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Rugby League World Cup preview: Ireland's toughest RLWC yet

Roar Guru
13th October, 2013
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An Irish fan shows her support ahead of their Rugby World Cup match against Australia at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011.(AP Photo/Ross Land)
Roar Guru
13th October, 2013
21
2524 Reads

Ireland will be hoping to go one better in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup after a promising campaign in the last staging of the tournament.

In 2008, the Wolfhounds fell just short of being the first ever Irish national side to reach the semi-finals of a major international competition.

Ireland Wolfhounds
RLIF World Ranking: 9
Best Result: Quarter-Finalists (2000, 2008)
2008 Finish: Fifth
2013 RLWC Odds: $251

Since the formation of the Dublin Blues side in 1989, rugby league has been growing at a steady pace on the Emerald Isle.

There are now 20 clubs taking part in the Irish summer and Rugby League Ireland is hoping to enter a team into the Super League by the end of the decade. Another successful World Cup campaign, especially one which includes a match on home soil, will provide a real boost to the game in Ireland.

The Wolfhounds’ first appearance in the RLWC was in 2000, where they debuted by topping their pool undefeated before going down to England 26-16 in the quarter-finals.

In 2008, Ireland were tipped to finish bottom of their group after being placed in the same pool as the fancied Samoan and Tonga sides, yet Ireland still managed to top the pool and progress to a play-off for a spot in the semi-finals where they were undone by Fiji.

Ireland has a 47 percent win record in internationals and their most recent outing resulted in a 30-18 victory over Scotland.

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Team Line-Up (likely)

1. Stuart Littler
2. Damien Blanch
3. James Mendeika
4. Apirana Pewhairangi
5. Pat Richards
6. Scott Grix
7. Liam Finn (c)
8. Brett White
9. Rory Kostjasyn
10. Eamon O’Carroll
11. Simon Grix
12. Dave Allen
13. Tyrone McCarthy

14. James Hasson
15. Anthony Mullally
16. Danny Bridge
17. Simon Finnigan

Squad Members: Ben Currie, Luke Ambler, Bob Beswick, Kurt Haggerty, Colton Roche, Mark Snyde, Joshua Toole

The majority of this squad currently play in the Super League, however Coach Mark Aston has a handful of NRL experience on deck through the likes of White, Kostjasyn, Pewhairangi and Richards.

The side will be skippered by the halfback Liam Finn, who took over the captaincy from his halves partner Scott Grix in 2009.

Key Player
If you ask any Wigan fan their thoughts on who the most valuable player for Ireland is, you will most likely be told Pat Richards.

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Fresh off celebrating a grand final win with the Warriors, Richards will be looking to ignite the Irish attack from the back. The Wests Tigers have signed Richards for a return to the NRL at the age of 32 – a sign of just how valuable he is.

Richards won the 2010 Super League Man of Steel playing on the wing, which is some feat.

Ireland coach Mark Aston will be hoping Richards carries his grand final form into the World Cup.

Group A Fixtures and Opponents
Vs Fiji @ Spotland Stadium, Rochdale. Kick-off – Tues 29th Oct, 7am AEDT.
Vs England @ JS Stadium, Huddersfield. Kick-off – Sun 3rd Nov, 1:30am AEDT.
Vs Australia @ Thomond Park, Limerick. Kick-off – Sun 10th Nov, 7:00am AEDT.

Key Match
The side that stopped Ireland’s run in 2008 was Fiji, and the opening match of the tournament for the two sides will most likely determine who will go through to the next stage of this World Cup.

Ireland will virtually be playing the Bati away from home, as Rochdale’s large Fijian community will certainly create a terrific atmosphere at Spotland Stadium for this game.

The Wolfhounds have the perfect chance to avenge their defeat from the last RLWC.

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RLWC 2013 Prospects
Ireland has been placed in arguably the toughest pool of the tournament, containing four of the top five placed teams from the 2008 World Cup.

The match-ups against Australia and England will be tough going for the Wolfhounds, however the game against the Kangaroos at home will be the biggest rugby league match played in the Emerald Isle.

If Ireland can defeat Fiji they may well reach the quarter-finals once again – something they have never failed to do.

In saying that, the 2013 RLWC is certainly going to be the toughest task for the Irish yet.

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