WebMail| Why BigPond?| Join BigPond| BigPond on Mobile| Telstra.com

Official Website of Rugby League World Cup 2008


Damien Blanch
Position:	Winger/Centre
Club:	Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Born:	24/05/1983 in Australia
Height:	178cm
Weight:	96kg
Back to Ireland Squad

OFFICIAL SPONSORS:

Rugby League World Cup 2008

The 2008 Rugby League World Cup not only concludes the Centenary of Rugby League celebrations in Australia, but will also mark the 13th chapter of the event which started way back in 1954. Since the tournament’s inception, the Rugby League World Cup has been taken to eight nations, with games played in over 50 cities and towns. The 2008 Rugby League World Cup will be the third tournament held in Australasia and will feature the top 10 Rugby League nations after the Rugby League World Cup qualifiers end in 2007. This Rugby League World Cup website will keep you up to date with all the latest information on the premier international event on the Rugby League calendar.

The Rugby League World Cup was an initiative of the French, who had been campaigning for a Rugby League World Cup since 1935. The idea was further pursued in 1951 in post-war France, with the pioneer of the concept being Paul Barriere, the President of the French Rugby League. In January 1952 the idea gained momentum as Rugby Football League secretary Bill Fallowfield persuaded the Rugby League Council to support the concept. At a meeting held in Blackpool, England, November 1953, the International Board accepted Paul Barrie’s proposal that France should be the host nation for the first Rugby League World Cup, the inaugural "Rugby World Cup" of either rugby code. The first Rugby League World Cup was held the following year, with Great Britain defeating France in Paris on November 13 to claim the title. The 1954 Rugby League World Cup was initially contested by the four Test nations: Australia, Great Britain, France and New Zealand. The teams played each other in a league format, with a final played between the top two teams. It was decided that the team that finished first in the league standings would be declared the winner for the second Rugby League World Cup played in Australia in 1957. Australia proved victorious on their home ground. After the successful 1960 competition, in which Great Britain won the Rugby League World Cup title for the second time and there would be no further Rugby League World Cup for 8 years. The Rugby League World Cup competition had been scheduled to be held in France in 1965, but after an unsuccessful tour of Australia, the French withdrew. The Rugby League World Cup Tournament was next held in 1968, and followed a 2 year cycle until the mid-1970s. The 1972 Rugby League World Cup final ended in a 10-all draw, and the title was awarded to Great Britain by virtue of their superior record in the Rugby League World Cup qualifiers. In 1975 the competition underwent its most radical overhaul to date. It was decided to play matches on a home and away basis around the world, instead of in any one host nation. Furthermore, the Great Britain team was spilt into England and Wales. Australia won that Rugby League World Cup Tournament, and in 1977 it was decided that Great Britain should once more compete as a single entity. Although the final between Australia and Great Britain was a closely fought affair, public interest in the Rugby League World Cup Tournament waned due to the changes to format, and it would not be held again until the mid-1980s. From 1985 to 1988, each nation played each other a number of times on a home and away basis. At the end of that period Australia met New Zealand at Eden Park. The match was a physical encounter, and Australian captain Wally Lewis played part of the match with a broken arm. The Kangaroos won the competition 25-12. This format was repeated from 1989-1992, and Australia defeated Great Britain 10-6 at Wembley Stadium in front of 73,631 people. This crowd remains a Rugby League World Cup record. In 1995 the Rugby League World Cup competition was once again restructured, and the largest number of teams to date (10) entered. New teams competing included Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and South Africa. The Rugby League World Cup Tournament, which was also held to celebrate the centenary of the sport in England, was highly successful with over 250,000 people attending the group stages and over 66,000 people attending the final to see Australia defeat England 16-8 in the final. The 2000 Rugby League World Cup expanded the field further, with 16 teams entering.

Teams already qualified in the Rugby League World Cup 2008 include Australia, England, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga. Teams still live in the qualifying process include Ireland, Lebanon, Russia, Samoa, Scotland, USA and Wales. Key players and personalities who look to have an impact on the Rugby League World Cup 2008 Tournament include Darren Lockyer, Ricky Stuart, Jonathon Thurston, John Monie, Jerome Guisset, Tony Smith, Rob Purdham, Arthur Kitinas, Jim Dymock, Adrian lam, Stanley Gene, Gary Kemble, Roy Asotasi, Soloman Haumono, Tim Sheens, Krisnan Inu, Benji Marshall. Key Venues for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup include Sydney, Brisbane, Townsville, and Melbourne. Services that the Rugby League World Cup 2008 website offers include Tickets, Corporate Hospitality, Travel packages, Shop and a newsletter. Key information contained within the Rugby League World Cup 2008 website include Past Winners, History, Teams, Qualifying, Upcoming Matches, Schedule, Forum and Statistics.

The Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) is the world governing body for the sport of Rugby League. They are responsible for organising international competitions such as the Rugby League World Cup and Tri-Nations, as well as fixing the laws of the game and co-ordinating international development.

ABOUT:About Rugby League World CupPast Winners of Rugby League World CupHistory of Rugby League World CupAbout RLIF NEWS:News for Rugby League World Cup TEAMS:AustraliaEnglandFijiFranceNew ZealandPapa New GuineaTonga QUALIFYING:Road To The RLWCRLWC Qualifying ProcessTeamsResultsUpcoming Matches FORUM:RLWC Forum SCHEDULE:RLWC Schedule PARTNERS:RLWC Partners NEWSLETTER:RLWC Newsletter CONTACT:RLWC Contact TICKETS:RLWC Tickets SHOP:RLWC Shop TRAVEL PACKAGES:RLWC Travel Packages CORPORATE HOSPITALITY: RLWC Hospitality