2020 has seen NRL clubs blood a huge number of young guys. This is the next generation of rugby league in Australia – guys born in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The standard of rugby league has impressively beaten out all other competitions around the world, including the Super League.
Last year the Junior Kangaroos trashed almost every other team they played against, this team made up of guys already making names for themselves in the NRL.
The All Blacks entered the 2019 Rugby World Cup looking to go three from three.
Against some pretty tough competition from England and South Africa, they were expected to go all the way.
South Africa may have given them a hard-fought win. But it turns out it was a much-improved Eddie Jones-coached England side that had the better of them.
In rugby league, you can’t really see who’d actually give the Aussies a run for their money come 2021 Rugby League World Cup.
The form of the Australian players and the depth in each position is endless.
You’ve got guys that are at the peak of their game. These are guys that play tougher NRL games week in and week out than they would play World Cup games.
The only other side that you’d think would give Australia a run for their money are New Zealand. But you can’t see New Zealand matching them, particularly as they don’t have maestro Shaun Johnson performing as well as he used to do.
England could cause some trouble but it depends largely on the coaching staff they have. In 2017, huge credit could be given to Super coach Wayne Bennett for guiding the team to the finals. Dark horses Tonga could cause an upset.
That is if they maintain the crop of NRL-based players that have sworn allegiance to the island kingdom in recent years. Fiji are a long shot and Papua New Guinea are less than one per cent chance of showing any threat.
Expecting Nathan Cleary at halfback, incumbent Cameron Munster at five-eighth. Tom Trbojevic should line up at fullback or centre.
Latrell Mitchell will play at centre in a role similar to what Greg Inglis played in the 2013 World Cup. Also I am looking to see young Tigers hooker Harry Grant sniffing around at dummy half.
I strongly believe Australia will win in 2021. What do you think, Roarers?
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
"Shaun Johnson performing as well as he used to do." WRONG He is avg 1.3 Try assists each week. Michael Maguire has taken NZ to the World #1 ranking and will be very hard to beat as World Champs. I have booked my ticket and am counting the days.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad will be left centre and Taupau will not be considered.
Panana split
Roar Rookie
It is unfair, especially when SOO is used as a recruitment tool for the best pacific island and kiwi talent.
Josh
Roar Rookie
agree on a lot of things there Nat, just a couple of things; - tonga has won 3 out of 6 against tier 1 countries. - they were overawed by Australia on first meeting. - beaten by nz in a one off mid year test. they are never full strength mid year. unlike when they both were at full strength in the world with a couple of matches under their belt. - lost the semi final by 2 to England. my point, when it is close physically, spine is the difference. when they are so much better physically spine is meaningless. if you watch the last Australian test or even look at the metre stats, they are not even close. the effect on players like Latrell, who has never been manhandled like that was enormous as he would try to come in and help a beaten pack. maybe I am wrong Nat, or maybe the rationale of forwards winning matches and backs deciding by how much still stand.
deucer
Roar Rookie
I'm surprised they made the cut after the shenanigans of the two factions. Don't know why the RLWC doesn't go down the route of the Cricket world cup - just have a few decent quality sides instead of 'heritage' sides in countries that aren't interested and mostly feature ex-pats, which hinders rather that helps international expansion. When you get a mostly Aussie Lebanon knocking out France, who have a strong and long heritage, in the quarters, it does nothing to help stop the steep decline there. Stick to England, Aust, NZ, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, France and Wales - 16 teams is way over stretching.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
"Where is rugby league played in Greece.?" I'm responding to this comment. Of course there is no NRL type level of RL played in Greece. No one claims that but as a member of the IRLF they have qualified to play following the rules of the governing sport.
Tony
Roar Guru
So Greece has a tier one league competition?
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Being recognised by governments as an official sport is nudging toward the 30 mark Clip. What is you definition of a sport claiming to be ‘international’. Very broad statement there cos the governing body on their official website certainly don’t claim anything else but what development, incl setbacks, they govern in the sport. “doesn’t pretend they’re international” you & your ilk are the only ones claiming this of the sport which we all know is just a flimsy excuse for you to hate on the game. Who will win the rah rah clip? Bet that only takes you 2 secs to list 4 chances lol
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
stick to domestic NRL then Barry if you have no idea or not even willing to find out. Greece has a domestic comp, they have even been through the Greek legal courts to be recognised. Even if proof was shown I doubt you'd want to believe it. Bad enough having to convince clowns like Clipper
Parasite
Roar Rookie
At least they show interest in RL ol clip, unlike your AwFuL code. They could offer free fried mars bars and all the kebabs in the world and not a single one of them would take it. Girt by sea ball LOL.
Parasite
Roar Rookie
Hey clip, knew you wouldn't be able to not have your little snipe as usual. Like clockwork.
Nat
Roar Rookie
You do spend an extraordinary amount of time on the league threads for someone who has no interest clip. I guess you are just wanting to be involved in any international conversation since AFL doesn't ave one at all. I'm counting you as a viewer/fan these days since your level of interest remains so high. :thumbup:
Nat
Roar Rookie
If Katoa keeps his form up, he'll be close to this team.
Parasite
Roar Rookie
Ha, this is a sports site and we are talking sports. You said Greece don't have a domestic comp. It's up to you to prove that. If you want to post stories about myths and other things, I don't think this sports blog is the place to do it. Now, of the rest of your list, there are 13 nations left without a domestic comp, could you please post which nations these are so we can get on with discussing sport?
Tony
Roar Guru
Based on the above posts you display a clear lack of understanding of the topic, this site, and probably sport in general. You may need professional help. I guess that you don't have much to enjoy in life so having the last word is probably important to you. It's yours. All you need to do is reply.
Parasite
Roar Rookie
Ha ha run along child. Typical when hit over the noggin with a truth bomb, they run and hide.
Tony
Roar Guru
Dream on pal
Parasite
Roar Rookie
They also had a side playing in one of the French regional leagues, but hey, this is the roar, it's not a sports site, it's a propaganda site. (For Union)
Noodles
Guest
Individually very talented but being from 4 different clubs and having the halves being Origin opposites makes it difficult to be a devastating combination. hopefully they find there froove in the Pool rounds and wreck teams in the finals.
Tony
Roar Guru
For example, Greece will be in the 2021 world cup. Where is rugby league played in Greece.?