Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League competition and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won fourteen New South Wales Rugby League and National Rugby League titles, several other competitions. Only the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the St George Dragons have won more premierships; the club holds the record for having the most wins and the second greatest margin of victory in a match in Australian rugby league history, has won more minor premierships than any other club. The Roosters is one of only two clubs to finish runners-up in its inaugural season; the Eastern Suburbs DRLFC is the only club to have played in each and every season at the elite level, since the 1970s has been dubbed the "glamour club" of the league. Coached by Trent Robinson along with captains Boyd Cordner and Jake Friend, the Roosters play their home games at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The club was founded in 1908 in Paddington, Sydney, as Eastern Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club. The Bondi Junction and Moore Park-based Roosters have a long-standing and fierce rivalry with other Sydney-based clubs the South Sydney Rabbitohs, a fellow foundation club based in neighbouring Redfern; the Eastern Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club was formed on 24 January 1908 at a meeting at the Paddington Town Hall in Sydney after it was decided that the district should enter a team in the newly formed New South Wales Rugby Football League. The ESDRLFC was formed, under its articles of association with the NSWRL, to represent the geographic areas in Sydney covering the Waverley, Woollahra, Paddington and Vaucluse local government municipalities, as well as the eastern parts of the Sydney CBD. Indeed, the'suburb' of Sydney, postcode 2000, falls within the official boundaries of the ESDRLFC. Unofficially nicknamed the "Tricolours" due to their red and blue playing strip, Eastern Suburbs won its first match, defeating Newtown 32–16 at Wentworth Oval on 20 April 1908.
In 1913, it became the first club to win three consecutive premierships. However, the club declined and failed to win the premiership for the next nine seasons. Eastern Suburbs missed the finals once from 1926 to 1942, in that time won four titles and the minor premiership on seven occasions. During this period, Dave Brown set several point-scoring records. In 1935, the team lost just one game, recorded the highest winning margin in their history, an 87–7 victory over Canterbury. In 1936, Eastern Suburbs became one of five teams in premiership history to remain undefeated for an entire season, a feat they repeated the following year, they are the only club to remain unbeaten for two consecutive seasons. Despite claiming the premiership in 1945, Eastern Suburbs failed to make the finals for the following seven seasons. A runners-up finish in 1960 was the closest the club came to claiming the premiership during this era. Eastern Suburbs were soundly defeated 31–6 in the grand final that year, by the famous record-beating St George outfit.
In 1966, the club was winless for the first time in its history. It was the last occasion in which the Roosters won the wooden spoon until claiming it again in the 2009 season, it ended a poor run for Eastern Suburbs. The club underwent a renaissance in 1967 after appointing Jack Gibson as coach, introducing a new emblem on the playing jerseys, the rooster. From 1972 to 1982, the Roosters won four minor premierships and played in four grand finals, winning two consecutively. Gibson, now dubbed as "Super Coach", returned to lead the team from 1974 to 1976. In 1974 and 1975, the team won 39 of 44 matches, both minor premierships, both grand finals and set a premiership record of 19 consecutive wins; the 38–0 grand final victory in 1975 against St George was the largest margin in a first grade grand final, the record stood for 33 years until superseded by Manly's 40–nil win over the Melbourne Storm in 2008. Though the 1975 grand final was played in the era of an obsolete scoring system with 3-point tries, the winning margin using 4 points for tries would mean that it is still a record for a grand final at 46-0.
With line-ups including Mark Harris, Elwyn Walters, John Brass, Bill Mullins, Russell Fairfax, Johnny Mayes, John Peard, Ron Coote, Ian Schubert and captain Arthur Beetson, the Centenary of Rugby League panel considered the Roosters of 1974 and 1975 to be among the greatest club teams of all time. Between 1984 and 1995, the Roosters reached the semi-finals once, became known to critics as the "transit lounge", due to the high frequency of player purchases and releases; the club came close to reaching the premiership in 1987 under coach and favourite son Arthur Beetson, being defeated by eventual premiers Manly in a "bruising" major semi-final, 10–6. As the Super League war built up in the mid-1990s, the Roosters recruited high-profile coach Phil Gould and star five-eighth Brad Fittler, both from the Penrith Panthers; this helped to send the Roosters back to the upper end of the ladder. Fittler's presence proved invaluable. In 2002, the club
New Zealand Māori rugby league team
New Zealand Māori rugby league team is a rugby league representative side made up of New Zealand Māori players. The side represents the New Zealand Māori Rugby league. Like its union counterpart, the rugby league team competes in international competitions. With some controversy, the team participated in the 2000 World Cup as Aotearoa Māori; the Super League International Board had agreed to give a place in their World Cup to the New Zealand Māori team as they attempted to gain allies during the Super League war. Despite that World Cup not taking place, the Rugby league International Federation repeated the offer for the 2000 World Cup when it replaced the Super League International Board following the end of the dispute. A New Zealand Māori team first toured overseas in 1908; this tour was a success, was followed by another tour to Australia in 1909 and to Great Britain in 1910. The first game of international rugby league on New Zealand soil was between the Māori and the touring Great Britain Lions of 1910.
