1976 World Club Challenge
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox rugby league football match
|year = 1976
|title = Unofficial World Club Challenge
|image = File:Sydney Showground and Cricket Ground 1936 (14019783946).jpg
|imagesize = 250px
|caption = Sydney Cricket Ground hosted the match
|alt =
|home = Eastern Suburbs
|away = St. Helens
|home_league = NSWRFL
|away_league = RFL
|home_abbr = EAS {{leagueicon|Eastern Suburbs|16}}
|away_abbr = ST H {{leagueicon|St Helens|16}}
|home_half1 =
|home_half2 =
|home_total = 25
|away_half1 =
|away_half2 =
|away_total = 2
|date = 29 June 1976
|stadium = Sydney Cricket Ground
|location = Moore Park, Australia
|MoM_title = Man of the Match
|MoM = Royce Ayliffe {{leagueicon|Eastern Suburbs|16}}
|anthem_title =
|anthem =
|anthem2_title =
|anthem2 =
|referee = Gary Cook {{flagicon|AUS}}
|attendance = 26,856
|network = ATN 7 {{Flagicon|AUS}}
|network2 =
|commentators = Rex Mossop
|commentators2 = Barry Ross
|commentators3 =
|tournaments = World Club Challenge
|last =
|next = 1987
}}
The 1976 World Club Challenge was an unofficial trial of what would later become the World Club Challenge concept, with the 1975 NSWRFL season's premiers, Eastern Suburbs hosting the 1975–76 Northern Rugby Football League season's Premiership and Challenge Cup winners St. Helens. The one-off challenge match was played on 29 June, right in the middle of the 1976 NSWRFL season, at the Sydney Cricket Ground before a crowd of 26,856.[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-40337011.html HighBeam]{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
The next game of its kind would not be played until 1987.
Background
The game was the first of its type, and was the last to be played in Australia until 1994.
Eastern Suburbs Roosters
The Roosters, coached by Jack Gibson and captained by Australian international forward Arthur Beetson, were the reigning Sydney premiers having won the NSWRFL Grand Finals in both 1974 and 1975.{{fact|date=June 2020}}
St Helens
Saints were the reigning English champions, having won the title in 1974-75. Saints were coached by former Great Britain captain Eric Ashton and captained by Welsh dual rugby international Kel Coslett.{{fact|date=June 2020}}
Teams
| width=92% |
| {{Football kit
|pattern_la = |pattern_b = _easts |pattern_ra = |pattern_sh = |pattern_so = _red_midband_color |leftarm = 000080 |body = 00008B |rightarm = 000080 |shorts = FFFFFF |socks = 00008B |title = Eastern Suburbs }} |{{Football kit |pattern_la = _redborder |pattern_b = _Vwidered |pattern_ra = _redborder |pattern_sh = |pattern_so = _band_red |leftarm = FFFFFF |body = FFFFFF |rightarm = FFFFFF |shorts = FFFFFF |socks = FFFFFF |title = St Helens }} |
| width="100%"
|valign="top" width="50%"| {| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" | ||
| width="25"| | width="25"| | |
|---|---|---|
| FB | 1 | Russell Fairfax |
| LW | 2 | Ian Schubert |
| CE | 3 | Mark Harris |
| CE | 4 | John Brass |
| RW | 5 | Bill Mullins |
| FE | 8 | Trevor Barnes |
| HB | 7 | Kevin Stevens |
| LK | 9 | Barry Reilly |
| SR | 11 | Arthur Beetson (c) |
| SR | 16 | Ian Mackay |
| PR | 13 | Royce Ayliffe |
| HK | 12 | Elwyn Walters |
| PR | 10 | Kel Jones |
| colspan=3|Substitutions: | ||
| IC | 6 | Robert Laurie |
| IC | 20 | Johnny Mayes |
| IC | 21 | Grant Hedger |
| IC | 14 | Greg Townsend |
| colspan=3|Coach: | ||
| colspan="4"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Jack Gibson |
|valign="top" width="50%"|
| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" | ||
| width="25"| | width="25"| | |
|---|---|---|
| FB | 1 | Geoff Pimblett |
| RW | 2 | Les Jones |
| CE | 3 | Eddie Cunningham |
| CE | 4 | Derek Noonan |
| LW | 5 | Roy Mathias |
| SO | 6 | Billy Benyon |
| SH | 16 | Kenneth Gwilliam |
| PR | 8 | John Mantle |
| HK | 9 | Tony Karalius |
| PR | 10 | Kel Coslett (c) |
| SR | 11 | Eric Chisnall |
| SR | 12 | George Nicholls |
| LF | 13 | David Hull |
| colspan=3|Substitutions: | ||
| IC | 14 | Peter Glynn |
| IC | 15 | Frank Wilson |
| IC | 7 | Jeff Heaton |
| IC | 17 | Mel James |
| colspan=3|Coach: | ||
| colspan="4"|{{flagicon|ENG}} Eric Ashton |
|}
Match details
{{rugbyleaguebox |
bg = #eeeeee |
date = 29 June 1976 |
score = 25 – 2|
report = |
team1 = Eastern Suburbs Roosters {{leagueicon|Sydney|16}} |
team2 = {{leagueicon|St Helens|16}} St. Helens |
points1 = Tries:
Russell Fairfax
Kevin Stevens
Royce Ayliffe
Ian Schubert
Greg Townsend
Goals:
John Brass (5) |
points2 = Tries:
Goals:
Pimblett (1) |
stadium = Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney |
attendance = 26,856 |
referee = Gary Cook {{flagicon|AUS}} |
manofmatch = Royce Ayliffe {{leagueicon|Sydney|16}} |
}}
Aftermath
After winning the 1974 and 1975 Sydney premierships, Eastern Suburbs would not win another until 2002, while St Helens would go on to win a third English premiership in succession in 1976–77.
The next time Easts, now known as the Sydney Roosters, would play in a World Club Challenge was in 2003 where they would again face St Helens, the 2002 Super League champions at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton, England. The result would be no different though as the Roosters defeated the Saints 38-0 in front of 19,807 fans.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the challenge, St Helens and the Sydney Roosters played a match as part of the 2016 World Club Series.[http://superleague.co.uk/article/33177/clubs-confirmed-for-2016-world Clubs confirmed for 2016 World Club Series], superleague.co.uk, 8 October 2015
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080502152857/http://www.superleague.co.uk/wcc_1975-76.php?rid=321 1976 World Club Challenge at superleague.co.uk]
- [http://rugbyleagueproject.com/matches/World_Club_Challenge_1976/Sydney_Roosters-vs-St_Helens.html 1976 World Club Challenge at rugbyleagueproject.com]
{{World Club Challenge}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:World Club Challenge}}
Category:Sydney Roosters matches
Category:St Helens R.F.C. matches
Category:International rugby league competitions hosted by Australia
Category:Rugby league in Sydney
Category:1976 in Australian rugby league