Rugby League Tournament Standings by Nation, 1954–2025
Rugby league tournament standings by nation, 1954-2025: 136 pool-stage ladder rows across 23 editions with played, won, points for/against and ladder points.
This table holds every pool/group-stage standings row from Rugby League Project’s competition ladders (23 tournament editions across the World Cup, World Championship, Tri-Nations, and Pacific competitions, 1954-2025). Splitting each nation’s share of total tournament points at the year 2000 shows which nations gained ground in the pool stage as the international calendar expanded, and which lost it.
Sort any column or search the table below; hover a dot on the chart for that era’s exact points share.
Pacific Nations Gained Pool-Stage Ground After 2000
Splitting each nation's tournament-ladder points at 2000 and dividing by that era's total across all nations, Tonga's share rose from 0.5% before 2000 to 8.6% since — the clearest gain among the 9 nations with the most career pool-stage points. Great Britain's share fell the other way, from 24.6% to 4.3%.
Australia still holds the largest single share in both eras, but a smaller one since 2000 as the pool-stage points have spread across more competitive nations rather than concentrating in the three sides (Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand) that dominated the pre-2000 World Cup and World Championship tables.
Pool-Stage Points Share by Era, 1954–2025
The 9 nations with the most career pool-stage tournament points, ranked by total; each nation's share of that era's total points, before 2000 vs 2000 onward. Hover a dot for the exact share.
Full Tournament Standings by Nation, 1954–2025
| Competition▼ | Edition▼ | Team▼ | Position (rank)▼ | Played (matches)▼ | Won (matches)▼ | Lost (matches)▼ | Drawn (matches)▼ | Points For (points)▼ | Points Against (points)▼ | Point Diff (points)▼ | Tournament Points▼ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Cup | 1954 | France | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 50 | 31 | 19 | 5 |
| World Cup | 1954 | Great Britain | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 67 | 32 | 35 | 5 |
| World Cup | 1954 | Australia | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 52 | 58 | -6 | 2 |
| World Cup | 1954 | New Zealand | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 34 | 82 | -48 | 0 |
| World Cup | 1957 | Australia | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 82 | 20 | 62 | 6 |
| World Cup | 1957 | France | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 59 | -31 | 2 |
| World Cup | 1957 | Great Britain | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 50 | 65 | -15 | 2 |
| World Cup | 1957 | New Zealand | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 44 | 60 | -16 | 2 |
| World Cup | 1960 | Great Britain | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 18 | 48 | 6 |
| World Cup | 1960 | Australia | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 4 |
| World Cup | 1960 | New Zealand | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 44 | -12 | 2 |
| World Cup | 1960 | France | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 55 | -36 | 0 |
| World Cup | 1968 | Australia | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 26 | 67 | 6 |
| World Cup | 1968 | France | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 49 | -23 | 4 |
| World Cup | 1968 | Great Britain | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 50 | 46 | 4 | 2 |
| World Cup | 1968 | New Zealand | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 84 | -48 | 0 |
| World Cup | 1970 | Great Britain | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 21 | 23 | 6 |
| World Cup | 1970 | Australia | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 66 | 39 | 27 | 2 |
| World Cup | 1970 | France | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 37 | -5 | 2 |
| World Cup | 1970 | New Zealand | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 44 | 89 | -45 | 2 |
| World Cup | 1972 | Great Britain | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 44 | 49 | 6 |
| World Cup | 1972 | Australia | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 61 | 41 | 20 | 4 |
| World Cup | 1972 | France | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 53 | -20 | 2 |
| World Cup | 1972 | New Zealand | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 33 | 82 | -49 | 0 |
| World Championship | 1975 | Australia | 1 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 198 | 69 | 129 | 13 |
| World Championship | 1975 | England | 2 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 167 | 84 | 83 | 12 |
| World Championship | 1975 | New Zealand | 3 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 121 | 149 | -28 | 6 |
| World Championship | 1975 | Wales | 3 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 110 | 130 | -20 | 6 |
| World Championship | 1975 | France | 5 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 40 | 204 | -164 | 3 |
| World Cup | 1977 | Australia | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 26 | 41 | 6 |
| World Cup | 1977 | Great Britain | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 58 | 35 | 23 | 4 |
| World Cup | 1977 | New Zealand | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 52 | 77 | -25 | 2 |
| World Cup | 1977 | France | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 33 | 72 | -39 | 0 |
| World Cup | 1985-88 | Great Britain | 3 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 203 | 90 | 113 | 10 |
| World Cup | 1985-88 | France | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 35 | 140 | -105 | 3 |
| World Cup | 1989-92 | Australia | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 236 | 68 | 168 | 16 |
| World Cup | 1989-92 | Great Britain | 2 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 215 | 79 | 136 | 10 |
| World Cup | 1989-92 | New Zealand | 3 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 203 | 120 | 83 | 10 |
| World Cup | 1989-92 | France | 4 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 80 | 247 | -167 | 4 |
| World Cup | 1989-92 | Papua New Guinea | 5 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 84 | 304 | -220 | 0 |