A separate body, the Māori Rugby League Board of Control, was formed in 1934 to administer the game in Māori communities. This governing body was renamed the Aotearoa Māori Rugby League and in 1992 it was registered as an incorporated society; the Māori have had a wonderful record of beating international touring teams over the years. In 1983 they visited Britain and a side containing future Kiwis stars like Hugh McGahan, Dean Bell and Clayton Friend proved too strong for the amateur opposition they played. For many years, the Māori have competed in the Pacific Cup alongside other teams with a strong presence of New Zealand-based players—Samoa and the Cook Islands, so they thought it was right they should have the opportunity to follow these teams to the World Cup; the invitation to the Māori to take part in the 2000 World Cup came about as a result of promises made to them by the defunct Super League International Board at the height of the Super League war that tore the game apart in the southern hemisphere.
The Māori team has participated in the Pacific Cup, Super League's 1997 Oceania Cup, Papua New Guinea 50th Anniversary, 2000 World Cup, World Sevens Qualification and Pacific Rim competitions. The Maori competed against Indigenous Dreamtime team on 26 October 2008 as the curtain raiser to the first match of the 2008 World Cup; the Māori team lost 34-26. In 2010, the Maori team played England at Mt. Smart Stadium in Auckland before the 2010 Rugby league Four Nations in New Zealand. After trailing 18-0 at halftime, the Maori came back to draw the match at 18-all. In October 2013, the side faced the touring Murri Rugby League Team in a two-game series; the Maori side, featuring NRL players Charlie Gubb, Sam Rapira and Bodene Thompson, won the first game 48-18 at Davies Park, Huntly. The second game was played at Puketawhero Park and was won by the Maori side, 32-16. In October 2014, the team will travel to Australia to play against the Queensland Maori team at Owen Park and the Murri Rugby League Team at BMD Kougari Oval, Wynnum.
In 2018 they took part in the NRL Festival of Indigenous Rugby League held in Redfern Sydney against the First Nation Goannas, they were beat 22-16 in a thrilling finish. Primary Alternative Team Name Rohe 1. Zebastion Luisi, Tamaki Makaurau - Howick Hornets. 2. Thyme Nikau, Tamaki Makaurau - Howick Hornets 3. Hiwaroa Grant, Te Arawa - Taniwharau 4. Rusty Bristow, Tamaki Makaurau - Papakura Sea Eagles 5. Ryan Gordon, Tauranga Moana - Otumoetai Eels 6. Cruz Rauner, Taranaki - Waitara Bears 7. Cody Walker, Tamaki Makaurau - Mount Albert Lions 8. Chris Fox, Waikato Maori - Taniwharau 9. Zach Tippins, Tamaki Makaurau - Mount Albert Lions 10. Jay Pukepuke, Te Waipounamu - Halswell Hornets 11. Rulon Nutira, Te Waipounamu - Hornby Panthers 12. Arden McCarthy, Tamaki Makaurau - Pt Chevalier Pirates 13. Dylan Moses, Tamaki Makaurau - Pt Chevalier Pirates 14. Chance Tauri, Te Awa Kairangi - Te Aroha Eels 15. Tama Kaha, Te Awa Kairangi - Levin Wolves 16. Tony Tuia, Tamaki Makaurau - Howick Hornets 17. Dominic Bartells, Te Awa Kairangi - Wainuiomata Lions Coach: Darren Pirini, Tamaki Makaurau 1 Steve Waetford - Auckland Vulcan's NSW Cup Auckland 2 Thyme Nikau - Howick Hornets Fox Memorial Auckland 3 Rusty Bristow - Papakura Sea Eagles Fox Memorial Auckland 4 Zebastion Luisi - Howick Hornets Fox Memorial Auckland 5 Tee Mahe - Glenora Bears Fox Memorial Auckland 6 Cody Walker - Mount Albert Lions Fox Memorial Auckland 7 Jody Henry - Brisbane North Devils Queensland Cup Brisbane 8 Sam Rapira - NZ Warriors NRL Auckland 9 Kurt Kara - Newtown Jets NSW Cup Sydney 10 Charlie Gubb - NZ Warriors NRL Auckland 11 Bodene Thompson - West Tigers NRL Sydney/ replaced 12 Rulon Nutira - Hornby Panthers Canterbury Christchurch 13 Scott Jones - Canberra Mounties NSW Cup Canberra 14 Hamiora Mihaka - Taniwharau Waicoa Hamilton 15 Tony Tuia - Howick Hornets Fox Memorial Auckland 16 Jay Pukepuke - Halswell Hornets Canterbury Christchurch 17 Kouma Samson - NZ Warriors Holden Cup Auckland The 2019 All Stars match was the eighth annual representative exhibition All Stars match of Australian rugby league.
