The second week’s schedule of 2026 Rugby League World Cup matches has seemingly served up five one-sided affairs – but nothing can be taken for granted on the international stage.
We’re reliving the greatest upsets in Test rugby league history.
Kiwis halt the ‘Indomitables’ (1946)
The Lions’ 1946 tour ended international rugby league’s World War II-enforced hiatus – and England, led by the legendary Welshman Gus Risman, confirmed its standing as the code’s preeminent force with an 8-all draw and 14-5 and 20-7 wins against Australia.
A win in the one-off Test against New Zealand seemed a fait accompli, but the Kiwis pulled off a monumental 13-8 win at Carlaw Park – their first over the Brits since 1928. England scored two tries to one but five goals from fullback Warwick Clarke steered New Zealand to victory.
Australia ends Ashes wait (1950)
Great Britain dominated the first half-century of competition with Australia, but the green-and-golds’ 1950 Ashes series victory was an international rugby league turning point.
After losing the opener 6-4, Australia squared the series 15-3 – its first win over the Poms since 1937 – and achieved arguably its greatest-ever Test win on an SCG quagmire in the decider, prevailing 5-2 thanks to an iconic try to St George winger Ron Roberts.
The ‘Old Enemy’ had finally been vanquished by a relatively young Australian side that featured the Western Suburbs scrumbase combination of Keith Holman and Frank Stanmore, each playing in their first Test series, while Clive Churchill was magnificent in his first campaign as captain.
Les Chanticleers thrill in series triumph (1951)
Les Chanticleers – as touring French teams became known – ventured to Australia and New Zealand in 1951, and the squad’s deeds are entrenched in international rugby league folklore. France’s unpredictable and unorthodox attacking flair inspired a shock 2-1 series victory over Australia.
Enigmatic, brilliant fullback Puig Aubert kicked seven goals in the 26-15 first Test victory in Sydney, before the Clive Churchill-led Australians squared up 23-11 in Brisbane – a spiteful clash that prompted the Australian Board of Control to issue a stern warning to both sides in the lead-up to the decider.
The third Test attracted an extraordinary 67,009-strong SCG crowd, who witnessed a stunning 35-14 French victory. Puig Aubert slotted another seven goals, while halfback Jo Crespo raced over for three tries.
Aussies stuck in the mud (1971)
New Zealand won just one Test against Australia during the 1970s – but it was a victory to remember. A star-studded Australian side ventured across the Tasman to play a one-off Test in 1971 at New Zealand’s spiritual home of rugby league, Carlaw Park.
But the Graeme Langlands-captained side, which included fellow icons Bob Fulton, Bob McCarthy and John Sattler, was ambushed by the unheralded Kiwis 24-3 in heavy conditions. The home side scored four tries to one – including two to winger John Whittaker – while Henry Tatana kicked six goals.
France sweep Kangaroos (1978)
After just four wins in its last 31 Tests, France staged another bewildering boilover against Australia on the 1978 Kangaroo Tour.
In a series marked by diabolical local refereeing – an infuriating trademark of visiting France over the years – Australia, led by soon-to-be Immortal Bob Fulton, was defeated 13-10 and 11-10 in the two-Test rubber by a French team skippered by front-rower Henri Daniel.
Australia would not be beaten in a Test series or international tournament again for 27 years.
‘Lowie’ kickstarts a Kiwi revolution (1983)
After 14 straight Test losses to Australia by an average margin of 17 points, Graham Lowe-coached New Zealand turned the international tide with a 19-12 boilover at Lang Park in 1983.
The Graeme West-captained Kiwis employed roughhouse tactics to get the upper hand on their big-name rivals, carving out a stirring 19-12 upset. The match featured a brilliant try to Joe Ropati after a Dean Bell bust, and a crunching try-saver on Mal Meninga by debutant Kiwi fullback Nicky Wright.
Four years late at the same ground, New Zealand, containing five players making just their second Test appearance, conjured a 13-6 upset over Australia.
France turns tables on Great Britain in Perpignan (1985)
France endured a dramatic decline during the first half of the 1980s, proving no match for international rugby league’s traditional heavyweights. In 1985, the once-proud nation crashed to a 50-4 loss to Great Britain at Headingley.
But just two weeks later, France produced a remarkable turnaround on home soil. A hat-trick to winger Didier Couston underpinned a 24-6 halftime lead and they hung on to beat the Ellery Hanley-led Lions 24-16.
