2013 Rugby League World Cup Thread

[cowboyman]

Samoa got smashed by the England Knights team. Thought they named a really weak squad which was only compounded by the sudden loss of Asotasi. Going to be another tough World Cup for Samoa by the looks of it.

PNG also beat Scotland in a tighter affair then the Samoan game.

 

[Maid Marian]

Rugby League World Cup: England stunned by Italy

ENGLAND (14) 14
Tries: Ablett, Tomkins 2 Goals: Widdop

ITALY (12) 15
Tries: Laffranchi, Parata Goals: Mantellato 2, Nasso Drop goals: Mantellato

England suffered a shock 15-14 defeat by Italy only one week before the start of the Rugby League World Cup.

Josh Mantellato kicked a drop-goal 90 seconds from time to give Italy - at 13 the second-lowest ranked team in the World Cup - victory in Salford.

England, ranked third in the world, trailed 12-4 at one stage in the first half before two Sam Tomkins tries put the home side ahead.
But a Ray Nasso penalty and Mantellato's drop settled it.

Italy, coached by Salford-born and raised Carlo Napolitano, deserved their victory as England failed to impress on a rain-swept afternoon.

The only bright spot was provided by full-back Tomkins, who scored twice in the first half before watching his team-mates slump to defeat from the sidelines.

Tomkins was taken off 16 minutes from the end as McNamara gave run-outs to 20 members of his World Cup squad.

England floundered in a first-half rainstorm, which was accompanied by thunder and lightning, and were left to rue a series of early defensive lapses.

McNamara would have been concerned at the way his defenders fell off the tackle to allow St Helens prop Anthony Laffranchi a soft early try and the ease with which hooker Dean Parata burrowed his way from dummy half for the visitors' second.

In between those two scores, centre Carl Ablett notched England's first try in the 19th minute, touching down at the corner, despite juggling with the pass from Liam Farrell, after winger Ryan Hall had collected Kevin Sinfield's cross-field kick.

As the storm clouds parted, Tomkins provided a spark for the hosts. He took James Roby's superb pass to score his first try and then got on the end of Gareth Widdop's lofted kick for his second.

Sinfield was wide with his first conversion attempt and hit the post with his second - but his replacement Widdop found the target to convert Tomkins' second try and put England in front for the first time four minutes before the break.

If the sight of a double rainbow at the start of the second half lifted the spirits of the spectators, it did nothing for England's players.

They missed a scoring chance when Hall failed to take Gareth Hock's pass 10 metres away from the Italian line. And the Azzurri took the chance to draw level in the 69th minute with a penalty from in front of the posts by substitute Nasso.

England had a chance to win it when Widdop broke clear with five minutes to go but he failed to find the supporting Rob Burrow and the missed opportunity proved costly.

When Josh Charnley knocked on inside his own 20 metres, the Italians seized their chance and Mantellato was accurate with a 30-metre drop goal.

Earlier, England Knights survived the scare of conceding an early try to beat Samoa 52-16, with Jack Hughes scoring a hat-trick.

Elsewhere, Scotland were beaten 20-38 in a warm-up friendly against Papua New Guinea in Featherstone. Steve McCormack's side face Tonga in their World Cup opener in Workington on 29 October.

http://www.nrl.com/italy-beat-england-15-14-in-rugby-league/tabid/10874/newsid/75104/default.aspx

 

[JoshW21]

Good on Italy hopefully they can cause some more upsets

 

[Hamish171]

All these upsets are getting me excited for the world cup

 

[Billy]

Field goal by Mantellato? Didn't know he could do that.
It's a mighty win, even if the English did use 20 players and were obviously trying out combinations.

 

[Billy]

Fiji 78 - 0 Rochdale

​

The gulf in class between Fiji and a depleted Hornets side was apparent within minutes of the start of this historic game. Hornets were made to look ordinary by a fast, powerful, skillful Fiji team. When Hornets had the ball they were hit within seconds by players the size of trucks and when Fiji had the ball the Hornets players had the unenviable task of having to try and tackle a runaway truck heading in their direction at speed and offloading with the finesse and quality that will surely see Fiji a force to be reckoned with in the Rugby League World Cup.

Though billed as a friendly, there was no doubting the commitment of both sides, and at times that commitment boiled over into illegal confrontation, however, such incidents were swiftly dealt with and defused and on the whole the game was played in a friendly if somewhat competitive spirit.

Fiji opened the socring within minutes of the start of the game, Korbin Sims going over; Wes Naiqama added the extras. Sims quickly added two more, completing his hat-trick within ten minutes, with Naiqama converting.

Despite Hornets giving everything they had, Fiji were far too strong and fast and crossed the line a further four times with tries from Kevin Naiqama, Akuila Uat, Apisai Koroisau and Peni Botiki. Wes Naiqama kicked to convert three out of the four tries and scored twice. Apisai Koroisau converted the last try of the half.

Half time: Rochdale Hornets 0 - 40 Fiji Bati

The second half was more of the same, Fiji powering through a valiant but seemingly fragile Hornets defence as they scored another seven trys from Kane Evans, two from Jason Bukuya, Sisi Waqa, Semi Radradra, Vitale Roqica and just as the Fijian man-of-the-match was announced as Kevin Naiqama, he ghosted past three Hornets defenders to score his second try in emphatic fashion.

Hornets rarely threatened to score but on the one occasion they managed to breach the Fiji defence when Hough's chipped pass fell to Matty Crow to touch down, the referee ruled the try out for offside, much to the dismay of the stadium announcer who brought a smile to all the faces in the ground when he loudly declared it a "shocking decision".

Fiji will be glad of the work out as they prepare for their Rugby League World Cup game against Ireland at Spotland on 28 October.

The Hornets players will feel honoured to have taken on a side with such a talented international team with close historical connections to the club, and will no doubt be cheering their adopted side for the World Cup.