The match was played between the Indigenous All Stars and the Māori All Stars for the first time, the match was played in Victoria's AAMI Park. The Indigenous All Stars won 34-14 New Zealand national rugby league team New Zealand national rugby union team New Zealand Māori rugby union team New Zealand Māori cricket team 100 years of Māori rugby league 1908 - 2008 Google Books
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand that compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia. They were formed in 1995 as the Auckland Warriors, are known as the Vodafone Warriors for sponsorship reasons; the Warriors are captained by Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. They are based at Mt Smart Stadium in the Auckland suburb of Penrose. For the 1995 season the newly-formed Auckland Warriors became the first club from outside Australia to be admitted to the Australian Rugby League's premiership when it expanded from 16 to 20 teams; as a result of the Super League war in the mid-1990s, Auckland left the ARL to compete in the Super League competition of 1997, before joining the re-unified NRL the following year. They re-branded themselves the New Zealand Warriors in 2001; the club has yet to win a premiership as of 2018, but has won one minor premiership, reached two grand finals, reached the play-offs eight times, provided the majority of the New Zealand national team's players.
Rugby league was centred around Auckland since the New Zealand Rugby League was founded in 1909. Auckland produced the bulk of the international squad for many years, most of these players headed to either Australia or Great Britain to play; the Auckland representative side was providing top opposition to touring teams. An Auckland team was admitted into the mid-week ARL Amco Cup competition in 1978. In their first year they made the semi-finals, were defeated by the overall competition winners, Eastern Suburbs, they remained into the competition until the early 1980s. In 1987, an Auckland side toured Great Britain and claimed wins over powerhouse clubs Leeds and Wigan. In 1988, serious investigation into an Auckland team entering the New South Wales Rugby League premiership commenced, encouraged by the Mt Albert club. On 17 May 1992, the announcement stating an Auckland-based team's entry into the Australian Rugby League competition, the Winfield Cup in 1995, was made; this followed good turnouts to a number of NSWRL club games played in Auckland.
The new team was to be called the Auckland Warriors and run by the Auckland Rugby League organisation. The original colours selected were blue, white and green. Blue and white are recognised as the colours of Auckland, while red and green were the colours of the Warriors' original sponsor, DB Bitter; the original logo was designed by Francis Allan, of Colenso. The coach of the new team would be Wigan coach John Monie. A number of senior players were signed, such as Andy Platt. Captain Dean Bell was a high-performing signing. Former Rugby union players such as John Kirwan and Marc Ellis were brought in, in years; the Warriors' first year in the Australian Rugby League was 1995. Their debut match was against the Brisbane Broncos on 10 March 1995 in front of 30,000 people at a newly refurbished Mt Smart Stadium; the Warriors led 22–10 at one point in the second half of the match, however the Broncos defeated the new club 25–22. A home crowd attendance record of 32,174 was set at Ericsson Stadium in Round 6 of the 1995 ARL season, a record, not topped until Round 1 of the 2011 NRL season.
The Warriors were deducted two competition points for an interchange error. In a match against Western Suburbs, the Warriors used five interchange players instead of the allowed four; the Warriors won the match comfortably, 46–12. This error had disastrous consequences for the club, as they missed the finals by two competition points; the season saw the debut of future star, Stacey Jones, who scored a try on debut in a 40–4 rout of Parramatta in Sydney. The biggest issue with the season was the lack of consistency, evident with the Warriors today, despite a six match winning streak late in the season, it was observed. The Australian Rugby League season 1996 could have been regarded as a better one for the Warriors; the Warriors found themselves siding with the Super League during the Super League War when the New Zealand Rugby League signed up to the rebel competition. They claimed their first'victory' over the Broncos in round one of the competition that year, after all Super League clubs agreed to boycott the first round of the competition in protest.
