1999 Rugby League Tri-Nations

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 1989–1992 Rugby League 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.

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[1] (36)
Top try scorer	Nigel Vagana[1] (4)
Tournaments 2004 >

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 tours of Great Britain by Australia in 2001 and 2003 and New Zealand in 2002, the Tri-nations was not held again until 2004.

Venues

The games were played at the following venues in Australia and New Zealand. The tournament final was played in Auckland.

Auckland	Brisbane
Mount Smart Stadium	Suncorp Stadium
Capacity: 30,000	Capacity: 52,500

Results

Tournament matches

15 October

New Zealand	24–22	Australia
Tries: Stephen Kearney Jason Lowrie Willie Talau Nigel Vagana Goals: Henry Paul (4/4)		Tries: Brad Fittler (2) Matt Gidley Russell Richardson Mat Rogers Goals: Mat Rogers (3/4)

Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 22,540[1] Referee: Russel Smith

New Zealand

Australia

FB 1 Richie Barnett (c) RW 2 Nigel Vagana RC 3 Ruben Wiki LC 4 Willie Talau LW 5 Lesley Vainikolo FE 6 Robbie Paul HB 7 Stacey Jones PR 8 Craig Smith HK 9 Henry Paul PR 10 Joe Vagana SR 11 Matt Rua SR 12 Stephen Kearney LK 13 Logan Swann Substitutions: IC 14 David Kidwell IC 15 Jason Lowrie IC 16 Nathan Cayless IC 17 Richard Swain Coach: Frank Endacott

FB 1 Robbie Ross RW 2 Mat Rogers RC 3 Matthew Gidley LC 4 Russell Richardson LW 5 Wendell Sailor FE 6 Brad Fittler (c) HB 7 Brett Kimmorley PR 8 Darren Britt HK 9 Craig Gower PR 10 Rodney Howe SR 11 Bryan Fletcher SR 12 Nik Kosef LK 13 Jason Smith Substitutions: IC 14 Darren Lockyer IC 15 Darren Smith IC 16 Jason Stevens IC 17 Michael Vella Coach: Chris Anderson

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22 October

Australia	42–6	Great Britain
Tries: Darren Lockyer (2) Brad Fittler Matt Gidley Brett Kimmorley Wendell Sailor Jason Smith Goals: Mat Rogers (6/6) Ryan Girdler (1/2)		Tries: Iestyn Harris Goals: Andy Farrell (1/1)

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 12,511[1] Referee: David Pakieto

Australia

Great Britain

FB 1 Darren Lockyer RW 2 Mat Rogers RC 3 Shaun Timmins LC 4 Matthew Gidley LW 5 Wendell Sailor FE 6 Matthew Johns HB 7 Brett Kimmorley PR 8 Darren Britt HK 9 Craig Gower PR 10 Rodney Howe SR 11 Bryan Fletcher SR 12 Nik Kosef LK 13 Brad Fittler (c) Substitutions: IC 14 Ryan Girdler IC 15 Darren Smith IC 16 Jason Smith IC 17 Michael Vella Coach: Chris Anderson

FB 1 Kris Radlinski RW 2 Jason Robinson RC 3 Gary Connolly LC 4 Keith Senior LW 5 Anthony Sullivan SO 6 Iestyn Harris SH 7 Ryan Sheridan PR 8 Dale Laughton HK 9 Keiron Cunningham PR 10 Barrie McDermott SR 11 Denis Betts SR 12 Adrian Morley LF 13 Andy Farrell (c) Substitutions: IC 14 Sean Long IC 15 Paul Anderson IC 16 Paul Sculthorpe IC 17 Andy Hay Coach: Andy Goodway

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29 October

New Zealand	26–4	Great Britain
Tries: Nigel Vagana (2) Matt Rua Joe Vagana Goals: Henry Paul (5/5)		Tries: Sean Long Goals: Andy Farrell (0/1)

Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 14,040[1] Referee: Tim Mander

New Zealand

Great Britain

FB 1 Richie Barnett (c) RW 2 Nigel Vagana RC 3 Ruben Wiki LC 4 Willie Talau LW 5 Lesley Vainikolo FE 6 Henry Paul HB 7 Robbie Paul PR 8 Joe Vagana HK 9 Richard Swain PR 10 Craig Smith SR 11 Matt Rua SR 12 Stephen Kearney LK 13 Logan Swann Substitutions: IC 14 Gene Ngamu IC 15 Jason Lowrie IC 16 Nathan Cayless IC 17 David Kidwell Coach: Frank Endacott

FB 1 Kris Radlinski RW 2 Jason Robinson RC 3 Gary Connolly LC 4 Keith Senior LW 5 Francis Cummins SO 6 Iestyn Harris SH 7 Ryan Sheridan PR 8 Dale Laughton HK 9 Keiron Cunningham PR 10 Barrie McDermott SR 11 Adrian Morley SR 12 Chris Joynt LF 13 Andy Farrell (c) Substitutions: IC 14 Sean Long IC 15 Denis Betts IC 16 Mike Forshaw IC 17 Andy Hay Coach: Andy Goodway

