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Information About

United States National Rugby League Team




  Badge USA_rugby_leaguegif
  Badge Size 100px
  Nickname Tomahawks
  Association American National Rugby League
  Region Americas
  Coach David Niu , Terry Matterson
  Captain Ian Blake
  RLIF Rank 14th
  Pattern La1 _blackredshoulderspattern_b1=_thindkbluesidespattern_ra1=_blackredshoulders
  Leftarm1 FFFFFFbody1=FFFFFFrightarm1=FFFFFFshorts1=000080socks1=FF0000
  First Game France 31 - 0 USA <br/>( Toulouse , France October 1954 )
  Largest Win Japan 6 - 78 USA <br/>( Jacksonville , USA 27 June 2003
  Largest Loss England 110 - 0 USA <br/>( Leeds , England 2000 )
  World Cup Apps
  World Cup First
  World Cup Best



HISTORY


The American All-Stars

One of the earliest attempts to introduce Rugby League to the United States was in 1953, when Mike Dimitro, a wrestling promoter, was asked to organise a tour of Australasia by an American Rugby League side.

The team, known as the American All-Stars, was given a huge schedule that included 26 matches against Australian and New Zealand sides. None of the 22 American players had ever played Rugby League prior to this tour, they presented themselves in Gridiron like attire early on in the tournament. The side only won six games as well as drawing two.

Their second match of the tour, against a Sydney side, drew a crowd of 65,453 to the Sydney Cricket Ground . After a consistent lack of competition, crowds were good but never reached the great height that the match at the SCG did.

The tour did not in turn bring any benefits to American Rugby League . Mike Dimitro did however, not give up, he was able to organise two exhibitions against Australia and New Zealand in California that did not turn out to be a big success.


The return of the United States


The United States played their first international in 1987 against Canada. They have participated in the World Sevens (1992-1997), Superleague World Nines (1996, 1997), Emerging Nations World Cup (2000) and Victory Cup (2003, 2004) competitions.

In 2001 as a response to the September 11 incident the AMNRL setup a rugby league match between local USA born players (USA All Stars) and AMNRL players who were born overseas (World Allies All Stars). The match was won by the USA All Stars 27-26. proceeds from the game were donated to the Red Cross to help with cleanup operations.

Since 2002, the Tomahawks have been playing regular international competition in the United States. In 2002, the United States were defeated by Russia 54-10 in front of over 25,000 spectators in Moscow.

In 2004 they shocked the Rugby League world by leading the World Cup and Tri-Nations champions Australia for most of the game. Australia rallied in the last quarter of the game and won 36-24.


CURRENT USA TOMAHAWKS TEAM


For game against Italy "A" (Australian based Italian team)

# Waters
# Gibbs
# O'Donoghue
# Manners
# Tulio
# Duncan
# Nicholas
# Laffranchi
# Cassidy
# Hughes
# Kosbob
# Mathers
# Blake (c)
# Rahui
# Howland
# Shannon
# Fusco


FUTURE MATCHES

''See Also 2008 Rugby League World Cup Qualifying ''

In October 2006 The Tomahawks were to participate in a four team Atlantic qualifying pool for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, but South Africa and the West Indies withdrew. The Atlantic qualifying pool, as a result, was reduced to a single game between the Tomahawks and Japan . The USA won 54-18. They will now play Samoa in the Repechage round.


USA REPRESENTATIVE RESULTS



International Results



World Nines Results

  • Tonga def. USA 26-4 (1997)

  • Fiji def. USA 18-8 (1997)

  • Cook Islands def. USA 24-6 (1997)

  • Papua New Guinea def. USA 38-8 (1997)

  • Western Samoa def. USA 30-10 (1997)

  • Australia def. USA 24-0 (1997)

  • Cook Islands def. USA 22-0 (1996)

  • USA def. Morocco 18-4 (1996)

  • Western Samoa def. USA 14-6 (1996)

  • Australia def. USA 30-16 (1996)

  • Scotland def. USA 12-6 (1996)



World Sevens results

  • Illawarra def. USA--- 18-6 (1997) ---unofficial team

  • USA--- def. Japan 18-14 (1997) ---unofficial team

  • Italy def. USA--- 22-0 (1997) ---unofficial team

  • Gold Coast def. USA--- 40-8 (1996) ---unofficial team

  • USA--- def. Japan 20-8 (1996 ---unofficial team

  • Melbourne def. USA--- 18-14 (1996) ---unofficial team

  • Australian Aboriginals def. USA--- 28-0 (1996) ---unofficial team

  • Tonga def. USA 20-4 (1995)

  • USA def. Russia 28-8 (1995)

  • USA def. Italy 22-4 (1995)

  • USA def. Russia 20-6 (1995)

  • Sydney Tigers def. USA 24-10 (1995)

  • South Africa def. USA 20-8 (1994)

  • New Zealand def. USA 20-12 (1994)

  • France def. USA 18-12 (1994)

  • Wainuiomata def. USA 34-8 (1993)

  • South Sydney def. USA 28-6 (1993)

  • Illawarra def. USA 28-4 (1993)

  • Fiji def. USA 30-10 (1992)

  • USA def. CIS Red Arrows 12-8 (1992)

  • South Sydney def. USA 12-0 (1992)

  • Newcastle def. USA 16-0 (1992)



Student Results

  • USA def. Japan 54-10 (1996)

  • Wales def. USA 22-18 (1996)

  • Western Samoa def. USA 82-8 (1996)

  • New Zealand def. USA 62-10 (1996)

  • USA def. Ireland 22-20 (1996)



USA U/21 Results

  • BARLA def. USA U21s 64-14 (2001)



Other Representative Results

  • USA All Stars def. World Allies All Stars 27-26 (2001)

  • Sydney def. USA All Stars 52-25 (1953)



REFERENCES




SEE ALSO




EXTERNAL LINKS