Rugby League World Cup - Fixtures/Results and News

[Bravehearts_RL]

The 2008 RLWC held in Australia kicks off on the 25th October with England playing Papua New Guinea at Townsville's Dairy Farmers Stadium and finishes on the 22nd November with the final at the fantastic Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. There are 10 nations competing, they are: Australia, England, Fiji, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Scotland and Tonga.

The Format
Pool A - 4 teams - the top 3 in this group go through to the semi finals. 1st will place the SFQ from B and C whilst 2nd will face 3rd.
Pool B & C - 3 teams in each - the top finisher from each pool play each other for a semi final spot.

Pools/Stadning

Pool A
# Team - P|W|L|PD|Pts
1 Australia - 3|3|0|+112|6
2 New Zealand - 3|2|1|+30|4
3 England - 3|1|2|-50|2
4 Papua New Guinea - 3|0|3|-92|0

Pool B
1 Fiji - 2|1|1|+34|2
2 Scotland - 2|1|1|-16|2
3 France - 2|1|1|-18|2

Pool C
1 Ireland - 2|1|1|+16|2
2 Tonga - 2|1|1|-6|2
3 Samoa - 2|1|1|-10|2

Fixtures/Results
Date - T1 V T2 - Stadium, City - Crowd

Oct 25th - England 32 def PNG 22 - Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville - 10,780
Oct 26th - France 36 def Scotland 18 - Canberra Stadium, Canberra - 9,287
*Oct 26th - Australia Indigenous 34 def NZ Maori 22 - Sydney Football Stasium, Sydney*
Oct 26th - Australia 30 def New Zealand 6 - Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney - 34,157
Oct 27th - Tonga 22 def Ireland 20 - Parramatta Stadium, Sydney - 6,465
Oct 31st - Samoa 20 def Tonga 12 - CUA Stadium, Sydney - 11,787
Nov 1st - Fiji 42 def France 6 - WIN Stadium, Wollongong - 9,213
Nov 1st - New Zealand 48 def PNG 6 - Skilled Park, Gold Coast - 11,278
Nov 2nd - Australia 52 def England 4 - Teltra Dome, Melbourne - 36,297
Nov 5th - Ireland 34 def Samoa 16 - Parramatta Stadium, Sydney - 8,602
Nov 5th - Scotland 18 def Fiji 16 - Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford - 9,720
Nov 8th - 2nd Pool 2 V 2nd Pool 3 - Tonga 48 def Scotland 0 - Browne Park, Rockhampton - 5,913
Nov 8th - New Zealand 36 def England 24 - Energy Australia Stadium, Newcastle - 15,145
Nov 9th - 3rd Pool 2 V 3rd Pool 3 - Samoa 42 def France 10 - CUA Stadium, Sydney - 8,028
Nov 9th - Australia 46 def PNG 6 - Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville - 16,239
Nov 10th - Semi Final Qualifyer 1st Pool B V 1st Pool C - Fiji V Ireland - Skilled Park, Gold Coast - 8,224
Nov 15th - Semi Final (1) - New Zealand 32 def England 22 - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane - 26,659
Nov 16th - Semi Final (2) - Australia 52 def Fiji 0 - Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney - 15,855
Nov 22nd - FINAL - New Zealand 34 Australia 20 - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane - 50,599

NEW ZEALAND WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS 2008

PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT - BILLY SLATER (AUSTRALIA)

[Bravehearts_RL]

AUSTRALIA
Daruis Boyd, Terry Campese, Petero Civoniceva, Karmichael Hunt, Craig Fitzgibbon, Israel Folau, Paul Gallen, Kurt Gidley, Greg Inglis, Brent Kite, Anthony Laffranchi, Darren Lockyer (capt), Joel Monaghan, Josh Perry, Steve Price, Scott Prince, Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, Glenn Stewart, Brent Tate, Johnathan Thurston, Anthony Tupou, Anthony Watmough, David Williams.

