Rugby League World Cup 2013 Thread

[Kenny]

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The Coaches are starting to name their squads with Scotland and Wales naming theirs today


Scotland squad : Gareth Moore (Batley Bulldogs), Danny Addy (Bradford Bulls), Peter Wallace (Brisbane Broncos), Jonathan Walker (Castleford Tigers), Ian Henderson (Catalan Dragons), Ben Hellewell (Featherstone Rovers), David Scott (Featherstone Rovers), Luke Douglas (Gold Coast Titans), Matthew Russell (Gold Coast Titans), Sam Barlow (Halifax), Dale Ferguson (Huddersfield Giants), Danny Brough (Huddersfield Giants), Adam Walker (Hull Kingston Rovers), Ben Fisher (London Broncos), Alex Hurst (London Broncos), Kane Linnett (North Queensland Cowboys), Andrew Henderson (Sheffield Eagles), Mitch Stringer (Sheffield Eagles), Alex Szostak (Sheffield Eagles), Oliver Wilkes (Wakefield Wildcats), Ben Kavanagh (Widnes Vikings), Brett Carter (Workington Town), Brett Phillips (Workington Town).


Wales squad: Neil Budworth (Moranbah Miners, Australia), Ross Divorty (Halifax), Gil Dudson, Ben Flower, Rhodri Lloyd (Wigan Warriors), Jake Emmitt, Jordan James (Salford Red Devils), Ben Evans, Elliot Kear (Bradford Bulls), Rhys Evans, Rhys Williams (Warrington Wolves), Dan Fleming (Castleford Tigers), James Geurtjens (Norths Devils, Australia), Danny Jones (Keighley Cougars), Craig Kopczak, Larne Patrick (Huddersfield Giants) Peter Lupton (Workington Town), Rob Massam, Christiaan Roets (North Wales Crusaders), Matt Seamark (Wynnum Manly Seagulls, Australia), Anthony Walker (St Helens), Ian Webster (Central Queensland Capras, Australia), Lloyd White (Widnes Vikings).

[Kenny]

Craven Park tomorrow night for the PNG v Samoa game and KC on saturday for England v Fiji , the lads i went out round Leeds on fridaynight with are going to Headingley for the NZ v PNG game and have asked if i want to go with them but the wife is out that night so need to sort a babysitter out before i can say yes

[aucklandlaurie]

Kenny, take the baby to the game and show him/her the Kiwis... the child will be indebted to your for the rest of his/her life.

[tigertattie]

Why are the BBC only showing England and Wales games???

[Kenny]

it's not as if it's the biggest tournament in international rugby league and a chance to showcase the sport to a bigger audience is it ?

[LuvSports!]

Samoa thump PNG with 7 tries. I really fancy they will beat the french and go through to play ENgland.

[Kenny]

Leeds back Zak Hardaker has withdrawn from England's World Cup squad for personal reasons.

The 22-year-old's withdrawal leaves coach Steve McNamara with a squad of 23 for the last group game against Fiji in Hull on Saturday and the knockout stages.

A statement from England said: "Due to personal issues, Zak Hardaker is unable to commit to the England Rugby League programme and has informed the England RL management team that he wishes to withdraw from the squad and will not play any further part in Rugby League World Cup 2013."

[Kenny]

Tonga 22-16 Cook Islands


A result that meens that the USA are through to the quater finals

[Kenny]

Rugby League World Cup - Group A
Team        P W D L  F   A Points
1 Australia 2 2  0  0 62 22 4
2 England  2 1  0 1 62 28 2
3 Fiji        2 1  0 1 34 48 2
4 Ireland   2 0  0 2 14 74 0


Rugby League World Cup - Group B
Team       P W D L F   A Points
1 New Zld 2 2  0 0 90 24 4
2 Samoa   2 1  0 1 62 46 2
3 France  2 1 0  1  9  56 2
4 P N G    2 0 0 2 12  47 0


Rugby League World Cup - Group C
Team         P W D L  F  A Points
1 Italy        2 1 1 0  62 46 3
2 Scotland  2 1 1 0 56  54 3
3 Tonga     2 1 0 1  46 42 2


Rugby League World Cup - Group D
Team          P W D L F A Points
1 USA         2 2 0  0 56 36 4
2 Cook Islds 2 0 0  2 36 54 0
3 Wales       2 0 0  2 32 56 0

[Kenny]

Samoa have called up new Tony Puletua to their World Cup squad.