Kumuls claim first big scalp (1986)
Papua New Guinea achieved the most momentous victory of its short history in 1986 by upsetting New Zealand 24-22 in Port Moresby. The fired-up Kumuls led 18-8 at halftime at Lloyd Robson Oval before the Kiwis rallied.
Experienced Australian referee Kevin Roberts controversially denied New Zealand winger Dane O’Hara a match-winning try near fulltime, with many contending the official was acting in self-preservation as a baying crowd willed the Kumuls to a groundbreaking victory.
The NZRL reacted to the result by sacking revered coach Graham Lowe, leading to Mark Graham and others quitting the Kiwis in protest.
Great Britain ends drought (1988)
British pride was restored in the third Test of the 1988 series courtesy of a 26-12 boilover back in Sydney that avoided a fifth straight Ashes whitewash. After opening up a 10-0 halftime advantage over Wally Lewis’ Australians, the Lions went on with job with three second-half tries.
Flamboyant winger Henderson Gill scored a magical brace of tries, while back-rower Mike Gregory’s match-sealing try, set up by man of the match Andy Gregory in a movement that covered 90 metres, typified the renewed spirit in the Great Britain side.
Papua New Guinea edge out Lions (1990)
The hostile nature of touring Papua New Guinea brought another heavyweight visitor undone in 1990 as the Kumuls beat Great Britain 20-18 in Goroka. Played was halted during the first half due to tear gas being used to quell 2,000 fans who had been locked out of the ground and had started rioting.
The Lions scored three tries (to Jonathan Davies, Paul Eastwood and Bobbie Goulding) to two, but five goals and a field goal to former Canterbury Bulldogs centre Bal Numapo guided the Kumuls to a shock win.
New-look Kiwis storm back in Melbourne (1991)
New Zealand entered the 1991 Test series, hosted by the world champion Australians, as rank outsiders. The Kiwis’ underdog status was emphasised by the selection of captain Gary Freeman from Balmain’s reserve grade side and Clayton Friend from the Metropolitan Cup.
But Bob Bailey’s Kiwis recovered from an 8-2 halftime deficit at Melbourne’s Olympic Park to carve out a spectacular 24-8 win. Jarrod McCracken and Richie Blackmore, among five international rookies in the team, scored memorable tries in the rally.
Australia axed the legendary Wally Lewis, along with Steve Roach, Dale Shearer and debutant fullback Paul Hauff, before clinching a series victory with 44-0 and 40-12 wins.
Schofield bamboozles Aussies (1992)
Australia coasted to an authoritative 22-6 win over Great Britain in the 1992 series opener. But in one of Ashes history’s most stunning turnarounds, the Lions produced a thumping 33-10 victory in a historic second-Test encounter at Melbourne’s Princes Park.
Captain Garry Schofield was especially majestic in the wet conditions, scoring a brilliant solo try and kicking a field goal. The 23-point thrashing equalled the 1958 Lions’ 40-17 victory in Sydney as Australia’s biggest defeat against Great Britain. Mal Meninga’s Aussies won a tense decider 16-10.
Gutsy Kiwis run down full-strength Kangaroos (1998)
Beset by injury and suspension, New Zealand was expected to be cannon fodder for the first full-strength Australian side named in four years when the neighbouring rivals met early in 1998 in Auckland.
Despite the loss of prop John Lomax to injury after five minutes and a 12-2 deficit, the Kiwis powered to an iconic 22-16 win. Matthew Ridge and livewire brothers Henry and Robbie Paul shone on the back of a bruising display from the pack, while the mercurial Kevin Iro scored two tries off the bench.
The boilover is equally remembered for Darren Lockyer’s disastrous Test debut, bustled into multiple errors that led to Kiwis tries.
Kiwis rout Kangaroos in Elland Road shutout (2005)
New Zealand inflicted Australia’s first defeat in an international series since 1978 with an emphatic 24-0 victory in the 2005 Tri Nations final at Leeds.
Veteran Stacey Jones, who came out of international retirement to play in the tournament and had to make a frantic dash back to the UK for the decider after the birth of his child, pulled the strings for the rampant Kiwis, while 19-year-old winger Manu Vatuvei scored a powerful double.
The shock result ended Wayne Bennett’s stint as Australian coach on a jarring note.
Long shots win Down Under (2006)
Two losses to New Zealand ruined Great Britain’s chances of qualifying for the 2006 Tri Nations final, but the Lions’ first victory against the green-and-golds in Australia in 14 years offered some consolation.
In a fiery Sydney-hosted clash, Willie Mason floored front-row adversary Stuart Fielden with a devastating punch early on, but it was the visitors who took the ascendancy when the two sides settled to play football.