The Warriors won the two points when they travelled to Brisbane with a squad of players that were unsigned to Super League, forcing the Broncos to forfeit the match. With four rounds remaining the Warriors were in sixth place in the competition headed for a finals berth, they proceeded to lose. The only positives were that young New Zealand talents Stacey Jones and Joe Vagana had superb seasons; the Warriors spent 1997 in the breakaway Super League Telstra Cup competition. Despite the reduced number of teams, they failed to make an impression on the competition. Monie was replaced by Frank Endacott as coach midway through the 1997 season; the only positive was the team's performance in the World Club Challenge. The Warriors hammered United Kingdom powerhouses Wigan and St Helens, comfortably handled Warrington; the Warriors were knocked out in the Semi Finals by eventual winners Brisbane, going down 16–22. The first season of the reformed competition was a year, it was apparent that the club needed a new approach and attitude.
For them, they were in a better position than the other two clubs that joined the competition in 1995. Former Kiwi Mark Graham took over as coach in 1999; the club was sold off to a consortium that included ex-Ki
Jamie Jones-Buchanan
Jamie Daniel Peter Jones-Buchanan is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League. An England and Great Britain international representative second-row, he has played his entire professional career to date with Leeds and has won six Super League championships, three World Club Challenges, three League Leaders' Shields and one Challenge Cup Final with the club. Jones-Buchanan is the half-brother of Catalans Dragons, former Leeds Academy player Jodie Broughton his other half-brothers Austin Buchanan, Brooke Broughton are professional rugby league footballers, he began playing rugby at Stanningley ARLFC and progressed through the Leeds Academy signing for the club when he was 15 years old. His Leeds début was on 07/05/1999 against Wakefield Trinity. Jones-Buchanan played for the Leeds Rhinos from the interchange bench in their 2004 Super League Grand Final victory against the Bradford Bulls; as Super League IX champions, the Rhinos faced 2004 NRL season premiers, the Bulldogs in the 2005 World Club Challenge.
Jones-Buchanan scored a try in Leeds' 39-32 victory. Jones-Buchanan played for Leeds in the 2005 Challenge Cup Final from the interchange bench in their loss against Hull FC, he played for the Leeds Rhinos from the interchange bench in their 2005 Super League Grand Final loss against Bradford Bulls. Jones-Buchanan started in the 2007 Super League XIV Grand Final victory over St. Helens. Scoring the final try in a historic 33-6 win at Old Trafford. In February 2008, Jones-Buchanan helped the Rhinos secure their second world club title as they defeated 2007 NRL season premiers, the Storm in the 2008 World Club Challenge at Elland Road. Jones-Buchanan played in 2008's Super League XIII Grand Final victory over St. Helens, he was named in the England squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. Jamie Jones-Buchanan's Testimonial match at Leeds took place in 2009; that year Jones-Buchanan played a key role in the Rhinos winning the League Leaders' Shield This was followed by the Rhinos becoming the first team in the Super League era to win three titles in a row as they defeated St. Helens once again at Old Trafford winning 18-10.
Jones-Buchanan did not enjoy the same level of success in the Challenge Cup however. Having lost to Hull F. C. in 2005, Jones-Buchanan started all three of the Rhinos successive losses at Wembley between 2010 and 2012. Jones-Buchanan played at second-row for Leeds in the 2011 Challenge Cup Final, lost to Wigan, the 2010 Challenge Cup and 2012 Challenge Cup losses to Warrington. However, along with team mates Kevin Sinfield, Danny McGuire, Rob Burrow and Ryan Bailey he continued his period of unprecedented success in the Grand Final. All five players, who had emerged from the club's academy would go on to win six Grand Finals together defeating old foes St. Helens in 2011 before over turning Warrington in the 2012 Super League Grand Final when Leeds made more history by winning the title after finishing fifth two years running; as well as winning back to back titles, the Rhinos had started 2012 by becoming World Champions for a third time as they defeated Sea Eagles at a sold out Headingley Rugby Stadium in the 2012 World Club Challenge.
