RLWC2017 - Australia v. Lebanon Report : Sat Nov 11, 2017 10:59 am  

RLWC2017 - Australia v. Lebanon Report The third game of the day saw the World Cups lowest ranked side Lebanon take on the top rated Australia. None of the pundits or bookies gave Brad Fittler's Lebanon any chance of an upset and expected the host nation to sweep into the semi-finals with an unbeaten record.   Sydney Football Stadium was the venue and the crowd was bolstered by a good crowd supporting Lebanon. The Cedars were looking for a repeat of their great opening game form when the beat France and Australia were looking for a professional and clinical performance. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Australia v. Lebanon Report The third game of the day saw the World Cups lowest ranked side Lebanon take on the top rated Australia. None of the pundits or bookies gave Brad Fittler's Lebanon any chance of an upset and expected the host nation to sweep into the semi-finals with an unbeaten record.   Sydney Football Stadium was the venue and the crowd was bolstered by a good crowd supporting Lebanon. The Cedars were looking for a repeat of their great opening game form when the beat France and Australia were looking for a professional and clinical performance. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - PNG v. USA Report : Sun Nov 12, 2017 7:00 am  

RLWC2017 - PNG v. USA Report The heat of Port Moresby was the venue as the Kumuls took on the Tomahawks looking the cement their place in the semi-finals.   A win for Papua New Guinea, much fancied by the bookies and pundits, would see them into a quarter final game, most likely against England. The ground was packed to the rafters with a deafening and partisan support hoping the cheer their side home.   On paper there was only one winner. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - PNG v. USA Report The heat of Port Moresby was the venue as the Kumuls took on the Tomahawks looking the cement their place in the semi-finals.   A win for Papua New Guinea, much fancied by the bookies and pundits, would see them into a quarter final game, most likely against England. The ground was packed to the rafters with a deafening and partisan support hoping the cheer their side home.   On paper there was only one winner. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Ireland v. Wales Report : Sun Nov 12, 2017 9:38 am  

RLWC2017 - Ireland v. Wales Report It was the battle of the Celts in the first of a double-header in Perth as John Kears winless Wales came up against Mark Aston's Ireland side in the final game of the World Cup for both sides.   Even though both sides would be going home at the final hooter there was still pride, local bragging rights and future international places to play for. There were plenty of familiar names on show from both Super League and the Championship.   Wales needed a sixty-four point winning margin to finish ahead of the Irish but that looked a very difficult ask against an Irish side who have impressed in their opening two games. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Ireland v. Wales Report It was the battle of the Celts in the first of a double-header in Perth as John Kears winless Wales came up against Mark Aston's Ireland side in the final game of the World Cup for both sides.   Even though both sides would be going home at the final hooter there was still pride, local bragging rights and future international places to play for. There were plenty of familiar names on show from both Super League and the Championship.   Wales needed a sixty-four point winning margin to finish ahead of the Irish but that looked a very difficult ask against an Irish side who have impressed in their opening two games. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - England v. France Report : Sun Nov 12, 2017 12:01 pm  

RLWC2017 - England v. France Report The maths were simple as England took on France in the second game of the Perth double-header. A French win by sixteen points would see them overtake Lebanon for third place, and a quarter final place, and thirty-two to overtake England into second. An unthinkable forty-seven point French victory would put England on the plane home.   Coach Wayne Bennett sprang a few surprises in the England line-up as he looked to give a run out to some of his squad players and offer them a chance to play themselves into the quarter final seventeen.   Expectations were high that England would discover some World Cup form. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - England v. France Report The maths were simple as England took on France in the second game of the Perth double-header. A French win by sixteen points would see them overtake Lebanon for third place, and a quarter final place, and thirty-two to overtake England into second. An unthinkable forty-seven point French victory would put England on the plane home.   Coach Wayne Bennett sprang a few surprises in the England line-up as he looked to give a run out to some of his squad players and offer them a chance to play themselves into the quarter final seventeen.   Expectations were high that England would discover some World Cup form. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Australia v. Samoa Report : Fri Nov 17, 2017 11:33 am  

RLWC2017 - Australia v. Samoa Report The TIO Stadium in Darwin was the venue as hosts Australia opened the knockout stage of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup with what looked he easiest of games against a Samoa side who have struggled in the competition and progressed to this stage with just a single draw.   While the Kangaroos have cruised through their fixtures in the group stages, Samoa have been comprehensively beaten by New Zealand and Tonga while securing their quarter final spot with an unconvincing draw against Scotland which allowed them to progress with a better points difference.   There could only be one victor, the bookies and pundits all agreed, the Green and Gold.  READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Australia v. Samoa Report The TIO Stadium in Darwin was the venue as hosts Australia opened the knockout stage of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup with what looked he easiest of games against a Samoa side who have struggled in the competition and progressed to this stage with just a single draw.   While the Kangaroos have cruised through their fixtures in the group stages, Samoa have been comprehensively beaten by New Zealand and Tonga while securing their quarter final spot with an unconvincing draw against Scotland which allowed them to progress with a better points difference.   There could only be one victor, the bookies and pundits all agreed, the Green and Gold.  READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Tonga v. Lebanon Report : Sat Nov 18, 2017 6:10 am  

