List of Rugby League World Cup hat-tricks explained

The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league tournament which has been played at various intervals since 1954. Hat-tricks have been achieved 71 times at the tournament, 70 times with tries and just once with field goals. The first player to do this was Alex Watson, who achieved the feat for Australia against New Zealand in the inaugural tournament.[1] Players who have played for Australia have scored the most hat-tricks with 30 (29 tries 1 field goal), while Papua New Guinea representatives have conceded the most with 11 (all tries).

Hat-tricks are more of a common occurrence in the group stages, as the match-ups usually place higher-ranked teams against lower-ranked teams. Just ten hat-tricks have occurred in the knockout stages, six happening in the quarter-finals and four in the semi-finals. They have been scored by Bryan Fletcher and Robbie Paul in the 2000 tournament, Billy Slater and Johnathan Thurston in the 2008 edition, Jarryd Hayne (twice) and Brett Morris in the 2013 competition, Valentine Holmes (twice) in the 2017 tournament and Josh Addo-Carr in the 2021 edition.[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

Out of the 70 hat-tricks scored, seven people have achieved the feat twice, these being Ian Schubert, Billy Slater, Akuila Uate, Manu Vatuvei, Jarryd Hayne, Suliasi Vunivalu, Valentine Holmes and Josh Addo-Carr. 15 people have scored an additional try on top of the hat-trick. Holmes and Addo-Carr have scored five tries in a single game, whilst Holmes is the only player to score six tries in a single game. Four players have scored hat-tricks while being on the losing side, these being Bob Fulton, Ian Schubert, Damien Blanch and Chris Taripo.[9] [10] [11] [12] Billy Smith is the only player to score a hat-trick of field goals, doing so for Australia against France in the 1968 tournament.[13]

Hat-tricks

Key
PlayerThe player who scored the hat-trick
ForThe team the player scored the hat-trick for
AgainstThe team the player scored the hat-trick against
StageThe stage of the tournament at which the hat-trick was scored
ResultThe end result of the match
VenueThe stadium and city where the match was played
DateThe date the hat-trick was scored
4Player scored four tries
5Player scored five tries
6Player scored six tries

Tries

No.! scope="col"
PlayerForAgainstStageResultVenueDateReference
1Group34–15Stade Vélodrome, Marseille7 November 1954
2Group21–15Headingley, Leeds1 October 1960[14]
3Group38–14Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney8 June 1968[15]
4Group21–27Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan29 October 1972
54Group48–2Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux11 October 1975[16]
6Group18–6St. Helen's, Swansea19 October 1975[17]
7Group27–12Odsal Stadium, Bradford25 October 1975[18]
8Group13–16Central Park, Wigan1 November 1975
94Group52–0Stade Albert Domec, Carcassonne13 December 1986[19]
10Group52–0Stade Albert Domec, Carcassonne13 December 1986
11Group66–14Carlaw Park, Auckland10 July 1988[20]
12Group66–14Carlaw Park, Auckland10 July 1988
134Group70–8Eric Weissel Oval, Wagga Wagga20 July 1988[21]
14Group34–0Stade Albert Domec, Carcassonne3 December 1989[22]
15Group34–2Pioneer Oval, Parkes27 June 1990[23]
16Group40–6PNG Football Stadium, Port Moresby13 October 1991[24]
17Group66–10Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland5 July 1992[25]