In 2013, Jones-Buchanan crossed for a try in the 2013 World Club Challenge against Storm but the Rhinos lost out to the 2012 NRL season premiers 18-14 at Headingley. Jones-Buchanan got his hands on the 2014 Challenge Cup when Leeds defeated Castleford at Wembley, winning 23-10, but missed the 2015 Challenge Cup Final due to an injury suffered in the semi final win over St. Helens, he is married to Emma Jones-Buchanan, whom he met when he was 14, has four children, Lore and Kurgan. He attends church on Sundays, he has supported the White Ribbon Campaign, a charity that encourages men to challenge violence against women. Away from rugby, Jamie is a huge part of his local community in Leeds, he attends Christian worship across the country to speak about his own life journey and is a trustee of the Leeds Rhinos Foundation, the charitable trust who work in the Leeds community. He is a governor at his former school Priesthorpe School in Leeds A number of years ago, Jones-Buchanan began an interest in journalism and reporting on sport and Rugby League in general.
What began as a blog on the Rhinos official website soon became a monthly column in Rugby League magazine Rugby League World. From here Jones-Buchanan joined forces with childhood friend Alex Simmons on a new TV and radio project called Rugby AM, he joined the Rugby AM team in December 2013 and has been ever-present since, putting in an incredible amount of hard work in his spare time to help Rugby AM grow. When he is not playing or training, it is you will see JJB doing some form of work for Rugby AM. In 2016, Jones-Buchanan took on that of acting. Jones-Buchanan made his stage début in the Red Ladder Theatre Company production Leeds Lads, which has received rave reviews from audiences. Fans had a chance to see Jamie in the play which ran between Friday 17 June 2016 and Saturday 25 June 2016 at the Carriageworks Theatre in Leeds. Coinciding with the centenary anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, Leeds Lads follows a young woman’s journey into Leeds’ secret past - this vibrant production transports audiences from the turmoil and tensions of war, to the richly multi-cultural city we know today.
Leeds Lads is a new play about the people of Leeds and present – their fears, their love and their friendships, performed by the people of Leeds today. Selected through open audition, the community cast has had the opportunity to perform and learn about professional theatre under the direction of Red Ladder’s Artistic Director, Rod Dixon working in collaboration wi
Kevin Sinfield
Kevin Sinfield, MBE is the Director of Rugby, for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League, an English former professional rugby league footballer, who captained the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League. His usual position was loose forward, although he sometimes played both hooker. Sinfield played his entire professional career with Leeds and is one of the most successful players in the Super League history, having captained the team to seven Super League championships and two Challenge Cup successes, he earned individual accolades as winner of the Lance Todd Trophy, Harry Sunderland Trophy twice and the Golden Boot, one of only four British-based players to win the latter. He holds records as the highest points-scorer in Super League history, the third highest points-scorer in British rugby league history, Leeds' record points scorer. Sinfield is the only captain to have led a team to win three consecutive Super League titles, he won 26 caps for England, who he captained, 14 caps for Great Britain.
Sinfield played one season for Yorkshire Carnegie. After his playing career ended. Sinfield was born in Greater Manchester, England. Sinfield starting his playing career at Waterhead A. R. L. F. C. Who produced talent such as Barrie McDermott, Paul Sculthorpe, Danny Sculthorpe, Paul Highton, Lee Jewitt, Marc Sneyd and Gareth Owen, he signed for Leeds RLFC in August 1997. Sinfield made his first team début for Leeds aged 16 against Sheffield Eagles, he went on to make three further appearances during the 1997 and 1998 seasons, scoring his first try against Huddersfield in September 1998. 1999 was a breakthrough season for Sinfield, making scoring 2 tries. He was unlucky not to be selected for the 1999 Challenge Cup Final at the old Wembley Stadium. Leeds defeated the London Broncos 52–16. Sinfield was a member of the England squad for the 2000 Rugby League World Cup, notably scoring a hat-trick of tries in a 76–4 victory over Russia. During the 2001 Kangaroo tour he played for Great Britain in all three Ashes Tests against the Australians.
