RLWC2017 - Australia v. France Report : Fri Nov 03, 2017 11:02 am  

RLWC2017 - Australia v. France Report Australia started the game as 1000/1 on favourites to beat a France side who were taken apart by an impressive Lebanon in the opening round. Mal Meninga rested a number of players including Cooper Cronk and Dane Gagai, and James Maloney was a late withdrawal due to a ‘personal matter'.   The expected loss for France wouldn't end their quarter final aspirations, so long as England beat Lebanon tomorrow, but they would then need to beat England next weekend.   There were over 12,000 in the Canberra Stadium to cheer on their heroes. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Australia v. France Report Australia started the game as 1000/1 on favourites to beat a France side who were taken apart by an impressive Lebanon in the opening round. Mal Meninga rested a number of players including Cooper Cronk and Dane Gagai, and James Maloney was a late withdrawal due to a ‘personal matter'.   The expected loss for France wouldn't end their quarter final aspirations, so long as England beat Lebanon tomorrow, but they would then need to beat England next weekend.   There were over 12,000 in the Canberra Stadium to cheer on their heroes. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - New Zealand v. Scotland Report : Sat Nov 04, 2017 5:58 am  

RLWC2017 - New Zealand v. Scotland Report There were plenty of changes for New Zealand as they took to the field at the Christchurch Stadium with the aspiration of sealing their quarter final place against a Scotland side who were well beaten by Tonga last weekend.   Steve McCormack's Bravehearts side were in danger of early elimination in a tough group where a loss today would see them needing a victory over their final opponents next weekend, Samoa.   Despite these two sides drawing 18-18 the last time they met in the Four Nations last year, the Kiwis were massive favourites for a big win after their confident victory against Samoa over the opening weekend. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - New Zealand v. Scotland Report There were plenty of changes for New Zealand as they took to the field at the Christchurch Stadium with the aspiration of sealing their quarter final place against a Scotland side who were well beaten by Tonga last weekend.   Steve McCormack's Bravehearts side were in danger of early elimination in a tough group where a loss today would see them needing a victory over their final opponents next weekend, Samoa.   Despite these two sides drawing 18-18 the last time they met in the Four Nations last year, the Kiwis were massive favourites for a big win after their confident victory against Samoa over the opening weekend. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Samoa v. Tonga Report : Sat Nov 04, 2017 8:39 am  

RLWC2017 - Samoa v. Tonga Report Looking through the group stages fixtures many people will have picked out today's clash between Samoa and Tonga as one of the must-see games. Two massive sides battling it out in the heat of Hamilton as an intense rivalry hit the World Cup.   Tonga were big favourites after their win in the opening round to beat a Samoa side who lost to New Zealand in their opening World Cup fixture.   The tension between the two neighbouring islands had been building all week and reached a crescendo at kick-off after some amazing pre-match cultural exchanges. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Samoa v. Tonga Report Looking through the group stages fixtures many people will have picked out today's clash between Samoa and Tonga as one of the must-see games. Two massive sides battling it out in the heat of Hamilton as an intense rivalry hit the World Cup.   Tonga were big favourites after their win in the opening round to beat a Samoa side who lost to New Zealand in their opening World Cup fixture.   The tension between the two neighbouring islands had been building all week and reached a crescendo at kick-off after some amazing pre-match cultural exchanges. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - England v. Lebanon Report : Sat Nov 04, 2017 11:03 am  

RLWC2017 - England v. Lebanon Report England came into tonight's game in Sydney with some trepidation against an almost unknown Lebanon side who had performed so brilliantly last week in their win over France.   The injury to Sam Burgess meant that Ben Currie was in the starting line up with Alex Walmsley, now recovered from a virus, given a position on the bench. Giving more of his squad some game time, coach Bennett brought in Ratchford for Lomax in the starting line up, and Williams for Roby on the bench.   It was a carnival like atmosphere as a massive Lebanese following hoped to cheer Brad Fittler's side to one of the all-time World Cup upsets. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - England v. Lebanon Report England came into tonight's game in Sydney with some trepidation against an almost unknown Lebanon side who had performed so brilliantly last week in their win over France.   The injury to Sam Burgess meant that Ben Currie was in the starting line up with Alex Walmsley, now recovered from a virus, given a position on the bench. Giving more of his squad some game time, coach Bennett brought in Ratchford for Lomax in the starting line up, and Williams for Roby on the bench.   It was a carnival like atmosphere as a massive Lebanese following hoped to cheer Brad Fittler's side to one of the all-time World Cup upsets. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - PNG v. Ireland Report : Sun Nov 05, 2017 8:18 am  

RLWC2017 - PNG v. Ireland Report Mark Aston's Ireland were unchanged from the side which beat Italy, against the odds, last week as they came up against a Papua New Guinea side at a partisan Port Moresby. PNG tinkered with their own line-up but the lack of changes illustrated the importance that both coaches gave to the game.   The Kumuls were strong favourites with the bookies whose physicality was expected to be too much for a brave Ireland side.   The atmosphere at kick off was electric, an eighteenth man for the Papua New Guinea side. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - PNG v. Ireland Report Mark Aston's Ireland were unchanged from the side which beat Italy, against the odds, last week as they came up against a Papua New Guinea side at a partisan Port Moresby. PNG tinkered with their own line-up but the lack of changes illustrated the importance that both coaches gave to the game.   The Kumuls were strong favourites with the bookies whose physicality was expected to be too much for a brave Ireland side.   The atmosphere at kick off was electric, an eighteenth man for the Papua New Guinea side. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Fiji v. Wales Report : Sun Nov 05, 2017 10:29 am  

