Opinion
The 2022 Rugby League World Cup shapes as the most unpredictable and competitive tournament yet.
Before now it has been extremely predictable with Australia having their name engraved on the trophy 11 times out of a possible 15, also being the runners up three times has been a fair evaluation of the superiority the Kangaroos have had since the first World Cup Final was staged in 1954.
However that dominance now at international level is not as clear cut with real quality continuing through the New Zealand ranks and the emergence of other South Pacific sides such as Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands.
Fiji and Papua New Guinea also consistently offer very strong opposition, regardless of the final score.
James Tedesco of Australia on the charge during the International Test match against Tonga. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
The strengthening of all these countries players has no doubt come from the opportunity to play in the NRL, with Pacific Island players now making up close to 50 percent of the playing personnel in the worlds toughest rugby league competition.
In more of a surprising statistic according to the NRL in March 2021, 73 percent of players were born, or had a parent or grandparent born overseas.
Which makes this 16th edition for world rugby league supremacy arguably the most interesting yet.
The week in – week out professionalism of the NRL has now allowed more world class players to kit up for a wide spread of international teams.
That spread could also see Jamaica who are currently ranked 18th in the world, benefit with Newcastle Knights outside back Dom Young likely to don the Caribbean colours, if not selected by England.
From a New Zealand perspective, despite previously winning their only title in 2008 as underdogs, they will enter this years version full of confidence with key players in key positions.
World class playmakers Joseph Manu, Dylan Brown, Jahrome Hughes and Brandon Smith will form a potent spine for the Kiwis, supported by powerhouse forwards James Fisher-Harris, Isaiah Papali’i, Joe Tapine and Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
These players will be ably supported by other world class team mates skipper Jesse Bromwich, veteran Kieran Foran and utility Peta Hiku, who subsequently are all surviving members of the Kiwis squad from their 2014 Four Nations-winning side.
(Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)
Throw in Jordan Rapana, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Marata Niukore and this is arguably New Zealand’s strongest ever Test line up and perhaps deserving to enter the tournament with some favouritism.
However history will show that in 69 previous World Cup appearances the Kiwis have only produced a modest record, winning 33 and losing 33 alongside 3 draws.
Whilst perennial favourites Australia have consistently muscled up, powerfully claiming 65 wins from their 78 matches played. Although noting that the current format of groups and the knock-out era was only introduced in 1995.
To anyone outside of Australia this is probably the most wide open World Cup to date, as on their day Tonga, Samoa (who will be very close to full strength), Fiji as proved in 2017 and England, are all more than capable to place plenty of pressure on the Kiwis and Kangaroos when given the chance.
This makes for an excitingly competitive 2022 Rugby League World Cup and that’s exactly as it should be no matter what team, country or nation you shout for.
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