1954 Rugby League World Cup
The 1954 Rugby League World Cup was rugby league football's first World Cup and was held in France in October–November 1954. Officially known as the "Rugby World Cup", four nations competed in the tournament: Australia, France, Great Britain and New Zealand. A group stage was held first, with Great Britain topping the table as a result of points difference. They went on to defeat France (who finished second in the table, level on points) in the final, which was held at Paris' Parc des Princes before 30,368 spectators.
| 1954 Rugby League World Cup | |
|---|---|
| Number of teams | 4 |
| Host country | France |
| Winner | Great Britain (1st title) |
| Runner-up | France |
| Matches played | 7 |
| Attendance | 138,329 (19,761 per match) |
| Points scored | 231 (33 per match) |
| Tries scored | 48 (6.86 per match) |
| Top scorer | Jimmy Ledgard (29 pts) |
| Top try scorer | Gordon Brown (6 tries) |
Tournaments | |
The prime instigators behind the idea of holding a rugby league world cup were the French, who were short of money following the seizing of their assets by French rugby union in the Second World War. The first rugby league world cup was an unqualified success. It was played in a uniformly good spirit, provided an excellent standard of play and was a fitting celebration of France's 20th anniversary as a rugby league-playing nation. The trophy, which was donated by the French, was worth eight million francs.