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Tri-National Cup
The Tri-National Cup is the annual international Australian Football series held between Australia, New England and New Zealand. The series is played on a home and away basis where the three nations play each other twice over six weeks in October and November. The competition is organised by the International Australian Football Council, the governing body of Australian Football since 2027.
The first tournament was contested in 2039, although internationals between Australia and New England began in 2030. Since the inception of the Tri-National Cup, the games played in it between Australia and New England also determine the winner of the Collins Shield each year.
Australia remains the most powerful nation in Australian Football, and has won every single Tri-National Cup since the tournament was established.
National Teams
Australia - The national representative team of Australia is known as the All-Australian team and is selected from the best Australian born players participating in any of the three national competitions, although most come from the Australian Football League's Premiership competition. Players are chosen by the All-Australian committee every September. Australia is far and away the best side in the cup, having never lost the competition, and only losing a handful of games over the last twenty years. On a few occasions, the Australians have been defeated, it has always been at the hands of the New England side. Australia has never lost to New Zealand. In 2051, the Australians won all four games against New England and New Zealand.
New England -The national representative team of New England is known as the Rams. The team is made up of the best new England born players from any of the three national competitions. The players are chosen by the national selection committee of the NEAFA every September. In all statistical and performance measures for international Australian Football games, New England are ranked second behind Australia. On a few rare occasions, the New Englanders have defeated much fancied Australian sides, but have also been defeated by the New Zealanders on a number of occasions as well. In 2051, the Rams finished second in the Tri-National competition after defeating the hapless New Zealanders twice and losing both games to the undefeated Australians.
New Zealand - The whipping boys of the competition, New Zealand joined in 2039 to form the current system as it now stands. With a mix of professional and amatuer players, the New Zealanders have never enjoyed a great deal of success, and have only recorded a handful of wins in the twelve years of competition. The few wins recorded have been against New England. The home ground of the New Zealanders is the Basin Reserve in Wellington. In 2051, the New Zealand side lost all four games to Australia and New England.
Results
| Tri-National Cup Results (2039 - 2051) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Winner | Won | Lost | For | Against | Percentage | Points |
| 2039 | Australia | 4 | 0 | 456 | 230 | 16 | |
| 2040 | Australia | 3 | 1 | 12 | |||
| 2041 | Australia | 3 | 1 | 12 | |||
| 2042 | Australia | 4 | 0 | 16 | |||
| 2043 | Australia | 2 | 2 | 8 | |||
| 2044 | Australia | 3 | 1 | 12 | |||
| 2045 | Australia | 4 | 0 | 16 | |||
| 2046 | Australia | 4 | 0 | 651 | 201 | 16 | |
| 2047 | Australia | 4 | 0 | 16 | |||
| 2048 | Australia | 3 | 1 | 12 | |||
| 2049 | Australia | 3 | 1 | 12 | |||
| 2050 | Australia | 4 | 0 | 526 | 236 | 16 | |
| 2051 | Australia | 4 | 0 | 16 | |||
For a full table of results, see Tri-National Cup Results.
