France 15–5 Australia — World Cup Table, 1954 Rugby League World Cup
11 Nov 1954 · Stade Marcel Saupin, Nantes, France · Attendance: N/A
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
World Cup Table, 1954 Rugby League World Cup: France 15–5 Australia, at Stade Marcel Saupin, Nantes, France on 11 Nov 1954.
Scorers
| France | Tries: Cantoni; Contrastin; Merquey Goals: Aubert (3) |
| Australia | Tries: O'Shea Goals: Pidding |
Teams
| France | Australia | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Puig Aubert (Captain) | Fullback | Clive Churchill (Captain) | 1 |
| 2 | Vincent Cantoni | Wing | Noel Pidding | 2 |
| 3 | Jacques Merquey | Centre | Alex Watson | 3 |
| 4 | Claude Teisseire | Centre | Greg Hawick | 4 |
| 5 | Raymond Contrastin | Wing | Denis Flannery | 5 |
| 6 | Antoine Jiminez | Five-eighth | Bob Banks | 6 |
| 7 | Joseph Crespo | Halfback | Keith Holman | 7 |
| 8 | Francois Rinaldi | Prop | Roy Bull | 8 |
| 9 | Jean Audoubert | Hooker | Ken Kearney | 9 |
| 10 | Joseph Krawzyk | Prop | Brian Davies | 10 |
| 11 | Guy Delaye | Second Row | Kel O'Shea | 11 |
| 12 | Jean Pambrun | Second Row | Harold Crocker | 12 |
| 13 | Gilbert Verdie | Lock | Peter Diversi | 13 |
| Rene Duffort / Jean Duhau | Coach | Vic Hey | ||
Match officials
| Referee | Charles Appleton |
| Touch judges | — not identified in sources found |
| Player of the match | — not identified in sources found |
Match report
Australia had opened their campaign with mixed results and knew a win over France in Nantes was important for their own hopes of reaching the final, while France needed victory to consolidate their position after Great Britain had emerged as the form side of the tournament. Played on 11 November 1954 at the Stade Marcel-Saupin, the match went France's way from early on. Wingers Vincent Cantoni and Raymond Contrastin, together with centre Jacques Merquey, crossed for tries, while Puig Aubert landed three conversions to help France to a half-time lead. Australia's only try came from second-rower Kel O'Shea, with winger Noel Pidding adding a conversion, but the Kangaroos could not find a way past a well-organised French defence in the second half, and the score remained 15-5 at full time. In the final standings, Great Britain topped the table with France second, sending the hosts through to face Great Britain in the inaugural World Cup final at the Parc des Princes in Paris on 13 November 1954, a match Great Britain won 16-12. Australia finished third and New Zealand fourth. For France, the win over Australia in Nantes remains remembered as one of the signature results of the country's post-war rugby league revival and of Puig Aubert's storied international career.
Previous World Cup meetings
- 1957 Rugby League World Cup (World Cup Table): Australia 26–9 France
- 1960 Rugby League World Cup (World Cup Table): Australia 13–12 France
- 1968 Rugby League World Cup (World Cup Table): Australia 37–4 France
- 1968 Rugby League World Cup (Final): Australia 20–2 France
- 1970 Rugby League World Cup (World Cup Table): Australia 15–17 France
- 1972 Rugby League World Cup (World Cup Table): France 9–31 Australia
- 1975 Rugby League World Cup (World Cup Table): Australia 26–6 France
- 1975 Rugby League World Cup (World Cup Table): France 2–41 Australia
- 1977 Rugby League World Cup (World Cup Table): Australia 21–9 France
- 1985–1988 Rugby League World Cup (World Cup Table): France 0–52 Australia
- 1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup (World Cup Table): Australia 34–2 France
- 1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup (World Cup Table): France 10–34 Australia
- 2017 Rugby League World Cup (Group A): Australia 52–6 France