18Group28–6Ninian Park, Cardiff9 October 1995[26]
19Group86–6Gateshead International Stadium, Gateshead10 October 1995[27]
20Group66–0Kirklees Stadium, Huddersfield14 October 1995[28]
214Group66–18Stade Sébastien Charléty, Paris28 October 2000[29]
22Group38–12Craven Park, Hull29 October 2000[30]
23Group38–6Racecourse Ground, Wrexham29 October 2000[31]
244Group66–8Gateshead International Stadium, Gateshead1 November 2000[32]
25Group76–4Knowsley Road, St Helens1 November 2000[33]
26Group66–10Headingley, Leeds4 November 2000[34]
274Group110–4, Hull4 November 2000[35]
28Group110–4, Hull4 November 2000
29Group58–18Millennium Stadium, Cardiff5 November 2000[36]
30Group56–6Stadium Municipal, Toulouse5 November 2000[37]
31Quarter-final66–10Vicarage Road, Watford11 November 2000
32Quarter-final54–6Wheldon Road, Castleford12 November 2000
33Group32–22Willows Sports Complex, Townsville25 October 2008[38]
34Group20–22Parramatta Stadium, Parramatta27 October 2008
35Group42–6Wollongong Showground, Wollongong1 November 2008[39]
36Group52–4Docklands Stadium, Melbourne2 November 2008[40]
37Group34–16Parramatta Stadium, Parramatta5 November 2008[41]
384Group36–24Newcastle International Sports Centre, Newcastle8 November 2008[42]
39Group46–6Willows Sports Complex, Townsville9 November 2008[43]
40Semi-final52–0Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney16 November 2008
41Semi-final52–0Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney16 November 2008
42Group42–24Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington27 October 2013[44]
43Group32–14Spotland Stadium, Rochdale28 October 2013[45]
44Group42–0Kirklees Stadium, Huddersfield2 November 2013[46]
45Group38–4Craven Park, Hull4 November 2013[47]
46Group16–22Leigh Sports Village, Leigh5 November 2013
47Group56–10Headingley, Leeds8 November 2013[48]
484Quarter-final62–0Racecourse Ground, Wrexham16 November 2013
494Quarter-final62–0Racecourse Ground, Wrexham16 November 2013
50Semi-final64–0Wembley Stadium, London23 November 2013
51Group50–6PNG Football Stadium, Port Moresby28 October 2017[49]
52Group50–4Barlow Park, Cairns29 October 2017[50]
534Group52–6Canberra Stadium, Canberra3 November 2017[51]
54Group74–6Rugby League Park, Christchurch4 November 2017[52]
55Group72–6Willows Sports Complex, Townsville5 November 2017[53]
56Group38–10Canberra Stadium, Canberra10 November 2017[54]
57Group28–22Waikato Stadium, Hamilton11 November 2017[55]
58Group64–0PNG Football Stadium, Port Moresby12 November 2017[56]
595Quarter-final46–0Darwin Stadium, Darwin17 November 2017
606Semi-final54–6Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane24 November 2017
61Group28–4Headingley Stadium, Leeds16 October 2022[57]
624Group84–0Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry21 October 2022[58]
63Group84–0Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry21 October 2022
644Group68–6MKM Stadium, Hull22 October 2022[59]
65Group32–6Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens24 October 2022[60]
664Group94–4Bramall Lane, Sheffield29 October 2022[61]
67Group92–10Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough30 October 2022[62]
684Group92–10Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough30 October 2022
694Group62–4Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington30 October 2022[63]
705Quarter-final48–4Kirklees Stadium, Huddersfield4 November 2022

