With just three games for each team in the group stage of the Rugby League World Cup, every single match carries importance and Round 1’s opening match between Australia and England couldn’t make that more of a point. This is The Roar‘s guide to the first week of action.
There will be seven matches on each of the three round-robin weekends, with 14 teams battling to make the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Group A (Australia, England, France, Lebanon) and Group B (New Zealand, Samoa, Scotland, Tonga) both have three places available in the quarter-finals, while the other two spots will be made up of one team from each of Group C (Papua New Guinea, Ireland, Wales) and Group D (Fiji, Italy, United States of America).
» Check out the complete RLWC 2017 squads
Every match of the tournament can be streamed live on Channel Seven’s streaming services. These are either their 7 live website or a mobile application in the same name.
» View the full RLWC 2017 draw
Kick-off: 8pm (AEDT), Friday
Venue: Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne (AAMI Park)
TV: Live, 7 (NSW, QLD, VIC, ACT), 7Mate (WA, SA), Southern Cross TV (NT, TAS)
Referee: Matt Cecchin
Australia
1. Billy Slater 2. Dane Gagai 3. Will Chambers 4. Josh Dugan 5. Valentine Holmes 6. Michael Morgan 7. Cooper Cronk 8. Aaron Woods 9. Cameron Smith 10. David Klemmer 11. Boyd Cordner 12. Matt Gillett 13. Jake Trbojevic
Interchange: 14. Wade Graham 15. Jordan McLean 16. Josh Mcguire 17. Tyson Frizell 18. Regan Campbell-Gillard 19. Ben Hunt 20. Tom Trbojevic 21.Felise Kaufusi
England
1. Jonny Lomax 2. Jermaine McGillvary 3. Kallum Watkins 4. John Bateman 5. Ryan Hall 6.Gareth Widdop 7. Luke Gale 8. Chris Hill 9. Josh Hodgson 10. James Graham 11. Sam Burgess 12. Elliot Whitehead 13. Sean O’Loughlin
Interchange: 14. Alex Walmsley 15. Chris Heighington 16. Thomas Burgess 17. James Roby 18. Ben Currie 19. Kevin Brown 20. Mark Percival 21.Scott Taylor
The tournament opener will see old enemies Australia and England face off. With France and Lebanon the other two sides in their group, it’s anticipated the winner will top Group A and secure an easier run to the final.
Kick-off: 4pm (AEDT) – 3pm (local), Saturday
Venue: National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
TV: Live, 7Mate
Referee: Ben Cummins
Papua New Guinea
1. David Mead 2. Justin Olam 3. Kato Ottio 4. Nene Macdonald 5. Garry Lo 6. Ase Boas 7. Watson Boas 8. Stanton Albert 9. Wartovo Puara 10. Luke Page 11. Rhyse Martin 12. Rod Griffin 13. Paul Aiton
Interchange: 14. Kurt Baptiste 15. Willie Minoga 16. James Segeyaro 17. Enoch Maki 18. Lachlan Lam 19. Stargroth Amean 20. Wellington Albert 21. Moses Meninga
Wales
1. Elliot Kear 2. Rhys Williams 3. Michael Channing 4. Andrew Gay 5. Regan Grace 6. Courtney Davies 7. Matt Seamark 8. Craig Kopczak 9. Steve Parry 10. Phil Joseph 11. Rhodri Lloyd 12. Ben Morris 13. Morgan Knowles
Interchange: 14. Matty Fozard 15. Sam Hopkins 16. Ben Evans 17. Chester Butler 18. Josh Ralph 19. Dalton Grant 20. Christiaan Roets 21. Matthew Barron
Papua New Guinea have the right to host all three of their games in front of what is likely to be three sell-out crowds. If that doesn’t strike fear into their opponents, playing in the rugby league obsessed Port Moresby, then nothing will. The Kumuls are tipped to take out Group C.
(Image: NRL)
Kick-off: 6:10pm (AEDT) – 8:10pm (local), Saturday
Venue: Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
TV: Live, 7Mate
Referee: James Child
New Zealand
1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 2. Dallin Watene Zelezniak 3. Gerard Beale 4. Brad Takairangi 5. Jordan Rapana 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Martin Taupau 9. Thomas Leuluai 10. Adam Blair 11. Kenneath Bromwich 12. Joseph Tapine 13. Simon Mannering
Interchange: 14. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 15. Russell Packer 16. Isaac Liu 17. Danny Levi 18. Jared Warea-Hargreaves 19. Peta Hiku 20. Te Maire Martin 21. Addin Fonua-Blake
Samoa
1. Young Tonumaipea 2. Peter Mata’utia 3. Timoteo Lafai 4. Joseph Leilua 5. Ken Maumalo 6. Joseph Paulo 7. Ben Roberts 8. Junior Paulo 9. Jazz Tevaga 10. Sam Lisone 11. Joshua Papalii 12. Frank Pritchard 13. Leeson Ah Mau
Interchange: 14. Pita Godinet 15. Herman Essese 16. Suaia Matagi 17. Bunty Afoa 18. Zane Musgrove 19. Ricky Leutele 20. Frank Winterstein 21. Fa’amanu Brown
Group B is known as the group of death and with good reason. Tonga and Scotland are the other two teams, and arguments can be made for why all four teams should make the finals. While New Zealand are favoured to topple Samoa, this should be a passionate and fiery match.
