It’s the international tournament Australia has won more often than their rivals combined. Over the next two months, the Kangaroos will defend their Rugby League World Cup title in England against 15 other teams determined to knock them off their post.
The star-studded Kangaroos cast will include Melbourne’s Cameron Munster, who has week recommitted to the Storm, Penrith talisman Nathan Cleary and Roosters superstar James Tedesco, who will captain the team.
The Kangaroos with their trophy after winning the 2013 Rugby League World Cup final against New Zealand.Credit:Jon Super
The Australian Jillaroos will be playing in the women’s tournament, with Emma Tonegato and Shaylee Bent called into a squad chasing a third consecutive title, filling the void left by last-minute withdrawals from two of the NRLW’s best in Tamika Upton and Millie Boyle.
How can you watch the Rugby League World Cup? When do you need to set the dreaded alarm? And who should you keep an eye out for?
What does the Rugby League World Cup involve?
It all starts on Saturday. Sixteen teams will chase rugby league’s international crown in the men’s tournament, while eight teams will compete for the women’s title. The wheelchair rugby league World Cup will run alongside the two tournaments for the first time in its history.
You may wonder why official branding says “2021 World Cup”. This tournament was supposed to be held last year before being postponed in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Australia has won 11 of the 15 tournaments held since 1954, with Great Britain winning three titles and New Zealand claiming one in 2008.
Quarter-finalists from the 2017 edition automatically qualified for this year’s World Cup, a contingent including Australia, Samoa, Tonga, Lebanon, New Zealand, Fiji, England and Papua New Guinea. Jamaica and Greece will feature at the World Cup for the first time, having qualified alongside the Cook Islands, France, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Italy.
Sixteen teams are split evenly into four pools, with the Kangaroos drawn in group B alongside Fiji, Italy and Scotland. The top two teams from each pool advance to the knockout stages beginning on November 5. The semi-finals are on November 12-13, before the final at Old Trafford on November 20.
How can you tune in?
Australian Eastern Daylight Time is 10 hours ahead of British Standard Time, meaning some late nights and early mornings are in store for those watching live.
TV broadcast will be available on Fox League and Kayo Sports. Those looking to watch England and Samoa’s men’s teams kick off the tournament should set their alarm before kick-off at 12.30am on Sunday. Australia’s first game will be against Fiji, starting at 5.30am that same day. Most games will be played between those times, and the final will be played at 2am on November 20.
All fixtures can be viewed and synced to your calendar here.
Who to watch out for
Australia have dominated the Rugby League World Cup throughout its history, making the top three in all 15 men’s tournaments. They’ve won the two most recent editions, beating England 6-0 in the 2017 final and New Zealand 34-2 in 2013’s decider.
The Australian women’s team has also succeeded on the world stage, winning the two most recent World Cups after the first three were won by New Zealand.
Kangaroos lineup for the Rugby League World Cup
- Josh Addo-Carr (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
- Matt Burton (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
- Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Parramatta Eels)
- Patrick Carrigan (Brisbane Broncos)
- Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
- Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)
- Lindsay Collins (Sydney Roosters)
- Reuben Cotter (North Queensland Cowboys)
- Angus Crichton (Sydney Roosters)
- Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Gold Coast Titans)
- Campbell Graham (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
- Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm)
- Valentine Holmes (North Queensland Cowboys)
- Ben Hunt (St George Illawarra Dragons)
- Liam Martin (Penrith Panthers)
- Latrell Mitchell (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
- Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)
- Cameron Murray, vice captain (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
- Jeremiah Nanai (North Queensland Cowboys)
- Murray Taulagi (North Queensland Cowboys)
- James Tedesco, captain (Sydney Roosters)
- Jake Trbojevic (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
- Jack Wighton (Canberra Raiders)
- Isaah Yeo (Penrith Panthers)
The Kangaroos’ line-up boasts plenty of star power with NRL grand final-winning Penrith Panthers stars Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo in line to make their Australian debuts. Souths fullback Latrell Mitchell and Canterbury flyer Josh Addo-Carr are back in the representative fold.
Of Mal Meninga’s 24-man squad, 13 are in line to play Test football for the first time.
Only five players from the last World Cup are backing up five years later: Munster, Jake Trbojevic, Valentine Holmes, Ben Hunt and Reagan Campbell-Gillard.
Several NRL players, including those from the Panthers, will be playing for other countries. Of the premiers, Viliame Kikau, Apisai Koroisau and Sunia Turuva will play for Fiji, while England and Greece are among teams drawing from other NRL talent.
New Zealand, who last defeated Australia in 2008 and made the final the following tournament, are among the favourites, drawing on Panthers’ players James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota and Scott Sorensen, as well as Parramatta’s Dylan Brown, Isaiah Papali’i and Marata Niukore.
England’s squad includes South Sydney prop Tom Burgess, Canterbury prop Luke Thomson and Roosters lock Victor Radley.
The Women’s World Cup
Australia and New Zealand are favoured to advance to the World Cup decider for the fourth time in a row with the Jillaroos tipped to claim their third successive title during next month’s eight-team women’s tournament in England.
Australia, New Zealand, France and the Cook Islands make up Group B, while England, Papua New Guinea, Canada and Brazil are in Group A.
The Jillaroos could have to play five games in 18 days, with teams given just four-day turnarounds in the pool stages. Australia kick off their tournament against the 11th-ranked Cook Islands on November 3, before backing up against France, and New Zealand.
The top two sides from each pool advance to the semi-finals. The final will be played at Old Trafford on November 20.
Sam Bremner has stunned on her return to the game.Credit:NRL Photos
Who to watch out for
Sam Bremner started the year without an NRLW contract after taking a step back from rugby league for the birth of her second child, but you would have called her a former Jillaroo at your peril. She returned at NSWRL level with Cronulla and was quickly called into the NSW Sky Blues State of Origin squad. An NRLW comeback with the Roosters has seen Bremner elevated to Australian captaincy alongside Ali Brigginshaw and Kezie Apps.
Wondering how the Australians will fill the void left by Millie Boyle? Look no further than Simaima Taufa. The Parramatta captain has emerged as one of the NRLW’s most devastating middle forwards having featured near the top of the list in competition run metres (second), post-contact metres (second), tackles (first), and tries (fourth).
The game to watch
It may well be the dress rehearsal for the World Cup final. Australia’s pool stage clash with New Zealand pits the best two teams against each other and could decide the make-up of the semi-finals. Kiwis halfback and Dally M medallist in Raecene McGregor comes up against the No. 7 for so long considered the best in the game in Brigginshaw.
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