1995 Rugby League World Cup
The 1995 Rugby League World Cup was held during October 1995 in the United Kingdom. It was the eleventh staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was marketed as the Halifax Centenary World Cup, reflecting the tournament's sponsorship and the fact that 1995 marked the centenary of the sport. Envisaged as a celebration of rugby league, the size of the competition was doubled, with four additional teams invited and England and Wales instead of Great Britain national rugby league team.
| 1995 Rugby League World Cup | |
|---|---|
| Number of teams | 10 |
| Host countries | England Wales |
| Winner | Australia (8th title) |
| Matches played | 15 |
| Attendance | 265,609 (17,707 per match) |
| Points scored | 718 (47.87 per match) |
| Top scorer | Andrew Johns (62) |
| Top try scorer | Steven Menzies (6) |
Tournaments | |
The tournament had been preceded by doubts and pessimism; many feared that it would produce one-sided-matches that would be unattractive to supporters. The forthcoming Super League war also hung over the tournament, with the Australian Rugby League refusing to select players who had signed for the rival competition.
Those fears proved unfounded, and the tournament was acclaimed a great success. Although some early matches did prove as one-sided as feared, fans still flocked to see newer rugby league nations such as Fiji, Tonga, Western Samoa and South Africa. Large home crowds for the group involving Wales proved particularly encouraging for the sport.
For the 1995 tournament, a £10,000 cup was made by Tiffanys to celebrate the centenary of the game.
The final between Australia and England drew a crowd of 66,540 to Wembley Stadium. Australia won the tournament, their eighth World Cup win and fifth in succession.