Rugby League World Cup

Rugby League World Cup back on track as NZ, Australia commit to 2022

Just 100 days after pulling out of this year's event with little notice, Australian and New Zealand officials were among those to sign participation agreements for 2022.

A new schedule was released on Friday night, with the tournament starting a week earlier to avoid a clash with the FIFA World Cup but with the same order of games.

The Kiwis kick off their campaign against Lebanon in Warrington on October 16 followed by matches against Jamaica (October 22) and Ireland (October 28).

Rugby League World Cup: Australia and New Zealand pull out of tournament

The men's, women's and wheelchair events are scheduled to take place in England this autumn.

New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) chief Greg Peters said it was "simply too unsafe" to take part.

Rugby Football League (RFL) chairman Simon Johnson called it a "selfish, parochial and cowardly decision".

"Rugby League World Cup organisers have bent over backwards to offer every assurance to the Australians and the Kiwis," Johnson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"We are very unhappy with this decision and we are not prepared to take it lying down."

Rugby League World Cup still on track

The Rugby League World Cup for men, women and wheelchair athletes will draw teams from 21 nations - including several which are still struggling with Covid-19.

Thirty-two teams from countries within the United Kingdom, Europe, North, South and Central America, the Pacific Islands and the Caribbean have qualified.

The tournament in England runs between 23 October and 27 November and for the first time, all three competitions will run concurrently.

Fiji book RLWC finals with Italy thrashing

The two nations had never met before Friday and they made up for lost time, producing a match that had everything a rugby league fan could ask for. 

Kiwis captain headed for Taumalolo showdown

Except from one very important man.

Jason Taumalolo has dominated every aspect of this week's pre-Test build-up, having rocked the Kiwis with his last-minute Cup defection to Tonga.

The 24-year-old powerhouse has done all he can to avoid the public spotlight before the showdown in Hamilton, but he'll do plenty of talking on the field, Tongan coach Kristian Woolf says.

"Jason is Jason, always the same - out there having a laugh, having fun and, like everyone else, looking forward to the challenge," Woolf said.

Fiji book RLWC finals with Italy thrashing

The two nations had never met before Friday and they made up for lost time, producing a match that had everything a rugby league fan could ask for. 

Breathtaking tries, wonderful individual performances, huge hits and three controversial sin-bins were just some of the highlights of the fiery clash that for a long time was a lot closer than the scoreboard suggests. 

Needing to win by 46 to progress to the quarter-finals, it was always going to be a tough ask for the Italians and they did not help their cause in the early stages. 

Fiji Bati expecting toughest test yet from Azzurri

The Bati have chalked up big wins against the United States and Wales to sit comfortably atop Group D with one match to play.

The Italians were stunned by Ireland in their tournament opener before beating the USA to keep their faint hopes alive.

The Azzurri would need to replicate their 46-0 victory against the Hawks to overturn Fiji's sizable points difference of +112.

While that's unlikely, Bati coach Mick Potter is predicting a difficult match all the same.

Kidwell pleased with Kiwis win

Having drawn last year's Four Nations clash with the Bravehearts, David Kidwell's troops hit the ground running in Christchurch and were near-untouchable.

They ran in 14 tries to one, with Peta Hiku and Te Maire Martin scoring hat-tricks.

Tonga book maiden World Cup finals spot

A commanding performance from Tonga's star forward pack laid the platform, and off the back of it they starved Samoa of the ball and took full advantage of their opposition's sloppy errors to score five tries.

Taumalolo inspires trouncing

All the talk about the ex-New Zealand lock's controversial defection did not prove a distraction as Tonga cruised to a 50-4 win over Scotland in their Rugby League World Cup opener.

Taumalolo came up with the most runs (18) for his team, eating up 197 metres, making 19 tackles, and a line break in his 57 minutes on the field.

Tonga threatened to hammer the record books as much as the Bravehearts in their nine tries to one rout in front of 9216 fans.

Parramatta flyer Michael Jennings bagged a first half hat-trick, equalling the most in a Cup match by a Tongan.