New Zealand's Leota starting debate
Joseph Tapine has been named at lock rather than prop as New Zealand prepare to open their Rugby League World Cup campaign against Australia. The choice leaves Moses Leota in...
England replace injured Smithies with Watkins
Leeds Rhinos veteran Kallum Watkins has been called up for his fourth World Cup after Morgan Smithies suffered an injury in training. Watkins, 35 and capped 32 times, previously played...
Tonga's Taumalolo returns with renewed hunger
Tonga's round-one meeting with England in Perth will revive memories of their 2017 World Cup semi-final, which England won 20-18. Captain Jason Taumalolo, 33, is preparing for his fourth and...
Tonga's Kaufusi targets World Cup pay gap
Sydney Roosters centre Robert Toia stayed with Tonga despite attracting Kangaroos interest before this World Cup. Australia's players are set to receive AUD$40,000 under a deal negotiated by the RLPA...
Tonga bank on Taumalolo's hunger
Tonga centre Robert Toia faces England's Herbie Farnworth in Saturday night's World Cup opener at HBF Park in Perth. Tonga coach Kristian Woolf also coaches Farnworth at the Dolphins. "It's...
Australia faces World Cup depth test
Kevin Walters has selected 10 Australian players who missed finals and have been out of action for more than a month. It remains to be seen whether they will be...
NRL weighs divisive wildcard finals format
The NRL's expansion is adding pressure to reconsider its finals structure, with the Perth Bears due to join next year and the PNG Chiefs the year after. The competition will...
New Zealand's prop pack threatens Kangaroos
The warning reflects the threat posed by four named props: Naufahu Whyte, captain James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota and Joseph Tapine. NRL premiership-winning coach Shane Flanagan believes the quartet may together...
New Zealand's battle to retain players
Kalyn Ponga will wear New Zealand's black jersey for the first time on Thursday evening against Australia, having switched from the Kangaroos. Kiwis coach Stacey Jones says Ponga brings confidence...
Australia's size questioned before Kiwis clash
New Zealand arrive at the World Cup opener with a stronger finals record: nine of their players featured in NRL preliminary finals, compared with three Australians. Australia's 17 included eight...
Australia rest Tedesco for opener
Australia will face New Zealand in its Rugby League World Cup opener without James Tedesco, despite the Roosters captain's Clive Churchill Medal-winning grand final. Coach Kevin Walters chose Reece Walsh...
Lebanon assemble cross-code coaching team
Will Genia, who earned 110 Wallabies appearances as a scrum-half, has joined Michael Cheika's coaching staff for Lebanon's Rugby League World Cup campaign. Cheika, fresh from helping the Sydney Roosters...
Australia's fullback call: form versus fitness
Dane Gagai, 35, will become New Zealand's oldest debutant since 1910 when the former Australian international faces the Kangaroos at centre. Australia meet New Zealand at Sydney's Allianz Stadium on...
Flegler's Origin Return Prediction Revisited
Thomas Flegler's return to representative football was among the clearest successes in my annual prediction review. I wanted his comeback to happen more than I genuinely expected it to. A...
New Zealand's Australia Matchups Under Scrutiny
Sam and Mitch see Australia's Jillaroos as overwhelming favourites in the women's tournament, where they discuss the prospect of the team dominating. They also look ahead to Saturday's England-Tonga fixture,...
NRL partnership could revive France's league
Catalans Dragons and Toulouse Olympique have yet to turn France's Super League presence into international success. The NRL is negotiating an investment in the competition with English club owners and...
Australia's selection calls face New Zealand test
Jarome Luai has a major opportunity with Samoa, while Tonga is seen as holding an overlooked advantage over its opponents. The tournament begins on Thursday night with Australia and New...
Australia's fullback call: Tedesco or Walsh?
Reece Walsh gets Australia's fullback jersey for Thursday's World Cup opener against New Zealand at Sydney's Allianz Stadium, after two months out with an ankle injury. Kevin Walters preferred Walsh...
PNG-France clash gets English referee
Trailblazer Tara Jones will referee the women's England-Wales match on Saturday in Perth. Moore, widely regarded as England's best referee, and Chris Kendall are the two male English officials travelling...
Samoa lose Marzhew to injury
Samoa opens against France, then faces Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby and Tonga in Sydney. It could need three wins to qualify for the semi-finals. The top two across...
Lebanon captain Twal leans on passion
Lebanon reached the quarter-finals at both the 2017 and 2022 World Cups, and Alex Twal is targeting a first semi-final appearance. The Wests Tigers player of the year will captain...
Australia's big World Cup selection calls
Kalyn Ponga will remain at fullback for New Zealand, despite speculation he could move into the halves to make room for another option at No. 1. The Kangaroos and Kiwis...
New Zealand fans eye Sydney record
The last sellout for a Sydney rugby league Test came in 1974, when 55,505 spectators watched Australia play Great Britain at the SCG. Thursday's World Cup opener is on course...
NRL deal could revive French rugby league
France, ranked 11th in the world, face NRL-loaded Samoa on Friday in their World Cup opener at CommBank Stadium. Trent Robinson is assisting France coach Laurent Frayssinous as director of...