Kick-off: 8:40pm (AEDT) – 7:40pm (local), Saturday
Venue: Townsville Stadium, Townsville (1300 Smiles Stadium)
TV: Live, 7Mate
Referee: Henry Perenara
Fiji
1. Kevin Naiqama 2. Suliasi Vunivalu 3. Taane Milne 4. Akuila Uate 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Jarryd Hayne 7. Henry Raiwalui 8. Ashton Sims 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Kane Evans 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Korbin Sims 13. Tui Kamikamica
Interchange: 14. Joe Lovodua 15. Jacob Saifiti 16. Eloni Vunakece 17. Ben Nakubuwai 18. Brayden Wiliame 19. James Storer 20. Junior Roqica 21. Pio Seci
USA
1. Corey Makelim 2. Ryan Burroughs 3. Junior Vaivai 4. Jonathan Alley 5. Bureta Faraimo 6. Kristian Freed 7. Matthew Walsh 8. Eddy Pettybourne 9. David Marando 10. Mark Offerdahl 11. Danny Howard 12. Matt Shipway 13. Nicholas Newlin
Interchange: 14. Sam Tochterman-talbott 15. Andrew Kneisly 16. Steve Howard 17. Gabriel Farley 18. Charles Joseph Cortalano 19. Joe Eichner 20. David Ulch 21. Joshua Rice
The flying Fijians, with Jarryd Hayne and the NRL’s top try-scorer in Suliasi Vunivalu, could run riot over a USA team without a great deal of experience.
(AAP Image/Brendan Esposito)
Kick-off: 3pm (AEDT) – 2pm (local), Sunday
Venue: Barlow Park, Cairns
TV: Live, 7Mate
Referee: Ashley Klein
Ireland
1. Scott Grix 2. Shannon Mcdonell 3. Ed Chamberlain 4. Michael Morgan 5. Liam Taylor 6. Api Pewhairangi 7. Liam Finn 8. Brad Singleton 9. Michael McIlorum 10. Kyle Amor 11. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook 12. Oliver Roberts 13. George King
Interchange: 14. Tyrone McCarthy 15. James Hasson 16. Joe Philbin 17. Anthony Mullally 18. Joe Keyes 19. Will Hope 20. Jack Higginson 21. Matty Hadden
Italy
1. James Tedesco 2. Mason Cerruto 3. Justin Castellaro 4. Nathan Milone 5. Josh Mantellato 6. Terry Campese 7. Jack Johns 8. Paul Vaughan 9. Ryan Ghietti 10. Daniel Alvaro 11. Joel Riethmuller 12. Mark Minichiello 13. Nathan Brown
Interchange: 14. Colin Wilkie 15. Brendan Santi 16. Shannon Wakeman 17. Jayden Walker 18. Christophe Calegri 19. Chris Centrone 20. Joey Tramontana 21. Gavin Hiscox
Neither Ireland or Italy are expected to take out their respective groups, but this is a chance for them to work into some form. Italy will be favourites, benefiting from Australia not selecting James Tedesco or Paul Vaughan.
Kick-off: 4pm (AEDT), Sunday
Venue: Canberra Stadium, Canberra (GIO Stadium)
TV: Delay, 7Mate
Referee: Gerard Sutton
France
1. Mark Kheirallah 2. Fouad Yaha 3. Bastien Ader 4. Damien Cardace 5. Ilias Bergal 6. Theo Fages 7. William Barthau 8. Antoni Maria 9. Eloi Pelissier 10. Julian Bousquet 11. Benjamin Garcia 12. Benjamin Jullien 13. Jason Baitieri
Interchange: 14. Clement Boyer 15. Nabil Djalout 16. Thibault Margalet 17. Lucas Albert 18. John Boudebza 19. Olivier Arnoud 20. Mickael Rouch 21. Romain Navarrete
Lebanon
1. Anthony Layoun 2. Travis Robinson 3. James Elias 4. Jason Wehbe 5. Abbas Miski 6. Mitchell Moses 7. Robbie Farah 8. Tim Mannah 9. Michael Lichaa 10. Alex Twal 11. Chris Saab 12. Ahmad Ellaz 13. Nick Kassis
Interchange: 14. Mitchell Mamary 15. Elias Sukkar 16. Jaleel Seve-Derbas 17. Andrew Kazzi 18. Adam Doueihi 19. Bilal Maarbani 20. Jamie Clark 21. Danny Barakat
This game will likely decide who moves through to the quarter-finals. With neither France or Lebanon expected to beat Australia or England, the winner of this should finish third in Group A.
(AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Kick-off: 5:15pm (AEDT) – 4:15pm (local), Sunday
Venue: Barlow Park, Cairns
TV: Live, 7Mate
Referee: Phil Bentham
Scotland
1. Lewis Tierney 2. Matty Russell 3. Ben Hellewell 4. Lachlan Stein 5. Will Oakes 6. Danny Brough 7. Danny Addy 8. Luke Douglas 9. Kane Bentley 10. Ben Kavanagh 11. Frankie Mariano 12. Dale Ferguson 13. James Bell
Interchange: 14. Callum Phillips 15. Andrew Bentley 16. Sam Brooks 17. John Walker 18. Alex Walker 19. Jarred Anderson 20. Kieran Moran 21. Brandan Wilkinson
Tonga
1. William Hopoate 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Michael Jennings 4. Konrad Hurrell 5. Manu Vatuvei 6. Tuimoala Lolohea 7. Mafoa’aeata Hingano 8. Andrew Fifita 9. Siliva Havili 10. Sio Siua Taukeiaho 11. Manu Ma’u 12. Sika Manu 13. Jason Taumalolo
Interchange: 14. Sione Katoa 15. Sam Moa 16. Peni Terepo 17. Ben Murdoch-Masila 18. Joe Ofahengaue 19. Solomone Kata 20. David Fusitua 21. Samisoni Langi
The final game of the weekend could end one team’s campaign before it begins. Tonga, with their vastly improved squad, take on an understrength Scotland, and even with three teams going through to the next stage of the tournament, a loss here could prove fatal.
The Roar, will be providing a live blog of each match and covering the key moments with highlights.
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