A spokesman for Hornets said: "Overall it was a phenomenal day for Rochdale Hornets to host some of the cream of the NRL and we wish everyone involved with Fiji Bati all the best going forward."

Full time: Rochdale Hornets 0 - 78 Fiji Bati

Hornets Team: Wayne English, Gaz Langley, Danny Davies, Andy Ball, Benji Lloyd, Chris Hough, Jonny Leather, John Cookson, Alex McKlurg, Adam Bowman, Alex Trumper, Matthew Crow, Dayne Donogue
Interchanges: Gareth Frodsham, Ryan Brown, Matt Cooper, Liam Thomas, Scott Turner, Tony Stewart

Fiji Team: Kevin Naiqama, Marika Koroibete, Sisa Waqa, Wes Naiqama, Akuila Uate, Alipate Noilea, Aaron Groom, Ashton Sims, James Storer, Petero Civoniceva, Tariq Sims, Jason Bukuya, Korbin Sims
Interchanges: Darryl Millard, Semi Radradra, Ilisavani Jeqesa, Ryan Millard, Kaliova Nauqe, Vitale Roqica, Apisai Koroisau, Kane Evans, Peni Botiki, Tikiko Noke

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/new...hornets/83177/rochdale-hornets-0-78-fiji-bati

 

[JoshW21]

I knew they were going to win by a pretty big margin but not that big

 

[jamesgould]

Something is wrong when England's second side put 50 on Samoa, and their first side loses to a weaker Italy.

Good to see Leilua get a try for Samoa though.

It'll be interesting to see how England and Samoa respond to those results.

Fiji and PNG pretty much getting their expected results from their games.

 

[Maid Marian]

Something is wrong when England's second side put 50 on Samoa, and their first side loses to a weaker Italy.

Good to see Leilua get a try for Samoa though.

It'll be interesting to see how England and Samoa respond to those results.

Fiji and PNG pretty much getting their expected results from their games.

The Pommy coach could be just messing with the Aussies mindset- make them think they'll sh*t it in next week.

 

[Billy]

The England team had nothing to play for. They used 20 players and tried out a few combinations and all the players used were out there trying to avoid injury before the real games start.
On the other hand, it was the game of their lives for many of the Italian guys. Most of them will never have another chance to win a test match against a big 3 side, and they would have played like there was no tomorrow.
It's like a trial game between an NRL side and a country side used to be. One side trying to avoid the tough stuff and the other side playing their hearts out.

Having said that - good on Italy for doing the business - and it shows they are a real chance to beat the Cooks and Wales and win their group to make the Quarter finals.

 

[jamesgould]

Fa'alogo making a tackle in Samoa's game.

 

[rhugh89]

World Cup week 1 wrap

NRL.com
10:40am Mon 21st October, 2013

The 2013 Rugby League World Cup is just days away but there have already been a few surprises with England and France stunned in their warm-up matches by relative minnows Italy and the United States.

England's shock 15-14 loss to the Italians was the story of the weekend, with the World Cup co-hosts eventually succumbing thanks to a field-goal from Newcastle Knights speedster Josh Mantellato.

Star fullback Sam Tomkins got into the swing of things with a couple of tries for England, while Anthony Laffranchi was amongst the try-scorers for Italy.

There were no such dramas for defending World Cup champions New Zealand, who thumped the Cook Islands 50-0 despite a performance described as "a bit rusty" by coach Stephen Kearney.

Issac Luke took man-of-the-match honours for the Kiwis while Jason Nightingale and Bryson Goodwin both scored doubles, with Shaun Johnson and late inclusion Kieran Foran combining well in the halves.

There were also bright signs for World Cup underdogs the USA, who stunned world No.4 France 22-18 despite being without their NRL stars Clint Newton, Eddy Pettybourne and Joel Luani.

Parramatta's Joseph Paulo led the Tomahawks side and played a key part in the win, which was all the more impressive considering the match was played on France's home turf.

In other warm-up matches, Papua New Guinea got the better of Scotland 38-20, Fiji romped to a 78-0 win in their friendly clash with Rochdale, and the England Knights beat Samoa 52-16 in the curtain-raiser to England's shock loss to Italy.

http://www.nrl.com/world-cup-week-1-wrap/tabid/10874/newsid/75109/default.aspx

 

[rhugh89]

A mug's guide to the 2013 Rugby League World Cup

• FATIMA KDOUH
• FOX SPORTS
• OCTOBER 21, 2013 3:10PM

The Kangaroos, Kiwis and England will kick off their quest for global rugby league supremacy on October 26. Check out our mug's guide to the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.

WHAT IS IT?

France lobbied for and hosted the first World Cup in 1954 and the inaugural edition featured only three other teams – Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and the host nation.

The Brits would have taken great delight in beating the French 16-12 in the final.

Since then Australia has taken great delight in beating all-comers, most of the time. Britain (1960, ’72) has won the title twice since the first staging of the event, Australia has conquered on nine occasions (1957, ‘68, ‘70; ‘75; ‘77; ‘88; ‘92; ‘95; 2000) and Kangaroo fans are just starting to forgive Billy Slater for an errant pass that helped New Zealand win it for the first time in 2008.

WHEN IS IT PLAYED?

Whenever the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) has had the urge it appears. Twice in the 50s, twice in the 60s, four times in the 70s, one in the 80s, twice in the 90s and twice in the noughties. Your guess is as good as ours although it appears it will now be staged on a four-yearly cycle with the next one due in 2017.

HOW IT’S PLAYED?

Formats have varied over the last six decades and has included a version of the tournament being played on a home-and-away basis over a three-year period. The format has been tinkered with over the years as the number of nations participating increased.

This time around 12 teams automatically qualified for a spot – the 10 teams that contested the last World Cup plus Wales as the winner of the 2009 European Nations Cup and Cook Islands as the runner- up in the 2009 Pacific Cup.

There were two qualifying pools (European and Atlantic) for the two last spots with the the highest ranked team in each pool qualifying (Italy and USA).

