Maurice Bamford took over as coach in 1984. His term as coach of the national side also included the formation of the Great Britain under-21 team to replace the U/24 side. The ninth Rugby League World Cup was played out between 1985 and 1988, with teams playing each other on a home and away basis. These matches were fitted into the normal international programme of three-match test series between the nations, with a pre-designated match from each series counting as the world cup fixture.