1972 Rugby League World Cup group stage

Saturday 28 October

France	20–9	New Zealand
Tries: Jean-Marie Bonal (2) Andre Ruiz Goals: Bernard Guilhelm (4) Jean-Marie Bonal (1) Field Goals: Marius Frattini (1)	[1]	Tries: Phillip Orchard (2) Mocky Brereton Goals:

Stade Vélodrome, Marseille Attendance: 20,748 Referee: Georges Jameau

France

New Zealand

FB 1 Roger Toujas RW 2 Serge Marsolan CE 3 Michael Moliner CE 4 Andre Ruiz LW 5 Jean-Marie Bonal SO 6 Bernard Guilhelm SH 7 Marius Frattini PR 8 Francis de Nadai (c) HK 9 Jacques Franc PR 10 Jacques Garzino SR 11 Victor Serrano SR 12 Serge Gleyzes LF 13 Michel Anglade Substitutions: IC 14 Charles Zalduendo IC 15 Coach:

FB 1 John Whittaker RW 2 Phillip Orchard CE 3 John O'Sullivan CE 4 Roy Christian (c) LW 5 Mocky Brereton FE 6 Dennis Williams HB 7 Brian Tracey PR 8 Mita Mohi HK 9 Bill Burgoyne PR 10 Bob Paul SR 11 Doug Gailey SR 12 Peter Gurnick LK 13 Murray Eade Substitutions: IC 14 Graeme Cooksley IC 15 Tony Coll Coach: Des Barchard

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.

Sunday 29 October

Great Britain	27–21	Australia
Tries: John Atkinson Phil Lowe Dennis O'Neill Mike Stephenson Clive Sullivan Goals: Terry Clawson (6/6)	[2]	Tries: Bob Fulton (3) Tommy Raudonikis Goals: Graeme Langlands (4) Field Goals: Bob McCarthy (1)

Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan Attendance: 6,324 Referee: Claude Teisseire

Great Britain

Australia

FB 1 Paul Charlton RW 2 Clive Sullivan (c) CE 3 Chris Hesketh CE 4 John Walsh LW 5 John Atkinson SO 6 Dennis O'Neill SH 7 Steve Nash PR 8 Terry Clawson HK 9 Mike Stephenson PR 10 David Jeanes SR 11 Brian Lockwood SR 12 Phil Lowe LF 13 George Nicholls Substitutions: IC 14 John Holmes IC 15 Coach: Jim Challinor

FB 1 Graeme Langlands (c) RW 2 Stephen Knight CE 3 Geoff Starling CE 4 Ray Branighan LW 5 Mark Harris FE 6 Bob Fulton HB 7 Tommy Raudonikis PR 8 John O'Neill HK 9 Elwyn Walters PR 10 Arthur Beetson SR 11 Bob McCarthy SR 12 John Elford LK 13 Gary Sullivan Substitutions: IC 14 Dennis Ward IC 15 Paul Sait Coach: Harry Bath

At Perpignan a monumental struggle finally went Britain's way 27–21 against the Kangaroos, for whom Bob Fulton grabbed three tries in a lost cause.

Wednesday 1 November

France	4–13	Great Britain
Try: Goals: Jean-Marie Bonal (1) Victor Serrano (1)	[3]	Try: Phil Lowe (2) Clive Sullivan Goals:

Stade Lesdiguières, Grenoble Attendance: 5,321 Referee: F. Gril

France

Great Britain

FB 1 Roger Toujas RW 2 Serge Marsolan CE 3 Michael Moliner CE 4 Andre Ruiz LW 5 Jean-Marie Bonal SO 6 Bernard Guilhelm SH 7 Jacky Imbert PR 8 Francis de Nadai (c) HK 9 Jacques Franc PR 10 Jean-Paul Sauret SR 11 Victor Serrano SR 12 Serge Gleyzes LF 13 Guy Rodriguez Substitutions: IC 14 Charles Zalduendo IC 15 Coach:

FB 1 Paul Charlton RW 2 Clive Sullivan (c) CE 3 Chris Hesketh CE 4 John Walsh LW 5 John Atkinson SO 6 Dennis O'Neill SH 7 Steve Nash PR 8 Terry Clawson HK 9 Mike Stephenson PR 10 Brian Lockwood SR 11 Colin Dixon SR 12 Phil Lowe LF 13 George Nicholls Substitutions: IC 14 IC 15 Coach: Jim Challinor

Great Britain overcame France 13–4 to qualify for the final with outstanding second-rower Phil Lowe scoring two tries.