POOL STRUCTURE

This World Cup will feature a super pool concept where the top three teams in Group A (Australia, England, Fiji, Ireland) and Group B (Papua New Guinea, France, New Zealand, Samoa) and the top team from Group C (Tonga, Scotland, Italy) and Group D (USA, Cook Islands, Wales) will go through to the quarter finals.

As well as playing each team in their group, sides from Group C and Group D will also play one game against a side from the opposing group.

WHERE DO THEY PLAY?

The rugby league heartlands of northern England will host the majority of the games in the group stages. Wales, Ireland and France will also host a number of matches.

The opening ceremony will take place at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.Wigan will host the quarter finals, Wembley the semi-finals and the hallowed ground of Old Trafford will play host to the final.

WHO’S PLAYING?


Australia (Odds - 1.35)

How do you beat a team with some of the best players in the world and possibly four future Immortals in the squad in Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, Johnathan Thurston and Greg Inglis. We all thought the same in 2008 and look what happened. Can lightning strike twice? We don’t think so.

New Zealand (Odds – 4.00)

The Kiwis are the current World Cup holders. Coach Stephen Kearney has assembled one of the strongest sides in recent memory and they are a decent chance of defending their title. Sonny Bill Williams will add another dimension and the halves of Kieran Foran and Shaun Johnson will create havoc.

England (Odds – 8.00)

England last tasted success as part of the Great Britain team of 1972. But they have named a strong side filled with genuine NRL stars in the Burgess brothers, James Graham and Gareth Widdop and with the home grand advantage this might just be the tournament where they break their World Cup drought.

Samoa (Odds – 67.00)

Samoa have the skill and talent to progress through to the quarter finals. They have a huge forward pack including Newcastle Knight David Fa’alogo and Raiders whiz Anthony Milford is just one name who will light up the backline.

Their biggest weakness is in the halves and this will likely decide how far into the tournament they progress.

Tonga (Odds – 101.00)

With 11 NRL regulars in their side Tonga has the potential to cause plenty of headaches for opposition teams. Brent Kite will lead an imposing forward pack and grand final wingers Jorge Taufua and Daniel Tupou will provide plenty of attacking flair.

Fiji (Odds – 126.00)

They were the surprise package of the 2008 World Cup when they made it through to the semi-finals and will be hoping to emulate their fairy tale run once again. The ageless Petero Civoniceva will lead the squad and their NRL stars need to rise to the occasion if they are to overcome stiff competition in the group stages.

Italy (Odds -151.00)

After topping the European qualification series Italy will make its World Cup debut. They have a good mix of youth and experience – young gun Aidan Guerra complemented by the likes of Anthony Minichiello. Their best chance for a win in the group stages is likely to come against Scotland.

Papua New Guinea (Odds – 151.00)

Rugby League is the national sport in Papua New Guinea and the Kumuls are a crowd favourite. They play with plenty of enthusiasm and passion but with New Zealand, France and Samoa in their group a win might be hard to come by. Newcastle Knights veteran Neville Costigan will the lead the side.

France (Odds – 151.00)

It’s hard to believe the French were once a powerhouse of rugby league. This time round Chanticleers will play two pool games at home and will be hoping to make the quarter finals if they can knock off Samoa or Papua New Guinea.

France has the luxury of fielding a side which has established combinations with one through six all from Super League team, the Catalans Dragons. Keep an eye out for prop Remi Casty who will join the Sydney Roosters in 2014, making him just the second French born player to play in the NRL.

Cook Islands (Odds - 501.00)

On paper they look to be the weakest of the Pacific Island teams. Their forward pack includes four players who featured in the NRL finals series but they lack experience in other key positions. They will have to pull off an unlikely upset against Tonga in an inter-pool match if they are any chance of making the quarter finals.

Scotland (Odds - 501.00)

Scotland will field a respectable halves pairing in Huddersfield’s “Man of Steel” Danny Brough and new Panthers signing Peter Wallace. They kick off their campaign against Tonga in what should be a bruising encounter. They’ll be hoping to improve on their 2008 showing where they only won one game.

Ireland (Odds – 501.00)

The bulk of this side plies its trade in the Super League but it will feature a handful of NRL players including Brett White and Pat Richards who returns to the Tigers in 2014. Ireland are in a tough group along with Australia and New Zealand and are unlikely to have what it takes to upset either side. Their best chance of a win will be against Fiji.

Wales (Odds - 501.00)

Wales are the favourite to take out their group but Australia or England will be waiting for them in the knockout stages and an upset here is unlikely. They do have the advantage of all playing their group matches in front of their home crowd. NRL player Tyson Frizell has been added to the side after the prop was initially ruled out through injury. Lacking real class.

USA (Odds – 1001.00)

An upset win over France in a warm-up match will be a tremendous confidence boost for the Tomahawks who will be making their World Cup debut. Undoubtedly their biggest weakness is the lack of players with top grade experience.

They will field former Tigers and Rabbitohs prop Eddy Pettybourne and Eels playmaker Joseph Paulo but are unlikely to have the talent and experience to push for a spot in the knock out stages.

PICK US A WINNER

The Kangaroos as we discovered in 2008 are not infallible but how it is going to take something miraculous if we are to see a repeat performance.That said England and New Zealand are both, on paper, stronger than they were in 2008.

New Zealand no longer have Benji Marshall who was at his brilliant best the last time the tournament was held but Foran, Johnson and Williams are superstars. If you are looking for value, the Kiwis are the best bet.

WORST THING

The dance. Yes, there is a dance and its official. It’s also bad. Very bad.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...league-world-cup/story-fni3fbgz-1226743754201

 

[rhugh89]

Key matches that will determine who progresses to the 2013 Rugby League World Cup knock-out stages

• NATHAN RYAN
• FOX SPORTS
• OCTOBER 21, 2013 10:00PM

AHEAD of the Rugby League World Cup, we take a look at the key matches which will determine who progresses to the knock-out stages.

