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Overview of the events of 1998 in sports
1998 brought the start of the
National Rugby League competition.
Super League (Australia) ended its 1 year competition and the
Australian Rugby League also ended theirs to merge as one. But for some clubs it came at a cost. For the
Hunter Mariners and
Perth Reds from
Super League (Australia) and the
South Queensland Crushers from the
Australian Rugby League, these franchises ended. But a new franchise was created that was the first team in the state of
Victoria: the
Melbourne Storm.
- April 24,
Auckland, New Zealand –
ANZAC test match is won by
New Zealand 22–16 against
Australia at
North Harbour Stadium before 25,000.
- May 2,
Wembley Stadium –
1998
Challenge Cup tournament culminates in
Sheffield Eagles' surprise 17-8 win in the final against
Wigan Warriors.
- May 29 at
Sydney, Australia – record for biggest comeback in Australian premiership history is broken by the
North Queensland Cowboys who came from 26–0 down at halftime to win 36–28 against the
Penrith Panthers at
Penrith Stadium.
- June 19,
Sydney Football Stadium –
1998 State of Origin is won by
Queensland in the third and deciding game of the series against
New South Wales.
- September 20,
Australia – last match of the last round of the
1998 Telstra Premiership is played, including the final NRL appearances of the
Gold Coast Chargers,
Illawarra Steelers,
St. George Dragons,
Adelaide Rams and
North Sydney Bears clubs.
- September 23,
New South Wales, Australia –
St. George Dragons and
Illawarra Steelers ensured their survival by forming the
NRL's first joint venture: the
St. George Illawarra Dragons.
- September 27,
Sydney Football Stadium –
1998 NRL season, the
National Rugby League's first, culminates in the
Brisbane Broncos' 38-12 win in the
grand final against the
Canterbury Bulldogs.
- October 24,
Old Trafford –
Super League III culminates in the
Wigan Warriors' 10-4 win in the
grand final against the
Leeds Rhinos; this was the first time the British season's champions were determined by a final since 1973.
- November 7 -
Bolton,
England:
New Zealand wrap up the 1998 Test series against
Great Britain by winning the second test 36-26 at
Reebok Stadium before a crowd of 27,486.