Wednesday 1 November

Australia	9–5	New Zealand
Tries: Bob Fulton Dennis Ward Goals: Ray Branighan (1) Field Goals: Bob Fulton (1)	[4]	Tries: John Whittaker Goals: John Wilson (1)

Parc des Princes, Paris Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Mick Naughton

Australia

New Zealand

FB 1 Graeme Langlands (c) RW 2 John Grant CE 3 Ray Branighan CE 4 Geoff Starling LW 5 Stephen Knight FE 6 Bob Fulton HB 7 Dennis Ward PR 8 John O'Neill HK 9 Elwyn Walters PR 10 Bob O'Reilly SR 11 Gary Sullivan SR 12 John Elford LK 13 Paul Sait Substitutions: IC 14 Gary Stevens IC 15 Coach: Harry Bath

FB 1 John Wilson RW 2 Phillip Orchard CE 3 Mocky Brereton CE 4 Roy Christian (c) LW 5 John Whittaker FE 6 Dennis Williams HB 7 Brian Tracey PR 8 Don Mann HK 9 Bill Burgoyne PR 10 Doug Gailey SR 11 Murray Eade SR 12 Bob Paul LK 13 Peter Gurnick Substitutions: IC 14 Rodney Walker IC 15 Coach: Des Barchard

New Zealand gave Australia a hard time, the first half being scoreless, before going down 9–5.

Saturday 4 November

Great Britain	53–19	New Zealand
Tries: John Atkinson (2) John Holmes (2) Paul Charlton Chris Hesketh David Jeanes Steve Nash George Nicholls Mike Stephenson Clive Sullivan Goals: John Holmes (10)	[5]	Tries: Bill Burgoyne Tony Coll Murray Eade John Whittaker Dennis Williams Goals: John Wilson (2)

Stade du Hameau, Pau Attendance: 7,500 Referee: Georges Jameau Man of the Match: John Holmes

Great Britain

New Zealand

FB 1 Paul Charlton RW 2 Clive Sullivan (c) CE 3 Chris Hesketh CE 4 John Walsh LW 5 John Atkinson SO 6 John Holmes SH 7 Steve Nash PR 8 David Jeanes HK 9 Mike Stephenson PR 10 Brian Lockwood SR 11 Bob Irving SR 12 Phil Lowe LF 13 George Nicholls Substitutions: IC 14 David Redfearn IC 15 Tony Karalius Coach: Jim Challinor

FB 1 John Wilson RW 2 Phillip Orchard CE 3 Mocky Brereton CE 4 Roy Christian (c) LW 5 John Whittaker FE 6 Dennis Williams HB 7 Brian Tracey PR 8 Don Mann HK 9 Bill Burgoyne PR 10 Doug Gailey SR 11 Murray Eade SR 12 Tony Coll LK 13 Peter Gurnick Substitutions: IC 14 Warren Collicoat IC 15 Rodney Walker Coach: Des Barchard

Great Britain hammered New Zealand 53–19, a World Cup record score, with young stand-off John Holmes collecting 26 points (10 goals, 2 tries) – another World Cup record.

Sunday 5 November

France	9–31	Australia
Tries: Andre Ruiz Goals: Jean-Marie Bonal (3)	[6]	Tries: Mark Harris (2) Paul Sait (2) Bob Fulton John O'Neill Elwyn Walters Goals: Ray Branighan (5)

Stadium Municipal, Toulouse Attendance: 10,332 Referee: Mick Naughton

France

Australia

FB 1 Roger Toujas RW 2 Serge Marsolan CE 3 Michael Moliner CE 4 Andre Ruiz LW 5 Jean-Marie Bonal SO 6 Michael Mazare SH 7 Marius Frattini PR 8 Charles Zalduendo HK 9 Jacques Franc PR 10 Jacques Garzino SR 11 Victor Serrano SR 12 Francis de Nadai (c) LF 13 Serge Gleyzes Substitutions: IC 14 Bernard Guilhelm IC 15 Michel Anglade Coach:

FB 1 Graeme Langlands (c) RW 2 Ray Branighan CE 3 Mark Harris CE 4 Geoff Starling LW 5 John Grant FE 6 Bob Fulton HB 7 Dennis Ward PR 8 John O'Neill HK 9 Elwyn Walters PR 10 Bob O'Reilly SR 11 Gary Stevens SR 12 Arthur Beetson LK 13 Paul Sait Substitutions: IC 14 IC 15 Coach: Harry Bath

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.