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Nickname | The Kangaroos | ||||||
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Governing body | Australian Rugby League Commission | ||||||
Region | Asia-Pacific | ||||||
Head coach | Mal Meninga | ||||||
Captain | Cameron Smith | ||||||
Most caps | Darren Lockyer (59) | ||||||
Top try-scorer | Darren Lockyer (35) | ||||||
Top point-scorer | Johnathan Thurston (372) | ||||||
RLIF ranking | 1st | ||||||
First international | |||||||
New Zealand 11–10 Australia (Agricultural Oval, Sydney, Australia; 9 May 1908) |
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Biggest win | |||||||
Russia 4–110 Australia (The Boulevard, Hull, England; 4 November 2000) |
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Biggest defeat | |||||||
New Zealand 49–25 Australia (Elland Road, Leeds, England; 26 November 2005) |
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World Cup | |||||||
Appearances | 14 (first time in 1954) | ||||||
Best result | Winners, 1957; 1968; 1970; 1975; 1977; 1988; 1992; 1995; 2000; 2013 |
New Zealand 49–25 Australia
(Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane, Australia; 28 July 1952)
The Australian national rugby league team (or the Kangaroos) have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the 'Northern Union game' in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos are ranked first in the RLIF World Rankings. The team are the most successful in Rugby League World Cup history, having contested all 14 and winning 10 of them, failing to reach the final only once, in the inaugural tournament in 1954. Only four nations have beaten Australia in test matches, and Australia have an overall win percentage of 67%.
Dating back to 1908, Australia are the fourth oldest national side after England, New Zealand and Wales. The team was first assembled in 1908 for a tour of Great Britain. The majority of the Kangaroos' games since then have been played against Great Britain and New Zealand. In the first half of the 20th century, Australia's international competition came from alternating tours to Great Britain and New Zealand, with Australia playing host to these teams in non-tour years. On tours to Great Britain (and later France), Australia was known as the Kangaroos. Great Britain dominated in the early years, and Australia did not win a Test against the Lions until 11 November 1911 under captain Chris McKivat. Australia did not win a series at home against Great Britain until 1920 or abroad until 1958.