| World Cup | 1995 | England | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 112 | 16 | 96 | 6 |
| World Cup | 1995 | New Zealand | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 30 | 17 | 4 |
| World Cup | 1995 | Wales | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 16 | 34 | 4 |
| World Cup | 1995 | Australia | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 168 | 26 | 142 | 4 |
| World Cup | 1995 | Tonga | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 52 | 53 | -1 | 1 |
| World Cup | 1995 | Western Samoa | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 66 | 32 | 34 | 2 |
| World Cup | 1995 | Fiji | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 52 | 118 | -66 | 2 |
| World Cup | 1995 | France | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 84 | -68 | 0 |
| World Cup | 1995 | Papua New Guinea | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 34 | 50 | -16 | 1 |
| World Cup | 1995 | South Africa | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 184 | -172 | 0 |
| Tri-Nations | 1999 | New Zealand | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 26 | 24 | 4 |
| Tri-Nations | 1999 | Australia | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 64 | 30 | 34 | 2 |
| Tri-Nations | 1999 | Great Britain | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 68 | -58 | 0 |
| World Cup | 2000 | Australia | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 198 | 14 | 184 | 6 |
| World Cup | 2000 | Ireland | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 38 | 40 | 6 |
| World Cup | 2000 | New Zealand | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 206 | 28 | 178 | 6 |
| World Cup | 2000 | Papua New Guinea | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 69 | 42 | 27 | 6 |
| World Cup | 2000 | Cook Islands | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 38 | 144 | -106 | 1 |
| World Cup | 2000 | Fiji | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 56 | 144 | -88 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2000 | Lebanon | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 44 | 110 | -66 | 1 |
| World Cup | 2000 | New Zealand Maori | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 49 | 67 | -18 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2000 | Tonga | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 96 | 76 | 20 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2000 | Russia | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 224 | -204 | 0 |
| World Cup | 2000 | Scotland | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 34 | 55 | -21 | 0 |
| World Cup | 2000 | South Africa | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 138 | -114 | 0 |
| Tri-Nations | 2004 | Great Britain | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 80 | 60 | 20 | 6 |
| Tri-Nations | 2004 | Australia | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 72 | 60 | 12 | 5 |
| Tri-Nations | 2004 | New Zealand | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 64 | 96 | -32 | 1 |
| Tri-Nations | 2005 | Australia | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 102 | 84 | 18 | 6 |
| Tri-Nations | 2005 | New Zealand | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 118 | 120 | -2 | 4 |
| Tri-Nations | 2005 | Great Britain | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 84 | 100 | -16 | 2 |
| Tri-Nations | 2006 | Australia | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 95 | 66 | 29 | 6 |
| Tri-Nations | 2006 | New Zealand | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 85 | 68 | 17 | 4 |
| Tri-Nations | 2006 | Great Britain | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 51 | 97 | -46 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2008 | Australia | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 128 | 16 | 112 | 6 |
| World Cup | 2008 | Fiji | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 58 | 24 | 34 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2008 | Tonga | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 40 | -6 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2008 | New Zealand | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 60 | 30 | 4 |
| World Cup | 2008 | Samoa | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 46 | -10 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2008 | Scotland | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 52 | -16 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2008 | England | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 60 | 110 | -50 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2008 | France | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 60 | -18 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2008 | Ireland | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 54 | 38 | 16 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2008 | Papua New Guinea | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 34 | 126 | -92 | 0 |
| World Cup | 2013 | Australia | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 112 | 22 | 90 | 6 |
| World Cup | 2013 | New Zealand | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 146 | 34 | 112 | 6 |
| World Cup | 2013 | Scotland | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 78 | 62 | 16 | 5 |
| World Cup | 2013 | USA | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 64 | 58 | 6 | 4 |
| World Cup | 2013 | Cook Islands | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 64 | 78 | -14 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2013 | England | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 96 | 40 | 56 | 4 |
| World Cup | 2013 | Samoa | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 84 | 52 | 32 | 4 |
| World Cup | 2013 | Tonga | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 62 | 42 | 20 | 4 |
| World Cup | 2013 | Wales | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 56 | 84 | -28 | 0 |
| World Cup | 2013 | Fiji | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 46 | 82 | -36 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2013 | France | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 78 | -63 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2013 | Italy | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 62 | 62 | 0 | 3 |
