Cream of the crop: The legends of the Rugby League World Cup

Prior to the current competition, some 2,240 players have turned out in the World Cup since France defeated NZ 22 points to 13 in the very first World Cup clash in Paris in October 1954.

In that time some 500 players have managed to play just one World Cup game, and many more just a handful of games, but the team selected in this article celebrates the World Cup legends, those players who are at the top of the tree when it comes to World Cup games played.

The criteria for selection are simple. Preference is given to the player with the most overall World Cup appearances, provided that they have played at least one World Cup game in the position in which they are chosen.

Here’s the team, and it includes some surprise inclusions and omissions.

1. Jarryd Hayne – 14 games, Australia and Fiji.

Hayne scored 14 tries in as many appearances and was part of Australia’s Cup-winning team in 2013. He played every position in the backline except halfback in his World Cup career.

2. John Atkinson – 14 games, England and Great Britain.

Atkinson was one of the best wingers to have played the game and scored over 400 tries in his 18-year career in the top grade.

3. Bob Fulton – 15 games, Australia.

Rugby League Immortal. Fulton appeared at four World Cups, winning three titles, and scored 13 tries along the way, including a treble against England in 1972. Second on the list of World Cup games played.

Former rugby league great and one of the Immortals, Bob Fulton. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

4. Dennis Williams – 14 games, New Zealand.

A wonderful player for NZ in the 70s, Williams made his international debut at just 18 years of age and appeared in three World Cups.

5. Kevin Iro – 14 games, New Zealand and Cook Islands.

Iro had a long and successful career in the UK and his four World Cup campaigns spanned 15 years.

6. Roger Millward – 14 games, England and Great Britain.

Millward was a mercurial performer and played in the 1968, 1957 and 1977 World Cups. He played 46 internationals in all and scored 280 tries in over 550 career games.

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7. Gary Freeman – 14 games, New Zealand.

Freeman was one of the most competitive players ever to lace on a boot, a Dally M medal winner, and arguably NZ’s greatest-ever player. He represented NZ at the 1985, 1989, and 1995 Cups, the last one as hooker.

8. Arthur Beetson – 14 games, Australia.

Rugby League Immortal. Beetson played in four World Cup campaigns, winning three, including the last one in 1977 as captain.

9. Cameron Smith – 17 games, Australia.

Smith is two games clear of Bobby Fulton on the all-time World Cup game list, and represented Australia in three campaigns, leading the Kangaroos to victory in both 2013 and 2017.

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

10. Ashton Sims – 14 games, Fiji.

The big bopper seems to have played everywhere in his 17-year career, but he managed to fit in three World Cup campaigns for the Bati along the way.

11. George Nicholls – 14 games, England and Great Britain.

Nicholls was a very tough and skillful forward who played well over 500 games in England and won pretty much every award and competition there is to win, including the 1972 World Cup with England.

12. Tony Coll – 13 games, New Zealand.

A great backrower in his day, Coll played in threeWorld Cup campaigns for the Kiwis in the 70’s and was captain of the side in 1977.

13. Brad Fittler – 13 games, Australia.

Fittler played in three series for three wins, and captained the side in the 2000 final against NZ.

14. Duane Mann – 13 games, New Zealand and Tonga.

A versatile player, Mann played his first 8 Cup games for NZ in 1989, before playing 5 games for Tonga across the 1995 and 2000 series. He also played hooker in the Warriors inaugural team.

15. James Graham – 13 games, England.

Three campaigns for the big Englishman, beginning in 2008 and ending in 2017.

James Graham (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

16. Francis De Nadi – 13 games, France.

De Nadi played in 4 World Cup campaigns between 1968 and 1975 for France, both in the front row and second row, and notched up a total of 31 internationals in his career.

17. Simon Mannering – 13 games, New Zealand.

Mannering played in 3 World Cups, including NZ’s victory in 2008, and he was captain of their 2013 campaign.

Unlucky to miss out were Mal Meninga (13 games, Australia) who had less games than both Bob Fulton and Dennis Williams; Billy Slater (13 games, Australia) who had one less game than Jarryd Hayne; and Akuila Uate (13 games, Fiji) who had one less game than both John Atkinson and Kevin Iro.