Sun Oct 27, 12.30am AEDT (11.30pm Sat AEST): Australia v England

Australia’s first assignment to kick-off the competition is a tough one. Boasting the likes of Sam Tomkins, James Graham, Sam and George Burgess, the Kangaroos face England.

The host nation will be desperate to get their campaign off to a flying start after suffering a shock loss to Italy in a trial match. With Australia opting to not play a trial ahead of the competition, the Englishmen are hoping to catch the Kangaroos cold.

Sun Nov 3, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Australia v Fiji

The Kangaroos' second game of the competition comes in the form of Fiji. Before you look too closely at the match-ups, seeing Petero Civenocieva lining up against his former Australian teammates should be enough to spike your interest.

Aside from the legendary forward, dumped Aussie winger Akuila Uate will also be on show, and looking to prove a point. The Naiqama brothers (Wes and Kevin) and the Sims brothers (Korbin, Tariq and Ashton) will also line-up alongside each other for the first time.

Mon Oct 28, 5am AEDT (4am AEST): New Zealand v Samoa

The defending champions begin their title defence against Samoa. The Samoans boast the likes of Anthony Milford, Antonio Winterstein and Reni Maitua in their side and will be hungry to prove they are not just there to make up the numbers.

Kiwis coach Kearney is also on the verge of World Cup greatness. If New Zealand can defend their title, he'll join Australians Bob Fulton and Harry Bath as the only coaches to oversee two World Cup wins.

Sat Nov 9, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): New Zealand v Papua New Guinea

Built like bricks, PNG have never been one to shy away from a fight. With some handy players in their side like Titans speedster David Mead, Cowboys utility Ray Thompson, Knights backrower Neville Costigan and former Sharks hooker Paul Aiton, the Kiwis will have their hands full.

Look out for the battle of the hookers with James Segeyaro going head-to-head with Issac Luke.

Mon Nov 11, 3am AEDT (2am AEST): Tonga v Italy

Italy knocked off a full strength England squad in a recent trial, making the Italians the dark horse of the competition. Led by premiership winning captain Anthony Minichiello, Italy face the likes of Brent Kite, Sika Manu and Jorge Taufua in what should be an action packed game, which is likely to decide the winner of Group C.

Fri Nov 8, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Scotland v USA

The United States of America may be known for baseball, basketball and NFL but the Tomahawks had a surprise 22-18 trial win over fourth-ranked France.

The Clint Newton-led side also features Joseph Paulo, Eddy Pettybourne and Ryan McGoldrick. Peter Wallace is looking to guide Scotland in the halves while Luke Douglas provides the muscle up front.

Rugby League World Cup draw:

GROUP A

Sun Oct 27, 12.30am AEDT (11.30pm Sat AEST): Australia v England

Tue Oct 29, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Fiji v Ireland

Sun Nov 3, 1.30am AEDT (2.30am AEST): England v Ireland

Sun Nov 3, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Australia v Fiji

Sun Nov 10, 1.30am AEDT (12.30am AEST): England v Fiji

Sun Nov 10, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Australia v Ireland

GROUP B

Mon Oct 28, 3am AEDT (2am AEST): Papua New Guinea v France

Mon Oct 28, 5am AEDT (4am AEST): New Zealand v Samoa

Sat Nov 2, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): New Zealand v France

Tue Nov 5, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Papua New Guinea v Samoa

Sat Nov 9, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): New Zealand v Papua New Guinea

Tue Nov 12, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): France v Samoa

GROUP C

Wed Oct 30, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Tonga v Scotland

Mon Nov 4, 3am AEDT (2am AEST): Scotland v Italy

Mon Nov 11, 3am AEDT (2am AEST): Tonga v Italy

GROUP D

Thu Oct 31, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): USA v Cook Islands

Mon Nov 4, 1am AEDT (12am AEST): Wales v USA

Mon Nov 11, 1am AEDT (12am AEST): Wales v Cook Islands

GROUP C/D

Sat Oct 26, 3.30am AEDT (2.30am AEST): Wales v Italy

Wed Nov 6, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Tonga v Cook Islands

Fri Nov 8, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Scotland v USA

QUARTER FINALS

Sat Nov 16, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Winner B v Winner C

Sun Nov 17, 12am AEDT (11pm Sat AEST): Winner A v Winner D

Sun Nov 17, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Runner-up A v 3rd Place B

Mon Nov 18, 2am AEDT (1am AEST): Runner-up B v 3rd Place A

SEMI FINALS

Sun Nov 25, 12am AEDT (11pm Sat AEST): Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 3

Sun Nov 24, 2.30am AEDT (1.30am AEST): Winner QF 2 v Winner QF 4

FINAL

Sun Dec 1, 1.30am AEDT (12.30am AEST): Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2



http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ke...knock-out-stages/story-e6freuy9-1226744049460

 

[rhugh89]

Tomahawk Cantoni to miss World Cup

AAP
1:48am Tue 22nd October, 2013

Australian-born US second rower Mark Cantoni will miss the World Cup after breaking an arm in the Tomahawks' shock 22-18 friendly victory over France in Toulouse.

The forward, who qualifies for America through the grandparental rule, was in the US team that beat Jamaica to qualify for their first World Cup.

"Mark's been working for two years to get this opportunity so it's disappointing for him," Tomahawks coach Terry Matterson said.

"Hopefully, we may be able to get him a run at the back end, that's how keen he is."

The loss of Cantoni has been offset by the arrival of former Hull KR forward Clint Newton, Wigan's new signing Eddy Pettybourne and former Castleford utility back Ryan McGoldrick, who all joined up with the American squad on their arrival in England.

"I've got a couple of selection headaches," said Matterson, whose side open their World Cup campaign against the Cook Islands in Bristol on Wednesday week.

Matterson is keen to play down the prospects of the tournament's 1000/1 outsiders after they stunned the Catalan-dominated French in last Friday's warm-up fixture.

