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Tag: Rugby League

  • Draws confirmed for reworked rugby league world cups

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    Tonga has been given a tough draw at next year’s Rugby League World Cup, including a showdown with arch-rivals Samoa at Parramatta.

    The Kristian Woolf-coached Tongans have been drawn in Group C, which means they play matches against Group B sides England, Samoa and Lebanon.

    Their round-three showdown with Samoa on November 1 at CommBank Stadium is set to be a sellout after 44,682 fans watched the Samoans beat Tonga 34-6 at Suncorp Stadium in this year’s Pacific Cup.

    Defending World Cup champions Australia will kick off the 10-nation men’s tournament against Pacific Cup holders and Group A rivals New Zealand on October 15 at Allianz Stadium.

    The Kangaroos, who swept England 3-0 in the recent Ashes series, will then play the remaining Group A sides Fiji and the Cook Islands in the following weeks.

    Group A’s four sides play each other once in the three round-robin clashes ahead of the semi-finals, and the final at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, November 15.

    The semi-finals will be held at Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium and Sydney’s Allianz Stadium.

    Group B and C feature three teams apiece, but sides in each will play three games against those in the opposite group.

    Tonga, PNG and France make up Group B.

    Tonga have been handled a difficult draw in the men’s tournament.  (Getty Images: Matt King)

    The top two sides from Group A go through to the semi-finals, while the six teams in Groups B and C will form a ladder of their own, with the top two playing semis.

    That makes Tonga’s task, which includes clashes against England in Perth on October 17 and their showdown with Samoa, tougher than any other team’s.

    World Cup titles for men, women and wheelchair will be contested in Australia and Papua New Guinea, with 14 nations and 26 teams playing 53 matches across 31 days.

    The Women’s World Cup boasts eight sides with Australia, Samoa, England and Wales in Group A. Group B consists of New Zealand, PNG, France and Fiji.

    Each team will play three matches against the other teams in their group. The top two teams from each group will progress to the semis.

    Australia and Samoa will open the tournament at CommBank Stadium on October 16.

    The same two-group format applies in the Wheelchair World Cup, with England, Ireland, Wales and the USA in Group A and Australia, Scotland, France and New Zealand in Group B.

    All the wheelchair showdowns will be held at Wollongong’s WIN Entertainment Centre.

    Australian Rugby League (ARLC) chairman Peter V’landys said the World Cup would build on the success of both domestic and international rugby league.

    “Rugby League World Cup 2026 couldn’t come at a better time on the back of record-breaking NRL and NRLW seasons, a successful Ashes series, and the most exciting Pacific Championships ever,” he said.

    “Representing your country is the ultimate honour and doing so in a World Cup is the ultimate stage. The talent, skill, physicality, passion and raw emotion on display will be something like we have never seen before.

    “This will be the best and most successful Rugby League World Cup on record.”

    AAP

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  • Upton’s return boosts Jillaroos ahead of Pacific Championships decider

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    Superstar fullback Tamika Upton will return for the Pacific Championships final against arch-rivals New Zealand after recovering from a calf injury.

    The two-time Dally M Medallist was named in the Australian line-up for Sunday’s title showdown in Sydney after missing its hard-fought 10-6 win over the Kiwis at Eden Park last weekend.

    The Jillaroos ace will reclaim her number one jersey from Abbi Church, who has been included on the bench at Western Sydney Stadium after scoring a crucial try and setting up another in her impressive Test debut last Sunday.

    In two further changes to the starting side, Olivia Higgins comes in at hooker to replace the injured Keeley Davis (shoulder), and Cowboys NRLW flyer Jakiya Whitfeld will start on the wing.

    Jillaroos coach Jess Skinner said the team was looking to improve on a gritty performance, with the two world’s best teams going into battle.

    “We knew last week in Auckland was going to be a step up and there were a lot of positives in coming away with a win in a tight contest, but we know we have to be better in all facets of the game to come out on top again in the final,” Skinner said.

    “We are excited for the challenge of playing for a major trophy in front of our home fans. It’s going to be an incredible atmosphere, and we want to make Australia proud with our performance on Sunday.”

    FULL JILLAROOS SQUAD: Tamika Upton, Julia Robinson, Isabelle Kelly, Tiana Penitani Gray, Jakiya Whitfeld, Ali Brigginshaw (c), Jesse Southwell, Ellie Johnston, Olivia Higgins, Jessika Elliston, Kezie Apps (c), Yasmin Clydsdale, Olivia Kernick, Quincy Dodd, Keilee Joseph, Jessica Sergis, Rima Butler, Sarah Togatuki, Abbi Church, Jocelyn Kelleher.

    AAP

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  • Seven yet to agree to deal for Rugby League World Cup rights

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    Seven has yet to agree to a deal for the exclusive rights to the Rugby League World Cup despite reports the broadcaster had paid $12 million to televise and stream the tournament in Australia next October.

    While Seven West Media, which owns the free to air rights for the AFL, had entered the bidding process for the event, it is understood the broadcaster’s board had not signed off on a deal.

    Nine’s publishing stable this week claimed Seven had already secured the rights, beating out the current NRL broadcasters, including the pay TV operator DAZN.

    However, Seven has denied a deal has been struck.

    The NRL is desperate to bring SWM into the fold as it expands its footprint launching a Perth-based team in the competition in 2027. It also hopes to maximise competition among broadcasters for the sport’s next major rights deal.

    It is understood DAZN, which owns Fox Sports, was keen to secure the pay TV rights, but the NRL’s boss Peter V’landys is attracted to SWM’s proposal to run all games during the six-week tournament for free, including on the 7+ streaming service.

    Nine is also keen on the World Cup and put a multi-million dollar offer in, but its publishing arm the Sydney Morning Herald claimed the company was not prepared to pay more for it, preferring to save its money for NRL and state of origin rights in 2028.

    Nine this week announced a new chairman, former Foxtel executive and News Corp CEO Peter Tonagh.

    Seven is the home of the AFL, the dominant football code in Australia, with the most expensive rights, and is also the broadcaster of the national sport, cricket.

    Sources at Seven said any deal for the World Cup was contingent on the approval of the SWM board, which had yet to ratify the plan.

    NRL executives are nervous about its expansion into WA and are desperate to win over the support of The West Australian, owned by SWM’s WAN, which has been highly critical of the $65 million the State Government has paid to lure the sport to Perth.

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