| Cumbria rugby league team | |
| Badge Size: | 100px |
| Governing Body: | Rugby Football League |
| Coach: | Paul Crarey |
| Captain: | Rob Purdham |
| Home Stadium: | Varies |
| Pattern La1: | _blackshoulders |
| Pattern B1: | _thinwhitesides |
| Pattern Ra1: | _blackshoulders |
| Leftarm1: | FFFFF |
| Body1: | 000000 |
| Rightarm1: | FFFFF |
| Shorts1: | 000000 |
| Socks1: | 000000 |
| First Game: | Cumberland 0–8 Yorkshire (Parkside, Hunslet; 5 February 1898) |
| First International: | Cumberland 21–9 (Lonsdale Park, Workington; 8 January 1908) |
| Largest Win: | Cumbria 70–0 (Craven Park, Barrow-in-Furness; 4 November 2007) |
| Largest Loss: | Cumbria 12–64 Anzacs (Derwent Park, Workington; 27 October 2004) |
The Cumbria rugby league team (known as Cumberland from 1898 to 1973) is an English representative rugby league team consisting of players who were born in the county of Cumbria and the historic county of Cumberland. They play fixtures against international representative sides, often acting as opposition in warm-up fixtures for touring international sides.[1] [2]
Cumbria played the touring Australian Kangaroos during 14 Kangaroo Tours, including 1908-09 (twice), 1911-12, 1921-22, 1929–30, 1933–34, 1948–49, 1963-64, 1967-68, 1973, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990 and 1994, as well as playing the Australians as part of their 1992 Rugby League World Cup final tour. They also played New Zealand in 1907–08, 1926–27 and 1980.
During the 2004 Tri-Nations series Cumbria played a match against an 'ANZAC Combination' side made up of Australian and New Zealand squad members. The 64–12 loss was the largest ever suffered by the Cumbrian side.
Cumbria played the England national rugby league team as part of England's preparation for the 2010 Four Nations.[3] The match raised funds for the Rugby Football League's benevolent fund and the family of Garry Purdham, who was among the victims of the Cumbria shootings tragedy on 2 June 2010.[4] [5] The game was watched by 5,250 spectators at Whitehaven's Recreation Ground and ended 18–18,[6] raising over £50,000 for its cause.[7]
In 2006, Cumbria defeated Tonga 28–16 at Derwent Park in Workington, while on 4 November 2007, Cumbria recorded its largest ever win when they defeated the United States 70–0 at Craven Park in Barrow-in-Furness.
In 2010, Cumbria was coached by Paul Crarey, with assistant coaches; Gary Charlton of Workington Town, and David Seeds of Whitehaven.[8]
Cumbria played in the County Championship from 1898 to its final season in 1983. They have also played against international representative sides during tours to Great Britain.[9]
Titles 16:[10] 1905–1906, 1907–1908, 1909–1910, 1911–1912, 1927–1928, 1932–1933, 1933–1934, 1934–1935, 1948–1949, 1959–1960, 1961–1962, 1963–1964, 1965–1966, 1966–1967, 1980–1981, 1981–1982.
Results for Cumbria against international teams.[11]
| Date | Opposition | Result | Venue | Attendance | Tour | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 January 1908 | 21–9 | 4,000 | 1907–08 All Golds tour | |||
| 24 October 1908 | 10–52 | 4,000 | 1908–09 Kangaroo tour | |||
| 4 February 1909 | 11–2 | 2,000 | ||||
| 22 November 1911 | 2–5 | 6,000 | 1911–12 Kangaroo tour | |||
| 7 January 1922 | 12–25 | 5,000 | 1921–22 Kangaroo tour | |||
| 6 January 1927 | 3–18 | Unknown | 4,200 | 1926–27 Kiwis tour | ||
| 7 December 1929 | 8–5 | 3,500 | 1929–30 Kangaroo tour | |||
| 9 December 1933 | 17–16 | 5,800 | 1933–34 Kangaroo tour | |||
| 14 October 1939 | C–C | N/A | 1939 Kiwis tour | |||
| 14 October 1948 | 5–4 | 8,818 | 1948–49 Kangaroo tour | |||
| 7 December 1955 | 24–11 | 3,643 | 1955 Kiwis tour | |||
| 20 September 1961 | 22–20 | 5,271 | 1961 Kiwis tour | |||
| 9 October 1961 | 9–10 | 5,033 | ||||
| 31 October 1963 | 0–21 | 8,229 | 1963–64 Kangaroo tour | |||
| 18 November 1967 | 17–15 | 7,545 | 1967–68 Kangaroo tour | |||
| 24 October 1973 | 2–28 | 3,666 | 1973 Kangaroo tour | |||
| 1 October 1978 | 4–47 | 5,964 | 1978 Kangaroo tour | |||
| 7 November 1979 | 9–23 | 2,000 | 1979 Kumuls tour | |||
| 8 October 1980 | 9–3 | 4,070 | 1980 Kiwis tour | |||
| 9 November 1982 | 2–41 | 5,748 | 1982 Kangaroo tour | |||
| 2 November 1983 | 6–40 | 2,600 | 1982 Kiwis tour | |||
| 15 October 1985 | 6–32 | 5,500 | 1985 Kiwis tour | |||
| 21 October 1986 | 12–48 | 4,233 | 1986 Kangaroo tour | |||
| 20 October 1987 | 22–4 | 3,750 | 1987 Kumuls tour | |||
| 17 October 1989 | 2–28 | 3,983 | 1989 Kiwis tour | |||
| 17 October 1990 | 10–42 | 6,750 | 1990 Kangaroo tour | |||
| 5 November 1991 | 35–5 | 2,000 | 1991 Kumuls tour | |||
| 18 October 1992 | 0–44 | 5,156 | 1992 Kangaroo tour | |||
| 2 October 1994 | 8–52 | 4,277 | 1994 Kangaroo tour | |||
| 19 October 2003 | 24–24 | 4,124 | Friendly | |||
| 27 October 2004 |   Anzacs | 12–64 | 4,203 | Friendly | ||
| 25 October 2006 | 28–16 | 1,639 | Friendly | |||
| 4 November 2007 | 70–0 | 1,028 | Friendly | |||
| 3 October 2010 | 18–18 | 5,250 | Friendly | |||
| 22 October 2011 | 12–26 | 1,163 | Friendly | |||
| 21 October 2016 | 16–48 | 1,048 | Friendly | |||
| 7 October 2022 | 28–12 | 3,000 | Friendly | |||
| 13 October 2023 | Chairman's XIII | 23–4 | Unknown | Friendly |