"It was a bit of a shock to the system for some of the guys playing at that level against guys that big, strong and fit but I think they showed they can handle that," he said.

"The challenge is to replicate that in a World Cup game."

http://www.nrl.com/tomahawk-cantoni-to-miss-world-cup/tabid/10874/newsid/75115/default.aspx

 

[rhugh89]

NRL.com's World Cup predictions

By Dominic Brock
NRL.com
6:00am Tue 22nd October, 2013

The World Cup pits rugby league's 14 strongest nations against each other, across four groups.

Groups A and B are the stronger groups and consist of four teams each, with the top three teams from each group to advance to the quarter-finals.

Groups C and D feature three teams each, with the two group winners advancing to the knockout stages.

The eight quarter-finalists will then compete for a spot in the semi-finals and then ultimately the final in the early hours of Sunday, December 1 (Australian time).

With a week to go before the tournament begins, here is how we see each match playing out:

GROUP A

The Australians are Four Nations champions and clear World Cup favourites, but the pressure will be on after the disappointment of losing the 2008 Cup final to New Zealand. They've got stars all over the park and a veteran coach who has been planning for the tournament for a year.

Home ground advantage and a stellar forward pack are England's strengths at this tournament. Any pack featuring James Graham and three of the four Burgess brothers will be tough to handle, while star fullback Sam Tomkins and skipper Kevin Sinfield will provide much of their attacking spark.

They've been rattled by a surprise 15-14 loss to Italy a week out from the start of the tournament, but that could turn out to be the wake-up call the squad needed.

Fiji aren't short of strike power in the outside backs, thanks to Knights duo Akuila Uate and Kevin Naiqama, Melbourne's Sisa Waqa, Wests Tigers speedster Marika Koroibete and the Panthers' Kevin Naiqama. In the forwards they'll rely on skipper Petero Civoniceva and the Sims brothers to provide an impact.

They appear to have the edge over Ireland for the final quarter-finals spot from this group, with the Irish led by Raiders prop Brett White and winger Pat Richards, who is on his way back to the Wests Tigers next season after winning the Super League with Wigan.

NRL.com's match predictions: Australia beat England; Fiij beat Ireland; England beat Ireland; Australia beat Fiji; England beat Fiji; Australia beat Ireland.

Predicted placings: Australia 1st; England 2nd; Fiji 3rd; Ireland 4th (Australia, England and Fiji advance).
GROUP B

World Cup champions New Zealand will be without Benji Marshall this time around but they do have Sonny Bill Williams and a great young halves pairing in Kieran Foran and Shaun Johnson.

They also boast five recent premiership winners from the Roosters and genuine depth in key positions, making them the clear favourite to win this group.

Papua New Guinea were beaten 50-10 recently by a Prime Minister's XIII side featuring a handful of Kangaroos stars, but will back themselves to compete with France and Samoa. Panthers hooker James Segeyaro will be a key for the Kumuls, along with Cowboys half Ray Thompson and former Panther and Shark Paul Aiton, while national great Adrian Lam will coach the side.

The French go into the tournament with a squad dominated by players from the Catalans Dragons, who finished seventh in the English Super League this season.

Clint Greenshields brings NRL experience but versatile half Thomas Bosc is the team's star, while prop Remi Casty is NRL-bound after signing a two-year deal with the Roosters.

France will need to bounce back from a shock warm-up loss to the USA and their opening clash with PNG will go a long way to deciding who advances from this group.

Samoa were thumped 36-4 by Tonga in Penrith in April but have a wealth of NRL experience, led by the likes of Ben Roberts, Mose Masoe, Mark Taufua, Daniel Vidot, Antonio Winterstein and star Raiders rookie Anthony Milford, who could be one of the breakout performers of the tournament.

Match predictions: Papua New Guinea beat France; New Zealand beat Samoa; New Zealand beat France; Samoa beat Papua New Guinea; New Zealand beat Papua New Guinea; Samoa beat France.

Predicted placings: New Zealand 1st; Samoa 2nd; Papua New Guinea 3rd; France 4th (New Zealand, Samoa and Papua New Guinea to advance).

GROUPS C & D

Groups C and D work a little differently: there are three teams in each group, and they each play against the other teams in their group plus one match against a team from the other group. So, Group C's Tonga will play against the other Group C teams Scotland and Italy, plus Group D's Cook Islands. Only one team from each group will advance.

Tonga will take plenty of confidence from their win over Samoa earlier this year and are the most likely team from Group C to go through, led by experienced campaigners Brent Kite, Sika Manu and Fuifui Moimoi in the forwards and explosive young talents Glen Fisi'iahi, Konrad Hurrell and Daniel Tupou in the backs.

The Italians boast several familiar faces for NRL followers in the form of Anthony and Mark Minichiello, Kade Snowden, Anthony Laffranchi, Aidan Guerra, Joel Riethmuller, James Tedesco and Paul Vaughan.

Their forward pack looks strong and they made the perfect start to their campaign by stunning England by a point in their warm-up match. NRL regulars Peter Wallace, Luke Douglas and Kane Linnett will be the key men for Scotland, who are the outsiders of Group C.

In Group D, Wales will be led by experienced props Jordan James and Gil Dudson, with Dragons forward Tyson Frizzel the only NRL regular in the squad. Their home-grown talent should get them through to the quarter-finals.

The Cook Islands are the tournament's outsiders according to the world rankings but nevertheless boast their fair share of NRL experience, including Isaac John, Sam Mataora, Dylan Napa and Brad Takairangi. Coach David Fairleigh also knows plenty about competing at the highest level.

The Americans can't be written off after their upset win over France in their warm-up match, and will be boosted by the experience of NRL regulars Joseph Paulo, Clint Newton and Eddy Pettybourne.

Tonga and Wales are the favourites, but these two groups are wide open.

Match predictions: Wales beat Italy; Tonga beat Scotland; USA beat Cook Islands; Wales beat USA; Italy beat Scotland; Tonga beat Cook Islands; Scotland beat
USA; Wales beat Cook Islands; Tonga beat Italy.