[Kenny]

Scotland 22 - 8 USA

Scotland now have to wait until sunday to see what the result of the Italy v Tonga game is to see who goes through to the quater finals

[Kenny]

Cant get to the game tonight .......gutted  


As for tomorrow all we need is for England to beat Fiji by 6 points or more and for Ireland to beat Australia's 2nd team and England win the group  

[compelling and rich]

i suspect the Australian 5th team could still beat the irish

[Kenny]

i suspect the Australian 5th team could still beat the irish

i suspect the Australian 5th team could reach the final

[Pal Joey]

 I'm not so convinced.

What happened Kenny? Transportation issues? It was a cakewalk for the Kiwis in the end. Love watching PNG do better in the 2nd half. Great crowd at Leeds... was hoping to see you in there...

[Kenny]

 I'm not so convinced.

What happened Kenny? Transportation issues? It was a cakewalk for the Kiwis in the end. Love watching PNG do better in the 2nd half. Great crowd at Leeds... was hoping to see you in there...

No , the wife was out at a party so i had the kids and considering i was out today for the England game i didn't want to push my luck with her .

[Pal Joey]

So the last round match - France v Samoa. Setting my alarm for 6am.

Who's playing who in the next round?

Just checked...
NZ plays Scotland in Leeds
Australia plays USA in Wrexham
England v loser France-Samoa
Fiji v winner France-Samoa

[Kenny]

I would rather England played France but have a feeling it will be Samoa

[Kenny]

Australian rugby league full-back Billy Slater has been questioned by police after a fight broke out outside a bar in Manchester.

A 40-year-old man from the city was arrested on suspicion of affray after Slater was punched outside the Mojo bar in Bridge Street at about 02:40 GMT.

Slater was also arrested before being released without charge after police viewed CCTV of the incident.

[Pal Joey]

Not your old school 'mate'... maybe that's where he's been?  

[Kenny]

Your Aussies sportsmen really like staying out in bars until the early hours of the morning and getting into fights  

[Pal Joey]

It's all over the news here... again.
You'd think it would filter down eventually, wouldn't you?  

[Kenny]

I'm all for players relaxing after a game and don't mind them having a few beers but you would think they would be more careful as to were they choose to go

[Kenny]

Taking my lad to Headingley on friday for the NZ v Scotland game  

[tigertattie]

Taking my lad to Headingley on friday for the NZ v Scotland game  

its a shame that the BBC arent showing this. Only showing the England 1/4 final! Way to go BBC. Great way to make sure league doesnt expand in Scotland

I'm off to write to points of view!

[mystiroakey]

I actually have the games without realising on some preimier sports channel that got added to my virgin!

[Pal Joey]

It should be a memorable event for you and your lad, Kenny. Really enjoyed watching Scotland play - some real tough meat in that team. I hope it's not a Kiwi blowout and that the Scots can 'ask a few questions' as people say these days.

Tiger, a real shame. They should at least show every match Live from now on. We're lucky down here... every match on free-to-air (7-mate HD)  typical Aussie name for a TV channel isn't it?

It's nice when you discover something like that, mysti. I always forget to check ESPN 2 - some good sport on there. It would be nice if more European rugby was not only on Setanta... so bloody annoying! (not going to fork out the extra) Instead, I get all this extra useless stuff like women's (Euro) volleyball/football or US College football. I'd love to trade them all for HEC, Pro-12... even the LV Cup instead.

[Kenny]

Enjoyed the night , although the game was so one sided . Scotland gave it a go but NZ were just far to good without really being good if you get what i meen

[Kenny]

so the semis are now sorted

Australia v Fiji

New Zealand v England

[Duty281]

Fancy England to edge out New Zealand next saturday in an immense battle of wills. Game of the tournament coming up!

Only 2 games from glory...

[Steffan]

Come on the Kiwis

[aucklandlaurie]

News down here is that the Kiwis will be without both frank Pritchard and Manu Vatuvei, Nightingale would probably come in vatuvei, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

But heres a stat for you, New Zealand hasnt beaten England in the UK since 2005.