ENGLAND
Rob Burrow, Mark Calderwood, Gareth Ellis, Mauire Faasavalu, Ade Gardner, Martin Gleeson, James Graham, Mickey Higham, Gareth Hock, Jamie Jones Buchanan, Jamie Langley, Danny McGuire, Adrian Morley, Jamie Peacock (capt), Leon Pryce, Rob Purdham, James Roby, Keith Senior, Kevin Sinfield, Lee Smith, Paul Sykes, Paul Wellens, Ben Westwood, Jon Wilkin.

NEW ZEALAND
Nathan Cayless (capt), Adam Blair, Greg Eastwood, David Fa'alogo, Nathan Fien, Dene Halatau, Bronson Harrison, Lance Hohaia, Krisnan Inu, David Kidwell, Thomas Leuluai, Jeff Lima, Issac Luke, Simon Mannering, Sika Manu, Benji Marshall, Steve Matai, Sam Perrett, Sam Rapira, Jerome Ropati, Setaimata Sa, Jeremy Smith, Manu Vatuvei, Brent Webb.

PNG - John Wilshire, David Moore, George Keppa, Stanley Gene, Keith Peters, Charlie Wabo, Rodney Pora, George Moni, Nixon Kolo, Paul Aiton, Jessie Joe, Makali Aizue, Trevor Exton, Neville Costigan, James Nightingale, Rod Griffin, Larson Marabe, Kevin Prior, Ashton, Tu’u Maori, Menzie Yere, Chan, Nick Ubile, Sam Joe.

Pool 2

FIJI
Nick Bradley-Qalilawa, Jason Bukuya, Iowane Divavesi, Aaron Groom, Jarryd Hayne, Sevania Koroi, Josua Koroibulu, Jone Macilai, Daryl Millard, Wes Naiqama, Vula Louis Dakuitoga Naqau, Kaliova Nauqe, Alipate Noilea, Josateki Ravueta, Osea Sadrau, Ashton Sims, James Storer, Waisale Sukanaveita, Semi Tadulala, Semisi Tora, Malakai Yalimaiwai Tuiloa, Akuila Uate, Suguturaga Nemani Valekapa, Ilisoni Vonomateiratu, Jone Wesele.

FRANCE
Eric Anselme, Jean-Philippe Baile, J. Christophe Borlin, Thomas Bosc, Laurent Carrasco, Remi Casty, Olivier Elima, Jamal Fakir, Adel Fellous, Maxime Greseque, Mathieu Griffi, Jerome Guisset, Christophe Moly, Gregory Mounis, Justin Murphy, Dimitri Pelo, Sebastien Planas, Sebastien Raguin, Julien Rinaldi, Teddy Sadaoui, Jared Taylor, John Wilson, James Wynne.

SCOTLAND
Chris Armit, Danny Brough, Dean Colton, Paddy Coupar, Gavin Cowan, John Duffy, Ben Fisher, Andrew Henderson, Ian Henderson, Kevin Henderson, Jack Howieson, Paul Jackson, Wade Liddell, Scott Logan, Neil Lowe, David McConnell, Duncan MacGillivray, Iain Morrison, Gareth Morton, Mick Nanyn, Lee Paterson, Michael Robertson, Jonathan Steel, Oliver Wilkes.

Pool 3

IRELAND
Ross Barbour, Bob Beswick, Damien Blanch, Mick Cassidy, Ged Corcoran, Lee Doran, Liam Finn, Simon Finnigan, Karl Fitzpatrick, Stevie Gibbons, Sean Gleeson, Scott Grix, Gareth Haggerty, Ben Harrison, Graham Holroyd, Wayne Kerr, Stuart Littler, Shannon McDonnell, Michael McIllorum, Eamon O'Carroll, Michael Platt, Pat Richards, Ryan Tandy.

