1972 World Cup
| 1972 World Cup | |
|---|---|
| Number of teams | 4 |
| Host country |
 France
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| Winner |
 Great Britain (3rd title)
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| Matches played | 7 |
| Attendance | 62,456 (8,922 per match) |
| Points scored | 240 (34.29 per match) |
| Top scorer |
John Holmes (26) |
| Top try scorer |
 Bob Fulton (5) |
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< 1970
1975 >
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The sixth Rugby League World Cup was held in France in October and November 1972. Australia started as the favourites to retain the trophy they had won just two years previously. New Zealand had beaten all three of the other nations in 1971 and France were expected to be tough opponents on their home soil. In the event Great Britain confounded most expectations by running out worthy winners and levelling their tally of World Cup wins at 3–3 with the Australians.
The final was held at Stade Gerland in Lyon. Great Britain played Australia and in the end, with scores level and unchanged after extra time, claimed the cup on league placing.
This was the last World Cup to be played under the four-tackle rule.
The Australian team was coached by Harry Bath
The Great Britain team was coached by Jim Challinor
Mita Mohi
The games were played at various venues in France.
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.
At Perpignan a monumental struggle finally went Britain's way 27–21 against the Kangaroos, for whom Bobby Fulton grabbed three tries in a lost cause.
Britain overcame France 13–4 to qualify for the final with outstanding second-rower Phil Lowe scoring two tries.
New Zealand gave Australia a hard time, the first half being scoreless, before going down 5–9.
Britain hammered New Zealand 53–19, a World Cup record score, with young stand-off half John Holmes collecting 26 points (10 goals, 2 tries) – another World Cup record.
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.
The French public seemed uninterested in a final that did not involve the home team, as just over 4,200 spectators turned up. The game will always be remembered by the British for their captain Clive Sullivan's wonderful long distance try and by the Australians for perhaps "the greatest try never scored", later shown on TV to be legitimately scored by Australian fullback Graeme Langlands but disallowed by French referee Georges Jameau. Mike Stephenson scored the 73rd-minute try that helped Great Britain level the scores and secure the World Cup. Had Aussie winger Ray Branighan succeeded with a 79th-minute penalty or Bob Fulton landed one of three drop goal attempts in the last five minutes, the cup could easily have gone to Australia. But for the first time in the competition's history the scores were level at full-time. An additional twenty minutes extra time was played, but no further score resulted, and Great Britain were awarded the cup by virtue of a better position in the table.
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