RLWC2017 - Fiji v. Wales Report Wales were looking to keep their competition alive as they had the difficult task of trying to get the points from a Fiji side which demolished the USA on the opening weekend.   No-one gave John Kear's Welsh side and chance of upsetting the form book and taking the points, as he made five changes to last weeks defeated side.   The Townsville Stadium in Queensland was the venue and the pre-match Fijian sung prayer raised the goosebumps. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Fiji v. Wales Report Wales were looking to keep their competition alive as they had the difficult task of trying to get the points from a Fiji side which demolished the USA on the opening weekend.   No-one gave John Kear's Welsh side and chance of upsetting the form book and taking the points, as he made five changes to last weeks defeated side.   The Townsville Stadium in Queensland was the venue and the pre-match Fijian sung prayer raised the goosebumps. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Italy v. USA Report : Sun Nov 05, 2017 12:05 pm  

RLWC2017 - Italy v. USA Report Two of last weeks losing sides met in the first of the double-header at the Townsville Stadium. A win would keep their hopes of progress to the semi-finals alive but a loss would signal elimination from the competition after next weeks final game.   Coaches Ciraldo and McDermott both made a handful of changes to their losing sides but the bookies had made Italy, shock losers against Ireland, as firm favourites to take the spoils. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Italy v. USA Report Two of last weeks losing sides met in the first of the double-header at the Townsville Stadium. A win would keep their hopes of progress to the semi-finals alive but a loss would signal elimination from the competition after next weeks final game.   Coaches Ciraldo and McDermott both made a handful of changes to their losing sides but the bookies had made Italy, shock losers against Ireland, as firm favourites to take the spoils. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Fiji v. Italy Report : Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:35 pm  

RLWC2017 - Fiji v. Italy Report Fiji confirmed their World Cup quarter-final match against the loser of tomorrow's New Zealand v Tonga match, after a 38-10 win over Italy.   Italy entered the match needing to win by a clear 46 points – against a side who had racked up 130 points in their first two games – if they hoped to unseat Fiji from the top of the group and take their quarter-final place.   And the tension clearly showed in a bad-tempered game that saw three sin-binnings in the first half. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Fiji v. Italy Report Fiji confirmed their World Cup quarter-final match against the loser of tomorrow's New Zealand v Tonga match, after a 38-10 win over Italy.   Italy entered the match needing to win by a clear 46 points – against a side who had racked up 130 points in their first two games – if they hoped to unseat Fiji from the top of the group and take their quarter-final place.   And the tension clearly showed in a bad-tempered game that saw three sin-binnings in the first half. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - New Zealand v. Tonga Report : Sat Nov 11, 2017 6:15 am  

RLWC2017 - New Zealand v. Tonga Report The much anticipated clash between New Zealand and Tonga would determine which side would finish atop Group B. Both sides had been impressive in their opening two group fixtures registering two big wins each and scoring seemingly at will.   The venue was a packed Waikato Stadium in Hamilton and the atmosphere was raised several notches as the two sides presented their cultural exchange, a little too close to one another in their shows of strength.   The stage was set for a belter with the bookies suggesting a New Zealand win, as Tonga were without the services of the free scoring Michael Johnson. The winners would likely have a quarter final game against Lebanon with the losers facing Fiji. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - New Zealand v. Tonga Report The much anticipated clash between New Zealand and Tonga would determine which side would finish atop Group B. Both sides had been impressive in their opening two group fixtures registering two big wins each and scoring seemingly at will.   The venue was a packed Waikato Stadium in Hamilton and the atmosphere was raised several notches as the two sides presented their cultural exchange, a little too close to one another in their shows of strength.   The stage was set for a belter with the bookies suggesting a New Zealand win, as Tonga were without the services of the free scoring Michael Johnson. The winners would likely have a quarter final game against Lebanon with the losers facing Fiji. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Samoa v. Scotland Report : Sat Nov 11, 2017 8:15 am  

RLWC2017 - Samoa v. Scotland Report Progress in the competition was up for grabs as Samoa faced Scotland in a ‘winner goes through game at Barlow Park in Cairns. The winners would likely face Australia in the quarter finals with the losers packing their bags and heading home.   Scotland were without captain Danny Brough, who had been sent home from the World Cup after a post-match incident last weekend. After conceding one hundred and twenty four points in their opening two fixtures the Scots were the firm underdogs. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

RLWC2017 - Samoa v. Scotland Report Progress in the competition was up for grabs as Samoa faced Scotland in a ‘winner goes through game at Barlow Park in Cairns. The winners would likely face Australia in the quarter finals with the losers packing their bags and heading home.   Scotland were without captain Danny Brough, who had been sent home from the World Cup after a post-match incident last weekend. After conceding one hundred and twenty four points in their opening two fixtures the Scots were the firm underdogs. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...