Field goals

No.! scope="col"
PlayerForAgainstStageResultVenueDateReference
1Group37–4Lang Park, Brisbane8 June 1968

Multiple hat-tricks

Player! scope="col"
No.Tournament(s)
21975
22008
22008, 2013
22008, 2013
22013
22017
22017
22021

Hat-tricks by each national team

Team! scope="col"
Hat-tricks for (tries)Hat-tricks against (tries)Hat-tricks for (field goals)Hat-tricks against (field goals)Hat-tricks for (total)Hat-tricks against (total)
29010300
11500115
730073
620062
570057
21100211
250025
220022
230023
11001111
120012
110011
110011
050005
040004
030003
030003
010001
010001
010001

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Australia vs. New Zealand – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-02-13.
  2. Web site: Australia vs. Samoa – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-02-13.
  3. Web site: New Zealand vs. France – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-02-13.
  4. News: Burke. David. Australia hammer Fiji to complete procession to World Cup final against New Zealand. 2008-11-16. The Daily Telegraph (UK). 2020-02-13. 0307-1235.
  5. News: Rugby League World Cup: Australia beat Fiji to reach final. 2013-11-23. BBC Sport. 2020-02-13.
  6. Web site: Australia march onto Wembley against proud USA. 2013-11-16. Wests Tigers. 2020-02-13.
  7. Web site: Rugby League World Cup: Valentine Holmes rewrites the record books as Kangaroos crush Fiji. Buckley. James. 2017-11-24. The Age. 2020-02-09.
  8. News: Addo-Carr gets five as Australia make semi-finals . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2022-11-04.
  9. Web site: Great Britain vs. Australia – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-02-13.
  10. Web site: England vs. Australia – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-02-13.
  11. News: Tonga 22–20 Ireland. 2008-10-27. BBC Sport. 2020-03-27.
  12. News: Rugby League World Cup: Tonga 22–16 Cook Islands. 2013-11-05. BBC Sport. 2020-02-13.
  13. Web site: Australia vs. France – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-02-09.
  14. Web site: Australia vs. New Zealand – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  15. Web site: Great Britain vs. New Zealand – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  16. Web site: France vs. England – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  17. Web site: Wales vs. Australia – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  18. Web site: England vs. New Zealand – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  19. Web site: France vs. Australia – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  20. Web site: New Zealand vs. Papua New Guinea – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  21. Web site: Australia vs. Papua New Guinea – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  22. Web site: France vs. New Zealand – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  23. Web site: Australia vs France 1990 – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  24. Web site: World Cup 1989–92 – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-30.
  25. Web site: New Zealand vs. Papua New Guinea – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  26. Web site: Wales vs. France – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  27. Web site: Australia vs. South Africa – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  28. Web site: Australia vs. Fiji – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  29. Web site: Tonga vs. South Africa – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  30. Web site: Fiji vs. Russia – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  31. Web site: Wales vs. Cook Islands – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  32. Web site: Australia vs. Fiji – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  33. Web site: England vs. Russia – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  34. Web site: England vs. Fiji – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  35. Web site: Australia vs. Russia – Rugby League Project. www.rugbyleagueproject.org. 2020-03-27.
  36. News: Rugby League: Kiwis far too good for Wales. 2000-11-05. NZ Herald. 2020-03-27. 1170-0777.
  37. Web site: France advance courtesy of Bloem's lip service. 2000-11-06. The Independent. 2020-03-27.
  38. News: Wilson. Andy. Rugby League World Cup: England 32-22 Papua New Guinea. 2008-10-25. The Observer. 2020-03-27. 0029-7712.
  39. News: Fiji 42-6 France. 2008-11-01. BBC Sport. 2020-03-27.
  40. News: Wilson. Andy. Rugby League World Cup: Australia thrash England 52–4 in Melbourne. 2008-11-02. The Guardian. 2020-03-27. 0261-3077.
  41. News: Ireland 34-16 Samoa. 2008-11-05. BBC Sport. 2020-03-27.
  42. News: Kiwis upset by English disrespect for haka. The Irish Times. 2020-03-27.
  43. News: Wilson. Andy. Rugby League: Australia ease to comfortable 46-6 win over Papua New Guinea. 2008-11-09. The Guardian. 2020-03-27. 0261-3077.
  44. Web site: New Zealand beats Samoa 42–24 in physical battle. 2013-10-28. ABC News-AU. 2020-03-27.
  45. News: Rugby League World Cup 2013: Fiji 32-14 Ireland. 2013-10-28. BBC Sport. 2020-03-27.
  46. News: Rugby League World Cup 2013: England 42–0 Ireland. 2013-11-02. BBC Sport. 2020-03-27.
  47. Web site: Rugby League World Cup: Samoa ran-in seven tries as they crushed Papua New Guinea. Sky Sports. 2020-03-27.
  48. News: New Zealand 56–10 Papua New Guinea World Cup match report. 2013-11-08. The Guardian. 2020-03-27. 0261-3077.
  49. Web site: PNG punish Wales in controversial clash. Nine's Wide World of Sports. 2020-03-27.
  50. Web site: Tongan giants trample Scotland. 2017-10-29. The Daily Telegraph (AU). 2020-03-27.
  51. News: Rugby League World Cup: Australia 52–6 France. 2017-11-03. BBC Sport. 2020-03-27.
  52. News: Rugby League World Cup: New Zealand thrash Scotland 74-6. 2017-11-04. BBC Sport. 2020-03-27.
  53. News: Rugby League World Cup: Fiji 72–6 Wales. 2017-11-05. BBC Sport. 2020-03-27.
  54. Web site: Fiji thumps Italy to reach Rugby League World Cup quarters. 2017-11-10. ABC News-AU. 2020-03-27.
  55. Web site: Tonga upsets New Zealand in Rugby League World Cup boilover. 2017-11-11. ABC News-AU. 2020-03-27.
  56. Web site: Papua New Guinea 64–0 USA: Kumuls top Rugby League World Cup Group C. Sky Sports. 2020-03-27.
  57. News: Bower . Aaron . Jake Maizen's hat-trick helps Italy stun Scotland in Rugby League World Cup . The Guardian . 16 October 2022 . 16 October 2022.
  58. News: 2022-10-20 . Australia thrash Scotland 84-0 at World Cup - reaction . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2022-10-21.
  59. News: New Zealand on brink of last eight after win . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2022-10-23.
  60. News: Tonga cruise to win over Wales after early scare . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2022-10-30.
  61. News: Young scores four tries in record England victory . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2022-10-30.
  62. News: Ruthless Tonga storm to victory over Cook Islands . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2022-10-30.
  63. News: May scores four tries as Samoa reach last eight . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2022-10-30.