Prediction placings (Group C): Tonga 1st; Italy 2nd; Scotland 3rd (Tonga to advance).

Prediction placings (Group D): Wales 1st; USA 2nd; Cook Islands 3rd (Wales to advance).

QUARTER-FINALS

It's sudden death from here on in, so here's how we see the matches playing out.

QF1: Winner B (New Zealand) v Winner C (Tonga) – New Zealand to win

QF2: Winner A (Australia) v Winner D (Wales) – Australia to win

QF3: Runner-up A (England) v 3rd Place B (Papua New Guinea) – England to win

QF4: Runner-up B (Samoa) v 3rd Place A (Fiji) – Samoa to win

SEMI-FINALS

Winner QF1 (New Zealand) v Winner QF3 (England) – New Zealand to win (but don’t hold us to it...)

Winner QF2 (Australia) v Winner QF4 (Samoa) – Australia to win

So there you have it, we're predicting – surprise, surprise – an Australia v New Zealand World Cup Final.

But expect to see a few shocks along the way. Nations like Tonga, Fiji, Italy and Papua New Guinea all have the talent to advance to the semi-finals, while the likely semi-final match-up between New Zealand and England should be a classic.

And if England manages to beat Australia in the tournament opener, then the Kangaroos and Kiwis could be facing off in a blockbuster semi-final.

So how's it really going to turn out? Stay tuned to NRL.com over the coming weeks for all the news, previews, match reports and highlights from England and Wales.


http://www.nrl.com/nrl.coms-world-cup-predictions/tabid/10874/newsid/75111/default.aspx

 

[rhugh89]

Pictorial history of Rugby League World Cup

• NEWS LIMITED NETWORK
• OCTOBER 22, 2013 12:00AM

Ron Coote celebrates after winning the 1970 World Cup. Source: DailyTelegraph


THE Rugby League World Cup has a richer history than most Aussies give it credit for, having included 17 teams over 60 years (33 years longer than the Rugby World Cup).

Three countries have taken out the greatest prize in international rugby league - Australia (nine), Great Britain (three) and New Zealand (one).


[TABLE="class: MsoNormalTable"]
[TR]
[TD]

Year​

[/TD]
[TD]

Host nation​

[/TD]
[TD]

Teams​

[/TD]
[TD]

Winner​

[/TD]
[TD]

Runner-up​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 114"]

1954​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

France​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

4​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Great Britain​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

France​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 114"]

1957​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

4​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Great Britain​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 114"]

1960​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

UK​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

4​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Great Britain​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 114"]

1968​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia, NZ​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

4​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

France​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 114"]

1970​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

UK​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

4​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Great Britain​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 114"]

1972​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

France​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

4​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Great Britain​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 114"]

1975​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Worldwide​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

5​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114, align: center"]England[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 114"]

1977​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia, NZ​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

4​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Great Britain​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 114"]

1985-1988​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Worldwide​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

5​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

New Zealand​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 114"]

1989-1992​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Worldwide​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

5​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Great Britain​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 114"]

1995​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

UK​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

10​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

England​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 114"]

2000​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

UK, France​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

16​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

New Zealand​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 114"]

2008​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

10​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

New Zealand​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

Australia​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 114"]

2013​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

UK, Ireland, France​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

14​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

TBA​

[/TD]
[TD="width: 114"]

TBA​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


1954 - Hosted by France, won by Great Britain, four teams

THE Rugby League World Cup was an initiative of the French, who had lobbied for the tournament since the mid-1930s.

They eventually got their wish in 1954, with four teams taking part - Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and France (the next five World Cups, through until 1972, featured the same four nations).Great Britain took out the title with a 16-12 win over the hosts in the final at the Parc des Princes.

1957 - Hosted by Australia, won by Australia, four teams

GREAT Britain, under Alan Prescott, were expected to win.But Australia, led by player of the tournament Brian Carlson, went through undefeated to notch the first of nine World Cup wins.

1960 - Hosted by Great Britain, won by Great Britain, four teams

GREAT Britain went through the tournament undefeated, scoring a bruising 10-3 victory over Australia in the decider at Odsal, Bradford.There were brawls galore in the brutal final, with the press questioning how no player was sent off.

1960 : Vines holds teammate Rhodes after a fracus with opponents including captain Keith Barnes (R) with bleeding eye, as his teammates (L-R) Rex Mossop, Elton Rasmussen, Dud Beattie and Gary Purcell stand by during the Great Britain v Australia World Cup final at Odsal Stadium in England.Source: DailyTelegraph


1968 – Hosted by Australia/NZ, won by Australia, four teams

THIS was the year the Rugby League World Cup took off. 62,000 attended the group match between Australia and Great Britain.54,000 attended the the final between Australia and France at the SCG, with Australia claiming a second World Cup courtesy of a 20-2 win.

Captain Johnny Raper, back rower Ron Coote and sharpshooter Eric Simms were the stars in a tournament that catapulted the Rugby League World Cup to prominence, in Australia at least.

1968 Rugby League World Cup, Australia v Great Britain. Source:


1970 – Hosted by Great Britain, won by Australia, four teamsBRITAIN went into the tournament as hot favourites, fresh from retaining the Ashes.

But the Aussies stood up to be counted in the final, which became known as the "Battle of Headingly".

Despite being dominated in possession, the Aussies prevailed 12-7 in a brutal encounter that saw Australia's Billy Smith and Great Britain's Syd Hynes sent off.

Bob Fulton was named Player of the Tournament.

The Australia squad included such names as Billy Smith, Bob Fulton, Ron Turner, Eric Simms, Bob McCarthy, Ron Coote, and Ray Brannighan.

