1972 Rugby League World Cup group stage

The 1972 Rugby League World Cup group stage was the main component of the 1972 Rugby League World Cup, with the top two nations qualifying for the World Cup final. The group consisted of hosts France as well as Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand.

Ladder

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
Great Britain	3	3	0	0	93	44	+49	6	Advances to the Final
Australia	3	2	0	1	61	41	+20	4
France	3	1	0	2	33	53	−20	2
New Zealand	3	0	0	3	33	82	−49	0

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Matches

France vs New Zealand

France	20–9	New Zealand
Tries: Jean-Marie Bonal (2) Andre Ruiz Goals: Bernard Guilhem (4) Jean-Marie Bonal (1) Field Goals: Marius Frattini (1)	[1]	Tries: Phillip Orchard (2) Mocky Brereton Goals:

Saturday 28 October

Stade Vélodrome, Marseille Attendance: 20,748 Referee: Georges Jameau

France

New Zealand

FB 1 Roger Toujas RW 2 Serge Marsolan CE 3 Michel Moliner CE 4 Andre Ruiz LW 5 Jean-Marie Bonal SO 6 Bernard Guilhem SH 7 Marius Frattini PR 8 Francis de Nadai (c) HK 9 Jacques Franc PR 10 Jacques Garzino SR 11 Victor Serrano SR 12 Serge Gleyzes LF 13 Michel Anglade Substitutions: IC 14 Charles Zalduendo IC 15 Coach:

FB 1 John Whittaker RW 2 Phillip Orchard CE 3 John O'Sullivan CE 4 Roy Christian (c) LW 5 Mocky Brereton FE 6 Dennis Williams HB 7 Brian Tracey PR 8 Mita Mohi HK 9 Bill Burgoyne PR 10 Bob Paul SR 11 Doug Gailey SR 12 Peter Gurnick LK 13 Murray Eade Substitutions: IC 14 Graeme Cooksley IC 15 Tony Coll Coach: Des Barchard

France kicked off the tournament by sharing six tries with the Kiwis but a massive penalty count in their favour allowed the French to dictate play, their five goals and a drop goal to none by the Kiwis proving decisive.

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Great Britain vs Australia

Great Britain	27–21	Australia
Tries: John Atkinson Phil Lowe Dennis O'Neill Mike Stephenson Clive Sullivan Goals: Terry Clawson (6/6)	[2]	Tries: Bob Fulton (3) Tommy Raudonikis Goals: Graeme Langlands (4) Field Goals: Bob McCarthy (1)

Sunday 29 October

Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan Attendance: 6,324 Referee: Claude Teisseire

Great Britain

Australia

FB 1 Paul Charlton RW 2 Clive Sullivan (c) CE 3 Chris Hesketh CE 4 John Walsh LW 5 John Atkinson SO 6 Dennis O'Neill SH 7 Steve Nash PR 8 Terry Clawson HK 9 Mike Stephenson PR 10 David Jeanes SR 11 Brian Lockwood SR 12 Phil Lowe LF 13 George Nicholls Substitutions: IC 14 John Holmes IC 15 Coach: Jim Challinor

FB 1 Graeme Langlands (c) RW 2 Stephen Knight CE 3 Geoff Starling CE 4 Ray Branighan LW 5 Mark Harris FE 6 Bob Fulton HB 7 Tommy Raudonikis PR 8 John O'Neill HK 9 Elwyn Walters PR 10 Arthur Beetson SR 11 Bob McCarthy SR 12 John Elford LK 13 Gary Sullivan Substitutions: IC 14 Dennis Ward IC 15 Paul Sait Coach: Harry Bath

At Perpignan a monumental struggle finally went Britain's way 27–21 against the Kangaroos, for whom Bob Fulton grabbed three tries in a lost cause. An unusual incident occurred during the second half of the match. Following John Atkinson's try, Australian second rower John Elford came through with a swinging arm that only just missed its mark. The players didn't react to the incident with the British players only celebrating the try and not worrying about Elford's action. Then following Terry Clausen's successful conversion, French referee Claude Teisseire, instead of allowing the Australian's to re-start with a kick-off, instead gave Great Britain a penalty on halfway citing Elford's swinging arm. To rub salt into the Australian's wound, British captain Clive Sullivan opted for the kick at goal from halfway, which Clausen duly landed.^[3]

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France vs Great Britain

France	4–13	Great Britain
Try: Goals: Jean-Marie Bonal (1) Victor Serrano (1)	[4]	Try: Phil Lowe (2) Clive Sullivan Goals:

Wednesday 1 November

Stade Lesdiguières, Grenoble Attendance: 5,321 Referee: F. Gril

France

Great Britain

FB 1 Roger Toujas RW 2 Serge Marsolan CE 3 Michel Moliner CE 4 Andre Ruiz LW 5 Jean-Marie Bonal SO 6 Bernard Guilhem SH 7 Jean-Marie Imbert PR 8 Francis de Nadai (c) HK 9 Jacques Franc PR 10 Jean-Paul Sauret SR 11 Victor Serrano SR 12 Serge Gleyzes LF 13 Guy Rodriguez Substitutions: IC 14 Charles Zalduendo IC 15 Coach:

FB 1 Paul Charlton RW 2 Clive Sullivan (c) CE 3 Chris Hesketh CE 4 John Walsh LW 5 John Atkinson SO 6 Dennis O'Neill SH 7 Steve Nash PR 8 Terry Clawson HK 9 Mike Stephenson PR 10 Brian Lockwood SR 11 Colin Dixon SR 12 Phil Lowe LF 13 George Nicholls Substitutions: IC 14 IC 15 Coach: Jim Challinor

Great Britain overcame France 13–4 to qualify for the final with outstanding second-rower Phil Lowe scoring two tries.