RLWC2017 - Tonga v. Lebanon Report The highly impressive, and fancied, Tonga faced the challenge of makeweights Lebanon as the looked to secure a semi-final spot at the Christchurch Stadium.   Tonga won all of their games in the group stages, including that stunning win over New Zealand last weekend whereas Lebanon have just an opening weekend win over France to their name and they came into today's game after suffering a 34-0 defeat at the hands of Australia last week.   The bookies set their odds in the certainty that it would be Tonga who would progress. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Tonga v. Lebanon Report The highly impressive, and fancied, Tonga faced the challenge of makeweights Lebanon as the looked to secure a semi-final spot at the Christchurch Stadium.   Tonga won all of their games in the group stages, including that stunning win over New Zealand last weekend whereas Lebanon have just an opening weekend win over France to their name and they came into today's game after suffering a 34-0 defeat at the hands of Australia last week.   The bookies set their odds in the certainty that it would be Tonga who would progress. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - New Zealand v. Fiji Report : Sat Nov 18, 2017 8:32 am  

RLWC2017 - New Zealand v. Fiji Report A semi-final against favourites Australia awaited the winner of the third quarter final between New Zealand and Fiji at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand. The Kiwis came into the game as strong favourites with few giving the flamboyant Fiji any chance of progressing.   Fiji were unbeaten in the competition with a very impressive +140 points difference, and New Zealand showed that they are fallible with last weekends surprise loss to Tonga.   The prospect was for an open game with many neutrals looking for a great Fiji performance after they named an unchanged side after their 38-10 win over Italy last weekend.  READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - New Zealand v. Fiji Report A semi-final against favourites Australia awaited the winner of the third quarter final between New Zealand and Fiji at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand. The Kiwis came into the game as strong favourites with few giving the flamboyant Fiji any chance of progressing.   Fiji were unbeaten in the competition with a very impressive +140 points difference, and New Zealand showed that they are fallible with last weekends surprise loss to Tonga.   The prospect was for an open game with many neutrals looking for a great Fiji performance after they named an unchanged side after their 38-10 win over Italy last weekend.  READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - England v. PNG Report : Sun Nov 19, 2017 7:01 am  

RLWC2017 - England v. PNG Report After yesterday's shock win for Fiji over New Zealand and Lebanon pushing Tonga all the way to the final hooter, nerves would have been shredded in the England dressing room as they came up against a passionate and fanatically supported Papua New Guinea in the last quarter final.   PNG took an unbeaten record in the group stages to Melbourne along with a massive points difference bolstered by a 64-0 win over the USA last weekend.   England had Sam Burgess back in the line-up after two games out through injury and last weeks experiment of Gareth Widdop at full-back with Kevin Brown and Luke Gale in the halves was repeated by coach Wayne Bennett. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - England v. PNG Report After yesterday's shock win for Fiji over New Zealand and Lebanon pushing Tonga all the way to the final hooter, nerves would have been shredded in the England dressing room as they came up against a passionate and fanatically supported Papua New Guinea in the last quarter final.   PNG took an unbeaten record in the group stages to Melbourne along with a massive points difference bolstered by a 64-0 win over the USA last weekend.   England had Sam Burgess back in the line-up after two games out through injury and last weeks experiment of Gareth Widdop at full-back with Kevin Brown and Luke Gale in the halves was repeated by coach Wayne Bennett. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Australia v. Fiji Report : Fri Nov 24, 2017 11:07 am  

RLWC2017 - Australia v. Fiji Report After last weeks stunning and surprise 4-2 victory over New Zealand, hosts Australia knew the danger that World Cup underdogs Fiji brought into today's fixture at the Suncorp Stadium with a place at the final up for grabs.   Both sides named the same seventeen but word from the Australia camp was that Mal Meninga was forced to ‘read the riot act' at training on Wednesday after a lacklustre run out from the green and gold. Fiji would need the help of their heavenly eighteenth man as they put their faith into their game as they looked to cause a second consecutive shock.   The bookies fancied Australia, but there was just that element of the unknown. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Australia v. Fiji Report After last weeks stunning and surprise 4-2 victory over New Zealand, hosts Australia knew the danger that World Cup underdogs Fiji brought into today's fixture at the Suncorp Stadium with a place at the final up for grabs.   Both sides named the same seventeen but word from the Australia camp was that Mal Meninga was forced to ‘read the riot act' at training on Wednesday after a lacklustre run out from the green and gold. Fiji would need the help of their heavenly eighteenth man as they put their faith into their game as they looked to cause a second consecutive shock.   The bookies fancied Australia, but there was just that element of the unknown. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - England v. Tonga Report : Sun Nov 26, 2017 8:54 am  

RLWC2017 - England v. Tonga Report A packed Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland at absolute fever pitch was the venue for the second semi-final as England took on Tonga for the honour of taking on Australia in next weeks final.   Wayne Bennett was able to name an unchanged seventeen after Kevin Brown was declared fit and the Warrington half was teamed up with Luke Gale at scrum half and Gareth Widdop at full back. The much fancied Tonga made just one change from the side who were pushed all the way by Lebanon last week with prop Sio Taukeiaho replacing Ofahengaue.   The hopes of an expectant nation rested on seventeen men in white. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - England v. Tonga Report A packed Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland at absolute fever pitch was the venue for the second semi-final as England took on Tonga for the honour of taking on Australia in next weeks final.   Wayne Bennett was able to name an unchanged seventeen after Kevin Brown was declared fit and the Warrington half was teamed up with Luke Gale at scrum half and Gareth Widdop at full back. The much fancied Tonga made just one change from the side who were pushed all the way by Lebanon last week with prop Sio Taukeiaho replacing Ofahengaue.   The hopes of an expectant nation rested on seventeen men in white. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...