| World Cup | 2013 | Ireland | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 124 | -110 | 0 |
| World Cup | 2013 | Papua New Guinea | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 103 | -81 | 0 |
| World Cup | 2017 | Australia | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 104 | 10 | 94 | 6 |
| World Cup | 2017 | Tonga | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 110 | 44 | 66 | 6 |
| World Cup | 2017 | England | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 69 | 34 | 35 | 4 |
| World Cup | 2017 | Ireland | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 76 | 32 | 44 | 4 |
| World Cup | 2017 | Italy | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 68 | 74 | -6 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2017 | New Zealand | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 134 | 42 | 92 | 4 |
| World Cup | 2017 | USA | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 168 | -156 | 0 |
| World Cup | 2017 | Wales | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 156 | -138 | 0 |
| World Cup | 2017 | France | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 117 | -87 | 0 |
| World Cup | 2017 | Scotland | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 24 | 138 | -114 | 1 |
| World Cup | 2022 | Australia | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 192 | 14 | 178 | 6 |
| World Cup | 2022 | England | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 196 | 28 | 168 | 6 |
| World Cup | 2022 | New Zealand | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 150 | 28 | 122 | 6 |
| World Cup | 2022 | Tonga | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 148 | 34 | 114 | 6 |
| World Cup | 2022 | Fiji | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 98 | 60 | 38 | 4 |
| World Cup | 2022 | Lebanon | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 118 | 60 | 58 | 4 |
| World Cup | 2022 | Papua New Guinea | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 86 | 40 | 46 | 4 |
| World Cup | 2022 | Samoa | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 140 | 68 | 72 | 4 |
| World Cup | 2022 | Cook Islands | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 44 | 136 | -92 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2022 | France | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 56 | 116 | -60 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2022 | Ireland | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 72 | 82 | -10 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2022 | Italy | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 130 | -92 | 2 |
| World Cup | 2022 | Greece | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 200 | -180 | 0 |
| World Cup | 2022 | Jamaica | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 190 | -170 | 0 |
| World Cup | 2022 | Scotland | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 142 | -124 | 0 |
| World Cup | 2022 | Wales | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 86 | -68 | 0 |
| Pacific Bowl | 2023 | Fiji | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 34 | 31 | 4 |
| Pacific Bowl | 2023 | Papua New Guinea | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 62 | 53 | 9 | 2 |
| Pacific Bowl | 2023 | Cook Islands | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 68 | -40 | 0 |
| Pacific Championships | 2023 | Australia | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 30 | 44 | 4 |
| Pacific Championships | 2023 | Fiji | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 34 | 31 | 4 |
| Pacific Championships | 2023 | New Zealand | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 68 | 36 | 32 | 2 |
| Pacific Championships | 2023 | Papua New Guinea | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 62 | 53 | 9 | 2 |
| Pacific Championships | 2023 | Cook Islands | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 68 | -40 | 0 |
| Pacific Championships | 2023 | Samoa | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 88 | -76 | 0 |
| Pacific Cup | 2023 | Australia | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 30 | 44 | 4 |
| Pacific Cup | 2023 | New Zealand | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 68 | 36 | 32 | 2 |
| Pacific Cup | 2023 | Samoa | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 88 | -76 | 0 |
One row per nation per pool/group table. World Cup editions recorded as multi-year spans on the source (1985-88, 1989-92) keep that edition label; 1975 is recorded under competition = 'World Championship', a separate entity on the source.
Download the full table (CSV) · 136 rows
How the Numbers Were Made
Built from the pool/group ladder table on each competition edition's rugbyleagueproject.org summary page. Rows where a team had not yet played (played = 0 or a blank cell, e.g. incomplete 2026 groups) are dropped. Tied positions leave the rank cell blank on the source; carried forward here from the row above, matching what the ladder visually shows.
World Cup group tables are included only for editions with a ladder table on the source; the single-round-robin 1954, 1957, and 1960 editions appear as one group each rather than split into pools. Four Nations (2009-2016) and most Pacific Cup/Bowl/Championships editions have no ladder table at all on the source — every game there is listed as an individual match instead, so those tournaments appear in the companion match-results dataset, not here.
The 2000 era split is a simple cut on edition year for comparison purposes only; it does not imply a single rule change at that year. Women's pool tables (Pacific Championships 2023) are excluded — this dataset covers men's competitions only.
Sources
- Competition summary/ladder pages across World Cup, World Championship, Tri-Nations, and Pacific tournamentsprimaryRugby League Project (rugbyleagueproject.org) · primary · retrieved 2026-09-13 · No formal licence published; volunteer-run public archive, robots.txt allows crawling. Attributed here per that archive's stated aim to be free for public reuse.