Captain Ron Coote kisses the World Cup trophy after Australia defeated England in the 1970 final in Leeds. Source:

Billy Smith (ball) tries to get away from Cliff Watson during the 1970 England v Australia World Cup game in Leeds. Source: DailyTelegraph


1972 – Hosted by France, won by Great Britain, four teams

GREAT Britain scored their third World Cup win in a thrilling final in Lyon - Australia and the Mother Country played out an epic draw, with Great Britain awarded the title on performances in the lead-up games.

Graeme Langlands captained a side that%/CENTER]
[/TD]
[/TR%tson, Ray Branighan, Bob Fulton, future ARLC chairman John Grant, Bob McCarthy, Bob O'Reilly and Tommy Raudonikis.

1975 - Hosted worldwide, won by Australia, five teams

1975 signaled a radical change to the World Cup format. Five teams contested the tournament for the first time, with Great Britain split into Wales and England.No one nation hosted the tournament, with the matches played on a home and away basis over eight months.

There was no final contested, with Australia deemed the winner after winning six of eight games.

The Australian side included Graeme Langlands, Chris Anderson, Arthur Beetson, Ray Branighan, Ron Coote, Mick Cronin, Graham Eadie, Denis Fitzgerald, Bob Fulton, John Lang, George Piggins, John Quayle, Terry Randall, Tommy Raudonikis, Steve Rogers and Ian Schubert.

The 1975 series began an incredible era of dominance by Australia, who won six Cups in a row over the next 25 years.

Captain Arthur Beetson lifts the trophy after victory in 1975. Source: DailyTelegraph

Graeme Langlands scores during the 1975 Rugby League World Cup. Picture: Barry McKinnonSource: DailyTelegraph


1977 - Hosted by Australia/NZ, won by Australia, four teams

THE Cup returned to a tournament format and was cut to four teams, with Wales absorbed into the Great Britain side.A final-gasp try to Australian halfback John Kolc secured a thrilling 13-12 win for Australia in the final.

Australia's team for the final: Graham Eadie, Allan McMahon, Mick Cronin, Russel Gartner, Mark Harris, John Peard, John Kolc, Greg Veivers, Nick Geiger, Terry Randall, Arthur Beetson (c), Ray Higgs, Greg Pierce. Reserve: Denis Fitzgerald

1985-1988 - Hosted worldwide, won by Australia, five teams

YET another change to the format saw five nations (with Papua New Guinea added) play home and away fixtures over a period of three years.The star-studded Australians, led by Wally Lewis, won the final 25-12 against New Zealand at Eden Park.

Australian side for final: Garry Jack, Dale Shearer, Andrew Farrar, Mark McGaw, Michael O'Connor, Wally Lewis (c), Allan Langer, Paul Dunn, Ben Elias, Steve Roach, Paul Sironen, Gavin Miller, Wayne Pearce. Reserves: David Gillespie, Terry Lamb

NZ side for final: Gary Mercer, Tony Iro, Kevin Iro, Dean Bell (c), Mark Elia, Gary Freeman, Clayton Friend, Peter Brown, Wayne Wallace, Adrian Shelford, Mark Graham, Kurt Sorenson, Mark Horo. Reserves: Shane Cooper, Sam Stewart

1989-1992 - Hosted worldwide, won by Australia, five teams

THE tournament continued with the three-year, five-team format, with the powerful Australian side going through its eight games undefeated.

Even so, the final was an incredibly tight affair.In front of a World Cup record 73,000 fans at Wembley, the Kangaroos prevailed 10-6 courtesy of a late try to centre Steve Renouf and clutch sideline conversion by centre Mal Meninga.

Australian side for final: Tim Brasher, Willie Carne, Steve Renouf, Mal Meninga (c), Michael Hancock, Brad Fittler, Allan Langer, Glenn Lazarus, Steve Walters, Mark Sargent, Paul Sironen, Bob Lindner, Bradley Clyde. Interchange: David Gillespie, Kevin Walters, John Cartwright, Chris Johns

Great Britain side for final: Joe Lydon, Alan Hunte, Gary Connolly, Garry Schofield (c), Martin Offiah, Shaun Edwards, Deryck Fox, Kevin Ward, Martin Dermott, Andy Platt, Denis Betts, Phil Clarke, Ellery Hanley. Interchange: John Devereux, Alan Tait, Kelvin Skerrett, Richard Eyres

1995 - Hosted by Great Britain, won by Australia, 10 teams

THE World Cup expanded greatly for the 1995 incarnation, with 10 countries taking part.With the ARL refusing to name Super League-aligned players, a young Andrew Johns produced a master class in the final.

Named at hooker, but playing halfback in general play, Johns won man-of-the-match as Australia surged to a 16-8 win over England in the final at Wembley.

Australian starting side for final: Tim Brasher, Rod Wishart, Mark Coyne, Terry Hill, Brett Dallas, Brad Fittler (c), Geoff Toovey, Dean Pay, Andrew Johns, Mark Carroll, Steve Menzies, Gary Larson, Jim Dymock.

Captain Brad Fittler (C) following victory in 1995. Source: DailyTelegraph

Andrew Johns won man-of-the-match in the 1995 final. Source: DailyTelegraph

Mark Carroll (L) and Terry Hill celebrate victory in 1995. Source: DailyTelegraph

Gary Larson on the charge in front of a packed house at Wembley for the 1995 final. SourceailyTelegraph

Tim Brasher scores the winning try in the 1995 final. Source: DailyTelegraph


2000 - Hosted by Great Britain, won by Australia, 16 teams

THE 2000 World Cup expanded considerably once again, featuring 16 teams. Among the new entrants were Lebanon, Russia, Ireland, Scotland, New Zealand Maori and the Cook Islands.

An all-star Australian side romped to a 40-12 win in the final at Old Trafford to notch a sixth successive World Cup win, with Wendell Sailor scoring a double.