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Australia vs New Zealand

Australia	9–5	New Zealand
Tries: Bob Fulton Dennis Ward Goals: Ray Branighan (1) Field Goals: Bob Fulton (1)	[5]	Tries: John Whittaker Goals: John Wilson (1)

Wednesday 1 November

Parc des Princes, Paris Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Mick Naughton

Australia

New Zealand

FB 1 Graeme Langlands (c) RW 2 John Grant CE 3 Ray Branighan CE 4 Geoff Starling LW 5 Stephen Knight FE 6 Bob Fulton HB 7 Dennis Ward PR 8 John O'Neill HK 9 Elwyn Walters PR 10 Bob O'Reilly SR 11 Gary Sullivan SR 12 John Elford LK 13 Paul Sait Substitutions: IC 14 Gary Stevens IC 15 Coach: Harry Bath

FB 1 John Wilson RW 2 Phillip Orchard CE 3 Mocky Brereton CE 4 Roy Christian (c) LW 5 John Whittaker FE 6 Dennis Williams HB 7 Brian Tracey PR 8 Don Mann HK 9 Bill Burgoyne PR 10 Doug Gailey SR 11 Murray Eade SR 12 Bob Paul LK 13 Peter Gurnick Substitutions: IC 14 Rodney Walker IC 15 Coach: Des Barchard

New Zealand gave Australia a hard time, the first half being scoreless, before going down 9–5.

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Great Britain vs New Zealand

Great Britain	53–19	New Zealand
Tries: John Atkinson (2) John Holmes (2) Paul Charlton Chris Hesketh David Jeanes Steve Nash George Nicholls Mike Stephenson Clive Sullivan Goals: John Holmes (10)	[6]	Tries: Bill Burgoyne Tony Coll Murray Eade John Whittaker Dennis Williams Goals: John Wilson (2)

Saturday 4 November

Stade du Hameau, Pau Attendance: 7,500 Referee: Georges Jameau Player of the Match: John Holmes

Great Britain

New Zealand

FB 1 Paul Charlton RW 2 Clive Sullivan (c) CE 3 Chris Hesketh CE 4 John Walsh LW 5 John Atkinson SO 6 John Holmes SH 7 Steve Nash PR 8 David Jeanes HK 9 Mike Stephenson PR 10 Brian Lockwood SR 11 Bob Irving SR 12 Phil Lowe LF 13 George Nicholls Substitutions: IC 14 David Redfearn IC 15 Tony Karalius Coach: Jim Challinor

FB 1 John Wilson RW 2 Phillip Orchard CE 3 Mocky Brereton CE 4 Roy Christian (c) LW 5 John Whittaker FE 6 Dennis Williams HB 7 Brian Tracey PR 8 Don Mann HK 9 Bill Burgoyne PR 10 Doug Gailey SR 11 Murray Eade SR 12 Tony Coll LK 13 Peter Gurnick Substitutions: IC 14 Warren Collicoat IC 15 Rodney Walker Coach: Des Barchard

Great Britain hammered New Zealand 53–19, a World Cup record score, with young stand-off John Holmes collecting 26 points (10 goals, 2 tries) – another World Cup record.

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France vs Australia

France	9–31	Australia
Tries: Andre Ruiz Goals: Jean-Marie Bonal (3)	[7]	Tries: Mark Harris (2) Paul Sait (2) Bob Fulton John O'Neill Elwyn Walters Goals: Ray Branighan (5)

Sunday 5 November

Stadium Municipal, Toulouse Attendance: 10,332 Referee: Mick Naughton

France

Australia

FB 1 Roger Toujas RW 2 Serge Marsolan CE 3 Michel Moliner CE 4 Andre Ruiz LW 5 Jean-Marie Bonal SO 6 Michael Mazare SH 7 Marius Frattini PR 8 Charles Zalduendo HK 9 Jacques Franc PR 10 Jacques Garzino SR 11 Victor Serrano SR 12 Francis de Nadai (c) LF 13 Serge Gleyzes Substitutions: IC 14 Bernard Guilhem IC 15 Michel Anglade Coach:

FB 1 Graeme Langlands (c) RW 2 Ray Branighan CE 3 Mark Harris CE 4 Geoff Starling LW 5 John Grant FE 6 Bob Fulton HB 7 Dennis Ward PR 8 John O'Neill HK 9 Elwyn Walters PR 10 Bob O'Reilly SR 11 Gary Stevens SR 12 Arthur Beetson LK 13 Paul Sait Substitutions: IC 14 IC 15 Coach: Harry Bath

Australia had to beat France at Toulouse to reach the final in the last game of the preliminaries, a task which proved well within their capabilities.

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