SAMOA
Carmont George, Dave Faiumu, Harrison Hansen, Ali Lauititi, Tuaalagi Lepupa, Kylie Leulua'i, Wayne McDade, Francis Meli, Joseph Paulo, Frank Puletua, Tony Puletua, Ben Roberts, Tangi Ropati, Smith Samau, Lagi Setu, Terrence Seuseu, Dave Solomona, Willie Talau, Alby Talipeau, Misi Taulapapa, Ben Te'o, Tupu Ulufale, Matt Utai, Nigel Vagana.

TONGA
Fraser Anderson, Louis Anderson, Andrew Emelio, Richard Fa'aoso, Awen Guttenbeil, Michael Jennings, Antonio Kaufusi, Toshio Laiseni, Taniela Lasalo, Epalahame Lauaki, Tevita Leo-Latau, Willie Manu, Manase Manuokafoa, Feleti Mateo, Fuifui Moimoi, Eddie Paea, Lopini Paea, Mickey Paea, Fetuli Talanoa, Joel Taufa'ao, Esikeli Tonga, Taniela Tuiaki, Etuate Uaisele, Cooper Vuna, Tony Williams.

[Bravehearts_RL]

Originally Posted by Bravehearts_RL

Oct 25th - England 32 def PNG 22 - Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville - 10,786
Oct 26th - France 36 def Scotland 18 - Canberra Stadium, Canberra - 9,237
Oct 26th - Australia 30 def New Zealand 6 - Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney - 37,500
Oct 27th - Tonga 22 def Ireland 20 - Parramatta Stadium, Sydney - 7,000

No real upsets on the weekend but there were a 3 games much closer than expected, England, Tonga and France were all strong favorites going in to the weekend. Australia dealt with NZ and the absense of Luke and Inu was unforgivable. The French had a tough time with our boys but scored twice in the last 10 to make the score a bit flattering, Tonga V Ireland was the game of the tournament so far closely followed by England V PNG where PNG nearly pulled off a massive upset against the much fancied english.

[Scottish_Republican]

The coverage of the games has been, to be frank, pathetic.

I know this is not a bad reflection on yourselves, but is a reflection on a Scottish media that can't understand that any sport besides football exists!

I've been reading about it on the world cup website -

Rugby League World Cup 2008 Official Web Site

But apart from that, there's little to go on...

[Bravehearts_RL]

Originally Posted by Scottish_Republican

The coverage of the games has been, to be frank, pathetic.

I know this is not a bad reflection on yourselves, but is a reflection on a Scottish media that can't understand that any sport besides football exists!

I've been reading about it on the world cup website -

Rugby League World Cup 2008 Official Web Site

But apart from that, there's little to go on...

That's disapointing, hopefully it can pick up but if France win this weekend Scotland can't make the finals so it's an uphill battle.

I'm not currently in Scotland, I presume who are SR, what's the TV coverage like? the games I mean, have you watched any?

[Scottish_Republican]

The games are on Sky (satellite TV) which I don't have.

Don't know any bars showing it either...

[Bravehearts_RL]

Originally Posted by Bravehearts_RL

Oct 31st - Samoa 20 def Tonga 12 - CUA Stadium, Sydney - 11,787
Nov 1st - Fiji 42 def France 6 - WIN Stadium, Wollongong - 9,213
Nov 1st - New Zealand 48 def PNG 6 - Skilled Park, Gold Coast - 11,278
Nov 2nd - Australia V England - Teltra Dome, Melbourne -

Good week of games so far, Samoa V Tonga was a good one on Friday, then the upset/choke of the tournament where Fiji smashed France. It now means Scotland can still progress but they would have to beat Fiji by 27 or more buy my calculations. To Fiji's credit they played well above expectations and the French didn't turn up at all. PNG were disapointing compared to last week, credit to NZ though who put them away.

Predicted game of the tournament so far when Australia take on England in a few hours time, the two best sides up against each other.