Australian team for final: Darren Lockyer, Mat Rogers, Adam MacDougall, Matt Gidley, Wendell Sailor, Brad Fittler (c), Brett Kimmorley, Shane Webcke, Andrew Johns, Robbie Kearns, Gorden Tallis, Bryan Fletcher, Scott Hill. Interchange: Trent Barrett, Nathan Hindmarsh, Darren Britt, Jason Stevens

NZ team for final: Richie Barnett, Nigel Vagana, Tonie Carroll, Willie Talau, Lesley Vainikolo, Henry Paul, Stacey Jones, Craig Smith, Richard Swain, Quentin Pongia, Matt Rua, Stephen Kearney (c), Ruben Wiki. Interchange: Robbie Paul, Joe Vagana, Nathan Cayless, Logan Swann

Mat Rogers holds the trophy aloft in 2000. Source: DailyTelegraph

Brad Fittler (trophy) and the victorious team of 2000. Source: DailyTelegraph

Nathan Hindmarsh scored a try in the 2000 final. Source: DailyTelegraph

Andrew Johns played hooker. Source: DailyTelegraph

Wendell Sailor scored two tries in the 2000 final. Source: DailyTelegraph


2008 - Hosted by Australia, won by NZ, 10 teams

THE tournament, hosted in Australia, dropped back to 10 teams following criticism over pool-game drubbings in the previous edition.Australia went into the final as overwhelming favourites to claim a seventh consecutive title

But their title defence was undone in the 61st minute when star fullback Billy Slater threw a suicidal pass that landed in the hands of Benji Marshall, who crossed for the series-defining try.

New Zealand eventually won 34-20, with the score blown out by a late try to Kiwi forward Adam Blair.

Billy Slater's suicidal pass that cost Australia the 2008 World Cup. Source: DailyTelegraph

New Zealand celebrate victory in 2008. Source: DailyTelegraph

New Zealand's Lance Hohaia (C) is congratulated after scoring in the final. Source: DailyTelegraph

New Zealand performs the haka. Source: DailyTelegraph

Paul Gallen after hit by Steve Matai. Picture: Brett Costello Source: DailyTelegraph


2013 - To be hosted by Great Britain

THE upcoming World Cup features 14 teams and will take place in Great Britain and France.Australia go into the tournament as overwhelming favourites.

There will be a distinctively Australian flavour at the Cup, with over 120 Australian-based players to take part. Australian-based players feature in all of the 14 teams.

The Australian Kangaroos' team for the 2013 World Cup. Source: DailyTelegraph



http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...league-world-cup/story-fni3fbgz-1226743762731

 

[mt smart]

The England team had nothing to play for. They used 20 players and tried out a few combinations and all the players used were out there trying to avoid injury before the real games start.
On the other hand, it was the game of their lives for many of the Italian guys. Most of them will never have another chance to win a test match against a big 3 side, and they would have played like there was no tomorrow.
It's like a trial game between an NRL side and a country side used to be. One side trying to avoid the tough stuff and the other side playing their hearts out.

Having said that - good on Italy for doing the business - and it shows they are a real chance to beat the Cooks and Wales and win their group to make the Quarter finals.

Pretty much agree with everything Billy said.
Did you all see the Weather ? Looked like the Amazon the rain was so heavy.
The other concern for England ( well if you have a read of their fan debates ) is the Coach.
Macbana they're calling him , has a reputation for " playing it safe is the only way to beat Australia "
While I agree with the sentiment some of his selections raise an eyebrow in the name of ' safe' football.
Kevin Sinfield is Macbana's favorite player , to the extent he plays him in their halves.

Why ?

Sinfield is a very good communicator with excellent directing skills, unfortunately he is too slow for a half and will struggle there.
England fans are very tribal in terms of their club versus country support , their coach has love for Leeds players , NRL players aren't automatic selections in the pecking order either.

Tom Burgess couldn't make the Top side and strangely their biggest Forward in Eorl Crabtree missed out all together.

They will struggle if they don't pick their Burgi and the Bigger impact forwards to match what Aus and NZ will do with their Monster hard running forwards off their respective benches.

Jamesgould is bang on to finger the Knights result at 50 + over Samoa V the Italy Loss.

Something is wrong and the first avenue of enquiry would be reviewing who needs to come in from that England A squad ( taking into account that Samoa are weakened & Italy may prove to be no mugs this year , I would still be looking at a handful of the best England Knights players ).

The England Knights result could be the saving of England , clearly they have some players putting their hands up from the Reserves team.

England and GBR sides play their best footy when they select their Biggest toughest Impact Forwards and play some expansive Rugby League to bring players like Tomkins onto the ball.

Rangi Chase their other Half strikes me as a poor mans Marshall , he will try to win it on his own ( last thing England needs with their other Half being a forward who won't be able to keep up with him and their Fullback being an unpredictable Xfactor player that just needs clean ball when he chimes into the three Quarter Line which he is king of distributing to center / wing....)
They should have built their team around Sam Tomkins ( Wigan spine ) in the same way Aussie Built a team around Smith and NZ tried to build one around Marshall.

First Pick players are just that. The rest of the team is selsected around them.

I hope England put up a fight for the credibility of the sport in England where it's withering badly.

End Rant

 

[jamesgould]

Sinfield at halfback definitely isn't going to have any opposition side quaking in their boots.

 

[mt smart]

Sinfield at halfback definitely isn't going to have any opposition side quaking in their boots.

Mcnanmara declaring " I can tell you without a doubt that no player in the World prepares more than Sinfield " isn't going to scare anyone either.

He is a highly rated organiser they call him the general , but if you youtube his higlights all you get is tens of talking clips , kicking wining conversion clips ( handy ) .....not a lot else.....I hope England come to their senses ( Say if the Kangaroos smash them ) and name a superior line up.

That would see a Strong England team , they would play NZ in the Semi's in that scenario , which I don't mind the cup needs it's best playing at their best.

At least if England bumped NZ out of it , they would have a chance in the final.

I see Fafita will be in there and With NZs pack I'm not surprised they bought in Papalii as well , the Kiwi Forwards if they name their biggest players will trouble the Roos.

Can't wait.