Sinfield played for Leeds at stand-off in the 2003 Challenge Cup Final against Bradford Bulls, kicking four goals in his side's defeat. He played for Great Britain in the 2nd and 3rd Ashes Tests of the 2003 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France. Sinfield played for Leeds at stand-off, kicking four goals in their 2004 Super League Grand Final victory against Bradford; as Super League IX champions, Leeds faced 2004 NRL season premiers, the Bulldogs in the 2005 World Club Challenge. Sinfield captained Leeds from stand-off, kicking five goals and one drop goal in their 39–32 victory. Sinfield played for Leeds in the 2005 Challenge Cup Final at stand-off, kicking four goals in their loss against Hull F. C. but being awarded the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match nonetheless. He played for Leeds at loose forward, kicking a goal in their 2005 Super League Grand Final loss against Bradford Bulls, he was named in 2005's Super League Dream Team. Sinfield was selected to play for Great Britain in the end-of-season 2005 Tri-nations tournament.
He was named in 2006's Super League Dream Team. In 2007, Sinfield became the first Leeds player to score in every round of a Super League season, a feat which he repeated in the 2011 season including kicking 6 out of 7 goals in the Rhinos' fourth Grand final victory over St. Helens in 5 years. In the post-season Sinfield played for Great Britain against the 2007 All Golds Tourists. Sinfield celebrated his testimonial season in 2008, he was the man-of-the-match, scoring seven points. During the season Sinfield set a club record by scoring in 63 consecutive matches, he set a Super League record by scoring in 52 consecutive Super League games. Sinfield scored his 2,000th point for the club as Leeds defeated St Helens for the second successive year in the 2008 Super League Grand Final. Leeds won 24–16, with Sinfield kicking four goals, it was the first time Leeds had won back-to-back titles. It was the first time that a Super League team had won both the World Club Challenge, the Grand Final in the same calendar year.
He was selected for the England squad to compete in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup tournament in Australia. Group A's first match against Papua New Guinea he played at loose forward and kicked four goals from six attempts in England's victory. During the 2009 season, Sinfield became only the second player, after Lewis Jones, to score 1,000 goals for Leeds. Sinfield capped the 2009 season by winning the Harry Sunderland Trophy for his performance as he led Leeds to victory in a third successive Grand Final. Leeds defeated St Helens 18–10, with Sinfield scoring six of the points, including a drop goal. With victory, Sinfield became the first player in history to captain four championship-winning teams, he dedicated the win to the deceased former Leeds player John Holmes. After that he played for England in the 2009 Four Nations tournament. Sinfield was selected to play for England against France in the one-off test in 2010. Sinfield captained Leeds from stand-off in the 2011 Challenge Cup final, kicking only one goal from four attempts in their loss against Wigan.
However at the end of the season he extended his record to captaining five championship-winning teams after Leeds Rhinos' victory over St Helens in the 2011 Super League Grand Final. Sinfield played a pivotal role in the England team in the 2011 Gillette Four Nations, which involved games against Australia, New Zealand and Wales, they reached the Gillette Four Nations Final courtesy of coming 2nd in the group table, with Sinfield kicking two goals England lo
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are a professional Australian rugby league team based in Redfern, a suburb of inner-southern Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital, they are called Souths and The Bunnies. The club was formed in 1908 as one of the founding members of the New South Wales Rugby Football League, making them one of Australia's oldest rugby league teams; the Rabbitohs were formed, under their original 1908 articles of association with the NSWRL competition, to represent the Sydney municipalities of Redfern, Zetland, Waterloo and Botany. They are one of only two foundation clubs still present in the NRL, the other being the Sydney Roosters; the South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club is a subsidiary company 75% owned by Blackcourt League Investments which is, in turn, 50% owned by the actor Russell Crowe and 50% owned by James Packer's Consolidated Press Holdings. The Rabbitohs' traditional heartland covers the once working-class suburbs of inner-south Sydney now occupied by factories.
The club is based in Redfern, where the club's administration and training facilities are located, however they have long held a wide supporter base spread all over New South Wales. The team's home ground is Stadium Australia in Sydney Olympic Park. In the New South Wales Rugby League, Australian Rugby League, National Rugby League competitions South Sydney are the most successful professional team in the history of Australian rugby league in terms of total championships won, having claimed 21 first grade premierships. In addition to winning the most premierships, the Rabbitohs hold the distinction of being the only club to win a premiership in their inaugural season; the South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club was formed at a meeting on 17 January 1908 at Redfern Town Hall when administrator J J Giltinan, cricketer Victor Trumper and politician Henry Hoyle gathered together in front of a large crowd of supporters. The club played in the first round of the newly formed New South Wales Rugby League, defeating North Sydney 11–7 at Birchgrove Oval on 20 April 1908.