The scores were locked 6-all at the break and 12-all during the second half. Great Britain exhibited greater staying power, however, with tries to Lee Gilmour and Gareth Raynor, and a late field goal to halfback Sean Long – capping a dazzling individual performance – sealing a superb 23-12 win.
Ireland steamroll Samoa to advance at World Cup (2008)
Ireland defeated Samoa at the 2000 World Cup, but the comparative strength of the line-ups suggested a reversed result when the nations lined up during the 2008 pool phase at Parramatta Stadium.
Despite fielding nine former New Zealand internationals, the Nigel Vagana-led Samoa side was swamped 34-16 after trailing only 16-12 at halftime. Wests Tigers premiership winner and Wigan star Pat Richards starred for the Wolfhounds with three tries and 22 points.
Ireland went on to lose a semifinal qualifier to Fiji.
Australia’s World Cup reign ends (2008)
Australia blitzed the competition during the 2008 World Cup pool stage, hammering New Zealand 30-6 in the tournament-opener and subjecting England to a 52-4 demolition.
But the Kangaroos surrendered the world champion status they had enjoyed since 1975 in the Suncorp Stadium final, crashing 34-20 after leading 10-0 early.
A double from Kiwis fullback Lance Hohaia – including a penalty try – and fullback counterpart Billy Slater’s wayward pass that gifted a try to Benji Marshall were among a slew of memorable moments as Australia unravelled in the second half.
Wayne Bennett assisted Stephen Kearney in the victorious Kiwis’ preparation for the tournament and celebrated with the team on the field after the final. Australian coach Ricky Stuart was forced to resign in the aftermath of the shock loss after berating English referee Ashley Klein in the team hotel.
Fiji prove the Ki was not the Wi (2017)
New Zealand coach David Kidwell produced a baffling pre-World Cup soundbite when he said, “I’m going to be a little bit corny, but it’s in our name – the Kiwis. The key, is the we.”
A nation that had won four tournament finals against Australia in the previous 12 seasons subsequently crumbled in historically humiliating fashion.
After being run down by rampant Tonga in a result that turned international rugby league on its head, the Kiwis were nevertheless heavy favourites to win their quarterfinal against Fiji but were subdued 4-2 in a try-less showdown in Wellington.
Kidwell, captain Adam Blair and linchpin Shaun Johnson compounded the stunning exit by downplaying their shortcomings and taking aim at a perceived lack of support from the Kiwis fanbase in staggeringly petulant post-match comments.
Fiji came desperately close to knocking New Zealand out of the 2022 World Cup, the Kiwis only leading for the first time in the last 10 minutes of a 24-18 win.
Tonga complete heavyweight trifecta (2019)
Having sparked an international rugby league revolution with their groundbreaking win over New Zealand on the way to a World Cup semifinal berth in 2017, Tonga cemented its status as a genuine force with post-season wins over Great Britain and Australia in 2019.
Overcoming a tumultuous build-up that meant they took the field as ‘Tonga Invitational’ due to an administrative ruckus that saw the RLIF suspended the Tonga National Rugby League, the Jason Taumalolo-led side monstered the traditional heavyweights.
The Lions were overwhelmed 14-6 in Hamilton, before the Kangaroos surrendered a 12-6 halftime lead in a 16-12 defeat at Eden Park – Australia’s first Test loss to a nation other than England/Great Britain, New Zealand or France.
Brits overrun in PNG (2019)
Following a maiden loss to Tonga and a 2-0 series defeat to New Zealand, Wayne Bennett’s Great Britain outfit ended a miserable 2019 tour Down Under with an inglorious 28-10 thrashing at the hands of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby.
The Lions led 10-6 at halftime but leaked four unanswered tries after the break to a Kumuls side that boasted only four players that had played NRL or Super League football that season.
Samoa clinch historic World Cup final berth (2022)
After starkly contrasting 2017 World Cup campaigns, Tonga was the most hyped team heading into the delayed 2022 edition while Samoa received only mild attention. But Toa Samoa’s 20-18 quarterfinal upset of their Pacific rivals set the stage for a watershed result.
In an international epic at The Emirates in London, Samoa toppled host nation England 27-26. Jarome Luai starred as Samoa played from in front for most of the day, but England fought back to 20-all.
Rival centres Stephen Crichton and Herbie Farnworth scored long-range tries in the last 10 minutes, before Crichton landed a golden point field to send Samoa into the final, where Australia prevailed 30-10.