15 Coach: Johnny Whiteley

FB 1 Template:Leagueicon Don Ladner RW 2 Template:Leagueicon John Whittaker CE 3 Template:Leagueicon Roy Christian (c) CE 4 Template:Leagueicon Bernie Lowther LW 5 Template:Leagueicon Mocky Brereton FE 6 Template:Leagueicon Gary Woollard HB 7 Template:Leagueicon Graeme Cooksley PR 8 Template:Leagueicon John Greengrass HK 9 Template:Leagueicon Colin O'Neil PR 10 Template:Leagueicon Elliot Kereopa SR 11 Template:Leagueicon Garry Smith SR 12 Template:Leagueicon Eddie Heatley LK 13 Template:Leagueicon Tony Kriletich Substitutions: IC 14 IC 15 Template:Leagueicon Lummy Graham Coach: Lory Blanchard

The Lions eliminated New Zealand from the tournament, cruising to victory with five tries to three.

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France vs Australia

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FB 1 Template:Leagueicon Jean Claude Cros RW 2 Template:Leagueicon Serge Marsolan CE 3 Template:Leagueicon Michael Moliner CE 4 Template:Leagueicon Raymond Gruppi LW 5 Template:Leagueicon Daniel Pellerin SO 6 Template:Leagueicon Jean Capdouze SH 7 Template:Leagueicon Germaine Guiraud PR 8 Template:Leagueicon Christian Sabatie HK 9 Template:Leagueicon Jacques Cabero PR 10 Template:Leagueicon Floreal Bonet SR 11 Template:Leagueicon Francis de Nadai SR 12 Template:Leagueicon Roger Biffi LF 13 Template:Leagueicon Jean Pierre Clar (c) Substitutions: IC 14 IC 15 Coach:

FB 1 Template:Leagueicon Eric Simms RW 2 Template:Leagueicon Ray Branighan CE 3 Template:Leagueicon John Cootes CE 4 Template:Leagueicon Bob Fulton LW 5 Template:Leagueicon Lionel Williamson FE 6 Template:Leagueicon Denis Pittard HB 7 Template:Leagueicon Billy Smith PR 8 Template:Leagueicon Barry McTaggart HK 9 Template:Leagueicon Elwyn Walters PR 10 Template:Leagueicon Bob O'Reilly SR 11 Template:Leagueicon Bob McCarthy SR 12 Template:Leagueicon Paul Sait LKR 13 Template:Leagueicon Ron Coote (c) Substitutions: IC 14 Template:Leagueicon Ron Turner IC 15 Template:Leagueicon Gary Sullivan Coach: Harry Bath

This incredibly exciting game has been described as the tournament's piece de resistance. Aussie centre Bobby Fulton scored a try within seconds of the kick-off – probably the quickest ever in international matches. However, with ten minutes to go and the scores level at 15–15, the French stole the game when stand-off half Jean Capdouze dropped a monster goal. The Kangaroos' loss to France meant it was Australia's superior points differential (on the back of their pointsfest in the opening game against New Zealand) alone that got them into the final with the undefeated Great Britain team.

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References

This article uses material from 1970 Rugby League World Cup group stage on Wikipedia, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License (view authors).