The team went on to win the inaugural premiership successfully defended their title in the 1909 season, winning the Grand Final by default. During these early years Arthur Hennessy was considered the "founding father" of the South Sydney rugby league club. A hooker and prop forward, Hennessy was coach, he was New South Wales' first captain and Australia's first test captain in 1908. S. G. "George" Ball became Club Secretary in 1911 after Arthur Hennessy stood down from the position, he remained in that capacity for over fifty years, only retiring a few years before his death in 1969. After further premiership success in 1914 and 1918, South Sydney won seven of the eight premierships from 1925–1932, only missing out in 1930; the 1925 side went through the season undefeated and is only one of six Australian premiership sides in history to have achieved this feat. Such was Souths dominance in the early years of the rugby league competition that the Rabbitohs were labelled "The Pride of the League".
South Sydney struggled through most of the 1940s. South Sydney's longest losing streak of 22 games was during the period 1945–1947. In the 1945 season they only managed to win one game while in 1946 they were unable to win a single game. In the 1950s South Sydney again had great success, winning five of the six premierships from 1950–1955, losing the 1952 Grand Final against Western Suburbs in controversial circumstances; the 1951 side's point scoring feat in their 42–14 victory over Manly-Warringah remains the highest score by a team in a Grand Final and "the miracle of'55" involved South Sydney winning 11 straight sudden death matches to win the premiership. Players that were involved in these years included Denis Donoghue, Jack Rayner, Les "Chicka" Cowie, Johnny Graves, Ian Moir, Greg Hawick, Ernie Hammerton, Bernie Purcell and Clive Churchill. Churchill, nicknamed "the Little Master" for his brilliant attacking fullback play, is universally regarded as one of the greatest Australian rugby league players.
In the late 1950s Souths began a poor run of form failing to make the finals from 1958–1964. However, in 1965 a talented young side made the Grand Final against St. George who were aiming to secure their 10th straight premiership; the young Rabbitohs weren't overawed by the Dragons formidable experience and in front of a record crowd of 78,056 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, they went down narrowly 12–8. The nucleus of this side went on to feature in Australian representative teams for the next six years and ensured another golden period for South Sydney making five successive grand finals from 1967–1971, winning four. Bob McCarthy, John O'Neill, Eric Simms, Ron Coote, Mike Cleary and John Sattler from 1965 were joined by Elwyn Walters, Ray Branighan, Paul Sait, Gary Stevens and coach Clive Churchill to form a fearsome combination before internal strife and poaching by other clubs from 1972 onwards unravelled the star studded pack. From this period comes part of South's and Australian Rugby League folklore when in the 1970 premiership decider against Manly, captain John Sattler inspired the side to victory playing out 70 minutes of the match with his jaw broken in three places after being king hit by Manly prop John Bucknall.
Financial problems started to hit Souths in the early 1970s, forcing some players to go to other clubs. The licensed Leagues Club, traditionally such an important revenue provider to all first grade league s
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain and France. Sixteen national teams competed in four groups of four, playing each other once over three weekly rounds before a series of play-offs that culminated in the final between Australia and New Zealand. Tournament favourites Australia defeated New Zealand in the final, claiming their sixth consecutive and ninth total Rugby League World Cup title. Australian winger Wendell Sailor was named player of the tournament. Building on the 1995 Rugby League World Cup, it was decided to expand the format further, with the number of teams rising from 10 to 16; as before, an Emerging Nations Tournament was held alongside the main event. The millennium World Cup attracted a record sponsorship of over £1 million from Lincoln Financial Group, who had sponsored Great Britain's Tests against New Zealand the previous autumn; the 2000 World Cup was not considered a great success. There were too many mismatches in the early stages, some of the teams lacked credibility.
Notably the inclusion of a side representing New Zealand's Māori population, Aotearoa Māori, alongside the full New Zealand team, a Lebanon side consisting of Australians of Lebanese origin, led to derisory comments in the media. The tournament's organisers attracted criticism regarding marketing and ticketing. For these reasons crowds at the tournament were low. There were however some positives: the tournament returned a profit of more than £2m despite the small crowds it attracted; the much-derided Lebanon team proved the catalyst for domestic competition in that country. On the competition side of things, favourites Australia and New Zealand cut a swathe through the tournament, with several dominant performances setting up an obvious final clash. New Zealand's 49–6 semi-final dispatch of England, coupled with Australia only hitting the lead in their semi-final against Wales with 23 minutes remaining, had New Zealand installed as favourites in some quarters. However, it was Australia who prevailed in a absorbing finale.
