1999 Rugby League Tri-Nations

1999 (1999) Tri-Nations  ()
Number of teams	3
Winner	Australia (1st title)
Matches played	4
Attendance	70,295 (17,574 per match)
Tries scored	26 (6.5 per match)
Top scorer	Mat Rogers (36)
Top try scorer	Nigel Vagana (4)
Tournaments 2004 >

The 1999 Rugby League Tri-Nations series was contested by Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand in 1999. It was the first multi-national rugby league tournament to feature the sport's three world powers since the 1989-92 World Cup (the 1995 World Cup featured England and Wales separately). Co-hosts Australia and New Zealand played in the final, which was narrowly won by the Kangaroos. Great Britain didn't win a game of the tournament.

After the Lions narrowly defeated the Queensland Cup premiers, Burleigh Bears, a poor crowd attended their match against Australia at Suncorp Stadium. Fearing a similar attendance for the series final, the tournament organisers relocated the match to Ericsson Stadium.

With the Rugby League World Cup to be staged the following year, and Kangaroo tours conducted in 2001 and 2003, the Tri-nations was not held again until 2004.

Results

Tournament matches

15 October	New Zealand	24–22	Australia	Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 22,540

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22 October	Australia	42–6	Great Britain	Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 12,511

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29 October	New Zealand	26–4	Great Britain	Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 14,040

Tournament standings

Team	Played	Won	Drew	Lost	For	Against	Difference	Points
New Zealand	2	2	0	0	50	26	+24	4
Australia	2	1	0	1	64	30	+34	2
Great Britain	2	0	0	2	10	68	−58	0

Final

1 November	New Zealand	20–22	Australia	Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 21,204 Referee: R Smith

Teams:
NEW ZEALAND: 1. Richie Barnett (Sydney City); 2. Nigel Vagana (Auckland), 3. Ruben Wiki (Canberra), 5. Willie Talau (Canterbury), 5. Leslie Vainikolo (Canberra); 6. Henry Paul (Bradford), 7. Robbie Paul (Bradford); 8. Joe Vagana (Auckland), 9. Richard Swain (Melbourne), 10. Craig Smith (St George-Illawarra), 11. Stephen Kearney (Melbourne), 12. Matt Rua (Melbourne), 13. Logan Swann (Auckland). Substitutes used: Gene Ngamu (Huddersfield-Sheffield), Jason Lowrie (Balmain), Nathan Cayless (Parramatta), David Kidwell (Parramatta). Coach: Frank Endacott.

AUSTRALIA: 1. Darren Lockyer (Brisbane); 2. Mat Rogers (Cronulla), 3. Darren Smith (Canterbury), 4. Matt Gidley (Newcastle), 5. Wendell Sailor (Brisbane); 6. Andrew Johns (Newcastle), 7. Brett Kimmorley (Melbourne); 8. Jason Stevens (Cronulla), 9. Craig Gower (Penrith), 10. Darren Britt (Canterbury), 11. Bryan Fletcher (Sydney City), 12. Nik Kosef (Manly), 13. Brad Fittler (Sydney City). Substitutes used: Jason Smith (Parramatta), Ryan Girdler (Penrith), Michael Vella (Parramatta), Shaun Timmins (St George-Illawarra). Coach: Chris Anderson

Non-series Test

During the series, New Zealand also played a Test against Tonga. This was the last test match to be held at Auckland's Carlaw Park.

27 October	New Zealand	74–0	Tonga	Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 4,528

Non-series Match

As a curtain raiser to the final, New Zealand Māori played Great Britain.

1 November	New Zealand Māori	12-22	Great Britain	Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 21,204