What a festival of rugby league! The Independent Student Rugby League World Cup 1999 was a memorable fortnight of tremendous action and excitement. Many treasured and lasting memories will have been made of the event, won impressively by New Zealand, but contributed enormously to by all who take part.

Results The pool stage matches took place on Sunday 3rd, Wednesday 6th and the weekend of 9th/10th October.

**    South Africa qualified for the Bowl ahead of Scotland on the basis of a greater number of points scored

The second phase of the tournament began on Wednesday 13th October with the semi-finals. The finals and play-offs took place on Saturday 16th October, and the following day, the culmination of a fortnight’s intense and exciting rugby league saw the World Cup Play-Off and the World Cup Final itself.

World Plate Semi-Finals                                                     World Bowl Semi-Finals

Japan      10            Scotland                  70                            South Africa            10            Russia     22

(at Featherstone Rovers)                                                       (at Heworth, York)

USA         12            Canada                    16                            Ireland                     26            Wales      16

(at Keighley)                                                                            (at Castleford Lock Lane)

World Plate Play-Off                                                            World Bowl Play-Off

Japan      16            USA                         46                            South Africa            24            Wales      26

(at Batley)                                                                               (at Keighley)

World Plate Final                                                                  World Bowl Final

Scotland  26            Canada                    16                            Russia                     25            Ireland     24

(at Castleford)                                                                         (at Wakefield Trinity)

World Cup Semi-Finals                                                       World Cup Play-Off

England   10            France                     7                              France                     0              Australia  78           

(at The Boulevard, Hull)                                                          (at The Boulevard, Hull)

Australia  14            New Zealand          25

(at Wilderspool, Warrington)

World Cup Final

England   16            New Zealand          46 (at The Boulevard, Hull)

An estimated crowd of 1,500 turned up at The Boulevard to enjoy the climax of the competition on Sunday 17th October. After witnessing a sensational performance from the rampant Australians in the 3rd and 4th place play off, and also a very entertaining Hull Schools 'World Cup' match which served as a curtain raiser, the crowd settled down in anticipation of a titanic battle between the favourites, New Zealand, and the home team, England. Despite a very spirited performance from the English team and the lift of an early try by Kevin Mannion which gave them the lead, the result was never in serious doubt, as the Kiwis demonstrated their class as a team unit, with a masterly and clinical display. There were outstanding individual performances, notably from experienced Phil Bergman and the sensation of the tournament, Cambodian-born Channarith Ly, but the New Zealanders as a whole, just had too much quality for England. Ly was later named 'Player of the Tournament' at the reception at The Guildhall, and will, in all probability, be a New Zealand star of the future at professional level, in addition to his deserved current status in the student game. England, to their great credit, never gave up, and responded superbly well after the interval when Mick Horner scored, and later in the second half, when Mark Sibson scored a well worked try, but in the end class told and the trophy was again on its way to the Southern Hemisphere. Thirteen years after their success in the inaugural World Cup competition, New Zealand are again World Champions of Student Rugby League.

Referee:                Rob Shaw (England)

Student Rugby League World Cup performances - Nation by Nation

In the last edition of 'League Leader', I brought you a statistical review of the performances of every side who have played in Student Rugby League World Cup tournaments. Here now are the updated records (in alphabetical order) following The Independent Student Rugby League World Cup 1999. Note that whilst there was a limit of 60 points per match on points difference in the tournament itself, for the purposes of the following, the actual scores of games will be recorded.