Australia only led 18–12 with 15 minutes remaining, but a glut of possession saw them finish – scoring four late tries to give the appearance of an easy victory. Six countries – Lebanon, the United States, Canada and Japan – competed for one available place in the tournament. In the final play-off match the United States lost 62–8 to Lebanon, who were through to their first World Cup; the 2000 World Cup tournament features 16 teams: Australia – coached by Chris Anderson and captained by Brad Fittler Cook Islands – coached by Stan Martin and captained by Kevin Iro England – coached by John Kear and captained by Andy Farrell Fiji – coached by Don Furner, Sr. and captained by Lote Tuqiri France – coached by Gilles Dumas and captained by Fabien Devecchi Ireland – coached by Steve O'Neill and Andy Kelly and captained by Terry O'Connor Lebanon – coached by John Elias and captained by Darren Marroon New Zealand – coached by Frank Endacott and captained by Richie Barnett Aotearoa Māori – coached by Cameron Bell and captained by Tawera Nikau Papua New Guinea – coached by Bob Bennett and captained by Adrian Lam Russia – coached by Evgeniy Klebanov and captained by Ian Rubin Samoa – coached by Darrell Williams and captained by Willie Poching Scotland – coached by Shaun McRae and captained by Andrew Purcell South Africa – coached by Paul Matete and captained by Jamie Bloem Tonga – coached by Murray Hurst and captained by Martin Masella Wales – coached by Clive Griffiths and captained by Iestyn Harris The games were played at various venues in England, Scotland, France.
The Twickenham Stadium in London, the home of the English rugby union was the host stadium for the opening ceremony and match featuring hosts England and defending champions Australia. This was the first rugby league match to be played at Twickenham Stadium, London's home of rugby union. Fiji:1. Lote Tuqiri, 2. Jone Kuraduadua, 3. Waisale Sovatabua, 4. Eparama Navale, 5. Farasiko Tokarei, 6. Semi Tadulala, 7. Stephen Smith8. Kalaveti Tuiabayaba, 9. Tabua Cakacaka, 10. Freddie Robarts, 11. Etuate Vakatawa, 12. Joe Tamani, 13. Samu Marayawa. Substitutes: 14. Atunasia Vunivialu, 15. Josefa Lasagavibau, 16. Amani Takayawa, 17. Peceli Vuniyayawa. Russia:1. Robert Iliassov, 2. Mikhail Mitrofanov, 3. Donovan, 4. Craig Cygler, 5. Romanov, 6. Olari, 7. Gavriline8. Ian Rubin, 8. Lysenkov, 10. Robert Campbell, 11. Petr Sokolov, 12. Findlay, 13. Joel Rullis. Substitutes: Kalachkine, Jiltsov, Postnikov. Australians Ben Kennedy, Trent Barrett and Nathan Hindmarsh were selected to make their Kangaroo debuts in this match. Australia:1. Darren Lockyer, 2.
Mat Rogers, 3. Ryan Girdler, 4. Matt Gidley, 5. Adam MacDougall, 6. Trent Barrett, 7. Andrew Johns, 8. Jason Stevens, 9. Craig Gower, 10. Michael Vella, 11. Ben Kennedy, 12. Nathan Hindmarsh, 13. Brad Fittler. Substitutes: Scott Hill, Jason Croker, Robbie Kearns, Shane Webcke. Coach: Chris Anderson Tries: Rogers 4, Kennedy 2, Hindmarsh, MacDougall, Girdler 2, Gidley. Goals: Rogers 9. Fiji:1. Lote Tuqiri, 2. Jone Kuraduadua, 3. Waisale Sovatabua, 4. Navalu, 5. Semi Tadulala, 6. Smith, 7. Naisoro, 8. Tabua Cakacaka, 9. Robarts, 10. Vakatawa, 11. Tamani, 12. Marayawa, 13. Atunasia Vunivialu. Substitutes: Tokarei, Takayawa, Wawavamia. New Zealand:1. Ritchie Barnett, 2. Leslie Vainikolo, 3. Tonie Carroll, 4. Willie Talau, 5. Brian Jellick, 6. Henry Paul, 7. Stacey Jones8. Smith, 9. Swain, 10. Pongia, 11. Logan Swann, 12. Kearney, 13. Ruben Wiki. Substitutes: Joe Vagana, Robbie Paul, Rua, C