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

5 November

New Zealand	20–22	Australia
Tries: Robbie Paul Nigel Vagana Goals: Henry Paul (6/7)		Tries: Mat Rogers (2) Matthew Johns Wendell Sailor Goals: Mat Rogers (3/5)

Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 21,204[1] Referee: Russell Smith

New Zealand

Australia

FB 1 Richie Barnett (c) RW 2 Nigel Vagana RC 3 Ruben Wiki LC 4 Willie Talau LW 5 Lesley Vainikolo FE 6 Henry Paul HB 7 Robbie Paul PR 8 Joe Vagana HK 9 Richard Swain PR 10 Craig Smith SR 11 Matt Rua SR 12 Stephen Kearney LK 13 Logan Swann Substitutions: IC 14 Gene Ngamu IC 15 Jason Lowrie IC 16 Nathan Cayless IC 17 David Kidwell Coach: Frank Endacott

FB 1 Darren Lockyer RW 2 Mat Rogers RC 3 Matthew Gidley LC 4 Darren Smith LW 5 Wendell Sailor FE 6 Matthew Johns HB 7 Brett Kimmorley PR 18 Jason Stevens HK 9 Craig Gower PR 10 Darren Britt SR 11 Bryan Fletcher SR 12 Nik Kosef LK 13 Brad Fittler (c) Substitutions: IC 14 Jason Smith IC 15 Ryan Girdler IC 16 Michael Vella IC 17 Shaun Timmins 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
Tries: Brian Jellick (4) Nigel Vagana (3) David Kidwell Jason Lowrie Henry Paul Tony Puletua Richard Swain Lesley Vainikolo Goals: Henry Paul (11/13)		Tries: Goals:

Carlaw Park, Auckland Attendance: 4,528 Referee: Andy Cook

New Zealand

Tonga

FB 1 Richie Barnett (c) LW 2 Brian Jellick RC 3 David Kidwell LC 4 Ruben Wiki RW 5 Lesley Vainikolo FE 6 Henry Paul HB 7 Stacey Jones PR 8 Joe Vagana HK 9 Richard Swain PR 10 Terry Hermansson SR 11 Tony Puletua SR 12 Stephen Kearney LK 13 Logan Swann Substitutions: IC 14 Willie Talau IC 15 Nathan Cayless IC 16 Jason Lowrie IC 17 Nigel Vagana Coach: Frank Endacott

FB 1 Paul Koloi LW 2 Tevita Ole'o RC 3 Phil Howlett (c) LC 4 Greg Wolfgramm RW 5 Kotoni Seleti FE 6 Tevita Vaikona HB 7 Lani Filiai PR 8 Nelson Lomi HK 9 Esau Mann PR 10 Liuaki Hansen SR 11 Andrew Lomu SR 12 Alfons Masella LK 13 Sione Marima Substitutions: IC 14 Fili Lolohea IC 15 Tu'ihaka Valu Afungia IC 16 Chief Lee IC 17 Viliami Soni Coach:

Non-series Match

As a curtain raiser to the final, New Zealand Māori played Great Britain.^[2]

5 November

Māori	12–22	Great Britain
Tries: Alex Chan Darren Rameka Goals: Luke Goodwin (1) Willie Rangi (1)		Tries: Sean Long (2) James Lowes Anthony Sullivan Goals: Andy Farrell (3)

Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 21,204[1] Referee: David Pakieto

Māori

Great Britain

FB 1 Alex Chan LW 2 Steve Matthews RC 3 Peter Lewis LC 4 Steve Berryman RW 5 Jared Mills FE 6 Luke Goodwin HB 7 Willie Rangi PR 8 Paul Rauhihi HK 9 Tukere Barlow (c) PR 10 John Edmonds SR 11 Robert Henare SR 12 Darren Rameka LK 13 Andrew Wynyard Substitutions: IC 14 Gavin Bailey IC 15 Martin Moana IC 16 Frank Watene IC 17 Wairangi Koopu Coach: Cameron Bell

FB 1 Kris Radlinski RW 2 Jason Robinson RC 3 Keith Senior LC 4 Anthony Sullivan LW 5 Francis Cummins SO 6 Andy Farrell (c) SH 7 Sean Long PR 8 Paul Anderson HK 9 Keiron Cunningham PR 10 Dale Laughton SR 11 Adrian Morley SR 12 Paul Sculthorpe LF 13 Chris Joynt Substitutions: IC 14 Stuart Fielden IC 15 Barrie McDermott IC 16 Mike Forshaw IC 17 Andy Hay Coach: Andy Goodway