[Kenny]

England drop Rangi Chase for New Zealand semi-final


Finally McNamarra makes a decision that will benefit the team ! but then goes and spoils it by bringing in Abblett for McIlloram

England's 19-man squad:

C Ablett (Leeds), G Burgess (South Sydney), S Burgess (South Sydney), R Burrow (Leeds), J Charnley (Wigan), L Cudjoe (Huddersfield), L Farrell (Wigan), B Ferres (Huddersfield), J Graham (Canterbury Bulldogs), R Hall (Leeds), C Hill (Warrington), L Mossop (Wigan), S O'Loughlin (Wigan), J Roby (St Helens), K Sinfield (Leeds, cpt), S Tomkins (Wigan), K Watkins (Leeds), B Westwood (Warrington), G Widdop (Melbourne).

[Kenny]

More trouble in the England camp ?


Coach Steve McNamara has confirmed Rangi Chase was given permission to leave the England camp after being dropped for Saturday's World Cup semi-final against New Zealand.

Chase asked for permission to return to his Lancashire home to be with his partner who is expecting their second child.

McNamara insisted he has no issue with the 2011 Man of Steel, who is thought to have taken the news of being dropped from the squad in favour of Gareth Widdop badly.

England expects

"Rangi is back at home with his family," he said at Friday's press conference at Wembley.

"He asked for a bit of time to be at home and we were happy to go along with that.

"I have no issue with him. He wasn't selected. People deal with that in different ways.

"He'll be at home this weekend and, all being well, will be back with us next week."
'Quality squad'

England captain Kevin Sinfield said he had spoken to Chase after he was given the news of his non-selection.

"He's disappointed, like the rest of the players who miss out this week, but we all realise it is a quality squad and he'll take it on the chin," said England's captain.

Wigan hooker Michael McIlorum was also absent from England's final training run at Wembley after being left out of the team to face the Kiwis.

"With McIlorum it's different," McNamara continued. "He has a back injury and went for scans in Liverpool (on Thursday).

"He is back in Greater Manchester and he needs to get his back issue sorted."

source Skysports

[aucklandlaurie]

Kenny he probably didnt want to play against his cousin again.

[mystiroakey]

We could do with a win against the kiwis

I am officially a league man today

[Duty281]

The first twenty minutes of the England-Australia game showed that England could beat any team in the world. They just have to replicate that over 80 minutes today, keep their discipline, and cut out the errors - then they'll be in the Final. I have no qualms about the English defence, more about the attack: Will they have the audacity to go wide early, and take the Kiwis head-on?

New Zealand haven't really been tested yet in truth. They've looked as good as they possibly can though against the lesser nations.

I make England slight favourites, but it'll be very close. What odds on extra-time?

Wem-ber-leeeee, En-gerrrrr-laaaaaandddddd!

England by 4.

[Pal Joey]

My gut feeling is that it will be a Kiwi onslaught but I'm also aware of England pulling out a miraculous once off performance against a very strong team who might somehow get rattled on a particular day. I don't think that will happen. On current form - I'll go NZ by about 12 points.

The Roos are continuing to get into their groove and should beat Fiji by 6-8 tries... or 36-48 points.

[Steffan]

Come on the Kiwis. You can do it boys

[mystiroakey]

No Hakka for the league team I take it?

[mystiroakey]

Doh..

[Steffan]

Think the league Haka is more scary than the union one

[mystiroakey]

Are these kiwi players just union rejects??

[mystiroakey]

Dodgy ref decision that

[Steffan]

The pro-English commentary is annoying. Even my compatriot Jonathan Davies seems to be getting in on the act

Remember where your from Jiffy

[Pal Joey]

Great try!!!

nice to see Wembley packed to the 2nd tier rafters.

[mystiroakey]

That was some try by the kiwis. But overall England bossing

[LuvSports!]

That is something NZ and Aus can produce that England cannot. They just don't have that flair. It's very measured, powerful, predictable.

[LuvSports!]

Try

[LuvSports!]

gREAT LINE! Momentum shift perhaps.

[mystiroakey]

Argggg...

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